The Department | Undergraduate Faculty and Undergraduate Students | Overview of Degree Options | Contact Information

The Department

The Department of Horticulture has 28 on-campus faculty, 7 off-campus faculty located at branch stations, 22 Extension faculty, 8 federal and 1 industry scientist on courtesy appointments. Approximately 110 students are enrolled in the undergraduate program and about 30 students are enrolled in the graduate program.

The department’s main office and teaching and laboratory facilities are located in the Agricultural and Life Sciences Building (ALS), completed in 1992. Research space includes laboratories that are well equipped with up-to-date laboratory equipment and computers, cold rooms, growth chambers, and a research tissue culture facility. It has convenient access to the well-equipped Central Services Laboratory of the Center for Gene Research and Biotechnology.

The department has ample greenhouse space and over 100 hectares of research field plots on three research farms, including a 10 hectare vineyard. In addition, there are four off-campus research and Extension facilities located in Aurora, Hood River, Hermiston, and Medford.

Undergraduate Faculty and Undergraduate Students

Over 15 faculty members of the Horticulture Department teach undergraduate courses. Their interests are varied and include farming, cropping, and greenhouse systems; plant physiology; turf and landscape design, installation and maintenance; sustainable and organic farming; landscape ecology; integrated pest management; viticulture; agriculture information systems; and plant breeding and genetics.

Undergraduate students are valued members of the Horticulture Department. They are afforded numerous mentoring opportunities with Horticulture Department faculty. Undergraduate students are also provided with frequent and consistent academic advising. The Horticulture Department is dedicated to giving its undergraduate students every possible opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to obtain rewarding careers in the field of horticulture. This support includes notifying students of available scholarship, internship, and research opportunities and helping students in applying and setting up these opportunities.

The small size of our horticulture classes, and the existence of three student clubs gives students easy access to faculty and the chance to form friendships and study groups with students who share their interests.

Overview of Degree Options

The Department of Horticulture offers undergraduate degrees in five areas:

• Integrated Horticultural Production
• Turf and Landscape Maintenance
• Viticulture and Enology
• Horticultural Research
• Horticultural Communication

The undergraduate curriculum in all of these areas is designed to promote broad knowledge, critical thinking, active learning, field-based problem solving, analysis of novel situations, and application and synthesis from many areas.

Because Oregon is a major horticultural area, there are numerous opportunities for students to gain practical experience at nurseries, farms, golf courses, athletic fields, arboretums, public gardens, vineyards, and research facilities.

Contact Information

To request more information or to apply, visit the prospective students webpage or contact the Undergraduate Academic Advisor.