Horticulture is the profession that nurtures, produces, installs, and maintains the built landscape, and protects, restores, and manages existing and natural landscape resources.
The Temple horticulture curriculum is built on a strong scientific foundation and includes both technical course work and hands-on learning experience. In order to broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of the natural and cultural world, you will also receive solid education in the liberal arts.
Our unique curriculum is one of the few undergraduate programs in which horticulture and landscape architecture are integrated. Our goal is to provide you with an understanding of the full range of the landscape process, which includes design, plant production, installation, and management of the urban and suburban landscape.
In your classes at Temple, you will learn the relationships between horticulture, technology, and natural ecological processes, and develop a responsible horticultural approach toward the environment.
With this knowledge, you can help to eliminate many outmoded, environmentally damaging practices such as over-dependence on pesticides, herbicides, and irrigation, and use of harmful, invasive plants.
You may find exciting professional opportunities in landscape contracting, restoration, and management; wholesale or retail nurseries; urban forestry; floriculture; public horticulture; garden restoration; horticultural therapy; and interior plantscaping. Research, teaching and extension are also rewarding areas within the horticulture profession.
During two years of study, you will learn theory, landscape plant material, and installation and management techniques. You will also participate in valuable hands-on experience.
Courses are designed to prepare you for entry into the rapidly expanding horticultural industry, primarily as a landscape or horticultural technician.
A basic understanding of the art and science of growing and handling plants (perennial and annual flowers, trees, shrubs, grasses, and turf), combined with a knowledge of basic design, will equip you for a variety of interesting jobs.
There are many career opportunities: nursery or greenhouse superintendent, landscape or maintenance contractor, estate/garden/groundskeeper, florist, garden designer, interior plantscape, and horticultural therapist.
General Horticulture Option
This option in the Associate's Degree is for students interested in developing a well-rounded background in all areas of horticulture or specializing in a particular area of interest such as floral design, integrated pest management, or arboriculture.
Horticulture Business Option
This option in the Associate's Degree is for students interested in developing a background in landscape horticulture and in business.