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Horticulture B.S.

17:1
Avg. student to faculty ratio
86%
Of CSU Grads Land Jobs Related to Their Career Plans
95%
Of Online Undergraduate Students Would Choose CSU Again
$52K
Average Starting Salary of Recent CSU Grads
Degree Overview Open Accordion

See how this online bachelor's degree can prepare you to oversee successful horticultural operations, teaching you both the science and business of plant cultivation.

Earn your horticulture degree online with a concentration in horticultural business management

Build the knowledge to oversee horticultural operations. Study online, learn from experienced faculty, and get support from a department with a long-standing history in education and research in horticulture.

Horticulture remains central to how humans survive and thrive on the planet. Yet, there are currently not enough skilled horticulturalists to meet growing needs for a safe, healthy food supply, and sustainable green spaces.

By completing this online horticulture degree, you can develop the skills to pursue a career in an in-demand field.

Learn the science and business of growing plants

This program’s curriculum emphasizes both scientific and business concepts integral to the green industry, providing versatile knowledge with a global perspective. Study the system of horticulture — from seed to final product — ensuring you have a background that will help you succeed.

Improve your understanding of plant growth, development, and environmental response to better manage plant production and improve yield quality and quantity. Topics of study include:

  • Horticultural science
  • Pest management
  • Plant cultivation
  • Controlled environment agriculture

Additionally, agriculture-focused business courses train you in areas fundamental to managing a horticultural business. These courses focus on:

  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Economics
  • Law

Online learning in a hands-on fashion

This program’s course of study allows students to maintain full-time employment and earn a degree at the same time.

Horticulture is by nature a hands-on field, and although this program is online, it provides plenty of active learning opportunities. Projects like developing greenhouse models and writing business plans give you the practical experience to succeed in the industry. Many careers in horticulture involve sales, management, and finance. This program helps you build these skills through courses with an agricultural focus. Apply what you learn in the online classroom in your current or future horticulture job.

Support from faculty and peers

Faculty make it a priority to facilitate meaningful conversations through email, online discussion forums, and video conferencing. Access in-depth information from researchers and practitioners who are passionate, knowledgeable, and experienced in all aspects of horticulture.

Learning online doesn’t mean learning alone. With an average class size of 21 students, this online horticulture bachelor's degree program allows you to interact closely with your peers, share ideas, and collaborate.

Explore Careers Open Accordion

While an education may not be required for many entry-level jobs, more advanced, higher-paying horticulture careers require at least a bachelor's degree. When you earn your horticulture degree online with CSU, you gain scientific knowledge and business skills that will make you eligible for a wide variety of green industry jobs.

Potential job titles include:

  • Plant technician
  • Crew supervisor
  • Superintendent of operations
  • Sales person
  • Manger of propagation (garden center)
  • Inventory manager
  • Field supervisor
  • Landscape technician
  • Equipment operator
  • Grower manager
  • Greenhouse manager
  • Plant collections curator

Organizations that have a need for employees with an academic background in horticulture include:

  • Garden centers
  • City/county parks and recreation departments
  • CSAs
  • Nurseries
  • Public gardens
  • Landscape design firms
  • Greenhouses
  • Farms
  • Vineyards
Hear from Our Students Open Accordion
Heath J

Heath Jorgenson

“CSU made a promise and delivered. I also delivered by putting in the effort. I’m now working as a horticulture and gardens consultant for private estates on the barrier islands. I use my CSU education every single day on the job and in my own garden. I’m finally respected as a horticulturist. I would absolutely recommend this program.”



Why Choose CSU?

As a student in CSU's online horticulture bachelor's program, you receive the same education, learn from the same faculty, and earn the same regionally accredited degree as students on campus. Additionally, you can expect:

  • A Strong Foundation in Science: This degree is science-focused, giving you knowledge to not only cultivate and manage plants, but to deeply understand plant biology and physiology, and effectively investigate and solve problems.
  • Practical Business Training: Many careers in horticulture involve sales, management, and finance, and this program helps you build your skills in these areas through courses with an agricultural focus.
  • A Program Born from a Rich History: CSU is well known for its horticulture programs, which date back to the 1920s. This long-standing history has led to the attainment of highly qualified faculty, and strong relationships with industry and academic societies. These close ties keep faculty, and the curriculum they design, finely tuned to the topics and techniques most relevant to industry today.
  • A Quality Learning Experience: With an average class size of 21 students, this program gives you the opportunity to interact closely with your instructors and your peers.
  • Convenience and Flexibility: The online format allows you to earn your degree from a reputable research university while maintaining a busy work schedule and personal life.

Learn more about CSU's rankings and accolades.

Degree Minors Open Accordion

Grow your knowledge and focus on a topic that interests you. A degree minor can help you discover new passions and talents, and further specialize your education so you become more marketable to employers. Relevant courses often apply to both major and minor requirements, so a minor can be added without greatly changing your degree plan.

Courses already taken can apply to a minor regardless of when the minor is added to your student record. All minor requirements must be completed prior to graduation.

Undergraduate Minors

Agricultural Business

Anthropology

Get a cross-cultural view of humanity and the broadly conceived dimensions of human behavior. You have the option to focus your anthropology studies on one or more sub-disciplinary divisions, including physical anthropology, archaeology, ethnology, or applied anthropology. To earn the minor, you must complete 22 credits from the following courses:

Business Administration

Computer Science

Add to your knowledge base and feel confident working with fields like computer programming, software development, cyber security, and more.

Required Lower Division Courses

Select one course from the following

Required Upper Division Courses

Program Total Credits: 24

Please note: Additional Math courses may be required depending on the 300/400 level courses that students choose.

Creative Writing

Explore creative writing in one or more of the following genres: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. In addition to broadening your writing repertoire, gain workshop experience at an advanced level. To earn this minor, you must complete a minimum of 21 credits in courses with E or CO subject codes, with at least 15 upper-division credits.

Required Courses

Select one group from the following

Fiction
Poetry
Nonfiction
Select one course from the following not taken above

Upper-Division Electives

Design Thinking

The Minor in Design Thinking provides students with an opportunity to develop creative methods and processes for solving societal problems. This human-centered approach engages users and stakeholders in interdisciplinary co-design processes and applies elementary or emerging technologies to develop prototypes that improve spaces, objects, services, problems and ideas benefitting daily experiences and overall quality of life. Students will gain an awareness of the impact of design thinking and its application – to their major, discipline, or profession. Nancy Richardson Design Center course offerings are available in a mix of online, hybrid, or face-to-face. For a full list of learning opportunities offered by the RDC, please visit the courses page.

To earn the minor in Design Thinking online, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select any 12 credits from the following:

Select 3 credits from the following:

Note: Some online courses are still in development.

Economics

Gain insight into current socioeconomic problems in the areas of resource allocation, inflation, unemployment, income distribution, environmental degradation, international trade, and monopoly power. This minor prepares you for careers in business management, teaching, government, banking, and public policy. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Lower Division

Upper Division

Gerontology

Prepare for a variety of careers in gerontology and develop an understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of adult development and aging. This interdisciplinary minor prepares you to fill the need for well-trained professionals to support aging adults, and can be paired with any CSU major.

Required Courses

Select a minimum of 3 credits internship/field placement directly related to aging from the following:

Electives (3-6 credits)

Global and Environmental Sustainability

Prepare to meet today's pressing environmental challenges with this interdisciplinary minor offered by The School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES). Explore innovative research to understand how to solve problems that arise between humans and the environment. To earn your minor, you must complete 21 credits (12 upper-division credits) from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select one course from each group (A-D)

At least 3 credits must be upper-division (300-400 level). Courses may not satisfy two groups.

Group A: Society and Social Processes (select one)
Group B: Biological and Physical Processes (select one)
Group C: Economy and Profitability (select one)
Group D: Skills (select one)

Upper-Division Elective – select 3 upper-division credits from categories A-D with a subject code not previously taken (3 cr.)

History

Expand the breadth of your knowledge by earning an undergraduate minor in history. Choose from a range of courses based on your interests. This minor may be particularly useful for students who plan to pursue careers in education, public service, government, museums and archives, law, and other professions that require skills in research, writing, and the analysis of information. To earn the history minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses. (Note: You must complete at least 12 upper-division credits and 9 lower-division credits).

Select any 9 credits from the following

Take 12 Upper-division (300-400 level) courses in HIST

Horticulture

Growing and managing plants requires you to understand the science and the business of cultivation, and this online bachelor's degree minor emphasizes both. To earn the horticulture minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses.

Required courses (14 credits):

Select two courses (for a minimum of 7 credits) from the following:

Human Development and Family Studies

The Human Development and Family Studies minor provides students across all majors with an opportunity to select course work relevant to their career goals. Students will learn about human development at various stages of the lifespan, within the context of diverse families and social identities. This minor offers students the opportunity to expand their thinking about how relationships, family, culture, biological make-up, and environmental factors influence outcomes related to thinking skills, physical health, and social-emotional well-being across the life cycle. Students will gain an awareness of how to optimize their own and other's development in their careers and personal lives. The HDFS department is committed to promoting the success and well-being of students from heterogeneous backgrounds and experiences.

Effective Fall 2023

Students must satisfactorily complete the total credits required for the minor. Minors and interdisciplinary minors require 12 or more upper-division (300- & 400-level) credits. Additional courses may be required due to prerequisites.

Courses from this list may not double-count for the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Minor.

A minimum grade of C (2.000) is required in each course used to satisfy the requirements of the Minor in Human Development and Family Studies. Courses used as substitutions also require a minimum grade of C (2.000).

Required Course:

Electives

Select a minimum of 18 credits from the following (a minimum of 12 credits must be 300-level or higher)

Six credits of the following may count:

Six credits of the following may count:

Interdisciplinary Global Studies

Develop an understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures and peoples with courses in international and global history, politics, languages and cultures, economics, and environmental issues. To earn this minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select four courses below

One course from each category, 12 credits total with at least 9 credits in upper-division (300-400) coursework.

History, Politics, and Society
Languages and Cultures
Economy and Environment

Interdisciplinary Information Science and Technology

This interdisciplinary minor is sponsored by departments in different colleges across CSU: Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, English and Journalism and Media Communication. The program is designed for students seeking a broad foundation in information technology, but not seeking to major in a specific information technology-related field. The program requires 21 credits and is open to students majoring in any field other than computer science, computer information systems, and electrical and computer engineering.

Required Course

Elective Courses

Select any 18 credits from the following

Program Total Credits: 21

Note: Nine credits must be from upper-division courses. A minimum of six credits must be completed from at least two subject codes.

Journalistic Reporting and Storytelling

Upon completion of this program, students will develop a strong understanding of the principles and practices of journalism. Students will demonstrate fluency in the legal and ethical considerations of journalism and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real-world developments around newsgathering and dissemination.

To earn the minor in Journalistic Reporting and Storytelling online, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses: 9 credits


Focus Area Electives: 12 credits

Machine Learning

Media Studies

Understand the role and influence of mass media in American society and other cultures by studying media and film history, criticism, law, ethics, social effects, cultural consequences, and multicultural and international media issues. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select any 15 credits from the following

Political Science

Gain a foundation in political theory and prepare for careers in law, teaching in the social sciences, journalism, and public service. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select six credits from the following

Select nine credits of upper division classes from the following

Science Communication

The minor in Science Communication is designed to educate highly qualified communicators who have interests in specialized academic disciplines and career fields. Because science often involves complicated research and processes, communicating the results of that work requires special skills. This program is designed to prepare students for a wide range of niche career opportunities in media, corporate communication, science-related industries, and scientific environments.

Required Courses

Select two courses from the following:

Sociology

How to Add a Minor

Please connect with your assigned advisor to request to add a minor. Note that you must apply and be admitted to the University for a bachelor's degree program before you can add a minor to your student record. Once you are admitted, one or more minors may be added to your student record.


Undergraduate Certificates

Climate Change and Society

Students enrolled in this certificate will be introduced to the major implications of climate change on people and earth systems with the purpose of building a person’s climate change literacy, empowering them to reduce impacts of climate change, and giving students awareness of climate change mitigation/adaptation strategies to bring to their workplaces. Students will learn:

1. What is climate change, why is it now a serious problem, and what can we do about it?
2. What are the key issues for understanding how groups of people respond to and are affected by climate change?
3. What are the key responses and feedbacks of earth systems to climate change?
4. What adaptation, mitigation solutions or business strategies might be employed in real-world systems?

The certificate is being taught across 3 colleges/5 departments and is open to all students across campus, in-person and online.

Curriculum

Required Courses:

Select one from the following:

  • ANTH 330 – (In development)
  • ESS 365

Select one from the following:

  • BUS 440
  • GES 440/ATS 440 – (Coming soon!)
  • GES 441

Total Credits: 12

Design Thinking Certificate

Open to all undergraduate students, the Certificate in Design Thinking will improve not only the way students learn and find solutions to problems in their current coursework, but will also help make students more employable with sought-after marketable skills. Students will gain an awareness of the impact of design thinking and its application – regardless of discipline, profession, or major. Nancy Richardson Design Center course offerings are available in a mix of online, hybrid, or face-to-face. For a full list of learning opportunities offered by the RDC, please visit the courses page.

To earn the certificate in Design Thinking online, you must complete 12 credits from the following courses:

Required Course

Select any 9 credits from the following:

Note: Some online courses are still in development.

Disability and Neurodiversity

The undergraduate certificate in Disability and Neurodiversity provides an interdisciplinary understanding of individuals across the lifespan with disabilities and is relevant to majors and careers in health, education, rehabilitation, and human service professions. Students will explore how disabilities interact with health, life outcomes, family, society, stigma, and the physical environment, and intersect with identities such as race and gender. This certificate consists of basic coursework as well as experiential learning through research or field experiences.

Required Courses

Select 6 credits from the following:

Select a minimum of 3 credits directly related to disabilities from the following:

Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites. Some elective courses are restricted to majors, minors, or honors students. Other related courses may be substituted upon approval of the certificate advisor. A maximum of 6 credits may double-count with the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Minor, the Certificate in Youth Mentoring, and the Minor in Human Development and Family Studies.

Integrated Pest Management

The undergraduate Certificate in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) will equip students with in-depth knowledge of principles of integrated management of pest insects, weeds, and diseases associated with managed and natural landscapes. The students will learn about principles underlying integrated pest management, become familiar with key pests, and learn how to apply IPM in managed landscapes with a goal of minimizing environmental and economic impacts of pest control. This certificate is an excellent choice for students interested in entering the workforce immediately after graduation, as well as professionals that require certification in IPM. The certificate will prepare the students for careers in crop protection, pest management education and policy, among others.

Required Courses:

Select a minimum of 4 courses from the following:

Macroeconomics

The Certificate in Macroeconomics will educate students in the key ideas, tools, and policies of macroeconomics. Major ideas include the causes and consequences of economic growth, unemployment, inflation, and the changing distribution of income, both in the U.S. and internationally. Students will develop both theoretical and analytical skills that are highly valued by employers.

Required Courses

Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following:

Program Total Credits: 9

Spanish for Animal Health and Care

For students interested in working in animal science, veterinary medicine, or related fields, this certificate program teaches intermediate-level Spanish for use in agricultural and animal care settings. Learn to communicate in Spanish about livestock, equine, and small animal breeds, give directions for animal care and handling, issue instructions for safety and drug administration, and more.

Courses

Seed Science and Technology

Prepare for a career as a seed analyst with online courses in seed technology. These courses, led by Colorado State University and supported by three other major universities (Iowa State University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Kentucky) and the Crop Science Society of America, offer a comprehensive overview of seed analysis, a technical skill requiring patience, attention to detail, and a scientific understanding of seed biology. After completion, you will be prepared to complete the examinations to become a Registered Seed Technologist.

Courses

Note: Additional study and testing is required to become a Certified Seed Analyst or Registered Seed Technologist.

Curriculum Open Accordion

Requirements to Graduate

A minimum of 120 credits are required to complete this degree. This includes:

  • 42 upper-division (300-400 level) credits
  • 30 upper-division credits completed through Colorado State University

The number of courses needed for completion of the program depends on:

Curriculum

The curriculum listed below is intended to inform prospective students about the overall theme of the program and should not be used as an example program of study. Students need to consult their advisor to develop a degree completion plan based on the credits transferred into this program. You have the option to use the Transferology website to conduct a self-review of your potential transfer courses. This tool will assist you in seeing how your previous college coursework may transfer to CSU. Please note, new online courses are in development to provide additional choices.

All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC) – 31 credits

Students are strongly encouraged to select AUCC courses in consultation with their academic advisor. The following courses are required as part of the 31 required AUCC credits for the horticulture degree.

Here are a few of the AUCC options required of this major:

Required Horticultural Business Management Concentration Courses (around 75 credits depending on course choices)

Choose one of the following two computer courses: BUS 150, CS 110

How to Apply Open Accordion

Application Deadlines

Fall semester June 1
Spring semester November 1
Summer semester May 1

Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.

Apply Now

Planning to transfer credits from another college or university? Please review our FAQ page, then complete a Tentative Transfer Evaluation Form to see how your prior credits may transfer.

1 Review Admission Requirements

Refer to admissions.colostate.edu/apply/ for details about who we look for in our individual review process

2 Talk with a Student Success Coach

Call or email our student success team to find out if the program is a good fit for your goals. Our coaches are available Monday-Friday to help you find the right program and navigate the application process.

Student Success Coach: Kristina Reda
Phone: (970) 491-1813
Email: Kristina Reda

Schedule Time to Talk

3 Complete Online Application

Complete Colorado State University's online undergraduate application and pay any associated nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online) or waiver (if eligible).

  • Select "Horticulture—online degree program" when choosing major.

Online applications must be submitted before 5 p.m. (Mountain Time) on the deadline date. If you miss the application deadline, you may still register for courses to begin your program of study as a non-degree student. Students seeking Federal financial aid must be admitted prior to enrolling.

4 Apply for Financial Aid (Optional)

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Use FAFSA code 001350. Additional financial aid information is also available.

5 Check Your Application Status

View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.

Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis and may take up to six weeks during high volume application periods.

Questions?

We love learning about your goals and answering any questions you have.

Kristina Reda
Prospective Student Support Coach
Schedule Time to Talk

Program Details

Courses
Credits
120
Tuition
$476 per credit
Same in-state tuition for all.
Learn more about financial aid and scholarships Tuition/fees are just part of the cost to attend CSU. Learn more about the full Cost of Attendance
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Science in Horticulture; concentration in Horticultural Business Management
Time Frame
Varies based on intensity of study and previous coursework
Admission Reqs.

Application Dates

Fall semester
June 1*
Spring semester
November 1*
Summer semester
May 1*
*Note: Application dates may vary depending on student status. Learn more.

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