Horticulture
Horticulture is the science and art of producing, improving, marketing, and using fruits, vegetables, flowers, turf and ornamental plants. Horticulture encompasses the design and planting for landscapes, parks, highways, and public facilities, including interiorscapes, in rural, suburban, and urban areas. It includes skills for management of greenhouse, nursery, garden center, seed, fruit, vegetable, biotechnology, urban forests, golf courses, sports facilities, and specialty crop enterprises, as well as floral design and flower shops. Instruction and study includes culture, propagation, processing, production, marketing, design and management.
The Horticulture major is a four-year curriculum leading to the B.S. degree. Students also may minor in Horticulture. Prospective students should consult with horticulture faculty regarding programs and options so their educational needs may best be fulfilled. Master of Science and Ph.D. degree programs also are available. For more complete details, see the Graduate Bulletin .
Curriculum Options
Horticulture majors may select one or more options of study. All of the requirements for the major and the supporting disciplines must be met to complete any horticulture option. Students may select from the following six options:
- Horticulture Science: This option is for students who plan to continue formal graduate school education leading to careers in research, teaching, and extension.
- Landscape Design: This option is for students interested in planning, designing, and installing landscape plantings for functional and aesthetic purposes (a 19-credit minor in landscape architecture is required).
- Landscape Management: This option is for students interested in management of designed outdoor environments including public parks, private gardens, botanic gardens as well as commercial and residential landscapes.
- Production-Business: This option is for students who wish to grow, market, and process horticultural crops, for example, nursery, greenhouse and field production of fruit, vegetable or ornamental crops.
- Sports and Urban Turfgrass Management: This option is for students who desire a career in the management of quality turf in such areas as golf courses, sports facilities, parks, as well as commercial and residential lawns.
- Urban Forestry and Parks: This option is for students who desire a career in the management of urban forests and park-like areas, including arboreta, botanic gardens as well as commercial and residential properties.
Special Opportunities
Pre-Forestry: A student who desires to major in forestry may select a two-year pre-forestry curriculum. However, the forestry student must transfer to another institution that offers a Forestry program to complete degree requirements.
Horticulture and Forestry Club: The goal of this club is to provide opportunities to enjoy horticulture and forestry at NDSU outside of the classroom. The club organizes field trips to botanical gardens, arboreta, trade shows, parks and other horticultural sites. Other activities include attending regional and national conferences and competitions. Club members have the opportunity to be involved with growing and marketing horticultural plants for their plant sale fundraisers.
Turf Club: The goals of the Turf Club are to provide students with opportunities to share information, connect with the turf industry, gain real world experience, and broaden their knowledge. The club organizes field trips, topic discussions, and presentations by guest speakers. Other activities include attending regional and national turf conferences, community service, and fundraising.
Major Requirements
Major: Horticulture
Degree Type: B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 128
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses for Horticulture | ||
| AGRI 150 | Agriculture Orientation (Not required for students transferring in 24 or more credits.) | 1 |
| AGRI 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1 | 1 |
| BIOL 150 | General Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 151 | General Biology II | 3 |
| BOT 380 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| CHEM 121 & 121L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S) | 4 |
| CHEM 122 | General Chemistry II (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| or MIS 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| ECON 105 | Elements of Economics (May satisfy general education category B and G) | 3 |
| or ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| ENT 350 | General Entomology | 3 |
| MATH 103 | College Algebra | 3 |
| PLSC 210 | Horticulture Science | 3 |
| PLSC 211 | Horticulture Science Lab | 1 |
| PLSC 323 | Principles of Weed Science | 3 |
| PLSC 355 | Woody Landscape Plants | 3 |
| PLSC 365 | Herbaceous Landscape Plants | 2 |
| PLSC 457 | Horticulture and Turfgrass Systems (Capstone) | 3 |
| PLSC 496 | Field Experience | 2 |
| or PLSC 494 | Individual Study | |
| PLSC 491 | Seminar | 1 |
| PPTH 324 | Introductory Plant Pathology | 3 |
| SOIL 210 | Introduction to Soil Science | 3 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| Options: Select one of the six options listed below. | 36 | |
| Option information: Students must select one of the options listed below to complete the major. The standard option is Production Business; if students wish to complete one of the other options availalbe they must officially declare their option with the Office of Registration and Records. | ||
| Total Credits | 93 | |
| 1 | AGRI189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take AGRI 189. |
Production-Business Option (Standard) - 36 Credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 102 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| ENT 431 | Principles of Insect Pest Management | 3 |
| FIN 320 | Principles of Finance | 3 |
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management | 3 |
| MRKT 320 | Foundations of Marketing | 3 |
| or MGMT 430 | Leadership in Organizations | |
| PLSC 368 | Plant Propagation | 3 |
| PPTH 455 | Plant Disease Management | 3 |
| or PPTH 457 | Landscape Plant Pathology | |
| Electives: Select 15 credits of the following: | 15 | |
| Tractors & Power Units | ||
| Floral Design I | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Turfgrass Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management Laboratory | ||
| Nursery Production and Management | ||
| Vegetable Crop Production | ||
| Fruit Crop Production | ||
| Greenhouse Production and Management | ||
| Potato Science | ||
| Advanced Weed Science | ||
| Advanced Landscape Plants | ||
| Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology | ||
| Applied Crop Physiology | ||
| Soil Fertility and Fertilizers | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Horticulture Science Option - 36 Credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 260 | Elements of Biochemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 122L | General Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 341 & 341L | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| MATH 146 | Applied Calculus I | 4 |
| PLSC 315 | Genetics | 3 |
| PLSC 315L | Genetics Laboratory | 1 |
| PLSC 368 | Plant Propagation | 3 |
| PLSC 486 | Applied Crop Physiology | 3 |
| Electives: Select 13 credits of the following: | 13 | |
| Scientific Term: Greek & Latin | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Turfgrass Management and Turfgrass Management Laboratory | ||
| Genomics | ||
| Nursery Production and Management | ||
| Vegetable Crop Production | ||
| Fruit Crop Production | ||
| Greenhouse Production and Management | ||
| Potato Science | ||
| Intermediate Genetics | ||
| Applied Plant Breeding and Research Methods | ||
| Advanced Weed Science | ||
| Arboriculture Science | ||
| Plant Disease Management | ||
or PPTH 457 | Landscape Plant Pathology | |
| Soil And Plant Analysis | ||
| Regression Analysis | ||
| Probability | ||
| Introduction to Experimental Design | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Landscape Design Option - 36 Credits
This option also requires the completion of the Landscape Architecture minor (19 credits).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PLSC 177 | Floral Design I | 2 |
| PLSC 341 | Landscape Bidding, Contracting and Operations | 2 |
| PLSC 465 | Advanced Landscape Plants | 2 |
| Electives: Select 11 credits of the following: | 11 | |
| Field Experience | ||
| Turfgrass Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management Laboratory | ||
| Nursery Production and Management | ||
| Greenhouse Production and Management | ||
| Landscape Irrigation Design | ||
| Landscape Irrigation Installation and Management | ||
| Arboriculture Science | ||
| Landscape Plant Pathology | ||
| Landscape Architecture Minor | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| LA 231 | Landscape Architecture Graphics | 3 |
| LA 271 | Introduction to Landscape Architecture Studio | 6 |
| Electives: Select 10 credits of the following: | 10 | |
| Design Technology | ||
| Parks & Open Spaces Studio | ||
| History of Landscape Architecture | ||
| Site Development and Detailing I | ||
| Site Development and Detailing II | ||
| Site Development and Detailing III | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Landscape management Option - 36 Credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 102 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| FIN 320 | Principles of Finance | 3 |
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management | 3 |
| PLSC 341 | Landscape Bidding, Contracting and Operations | 2 |
| PLSC 370 | Landscape Management | 3 |
| PLSC 465 | Advanced Landscape Plants | 2 |
| PLSC 468 | Landscape Irrigation Design | 2 |
| PLSC 469 | Landscape Irrigation Installation and Management | 2 |
| PPTH 457 | Landscape Plant Pathology | 3 |
| Electives: Select 13 credits of the following: | 13 | |
| Principles of Insect Pest Management | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Plant Propagation | ||
| Turfgrass Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management Laboratory | ||
| Nursery Production and Management | ||
| Advanced Turfgrass Topics | ||
| Arboriculture Science | ||
| Soil Fertility and Fertilizers | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Sports & Urban Turfgrass management Option - 36 Credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 102 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| FIN 320 | Principles of Finance | 3 |
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management | 3 |
| PLSC 215 | Weed Identification | 1 |
| PLSC 375 & 375L | Turfgrass Management and Turfgrass Management Laboratory | 4 |
| PLSC 381 | Sports Turf Operations | 3 |
| PLSC 468 | Landscape Irrigation Design | 2 |
| PLSC 469 | Landscape Irrigation Installation and Management | 2 |
| PPTH 457 | Landscape Plant Pathology | 3 |
| SOIL 322 | Soil Fertility and Fertilizers | 3 |
| Electives: Select 9 credits of the following: | 9 | |
| Tractors & Power Units | ||
| Power Units Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Insect Pest Management | ||
| Golf | ||
| Introduction to Prairie & Community Forestry | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Landscape Bidding, Contracting and Operations | ||
| Advanced Landscape Plants | ||
| Advanced Turfgrass Topics | ||
| Arboriculture Science | ||
| Plant Disease Management | ||
| Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Urban Forestry & Parks Option - 38 Credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 102 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| FIN 320 | Principles of Finance | 3 |
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management | 3 |
| PLSC 219 | Introduction to Prairie & Community Forestry | 2 |
| PLSC 386 | Arboriculture Climbing and Rigging Operations | 2 |
| PLSC 465 | Advanced Landscape Plants | 2 |
| PLSC 485 | Arboriculture Science | 3 |
| PPTH 457 | Landscape Plant Pathology | 3 |
| Electives: Select 15 credits of the following: | 15 | |
| Principles of Insect Pest Management | ||
| Natural Resource Management Systems | ||
| Urban-Ecosystem Management | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Plant Propagation | ||
| Landscape Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management Laboratory | ||
| Nursery Production and Management | ||
| Landscape Irrigation Design | ||
| Landscape Irrigation Installation and Management | ||
| Soil Fertility and Fertilizers | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Minor Requirements
Horticulture Minor
Minor Requirements
Required Credits: 18
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PLSC 210 | Horticulture Science | 3 |
| PLSC 211 | Horticulture Science Lab | 1 |
| Select 6 credits from the courses listed below: | 6 | |
| General Entomology | ||
| Introductory Plant Pathology | ||
| Introduction to Soil Science | ||
| Elective Courses: Select 8 credits from the following: | 8 | |
| Woody Landscape Plants | ||
| Herbaceous Landscape Plants | ||
| Plant Propagation | ||
| Landscape Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management Laboratory | ||
| Arboriculture Climbing and Rigging Operations | ||
| Nursery Production and Management | ||
| Vegetable Crop Production | ||
| Fruit Crop Production | ||
| Greenhouse Production and Management | ||
| Advanced Landscape Plants | ||
| Arboriculture Science | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
- Students must earn a minimum 2.00 GPA for the minor requirements.
