What you will study
At the University of Central Missouri, our horticultural classes provide you with
the knowledge and skills to breed, establish, harvest and manage plants. You’ll use
different tools and techniques to design, create and operate landscapes and other
environments.
Undergraduate Horticulture degree program coursework involves the classroom, state-of
the-art greenhouses, shade houses and university farms. Take horticultural classes
in:
- Fruit and vegetable production
- Landscape design and installation
- Plant diseases
- Plant propagation
- Turfgrass
- Woody and herbaceous plant identification
- Floral design
- Greenhouse management
- Beekeeping and apiculture
Complete your undergraduate Horticultural degree and pursue jobs for horticulturalists
in Missouri and throughout the Midwest that impact the cultivation and growing of
plants.
Unique learning opportunities in horticulture
To prepare you for horticultural careers, the University of Central Missouri provides
you with ample hands-on, real-world opportunities. Put opportunity into action through:
- UCM greenhouse, nursery and farms: Undergraduate students in UCM’s Horticulture degree program spend a lot of time at
our one-acre Greenhouse and Nursery Complex, with two greenhouses, two shade houses
and a lath house. Our largest greenhouse — around 5,000 square feet — has both climate
control and production capabilities. Use these spaces in various horticultural classes
and gain skills in the care, grooming, propagation and trial marketing of plants.
UCM also owns 370 acres across two farms that offer high tunnel production and more.
- Internships: All UCM Horticultural degree students complete an internship with an agency, business
or other organization. Whether you pursue these opportunities locally, in nearby Kansas
City or in St. Louis, you’ll learn knowledge and skills valuable to jobs for horticulturalists.
- Field trips and guest speakers: Botanical gardens, tree nurseries and turf farms — these are just a few of the field
trips you can expect to take in the UCM Horticulture degree program. Learn alongside
experts and classroom guests as you design and install landscape projects; explore
propagation techniques with cuttings, grafting and tissue culture; and plant and cultivate
horticultural crops, both in the field and in high tunnels.
- Undergraduate Research: Conduct your own research as an undergraduate alongside faculty mentors. Present
your work at Missouri Academy of Sciences meetings, the UCM Research Scholars Symposium
and more.
What can you do with a Horticulture degree from UCM?
Graduates with degrees in Horticulture from the University of Central Missouri use
their extensive knowledge of plant species and strong problem-solving skills in a
variety of ways. Jobs for horticulturalists can be found in fruit and vegetable crop
production, golf course maintenance, landscape or nursery management and public and
private garden management.
More on jobs for horticulturalists
Explore horticultural careers, including job outlooks and salary expectations, using
the interactive tool below.
Financial assistance options for degrees in Horticulture
The University of Central Missouri’s tuition and fees come in lower than many other
institutions in Missouri. Our Horticultural degree program offers competitive tuition
rates, along with several opportunities and resources to help you finance your college education.
For example, our local Johnson County Master Gardeners’ Group provides scholarships
to UCM students interested in horticultural careers. Find this and other scholarships
-- including the Lee's Summit Garden Club Scholarship -- with the UCM Scholarship Finder.
Make Connections Beyond the Classroom
Join the Horticulture Club or other organization
Outside of your horticulture classes, you can join a student club or organization.
In addition to joining the Agriculture Club or Delta Tau Alpha, our agriculture honor
organization, many of our students take part in the Horticulture Club. This group,
made up of both students and community members, focuses on community service, industry
engagement and growing and cultivating ornamental plants for the club's annual sale.
Get Involved
Dedicated Staff to Help You Move Forward
UCM has academic advisors and success coaches working for you
At UCM, Agricultural Science and Horticultural degree students access academic and
success coaches to help with course scheduling, resumes, cover letters and job searches.
These dedicated staff members support your success on campus and as you pursue jobs
for horticulturalists.
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