Horticulture

The internship program is designed to give juniors and seniors an opportunity to gain practical experience from leaders in the various areas of the Horticulture industry.

	The floriculture concentration is designed to provide an understanding of the environmental/plant relationships required to produce quality greenhouse-grown products. Courses in the production, use, and marketing of cut flowers, bedding and pot plants, and foliage plants complement an array of classes within the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and across the campus. Valuable "hands-on" experience can be gained through practicum programs involving production and marketing. Students completing the floriculture concentration have the opportunity to enter a number of floriculture-related professions including: greenhouse production, all phases of retail and wholesale floral business, greenhouse supply sales, greenhouse construction and computerized environmental control, plant breeding, and plant research.

	The horticultural business management concentration provides the opportunity to gain the broadest horticultural background available within the department and, at the same time, participate in key business courses in the College of Business. Students may expand their specific horticultural interests or take an array of horticulture courses which can lead to more job opportunities in the future. Horticultural business students have the background to manage any horticulture business or market associated products, including the operation of garden centers, nurseries, fruit and vegetable production operations, greenhouses, or floral products outlets. Opportunities also exist in the sale of facilities, equipment, and supplies involved in all aspects of horticulture. Positions as buyers of horticulture products within the U.S. or international businesses are possible.

	Students electing the horticultural food crops concentration focus their studies on systems related to production of fruits and vegetables. Specific areas include fruit production, vegetable production, irrigation practices, soil fertility, propagation, breeding, and related plant pest management courses.

	Horticultural scientists conduct research to discover new information about plant growth, development, and environmental response. Applied knowledge from such studies leads to new plant varieties and production methods. Undergraduates choosing the concentration in horticultural science receive a solid foundation in the basic sciences and agricultural sciences leading to technical and scientific careers in laboratory, greenhouse, or field research. Work may be in the public or private sector. Exceptional students participate in individual research projects overseen by a qualified professor. Horticultural science graduates often continue their education to the master's or doctoral level. Horticultural therapy is a professional practice that uses the cultivation of plants and gardening activities to improve the mental and physical health of its participants. The horticultural therapy concentration combines horticulture courses with the study of therapy/human sciences, leading to careers in health care and human services. Horticultural therapy students gain the skills necessary to establish, manage and work in a range of program types such as mental health, vocational, correctional, rehabilitative, wellness, educational, community-based and long term care. The viticulture and enology concentration is designed to give students a background in food crop production with a focus on grapes and their processing into wine. Students gain practical experience through required internships, which are in grape production and wine-making. This is accomplished via one or more internships at a winery and/or vineyard. Students take background courses in science and pest identification and management as well as food safety and plant nutrition. Students completing the concentration have the opportunity to enter industry as an assistant grower or wine maker.