PLANT AND LANDSCAPE SYSTEMS MAJOR
Landscape Design and Management Option
The landscape design and management option will prepare you to design landscapes and manage landscape plants that provide cultural, ecological, and production functions. This option includes courses in plant identification and selection, design, construction, and installation. You will learn to identify plants and their functional and aesthetic benefits in the landscape, how to use those plants in a design that enhances and sustains our quality of life, and how to communicate plans for transforming the landscape. You will also learn gain technical knowledge needed to install and manage landscape plants using systems thinking.
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 with an option in Landscape Design and Management. Careers are possible as a(n):
- business owner, contractor, or manager working in design, installation, and management of private and commercial landscapes;
- sales or product manager working with plants and hardscape elements;
- educator in different venues;
- and plant researcher in areas such as plant selection, use, and management.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Landscape Design and Management 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.
InternshipsCLUBS
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.
Agronomy Club
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.
Pi Alpha Xi
Tyler Quick
Christian Elowsky
Plant Biology Undergraduate Adviser