Program Description
To meet the educational needs of a student population with interests ranging from the biology of plants to landscape design/installation to fruit and vegetable production to golf course construction and management, considerable flexibility is built into the horticulture curriculum. The diversity of interests and need for flexibility are reflected in the impressive array of horticulture courses.
The Department of Horticulture offers six options within the horticulture major:
- Greenhouse Plant Production
- Horticultural Food Crop Production and Management
- Landscape Design, Installation, and Management
- Public Horticulture
- Horticulture Research
- Turfgrass Management
Graduates possess the technical knowledge and skills to become professional horticulturists. They understand principles of life science, plant growth and development, and are familiar with cultural and management practices for a wide assortment of horticultural crops. They are able to work and communicate effectively with fellow horticultural professionals and other citizens who share an interest in horticulture. Graduates also understand the ethical and environmental dimensions of problems and issues facing horticultural professionals.
A degree in horticulture opens the door to employment opportunities with production nurseries, seed companies, interior landscaping firms, greenhouses, garden centers, conservatories, landscape design/installation firms, public gardens and arboreta, orchards and vineyards, food processing companies, vegetable farms, fertilizer cooperatives, agricultural chemical companies, golf courses, sports fields, sod production companies, and lawn care businesses. Several allied plant-science industries also provide employment opportunities in the areas of sales, management, and communication. Opportunities exist for careers in research, teaching, extension, and business after obtaining advanced training in graduate school.
