Online Graduate Certificates in Horticulture

Program Summary
Cost per credit hour:

2023-2024: Graduate $600 | Undergraduate $435
2024-2025: Graduate $610 | Undergraduate $440

Learn more about tuition and cost.

12–15 Hours


3–4 Hours

Working in the horticulture field, you understand that flexibility is important. So why not enhance your knowledge by choosing a program built with flexibility in mind?  With faculty from four leading research universities, and courses offered online, you can learn about topics that interest you when it’s convenient for you.  

Who should consider this certificate?

A graduate certificate in horticulture is perfect if you are entering the field, hoping to advance your career, or are passionate about growing plants. 

  • Horticulture agents involved in extension programs
  • Master Gardeners
  • Graduate students in related majors, such as Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology
  • 9-12 grade science teachers
  • Golf course superintendents
  • City parks and recreation employees
  • Landscape maintenance managers
  • Nursery, greenhouse, and garden center industry professionals
  • Individuals wanting to use these courses to jump-start a Master of Science in Horticulture
  • Research technicians in academia and industry

 

Completing the certificate in Advanced Horticultural through AG IDEA was a valuable and motivating experience. As a property manager and landscape designer, the diverse coursework required by the certificate was immediately applicable to my daily work decisions. In addition, I was exposed to a deepening of knowledge that allowed me to incorporate new management programs and horticultural practices that will develop over the seasons to follow. This is important, because as landscapes change and grow, so too should our knowledge of work in horticulture fields evolve. The AG IDEA certificate program helped me greatly in this regard.

Brad Kindler, Advanced Horticulture Graduate Certificate, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

What might this look like for me?

Courses are offered during spring, summer, and fall sessions. An advisor will help ensure your path to completion is smooth.

The certificate in advanced horticulture provides the basic knowledge and skills required to master advanced practices and principles in horticulture and is an excellent foundation for horticultural management positions, teaching, or graduate school. Courses cover a broad overview of horticultural production, balanced with basic coursework.

  • Plant physiology, nutrition, and irrigation science
  • Nursery, greenhouse, and edible food crop production
  • Horticultural business management

You may choose to use this certificate as a stepping stone to begin your master’s degree in Horticulture. Some member universities that offer this certificate also offer a master’s degree, so the transition would be easy. These universities include the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Texas Tech University, and North Carolina State University.

Program Information at Participating Universities

Learn more about the programs at each participating university.

Certificate titles vary by university. Consult each university for the title as it will appear on the certificate.

AG IDEA Student Handbook

Course List for Advanced Horticulture Certificate

List of Undergraduate Courses

University Contact
These campus coordinators can help you navigate Great Plains IDEA. Click on the university name to learn more about how Great Plains IDEA works at that campus. Ashley Schultz
Bria Sledge
Ashlee Murden
Melissa Sailors
University Members
Members of the Great Plains IDEA are universities accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Member universities recruit, admit and graduate students, teach in an academic program and contribute to the leadership and maintenance of the alliance. Membership in the alliance is a selective process that engages institutional leadership at all levels.

Hannah Adame's headshotAs a full-time high school Ag teacher, FFA Advisor, and two-sport coach, I excelled in the flexibility and structure of the Great Plains IDEA program. This program has allowed me to balance my school workload with my profession and responsibilities at the school. I have also benefited from the ability to apply what I am learning to my classroom and have shared my teaching experiences with classmates to create an integrated, immersive learning experience for others and myself.

– – Hannah Adame, Family and Consumer Sciences Education Graduate,
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