M.S. & Ph.D. in
Horticulture

Creating healthier food & more beautiful communities

Auburn University’s Department of Horticulture offers the Master of Agriculture, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in horticulture, as well as a graduate certificate in public horticulture 

Graduate degree programs in horticulture may be tailored to ensure your studies are the perfect match for your individual ambitions. Horticulture graduates of these programs are well prepared for successful careers in teaching, research, business, production, public service or extension. 

Master’s, Doctoral & Certificate programs

The information below is a brief description of master’s, doctoral and certificate programs in horticulture offered by our department. 

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D.)

The Doctor of Philosophy program requires the completion of a thesis-based degree and meeting the same requirements as for master-level programs.

learning outcomes

Students with graduate degrees in horticulture from Auburn University will: 

  • Be able to evaluate, integrate, and apply abstract and pragmatic information to identify and develop solutions for problems within their area of study. 
  • Based on their inquiry, students will use critical analysis to develop and execute research/project plans, that once complete, will add to the body of knowledge within the discipline. 
  • Students will effectively communicate research plans and results to broad audiences in written formats including their research paper, thesis or dissertation as well as publications for peer-reviewed journals and possibly extension publication, poster presentations, or grant proposals. 
  • Students will be expected to clearly communicate their plans and results to broad audiences in oral formats including departmental seminars as well as oral sessions in state, regional, and or national conferences. 
  • Effectively facilitate at least a portion of an undergraduate course or lab. This requires the student to articulate knowledge of subject through verbal and or written communication skills and to develop classroom management skills. 

curriculum & requirements

Doctoral candidates must follow all Graduate School and departmental requirements concerning course work. For the Ph.D., the Graduate School requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graded graduate course work (6000-level and above) beyond the bachelor’s degree, and at least 30 semester hours of additional graduate course work that may include ungraded courses. The advisory committee may require additional course work. 

Upon completion of all course work, Ph.D. students may be required to take a general written examination by his/her committee. Students must pass all parts of the written examination before scheduling the required preliminary oral examination (referred to as the Ph.D. prelim exam). After satisfactory completion of the prelim exam the student advances to candidacy. The Ph.D. student will conduct independent research and prepare a dissertation through the guidance and direction of an advisory committee. After completion of the dissertation, the student must pass a final oral examination defending the dissertation. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE COURSE CURRICULUM 

Master of Science (M.S.)

Masterlevel degree programs are available to students with undergraduate degrees in horticulture and to those from other areas seeking opportunities in horticulture-related careers. 

Learning Outcomes

Students with graduate degrees in horticulture from Auburn University will: 

  • Be able to evaluate, integrate, and apply abstract and pragmatic information to identify and develop solutions for problems within their area of study. 
  • Based on their inquiry, students will use critical analysis to develop and execute research/project plans, that once complete, will add to the body of knowledge within the discipline. 
  • Students will effectively communicate research plans and results to broad audiences in written formats including their research paper, thesis or dissertation as well as publications for peer-reviewed journals and possibly extension publication, poster presentations, or grant proposals. 
  • Students will be expected to clearly communicate their plans and results to broad audiences in oral formats including departmental seminars as well as oral sessions in state, regional, and or national conferences. 
  • Effectively facilitate at least a portion of an undergraduate course or lab. This requires the student to articulate knowledge of subject through verbal and or written communication skills and to develop classroom management skills. 

curriculum & requirements

The M.S. requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate work, including at least 21 credit hours in the major field of study and six of which may be research and thesis hours. 

The student’s plan of study is individually tailored by the student, the major professor and the advisory committee to meet the student’s career goals. A thesis based on research by the student is required. Students in the M.S. program in Horticulture who are on departmental funding cannot change to the Master of Agriculture program. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE COURSE CURRICULUM 

Master of Agriculture (M.Ag.)

The M.Ag. program places greater emphasis on knowledge obtained in the classroom versus that gathered in research. It is offered as a non-thesis degree and prepares students for careers in secondary education, cooperative extension and agribusiness. 

learning outcomes

Students with graduate degrees in horticulture from Auburn University will: 

  • Be able to evaluate, integrate, and apply abstract and pragmatic information to identify and develop solutions for problems within their area of study. 
  • Based on their inquiry, students will use critical analysis to develop and execute research/project plans, that once complete, will add to the body of knowledge within the discipline. 
  • Students will effectively communicate research plans and results to broad audiences in written formats including their research paper, thesis or dissertation as well as publications for peer-reviewed journals and possibly extension publication, poster presentations, or grant proposals. 
  • Students will be expected to clearly communicate their plans and results to broad audiences in oral formats including departmental seminars as well as oral sessions in state, regional, and or national conferences. 
  • Effectively facilitate at least a portion of an undergraduate course or lab. This requires the student to articulate knowledge of subject through verbal and or written communication skills and to develop classroom management skills. 

curriculum & requirements

The M.Ag. requires successful completion of 32 credit hours, 21 of which must be in agricultural sciences. Credit for research and thesis cannot be counted toward graduation requirements for the M.Ag. Additional courses may be required for individual students as determined by the major professor and the advisory committee. There is no specific schedule of courses for M.S. or M.Ag. students or a foreign language requirement for any graduate students in Horticulture. Students in this option must complete a research or special project and pass a comprehensive oral exam covering course work and the project. 

Several minors are available for horticulture graduate students. Auburn University’s Department of Horticulture and School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences offer a minor in urban forestry. An interdisciplinary minor in environmental studies administered by the Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department is also an option, as are minors in ecology and biochemistry and cell/molecular biology. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE COURSE CURRICULUM 

Graduate Certificate in public horticulture

Looking for a career in public garden administration, teaching, horticultural therapy, garden design or event planning? Learn more about our Graduate Certificate in Public Horticulture

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119A Funchess Hall
Auburn Univ, AL 36849
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