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Program Description
Horticulture is the science and practice of growing the plants that shape our food systems, landscapes, and everyday environments. A Horticulture minor provides a strong foundation in how plants grow, how they’re managed, and how they contribute to agriculture and sustainability.
The minor is open to students from all colleges and combines hands-on learning with science-based coursework, allowing you to explore topics ranging from food and ornamental crops to greenhouse production and plant health. With flexible course options, students can tailor the minor to complement their major or pursue areas that match their personal or career interests.
Whether you want to add practical plant knowledge to a related field or simply explore horticulture out of personal interest, the Horticulture minor provides skills and perspectives that are increasingly valued across many disciplines.
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 |
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 |
| PLANT/AGECO 201 | Introductory Agroecology | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Herbaceous Perennial and Annual Identification | ||
| Ornamental Plant Materials | ||
| Ornamental Plant Materials | ||
| Horticultural Systematics | ||
| Fundamentals of Cannabis: An Introduction to the Botany, Cultivation, and Harvesting of Hemp | ||
| Select 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Plant Nutrition | ||
| Plant Breeding | ||
| Post-Harvest Physiology | ||
| Small Fruit Culture | ||
| Deciduous Tree Fruits | ||
| Vegetable Crops | ||
| Hydroponics and Aquaponics | ||
| 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.