Horticulture Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
Options available:
- Ecological Management of Turf, Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- General Horticulture
- Horticultural Research
- Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics
- Sustainable Horticultural Production
- Therapeutic Horticulture
- Viticulture and Enology
Grow with us in the Horticulture Major. Our graduates go on to do sustainable farming; vineyard management; greenhouse & nursery production; breeding of new plant varieties; therapeutic horticulture; ecological management of golf courses, athletic fields, parks, botanical gardens, landscapes, urban centers and natural environments; and research on horticultural crops and systems.
We emphasize active learning and stress broad knowledge, critical thinking, field-based problem solving, analysis of novel situations, and application and synthesis from many areas. Our courses tackle contemporary real-world decisions faced by professional horticulturists. They include hands-on labs, diagnostics, landscape construction, and student-managed projects. Research opportunities are available. You will become skilled at finding and synthesizing information in order to manage the novel situations you will face during your horticultural career.
For more information, visit the Horticulture website.
Major Code: 145
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Find, interpret and integrate data and theory from horticultural systems and sciences, and related disciplines.
- Assess horticultural systems, diagnose horticultural problems and recommend solutions, and create novel systems based on data and theory from horticultural sciences and related disciplines.
- Comprehend and demonstrate how horticultural sciences integrate with contemporary social, economic, political and environmental issues.
- Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication.
Grade Requirements for Horticulture Major
Students pursuing a major in horticulture are required to receive a grade of C– or better in all HORT (horticulture) and PBG (plant breeding and genetics) courses that are required for completion of their major and option. If a grade below C– is received in a HORT or PBG course required for their major and option a student will need to re-take the course and receive a grade of C– or better. If the grade below a C– was received for a course that is part of a group of courses where the student can select which courses to take (i.e., they do not need to take all of the courses, just a specified number of courses or credits) then it would be acceptable for the student to substitute a course for the one that they had received a grade below a C–. For example, in most of our options, a student needs to complete three of four plant identification courses. If a student received a grade lower than a C– in one of the classes, they could either re-take the same course or complete the other three courses with a grade of C– or better.
Grade Requirements for Horticulture Major – Plant Breeding and Genetics Option
Students pursuing an option in Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, under the Horticulture Major, and under the Crop and Soil Science Major, are required to receive a grade of C– or better in all BOT, CROP, CSS, FOR, HORT, MB, PBG, SOIL and ST courses required within their major and option.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Core | ||
| General Science | ||
| Select one of the following BI series: | 12 | |
| Series A: Principles of Biology (required for Horticultural Research option) | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | ||
| Series B: Introductory Biology | ||
| *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | ||
| *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | ||
| *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | ||
| Select one of the following CH series: | 15 | |
| Series A | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| Series B (required for Horticultural Research option) | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | ||
| MTH 111Z | +*PRECALCULUS I: FUNCTIONS | 4 |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| +*PRECALCULUS II: TRIGONOMETRY | ||
| *CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | ||
| *MATHEMATICS FOR MANAGEMENT, LIFE, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES | ||
| *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS (required for Horticultural Research option) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS 1 | ||
| Agricultural Science | ||
| BOT 331 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY | 4 |
| BOT 451 | PLANT PATHOLOGY | 4 |
| CROP 440 | WEED MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| ENT 311 | INTRODUCTION TO INSECT PEST MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| SOIL SCIENCE and *SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | ||
| *SOIL SCIENCE | ||
| Orientation | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 1-2 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO HORTICULTURAL SYSTEMS, PRACTICES AND CAREERS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO CROP, SOIL, AND INSECT SCIENCE (Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics option only) | ||
| Horticultural Science | ||
| HORT 301 | GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS | 3 |
| HORT 310 | PLANT PROPAGATION 2 | 3 |
| HORT 316 | PLANT NUTRITION | 4 |
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-12 | |
| THESIS (required for Horticultural Research option) 3 | ||
| INTERNSHIP 3 | ||
| HORT 412 | CAREER EXPLORATION: INTERNSHIPS AND RESEARCH PROJECTS | 1 |
| Required Option | 42-65 | |
| Remaining Bacc Core and Electives | 35-68 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- +
Core Education course. Applies only to students admitted to an OSU undergraduate degree from Summer 2025 onwards
- 1
Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics option already requires ST 351. Students in that option will need to choose from one of the other math courses to fulfill this requirement
- 2
Some options require an attached laboratory course, HORT 312, in addition to HORT 310
- 3
Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics option requires PBG 403 or PBG 410
Major Code: 145
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| HORT 112 | INTRODUCTION TO HORTICULTURAL SYSTEMS, PRACTICES AND CAREERS | 2 |
| CH 121 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
| MTH 111Z | +*PRECALCULUS I: FUNCTIONS | 4 |
| WR 121Z | *COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 5 |
| Communication Course | 3 | |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| CH 123 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 5 |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: PAC | 1 | |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 221 or BI 204 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | 4 |
| CSS 205 | *SOIL SCIENCE or SOIL SCIENCE and *SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | 4 |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: Math | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222 or BI 205 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | 4 |
| HORT 316 | PLANT NUTRITION | 4 |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223 or BI 206 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | 4 |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: Writing II | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BOT 451 | PLANT PATHOLOGY | 4 |
| HORT 301 | GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS | 3 |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: Synthesis | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| HORT 310 | PLANT PROPAGATION | 3 |
| HORT 318 | ^APPLIED ECOLOGY OF MANAGED ECOSYSTEMS | 3 |
| BOT 331 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY | 4 |
| HORT 411 | HORTICULTURE BOOK CLUB | 1 |
| HORT 412 | CAREER EXPLORATION: INTERNSHIPS AND RESEARCH PROJECTS | 1 |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENT 311 | INTRODUCTION TO INSECT PEST MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| Option Course | 3 | |
| Bacc Core: Synthesis | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: Science, Technology & Society | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CROP 440 | WEED MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| Option Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Bacc Core: Synthesis | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| HORT 403 or HORT 410 | THESIS or INTERNSHIP | 3-12 |
| HORT 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| Option Course | 4 | |
| Capstone Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |