At which campus can I study this program?
What is Horticulture?
The Horticulture minor introduces you to the science and practice of growing edible and ornamental crops, from plant propagation and physiology to sustainable production techniques and controlled‑environment systems. Discover how plants shape our food systems, landscapes, and environments.
You will explore how plants respond to their environment, learn strategies for cultivating healthy, resilient crops, and gain hands-on experience with real plants and real growing challenges. Whether you are interested in food production, ecological restoration, or native and ornamental plants, this minor complements a wide range of majors and prepares you to apply plant science in meaningful, practical ways.
A Horticulture minor strengthens your understanding of how plants grow, function, and influence the systems that support food production, landscapes, and the environment. Students apply scientific principles to real-world challenges in crop production, greenhouse and nursery systems, and plant-focused management. This minor adds depth to majors across the university and supports students interested in plant-related industries, community and environmental work, and applied research.
You Might Like This Program If...
A Horticulture minor is a great option if you:
- want hands-on, science-based experience with plants and the environments they depend on
- are curious about how plant biology and environmental factors shape horticultural systems
- enjoy learning how plants are propagated, identified, and managed across diverse settings
- want to build foundational skills that complement careers in crop production, greenhouse and nursery management, public gardens, ecological restoration, or applied plant science
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18 |
The minor in Horticulture consists of a minimum of 18 credits.
Requirements for the Minor
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| HORT 101 | Horticultural Science  | 3 |
| HORT 202 | Plant Propagation | 3 |
| HORT 315 | Environmental Effects on Horticultural Crops | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 3 credits in systematics of the following: | 3 | |
| Herbaceous Perennial and Annual Identification | ||
| Ornamental Plant Materials | ||
| Ornamental Plant Materials | ||
| Horticultural Systematics | ||
| Select 6 credits in foundation and production courses of the following: | 6 | |
| Plant Nutrition | ||
| Plant Breeding | ||
| Post-Harvest Physiology | ||
HORT 420 | ||
| Small Fruit Culture | ||
| Deciduous Tree Fruits | ||
| Vegetable Crops | ||
| Flower Crop Production and Management | ||
| Retail Horticulture Business Management | ||
| Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology | ||
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Tarrah Geszvain
Academic Adviser
117 Tyson Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-6087
thg110@psu.edu
Career Paths
Career opportunities exist in marketing and sales, plant health and protection, public gardens and arboretums, greenhouse and nursery production and management, cooperative extension, farm management, and with government or non-government agencies.