Horticulture Graduate Certificate Programs

Updated: Nov 10, 2024

There have always been many challenges in horticulture – pest control and disease, how to get the best yield, and now the impact of climate change. Horticulturalists are vital to food security. That's why formal qualifications in horticulture are vital in the 21^st century.

If you have a background in biology, ecology, botany, or a related subject, a Horticulture Graduate Certificate may be ideal for you if garden cultivation or management careers are of interest. There is actually a range of career options open to you with such a certificate.

What Are the Online Horticulture Graduate Certificate Requirements?

Any student applying for a Horticulture Graduate Certificate will be expected to provide evidence of a list of minimum application requirements:

An accredited four-year degree in a subject relevant to horticulture (biology, biological science, botany, etc.)
The completed application form. Fees must be submitted at each subsequent deadline
A minimum GPA. This varies depending on the college, but typically anything between 2.75 and 3.25 with 3.00 being standard
Transcripts
Two recommendation letters – both professional and academic are acceptable
A statement of purpose (why do you want to study this, and here)
A list of academic contributions including research and teaching
If you do not speak English as a native language, the college or university will expect you to provide evidence of fluency. You may do so through PTEA, IELTS, or TOEFL certification. ELS112 and DuoLingo may also be eligible in some cases

What Type of Classes are Included in the Online Horticulture Graduate Certificate Curriculum?

Horticulture Graduate Certificates are comprised of both mandatory courses and electives:

Horticulture and Human Health and Well-Being
Human Health Issues
Crop Screening
Food Pharmacology
General Botany for Gardeners
Introduction to Irrigation Practices
Horticultural Pest Management
Soil and Plant Nutrition
Plant Materials for Landscape Use
Plant Taxonomy and Identification
Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management
Interiorscaping
Arboriculture
Environmental Nursery Production Practices
Viticulture
Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development
Plant Physiology
Greenhouse Crop Production

Horticulture Graduate Certificate Careers

A Graduate Certificate in Horticulture will mean you can work as any of the following (subject to other experience and qualification areas):

Horticulturalist: You will be responsible for cultivating plants or groups of plants in a garden –whether they are ornamental, crops, or medicinal. You will take daily care of the soil, tackling pests and diseases.
Agronomist: On a similar note, this is a science concerned with the uses of crops on a landscape and their study. It covers ornamental landscapes, farms, and the meteorological impacts on these crops.
Plant Pathologist: Your main role here is identifying and dealing with a range of plant diseases. You will have an expert understanding of diseases from soil, air, environment, and a range of treatments.
Horticulture Consultant: Maybe your expertise or passion is now in advising others on what plants to use for a landscape or other ecological design. Your knowledge of plants and ecosystems is useful.
Ornamental Horticulturist: City and building design often utilize plants for functional and aesthetic purposes. Your understanding of the local environment and plant management is useful.
Landscape Designer: Rather than dealing with individual plants, you will work as part of a landscape design system – choosing plants and groups of plants to create the desired aesthetic.
Horticulture Writer: Horticulture as a science also needs communicators in the professional world, and to consumers. You may write about anything from the science of horticulture to general interest.
Pest Management Professional: Plants attract all kinds of pests. For food and resource crops, this can be disastrous. You will identify and take measures to deal with plant pests.
Horticulture Inspector: Federal and state government food regulators employ inspectors to ensure that farmers and other crop producers adhere to their legal requirements.