Undergraduate Certificate Online
Regardless of your educational background, the online Undergraduate Certificate in Horticultural Science provides comprehensive education from award-winning faculty. Requiring only 15 credit hours of coursework, the program is designed to increase personal knowledge and skills. Deepen your knowledge and pursue a passion for horticulture through an online program designed for working adults.
The undergraduate certificate is a non-degree, individually-tailored program offered through the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University. Courses are available both online and campus, so students don’t need to take time off from work or face long commutes to campus.
Tailor your coursework and education based on your interests. Note: Students with a bachelor’s degree in the sciences interested in advancing a career through graduate work will find the Graduate Certificate in Horticultural Science more appropriate.
Eligibility
Participants must hold a high school diploma or equivalent to enroll in this program. Online Horticulture applicants are enrolled, students must receive a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all courses.
Students may begin taking courses for the certificate in Summer, Fall, or Spring.
Cost
Distance Education (DE) tuition charges are based on the student’s academic program and registration. Visit NC State’s Undergraduate Online and Distance Education Tuition rates page for detailed information about graduate tuition and fees. Scroll down on tuition rates page and select the tab that says “Undergraduate – Standard DE Rate” for a list of credit hour costs. Most courses are 3 credit hours.
NC State University also offers a monthly payment plan to make paying for your education easier.
Curriculum
Enrollees must complete a total of 15 credit hours. All the coursework is available as online and distance education courses. Two foundational horticultural courses are required for the certificate, taking up six of the total fifteen credit hours:
The student and his or her advisor will select the remaining nine hours of courses that will constitute the student’s certificate requirements. Students enrolled in the Certificate program may take all 15 hours from the Department of Horticultural Science:
- HS 200 – Home Horticulture (3)
- HS 202 – Power of Plants: Appreciation and Use (3)
- HS 205 – Home Food Production (3)
- HS 250 – Home Landscape Design (3)
- HS 280 – Hands-on Horticulture (3)
- HS 432 – Permaculture: Sustainable Living (3)
- HS 451 – Plant Nutrition (3)
- HS 462 – Postharvest Physiology (3)
Or, they may choose at least 12 hours from Horticultural Science, with remaining credit hours from approved classes in other departments. These approved classes include:
- PP 315 – Principles of Plant Pathology
- PP 318 – Forest Pathology
- CS 210 – Lawn and Sports Turf
- ENT 425 – General Entomology
- SSC 200 – Soil Science
- SSC 341 – Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
With the completion of 15 credit hours and a grade of C (2.0) or better in each course, the student will be award a certificate acknowledging their accomplishments.
Advisor
Undergraduate Certificate students are assigned an academic advisor from the Horticultural Science undergraduate faculty. The student and advisor reflect on the student’s personal and professional goals to design an individual course of study.
After starting or completing the Online Horticulture Undergraduate Certificate, students may wish to count their earned credits toward a Bachelor of Horticultural Science degree. To transfer credits from the Undergraduate Certificate program to the Bachelor’s degree, the following conditions must be met:
- The course number must be at the 200 level or higher
- The course must be letter graded
- The student must have earned a C or better in the course
Online Undergraduate Certificate Program Coordinator
![Issac Lewis](https://cals.ncsu.edu/horticultural-science/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/04/IssacLewis-1024x576.jpg)
Mr. Issac Lewis
Administrative Support Specialist for Undergraduate Programs
Department of Horticultural Science
116 Kilgore Hall, Campus Box 7609
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
Email: ijlewis@ncsu.edu
Phone: 919.515.3189