Undergraduate Students

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We offer a degree program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture, with a choice to specialize in one of seven options: 

As an undergraduate, you’ll get firsthand experience with Oregon horticulture. Many courses include field trips to farms, orchards, vineyards, golf courses, landscape management firms, and contemporary and historic landscapes. We have our own OSU facilities for increasing your knowledge and skills – Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture, Lewis-Brown Research Farm, and state-of-the art greenhouses.

You can also elect to focus on research by becoming an OSU Undergraduate Research Fellow. Research fellows uncover new knowledge or apply existing knowledge to solving problems and are recognized by a transcript-visible Research Fellow designation. Learn more about becoming an OSU Research Fellow

In addition, we offer an Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP), where an undergraduate student can start their research and graduate courses, towards their Master’s Degree, during their senior year - Accelerated Master’s Platform (AMP)

Learning Outcomes

As you progress through the Horticulture curriculum you will:

  • 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 needed for success in horticultural careers and graduate programs.

Active Learning

Our courses confront contemporary, real-world problems and decisions faced by professional horticulturists. In class, you'll participate in hands-on laboratory experiences, diagnostics, landscape construction, student-managed projects, and field-based problem-solving. If you are interested in exploring research, you can choose from a variety of opportunities. You will become skilled at finding and synthesizing information in order to manage the situations you will face during your horticultural career. Explore the Oregon State Course Catalog to learn more about the classes you will take, or learn about completing an internship or read over the undergraduate thesis requirements.

Expert Faculty

Our faculty members help people grow healthy and productive crops, develop and maintain beautiful and functional landscapes, and manage world-class golf courses and athletic fields. They work to breed new varieties of vegetables and fruit, explore new production practices, and develop new pest and weed management strategies. They also research the basic biology of horticultural crop plants, explore the ecology of horticultural systems, and work to develop  productive and sustainable food systems.

Diverse Community

Our students come from all over Oregon, the United States and the world. Some have grown up in horticulture as part of family farms or horticultural businesses; others simply know they enjoy working with plants and want to build a career in horticulture. Some are recent high school graduates and some began their studies at a community college. Others are returning to school later in life to pursue a new career. They come together as a vibrant and supportive student community in the Department of Horticulture.