Bachelor of Science Degree Program

Stockbridge School of Agriculture

Contact: Douglas Cox
Office: Bowditch Hall
Phone: 413-545-5214
Email: dcox@umass.edu

Sustainable Horticulture provides students with the tools and knowledge to work in the horticultural field. Students receive scientific training in the production of herbaceous ornamentals, fruits, and vegetables. Students in this major have the option of selecting a science or business management option.  The program stresses the concepts and practices vital to the preservation of natural resources in managed plant systems.  University-operated greenhouses, vegetable farm, and orchard are used as laboratory spaces to provide hands-on experience related to knowledge acquired in the classroom. Successful graduates of this program find employment in plant conservatories and arboreta, as well as in businesses such as direct-market farms, greenhouse operations, landscaping firms, seed companies, and nurseries, or they continue to graduate school for advanced degrees.

Core Requirements (Total: 27-29 credits).

Biological Science (8 credits)
STOCKSCH 105 Soils
STOCKSCH 108 Introductory Botany

Chemistry (4 credits)
CHEM 110 or CHEM 111
(Students selecting Science focus should complete CHEM 111)

Ecosystems Studies - one of the following (3-4 credits):
BIOLOGY 287 Introductory Ecology
ENVIRSCI 214 Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Global Change
NRC 100 Environment and Society
STOCKSCH 115 Environmental Biology

Integrative Experience (3 credits)
NATSCI 494I Global Issues in Applied Biology

Junior Year Writing (3 crecits)
NATSCI 397A CNS Junior Writing

Mathematics, Statistics and Reasoning—two semesters in mathematics, statistics and/or analytic reasoning (6-8 credits).

Major Requirements (Total: 48-54 credits)
Choose from a selection of Required courses in Horticulture, Pest Management, Plant Nutrition, and Plant Physiology.

Choose minimum 15 credits from Restricted Electives in areas of Crop Physiology, Food Crops, Greenhouse Horticulture, Landscape Horticulture, Pest Management, Plant Nutrition and Soils, and Turf Management (at least 6 credits at or above 500 level and 6 credits maximum from outside the department)

Choose Business or Science focus.