Courses
Five courses (15 credit hours) are required. The student and his/her advisor will select the courses that will constitute the student's certificate requirements.
At least three courses in the certificate must be from the Department of Horticultural Science. The remaining two courses may also be in Horticultural Science, or from one of the following areas: Agricultural and Resource Economics, Agricultural and Extension Education, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Crop Science, Entomology, Food Science, Plant Pathology, and Soil Science. Note that not all courses are offered each semester.
Up to twelve (12) credit hours of courses taken while the student is classified as a Post-Baccalaureate Studies (PBS) student may be used in the certificate program if approved by the student’s advisor.
Below is a list of courses that may be taken as part of the certificate program.
Special Problems course options include: Plant Breeding Overview for non-Majors; Physiology and Culture of Temperate Zone Tree Fruits; Diagnostic Criteria for Plant Nutrition; Integrated Breeding Databases
HS 523 - Viticulture
Units: 3
A presentation of the commercial importance, distribution, anatomy, physiology, and production of Genus Vitis [grapes] including cultivars, propagation, canopy management, diseases, weed control, physiology, anatomy, irrigation, wine production, climates and soils. This course will not require students to provide their own transportation. Non-scheduled class time for field trips or out-of-class activities IS required for this class
Offered in Spring Only
YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years
HS 532 - Introduction to Permaculture
Units: 3
Permaculture means "permanent culture," and ..."is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of a natural ecosystem." [Bill Mollison] This course will explore a design/thinking methodology that seeks to provide our essential physical needs, food, water, shelter, energy, etc., while doing so in an environmentally friendly, sustainable manner. This course is restricted to upper level undergraduate, graduate, or matriculated continuing education students. STUDENTS MAY NOT RECEIVE CREDIT FOR BOTH HS 432 AND HS 532.
Offered in Fall and Summer
HS 541 - Plant Breeding Methods
Units: 3
Overview of plant breeding methods for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. Covers principles and concepts of inheritance, germplasm resources, pollen control, measurement of genetic variances, and heterosis. Special topics include heritability, genotype-environment interaction, disease resistance, and polyploidy. In-depth coverage on methods for breeding cross-pollinated and self-pollinated crops. Prepares students for advanced plant breeding courses.
Offered in Fall Only
HS 550 - Environmental Nursery Production
Units: 3
The course focuses on the impacts of the nursery industry on the environment and environmentally sound nursery practices. Exploration of the major challenges facing the nursery industry that drive decision making during production. Evaluation of past and current research addressing these challenges and sampling procedures and interpretation will be learned. Graduate status and an undergraduate nursery production or management course or working knowledge of nursery production required.
Offered in Fall Only
YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years
HS 562 - Postharvest Physiology
Units: 3
Preharvest and postharvest factors that affect market quality of horticultural commodities with an emphasis on technologies to preserve postharvest quality and extend storage life of fruits, vegetables and ornamentals.
Offered in Spring Only
HS 583 - Advanced Floral Crop Production and Handling
Units: 3
Principles and commercial practices for producing floral potted crops and cut flowers emphasizing the physical responses of plants to their environment and post-harvest physiology. Lab will be conducted at the student's home location and students will document plant growth with photos or video. Some live plants will be mailed to the student; however, the student will be required to purchase some plants [e.g. African violet]. Course is restricted to graduates students only.
Offered in Spring Only
YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years
HS 590 - Special Problems in Horticultural Science
Units: 1 - 6
Selection of a subject by each student on which to do research and write a technical report on the results. The individual may choose a subject pertaining to his or her particular interest in any area of study in horticultural science.
Offered in Fall Spring Summer
HS 703 - Breeding Asexually Propagated Crops
Units: 1
Principles and problems associated with breeding clonally propagated crops and techniques used in overcoming these problems. Taught third five weeks of semester. Drop date is by last day of 3rd week of minicourse.
Offered in Fall Only
HS 706 - Fruit Development and Postharvest Physiology
Units: 1
Theories of plant senescence, both physiological and biochemical, and postharvest changes in all types of plant parts. Emphasis on physiological principles underlying current postharvest handling and storage techniques. A study of fruit development from fruit set to senescence. Taught third five weeks of semester. Drop date is by last day of 3rd week of minicourse.
Offered in Fall Only
HS 707 - Environmental Stress Physiology
Units: 1
Physiology of plant responses to environmental stresses, with emphasis on current research in selected physiological, molecular, and biochemical mechanisms for tolerance to environmental stresses such as temperature extremes, drought, salt, pathogens and other plants.
Offered in Fall Only
YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years
HS 729 - Herbicide Behavior In Plants
Units: 2
Chemical, physiological and biochemical actions of herbicides in plants including uptake, translocation, metabolism and mechanism of action.
Offered in Fall Only
HS 790 - Special Problems in Horticultural Science
Units: 1 - 6
Selection of a subject by each student on which to do research and write a technical report on the results. The individual may choose a subject pertaining to his or her particular interest in any area of study in horticultural science.
Offered in Fall Spring Summer