Horticultural Science (Certificate Program)

The Certificate in Horticultural Science is a non-degree program offered through the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University.  The Certificate program is designed to increase personal knowledge and skills for current or future employment in the Horticultural Industry. Students may concentrate in one of three areas: General Horticulture, Food Horticulture and Ornamental Horticulture.

Requirements: The Certificate program requires a minimum of five courses resulting in at least 15 credits to be completed within 4 years. The courses will constitute a cohesive continuing education in Horticultural Science and will be selected by the candidate and the advisor.

Applicant must have a B.S. or higher degree from an accredited four-year college or university and have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale.

It is highly recommended that candidates have a major in horticulture, crop science, plant science, plant biology or agricultural education with a plant science emphasis.  Applicants who do not meet the GPA requirement may be admitted provisionally based on past work experience as a professional in horticulture or a related field.  Supporting documentation of professional experience in horticulture or a related field must be submitted for provisional admission.  Students who are admitted provisionally must earn at least a 3.0 GPA average in the first two courses of the certificate program in order to obtain full admission into the program.  Certificate students must maintain an average GPA of 3.0 and a minimum grade of C (2.00) in any of the Horticulture Graduate Certificate courses.

Curriculum:  The following courses can be used for credit in the Horticultural Science Certificate Program. Please note: Not all courses are offered each semester.  Students should consult their advisor and the course catalog for the most up-to-date course listings.

Horticultural Science (DE and on-campus sections)
HS 541 Plant Breeding Methods
HS 542 Advanced Vegetable Crop Management
HS 543 Greenhouse and High Tunnel Food Production
HS 562 Post Harvest Physiology
HS 590 Special Problems in Horticultural Science (Environmental Nursery Production)
HS 590 Special Problems in Horticultural Science (Fruit Quality)
HS 590 Special Problems in Horticultural Science (Introduction to Permaculture)
HS 590 Special Problems in Horticultural Science (Introduction to Viticulture)
HS 590 Special Problems in Horticultural Science (Small Fruit Production)
HS 707 Environmental Stress Physiology
HS 717 Weed Management Systems 

Horticultural Science (On-campus sections only)
HS 502 Plant Disease: Methods and Diagnosis
HS 525 Advanced Plant Propagation
HS 590 Special Problems in Horticultural Science (Horticultural Substrates and Urban Soils)
HS 701 Carbohydrate Metabolism and  Transport
HS 704 Plant Nomenclature
HS 705 Physiology of Flowering
HS 706 Fruit Development and Postharvest Physiology
HS 715 Weed Science Research Techniques
HS 716 Weed Biology
HS 718 Biological Control of Weeds
HS 720 Molecular Biology in Plant Breeding
HS 722 Mineral Nutrition In Plants
HS 725 Pesticide Chemistry
HS 727 Pesticide Behavior and Fate in the Environment
HS 731 Physiology of Landscape Plants
HS 732 Vegetable Crop Physiology
HS 745 Quantitative Genetics in Plant Breeding
HS 746 Breeding Methods
HS 748 Breeding for Pest Resistance

Any other graduate-level Horticultural Science courses.

Plant Pathology
PP 502 Plant Disease: Methods and Diagnosis

Entomology
ENT 591 Insect Pest Management

Soil Science
SSC 440 Geographic Information
SSC 470/570 Wetland Soils
SSC 532 Soil Microbiology
SSC 551 Soil Morphology, Genesis and Classification                       
SSC 562 Environmental Applications of Soil Science          

Food Science
FS 495 Special Topics in Food Science (Good Manufacturing Practices)
FS 495 Special Topics in Food Science (Sanitation Standard Opt. Proc.)
FS 495 Special Topics in Food Science  (Sanitation)
FS 495 Special Topics in Food Science  (Hazard Analysis/ Risk Assess.)
FS 495 Special Topics in Food Science  (Microbiology / Microbial Hazards)

Agriculture & Extension Education
AEE 501 Foundations of Agriculture & Extension Education
AEE 521 Program Planning in Agriculture & Extension Education
AEE 523 Adult Education in Agriculture

For more information about the Certificate Program and applications materials, please see the Department of Horticultural Science website.