Program: Horticultural Science, B.S. - University of Kentucky

Apr 02, 2025

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

The Horticultural Science degree program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed for a career in the production and management of plants and soils for food, fiber, forage, oil, recreation, landscaping and the enhancement of the human environment. Graduates have the technical and scientific skills as well as the communication, computational, leadership, and interpersonal capabilities necessary to function effectively as professionals. Careers are as diverse as they are challenging. Both options prepare graduates for specific professional opportunities.

Options

Students pursuing a Horticultural Science degree may choose from two Options:

Horticultural Plant Production and Management
Horticulture and Plant Science

Graduation Requirements

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Horticultural Science, students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours with a 2.0 grade-point average. A minimum of 45 credit hours must be from upper division courses (300 level and above). Remedial courses may not be counted toward the total hours required for the degree.

UK Core Requirements

See the UK Core section of this Catalog for the complete UK Core requirements . The courses listed below are (a) recommended by the college, or (b) required courses that also fulfill UK Core areas. Students should work closely with their advisor to complete the UK Core requirements.

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity

Choose one course from approved list
Credit(s): 3

II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities

Choose one course from approved list
Credit(s): 3

III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

Recommended:

CLD 102 - THE DYNAMICS OF RURAL SOCIAL LIFE Credit(s): 3

UK Core Hours: 31

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)

HRT 490 - TOPICS IN HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE Credit(s): 3

Subtotal: Graduation Composition and Communication hours (GCCR): 3

In addition, the student must submit a proposed plan of study for the junior and senior years.

Premajor Requirements

Calculus

Complete one course:

MA 123 - ELEMENTARY CALCULUS AND ITS APPLICATIONS Credit(s): 4
MA 113 - CALCULUS I Credit(s): 4
MA 137 - CALCULUS I WITH LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATION Credit(s): 4

Chemistry

Complete one sequence:

Sequence 1

CHE 105 - GENERAL COLLEGE CHEMISTRY I Credit(s): 4
CHE 107 - GENERAL COLLEGE CHEMISTRY II Credit(s): 3
CHE 111 - GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY Credit(s): 1
CHE 113 - GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY Credit(s): 2

Sequence 2

This sequence fulfills chemistry requirement for students in the Horticultural Plant Production and Management option only.
CHE 104 - INTRODUCTORY GENERAL CHEMISTRY Credit(s): 3
CHE 108 - INTRODUCTION TO INORGANIC, ORGANIC AND BIOCHEMISTRY WITHOUT LABORATORY Credit(s): 3

Sequence 3

This sequence fulfills chemistry requirement for students in the Horticultural Plant Production and Management option only.
CHE 105 - GENERAL COLLEGE CHEMISTRY I Credit(s): 4
CHE 108 - INTRODUCTION TO INORGANIC, ORGANIC AND BIOCHEMISTRY WITHOUT LABORATORY Credit(s): 3

Subtotal: Premajor hours: 10-14

Students choose between the Horticulture Science option and the Horticultural Plant Production and Management option. All students take the same Major Core requirements listed below, but each option has a separate section of HRT 490 Topics in Plant and Soil Science.

Major Requirements

*Students in the Horticulture and Plant Science Option take BIO 148 /BIO 152 .

HRT 100 - AN INTRODUCTION TO HORTICULTURE PROFESSIONS Credit(s): 1
PLS 104 - PLANTS, SOILS, & PEOPLE: A SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE Credit(s): 3
PLS 210 - THE LIFE PROCESSES OF PLANTS Credit(s): 3
OR
BIO 148 - INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I Credit(s): 3 * AND
BIO 152 - INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II Credit(s): 3 *
PLS 220 - INTRODUCTION TO PLANT IDENTIFICATION Credit(s): 3
PLS 366 - FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE Credit(s): 4
PLS 386 - PLANT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Credit(s): 4
PLS 395 - INDEPENDENT RESEARCH IN PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES OR AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SCIENCES Credit(s): 1 - 4 (Variable)
OR
PLS 399 - EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCE OR AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SCIENCES Credit(s): 1 - 4 (Variable)
PLS 504 - INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT Credit(s): 4
HRT 440 - PLANT PROPAGATION Credit(s): 3
HRT 490 - TOPICS IN HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE Credit(s): 3

Options

Graduation Requirements

UK Core Requirements

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity

II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities

III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

IV. Intellectual Inquiry in the Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences

V. Composition and Communication I

VI. Composition and Communication II

VII. Quantitative Foundations

VIII. Statistical Inferential Reasoning

IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA

X. Global Dynamics

UK Core Hours: 31

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)

Subtotal: Graduation Composition and Communication hours (GCCR): 3

Premajor Requirements

Calculus

Chemistry

Sequence 1

Sequence 2

Sequence 3

Subtotal: Premajor hours: 10-14

Major Requirements

Subtotal: Major hours: 31-34

Options

TOTAL HOURS: 120