B.S. in Applied Biological Sciences

Urban Horticulture concentration

Urban horticulture emphasizes the sustainable relationships of plants and people in city environments that over the course of time are able to improve human health, quality of life and commerce without excessive consumption of natural resources. 

Students in the urban horticulture concentration program receive training for life-long careers in leadership/management positions in the field of sustainable horticulture. Because of our unique southwestern desert location, students in the concentration learn communication and problem solving skills, applied knowledge of best environmental management practices, and use of innovative and sustainable horticultural technologies and products.

Students can gain expertise in topics such as:

  • Biology of the plants in desert cities
  • Applied biotechnologies of plant propagation, nursery production, marketing, and aftermarket care of plants
  • Identification, culture and use of  plants in arid climates
  • Design and installation of outdoor landscapes including landscape irrigation systems
  • Care and management of trees in cities
  • Use of plants and technology to create sustainable desert city environments including xeriscape, water conservation, and desert preservation and restoration
  • Creation of public, community and private gardens in arid climates
  • Integrated pest management

 

What You Can Do With This Degree

Urban Horticulture is a multi-billion dollar national and international enterprise that offers a diverse and exciting choice of professional careers. Career paths can include:

  • Arboretum/Botanical Garden manager
  • City horticulturist
  • City park superintendent or manager
  • Horticultural consultant
  • Horticultural plant researcher or educator
  • Horticulture products and supplies
  • Horticulture supply sales representative
  • Integrated pest management specialist
  • Interior plant specialist
  • Irrigation system designer or consultant
  • Landscape designer or contractor
  • Landscape services company owner/operator
  • Nursery plant broker and plant salesperson
  • Nursery production owner/manager
  • Organic farmer or permaculturist
  • Plant propagator
  • Urban forester, tree specialist, arborist
  • Urban plant ecologist

Career opportunities for urban horticulture graduates are not limited to any one geographic location; graduates can embark on careers throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and overseas.

 

Courses Associated With This Degree

Click on each of these sample course names for more information. Visit the ASU Class Search for availability of courses.

ABS 260 Fundamentals of Urban Horticulture

  • Description: Principles and practices of horticulture, emphasizing development, growth, and propagation of horticultural plants and environmental factors that affect these processes.

ABS 360 Southwest Home Gardening

  • Description: Multimedia course for non-majors surveying contemporary topics in Southwest home horticulture, including landscaping, flower and vegetable gardening, citriculture, interiorscaping, and others.

ABS 362 Landscape Plants and Design

  • Description: Identification, design, and use of plants in urban landscapes.

ABS 363 Landscape and Turf Irrigation

  • Description: Design, management, and maintenance of landscape and turf irrigation systems.

ABS 364 Urban Forestry

  • Description: Care, maintenance, and valuation of the urban forest, including public and private landscape codes.

ABS 366 Indoor Plants

  • Description: Identification, culture, and use of container-grown plants for interior environments.

ABS 368 Plant Propagation

  • Description: Principles and horticultural practices of plant reproduction for commercial plant nurseries, horticultural ecological restoration and plant biotechnology.

ABS 460 Organic Gardening

  • Description: Principles and practices of community gardens, urban farming, and permaculture.

ABS 462 Greenhouse/ Nursery Management

  • Description: Greenhouse structures, environment, and nursery operations. Includes irrigation, nutrition, and other principles relative to production of nursery crops.

ABS 466 Integrated Pest Management

  • Description: Management of pests affecting horticultural plantings. Structural Pest Control Board sprayer certification preparation offered during the semester.

ABS 468 Desert Horticulture

  • Description: Advanced topics course for student majors to learn about and practice the principles of sustainable horticulture in an arid climate.

 

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