The PLAS Horticulture Option prepares you to manage specialty crops in field, landscape, greenhouse, and controlled environment systems. This option includes courses in plant propagation, physiology, genetics, plant identification and selection, and specialty crop management. You will gain knowledge and skills needed to develop healthy food and landscape systems that promote human health, culture, community, and economic opportunity.
Planning Your Degree
Creating an individual development plan is important to make sure you get all the courses, experiences and knowledge you want while in college. Some students complete extended internships (6-, 9-, or 12-month) and take an extra semester or two to graduate, while other students have a lot of dual credit from high school and graduate in 3 or 3.5 years. Each student has their own goals and timeline, and these may change as you progress in your academic program and discover new paths. Whenever your target graduation date is, make sure you work with your advisor to get the courses and experiences you want while hitting your target graduation date.
Scholarships
The Department of Agronomy and Horticulture offers scholarships to students enrolled in the agronomy, plant and landscape systems, or plant biology majors (CASNR). Each year approximately 80 students receive departmental scholarships that total more than $120,000.
Careers
A wide variety of career paths is available in this rapidly-changing field. With an option in horticulture, careers are possible as a(n):
- business owner, grower, or manager working with trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits and vegetables in greenhouses, nurseries, or field operations;
- educator in different venues such as botanical gardens, arboreta, extension, community colleges, and universities;
- and plant researcher in areas such as plant breeding, genetics, production, and management.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Horticulture Internships
Students are required to complete two internships as part of their graduation requirements. They are encouraged to complete these two experiences at different locations to experience different growing conditions, management practices and to increase their professional network.
Clubs
Horticulture Club
The Horticulture Club's mission is to promote interest and further education in horticulture, and to provide a means by which students, professors and industry professionals may meet and work together.
Pi Alpha Xi
Pi Alpha Xi is the National Honor Society for Horticulture. The purpose of the group is to promote high scholarship, fellowship among students, educators and professional horticulturists, professional leadership and the enrichment of human life through plants.
Horticulture Research Experiences
Our horticulture faculty are activity engaged in research to improve vegetables, fruits, landscapes and flowers. We hire undergraduate students to help with these research projects during the summer and academic year. You can even earn internship credit with these experiences.
