About this major
Horticulture is everywhere.
Horticulture is sustainably growing fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs to feed and heal a hungry population. It’s rainwater harvesting, rain gardens, and hydroponics to conserve water in greenhouses, nurseries, and home landscapes. It’s mapping genes, breeding, and cloning to help plants grow more efficiently, look prettier, and resist pests.
It’s using new technologies like LED lighting and environmental sensors to save energy and grow plants in new places — even outer space. It’s preserving and protecting our native plant ecosystems, and brightening our days with fresh bouquets and colorful landscapes. And it’s helping others, at home and around the world, who are less fortunate.
A starting point for an exciting career and life-long pursuit — one that stays with you no matter where in the world you go, and whichever path your life takes.
Careers
Where a horticulture degree can take you.
Roles our graduates step into
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- Botanical Garden, Arboretum and Community Garden Curator
- Plant, Seed, Chemical and Equipment Sales Representative
- Urban, Vertical, or Hydroponic Farm Manager/Operator
- Greenhouse, Nursery and Farm Manager/Operator
- Cooperative Extension and Government Specialist
- Fruit or Vegetable Farm Manager/Operator
- Native Plant Restoration Specialist
- Landscape Designer/Contractor
- Horticulture Instructor
- Floral Designer
- Plant Breeder
Class of 2023 career outcomes
- 82% Employed full-time
- 91% In internships
- 76% Attending graduate school
Full-time figure includes self-employed graduates. Source: UGA Career Outcomes Survey, Class of 2023.
Coursework
How your four years will take shape.
You’ll take mostly the basic science core for your first two years, then focus on horticulture courses for the rest of your degree.
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Years 1–2
Core classes
Biology, chemistry, and the foundations every horticulturist builds on.
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Years 3–4
Major-specific classes
Upper-level horticulture coursework shaped around the direction you choose.
How to prepare
to study [program name].
In preparation for studying [program name] at CAES, we recommend you:
- Volunteer at a local community garden, school, park, or botanical garden. (List item, 45–100 characters)
- Take part in the Young Scholars Program, 4-H, FFA, or another related program.
- Work or volunteer at a farm, golf course, nursery, garden center, or similar enterprise.
Hands-on learning
In horticulture classes, you will…
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- Take field trips to nearby farms, nurseries, and landscapes.
- Conduct independent research for credit with a faculty mentor.
- Grow plants in our greenhouses, plant vegetables at UGArden, and prune trees at our farm.
- Grow and sell vegetables and herbs in our entrepreneurship class.
- Learn growing and sales through the Horticulture Club’s semi-annual plant sale.
Paying for college
How do I pay for college?
Scholarships
Each year, CAES awards scholarships to students in our majors, and the department offers work-study opportunities through Financial Aid. Many students also find part-time work assisting faculty research or at nearby greenhouses, nurseries, and farms.
Financial aid
For deadlines and eligibility requirements, start with the University of Georgia Office of Student Financial Aid. They’ll help you map grants, loans, and work-study to your situation.
Double Dawgs
Earn a master’s in five years or less.
Horticulture can be taken as a Double Dawgs program — a UGA pathway that lets ambitious students earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in five years or less, saving time and money while positioning themselves for success after graduation.
Double Dawgs programs with Horticulture
FAQ
Good to know.
Do I need experience with plants before I start?
FAQ answer, 200–280 characters. No. Plenty of students arrive having never grown anything — the first-year courses assume you’re starting from curiosity, not expertise. What helps most is a willingness to spend time outdoors and in the greenhouse.
What are the concentrations within the major?
You can focus your upper-level work toward production (fruits, vegetables, ornamentals), the green industry and landscape management, or plant science and research. All three share a common core, so you don’t decide on day one.
When can I get involved in research?
As early as your first year. Faculty regularly hire undergraduates into breeding, physiology, and post-harvest labs — many of these positions are paid, and they often grow into an independent project for credit.
Connect
Get in touch with your personal support team.
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Prospective students
Debbie Hargrave
Academic Advisor
Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs
3117 Miller Plant Science 120 Carlton St. · Athens, GA 30602
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Current students
Ashley Williams
Web Developer Specialist, Team Lead
Office of Information Technology (OIT)
208 Hoke Smith Building · Athens, GA 30602
News
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Your future starts here.
Bring your curiosity about how to feed and fuel the world; we’ll provide the greenhouses, labs, expertise and mentors you need to turn it into a career.