Floriculture & Nursery Production Management, Graduate Certificate
Graduate Certificate in Floriculture and Nursery Production Management
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Overview
Admissions and Requirements
Courses You’ll Take
Tuition & Fees
Program Overview
The online Floriculture & Nursery Production Management, Graduate Certificate is designed to provide students with field knowledge that is then interwoven with practical cultural and production methods.
The Floriculture & Nursery Production Management, Graduate Certificate is designed for:
- Nursery, greenhouse and garden center industry professionals
- Horticulture agents involved in Extension programs
- K-12 science teachers particularly those who may wish to pursue a Master of Science degree
The online graduate certificate in Floriculture and Nursery Production Management offers a selection of courses that focus on floral and nursery crop production including business management. Core courses lend a solid science background in order for the student to gain a greater understanding of how ornamental and floral plants grow.
Students who complete this certificate may also wish to pursue a plant-related master's degree such as a Master's of Science or a Master's of Applied Science in Agronomy or Horticulture.
This program is offered as part of the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA) and provides you with diverse perspectives on the field. You enroll in courses at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln even though courses may be taught by other Great Plains IDEA member institutions. The certificate comes from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Students who complete this certificate may also wish to pursue a plant-related Master of Science degree or a Master of Applied Science.
Additional Certificates:
The University of Nebraska - Lincoln's Department of Agronomy and Horticulture offers three graduate certificates in horticulture:
- Advanced Horticulture
- Ornamental Landscape and Turf Management
- Floriculture and Nursery Production Management
The department is able to offer these three certificates as a member of the AG*IDEA Consortium.
Career Outlook: Work in the horticulture field ranges from grounds maintenance staff who require no formal education to scientists who need a minimum Ph.D. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), grounds maintenance workers held 1,309,300 jobs in 2016. The BLS reported from 2014-2024, there would be an 11% increase in employment for grounds maintenance workers. The projected amount of job openings during this period is 146,300. The BLS projects that businesses in green-industry occupations and careers that protect the planet will increase.
Additional career paths may include:
- Olericulturist (vegetable grower, seller and marketer)
- Viticulturist/enologist
- Plant ecologist
- Floral company owner, florist or floral designer
- Flower propagation, preparation of floral and foliage products for sale
- Food scientist
- Researcher or technologist
- K-12 science teachers, particularly those who wish to pursue a Master's degree
- Horticulture educators involved in Extension programs
- Plant technicians or researchers
- Hydroponics
- Inspection of plants
- Public gardens employees or Urban gardeners/farmers
- City parks and recreation employees
- Arborists, tree trimmers or pruners
- Nursery, greenhouse and garden center industry professionals
- Landscape maintenance planners and practitioners
- Landscape designer, services or estimator
- Landscape construction and management
- Landscape design
- Communications blogger, writer, journalist, photographer or marketer
- Farm or Co-op organizational management
Admissions and Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
A Bachelor's degree
A degree in biology or a plant-related major and successfully completed at least a semester of coursework in biology, plant sciences, genetics, algebra and chemistry.
3 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
Taken the TOEFL or IELTS
(Only required if English is not your native language)
A written personal statement
In 1-2 pages, describe 1) your professional goals and career aspirations and specifically what you plan to do with your certificate, 2) background experiences, events, and/or education that have influenced your professional goals and 3) how enrolling in this certificate program will assist you in meeting your professional goals.
3 letters of recommendation
These must be from professionals who are familiar with your work ethic or scholastic ability. Personal references from friends, relatives, etc. are not acceptable.
Resume or vitae
NOTE: This program is authorized, exempt, or not subject to state regulatory compliance and may enroll students from all 50 states
To apply to this program:
- Complete and submit the online application for Graduate Studies
- Pay $50 application fees
Courses You’ll Take
Course Information
Core Courses
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HORT 842B | Plant Physiology | 3 |
Presents fundamental concepts underlying the science of crop physiology, including crop phenology, canopy development and light interception, photosynthesis and respiration, and dry-matter partitioning. | ||
| HORT 843A | Advanced Greenhouse Crop Production | 4 |
Principles and practices of commercial production of greenhouse crops involving crop scheduling, greenhouse construction, heating, cooling, growing media, pest management, nutrition, fertility, growth regulation, irrigation, post‐harvest handling, and marketing of greenhouse crops. | ||
| HORT 844A | Environmental Nursery Production Practices | 3 |
In this course, cultural nursery crop production practices will be presented with consideration of current recommended Best Management Practices, conservation of resources, scientific research-based investigations related to nursery cultural practices, potential risks to nursery personnel and off-site movement of airborne materials and effluents to surrounding areas | ||
| HORT 896 | Plant/Water Relations | 3 |
Presents fundamental concepts underlying the science of crop physiology, including crop phenology, canopy development and light interception, photosynthesis and respiration and dry-matter partitioning. | ||
| HORT 824 | Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management | 3 |
Macro- and micronutrient elements and their function in the growth and development of plants; the role of single elements; interaction/balances between elements and nutrient deficiency/ toxicity symptoms as they affect the physiology of the whole plant; and the relationship between crop nutrition and production/environmental considerations (e.g. yield, drought, temperature, pests). Prerequisite: AGRO 824 | ||
Elective Courses
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HORT 817 | Plant Pathology: Principles and Applications | 3 |
This course is an introduction to pathogen biology, pathogen-host interactions, and environmental influences on plant diseases. It includes implementation of cultural, resistance and chemical strategies for disease management. | ||
| ENTO 803 | Management of Horticultural Insects | 3 |
This course focuses on identification, biology, ecology and management of insect pests of horticultural crops, including vegetables, deciduous fruits and nuts, trees and shrubs, greenhouse crops, turf and ornamentals. Emphasis is on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies employed to maintain pests below damaging levels while minimizing the use of traditional insecticides. | ||
| HORT 888 | Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development | 3 |
Students will research a specific agricultural enterprise, then develop and present a business plan using materials from the primary area of interest. Requires the completion of a shadowing assignment and the analysis of case studies. Please note that while the course is offered by UNL in both the fall and spring semesters every year, it is available through the special AG*IDEA enrollment system only in the Spring of odd-numbered years. | ||
| ENTO 812 | Entomology and Pest Management | 3 |
Principles embodied in the implementation of multifaceted tactics designed to successfully manage insect populations. | ||
| HORT 844B | Environmental Stress Physiology | 1 |
Physiology of plant responses to environmental stresses, with emphasis on current research in selected physiological, molecular, and biochemical mechanisms for tolerance to environmental stresses such as temperature extremes, drought, salt, pathogens and other plants. | ||
Tuition & Fees
Nebraska Residents
Per Credit Hour
- Tuition
- $590.00
- Fees
- $0.00
- Total
- $590.00
3 Credit Hours
- Tuition
- $1770.00
- Fees
- $0.00
- Total
- $1770.00
Out of State Residents
Per Credit Hour
- Tuition
- $590.00
- Fees
- $0.00
- Total
- $590.00
3 Credit Hours
- Tuition
- $1770.00
- Fees
- $0.00
- Total
- $1770.00
Ellen Paparozzi, Ph.D.
Professor
Ellen Paparozzi’s key areas of focus are plant physiology (plant nutrition) and anatomy, floriculture and ornamental horticulture and plant physiology and production ecology. Her main research focus is on the broad topic of leaf yellowing and subsequent re-greening of leaves. She is approaching this topic using physiological, anatomical and molecular biological methods. She teaches several courses and has published numerous articles.
Application Deadlines
- Fall SemesterMay 15
- Spring SemesterOct 01
- Summer SemesterFeb 15