Bachelor of Plant Science at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville

University Rank:#212

International students can study the Plant Science at University of Florida at its main campus in Gainesville , United States of America. This Bachelor degree is available as a Full Time program delivered on campus in English. The program has a duration of 4 years and is offered at the university's main campus. Students can apply for the next intake starting on January 9, 2027.

About Bachelor of Plant Science

The plant science degree offers diverse specializations that provide a wide range of professional opportunities. The specializations provide students with an interdisciplinary perspective of these areas and pursue coursework that tracks them into a variety of job opportunities.

The University of Florida offers some of the specializations in this major to transfer students who have the appropriate credentials through the statewide programs at the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center in Ft. Lauderdale, the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, or the West Florida Research and Education Center in Milton.

Course Requirements

All students, regardless of specialization, are required to take an introductory plant science course, an introductory statistics course, an economics course, a technical writing course, a speech course, a soil science course, a plant physiology course, a plant pathology course, a professional development course, and a capstone experience course. All students must also complete an internship related to their area of interest.

Each specialization has a specific set of required core courses and a number of upper-division electives to choose from that represent important interdisciplinary topic areas. Core courses provide students with the knowledge and fundamental concepts essential to the specialization. Upper-division electives are designed to build knowledge, competency and skills applicable to professional development.

Students should meet with an advisor as early as possible in their academic careers to choose their specialization and to plan their course of study.

Specializations

General Plant Science

This specialization focuses on the biology and science of growing plants. It combines courses in propagation, plant identification and use, soils and plant nutrition, plant diseases, weed identification, and insects to give students a well-rounded background on plant management. This specialization develops skills that allow students to increase plant productivity and improve plant quality with less labor while controlling pests and weeds safely and effectively. Career opportunities include research and development, plant management, plant production, and preparation for graduate school. Employment opportunities exist in laboratories, government agencies, and commercial operations.

Greenhouse and Landscape Industries

This specialization provides skills and training for employment in the diverse ornamental horticulture industry, including theme parks, plant production facilities, and landscape management and landscape design firms. It studies the improvement of the human environment through proper selection, propagation, production, and placement of plants in the exterior and interior landscapes. It also combines business and plant production courses to provide the skills needed to manage a plant production facility or landscape firm.

Native Plant Conservation

This specialization prepares students to apply concepts of plant conservation and ecology to control invasive plants and establish, manage, and protect native plant communities, primarily in natural areas. Students also develop skills necessary for native plant propagation for ecological restoration and sustainable landscapes.

Plant Breeding and Genetics

Plant breeding and genetics play a critical role in enhancing the world's future food, fiber, and fuel supplies in response to challenges like climate change and population growth. Students will obtain a solid grounding in genetics and molecular genetics, plant processes and function, types and causes of plant stress and learn how this is applied for crop improvement and conservation of genetic resources. Modern plant breeding is an increasingly sophisticated, high-investment business. The majority of commercial plant breeding takes place within the private sector. Plant breeders are employed in plant breeding or agricultural biotechnology companies or academic institutions with the main goal to develop improved varieties or educate the general population about genetic techniques for plant improvement.

Plant Health and Protection

This specialization is designed for students who want to pursue careers related to plant health management in the public or private sector. It will prepare students for entry into the workplace in insect and disease control, plant diagnostics, crop production management, plant pathology and entomology research, plant growth consulting, integrated pest management, cooperative extension or to pursue advanced degrees in plant pathology, entomology, plant medicine, or other related disciplines.

Soil Management and Plant Productivity

This specialization closely integrates the study of soil science core disciplines with production agriculture and horticulture. Coursework focuses on foundational principles related to soil health, productivity, and fertility in relation to sustainable plant growth and agricultural practices. Among the principal outcomes of the program is to prepare students for certification as both Associate Professional Soil Scientists and Certified Crop Advisors to better position graduates for employment in related fields.

Sustainable Crop Production

This specialization prepares students for professions related to crop production and management. Students will explore and understand production practices that meet present world food needs without compromising quality of life for future generations. Courses emphasize crop ecosystem function, aquatic and terrestrial weed management, the importance of insects to crops and optimizing management techniques including energy utilization, nutrient management, and soil and water conservation.

Turfgrass Science

This specialization combines the study of grasses, soils, water, and pests affecting turf with the study of business and management. Career opportunities include work with golf courses, sports turf facilities, lawn-care companies, parks, agrichemical industries, cemeteries, environmental consulting firms, sod farms, government agencies, and preparation for graduate school.

The plant science major, offered jointly by the departments of Agronomy and Plant Pathology, enables students to apply principles associated with production and improvement of agronomic crops. Students will acquire knowledge about the scientific fundamentals of plant growth of field and forage crops. They will acquire knowledge about fungi, bacteria and viruses, as well as environmental factors that cause plant disease. This program prepares students to work in the lab and field settings and to develop applied skills for research and extension.

Before Graduating Students Must

Complete a research paper and an oral presentation with satisfactory faculty evaluation.
Achieve minimum grades of C in AEC 3030C and AEC 3033C. These courses are graded using rubrics developed by a faculty team.
Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Content

Describe plant growth and development in terms of plant morphology and physiology and evaluate the abiotic and biotic factors that impact plant growth and management.
Recommend practices that growers and managers can implement to address the abiotic and biotic components of their cropping system.

Critical Thinking

Analyze and apply science-based data to solve problems in plant production, distribution and/or utilization.
Design and evaluate a project that addresses a problem or challenge related to their area of interest.

Communication

Create, interpret and analyze written text and multimedia presentations.
Communicate effectively through oral and multimedia presentations.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Academic Learning Compact 6
Courses	SLO 1	SLO 2	SLO 3	SLO 4	SLO 5	SLO 6
AEC 3030C						I, R, A
AEC 3033C					I, R, A
PLS 3004C	I	I	I	I
PLS 4932	A	A	A	A	A	A
PLS 4941	R	R	R	R	R	R

Assessment Types

Standardized post-test
Capstone and individual projects
Final grades

Disciplines

Agricultural and Life Sciences

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Plant Science at University of Florida

Entry Requirements

Applicants who should complete the SSAR:

Attended a high school regionally accredited in the United States for at least three years.
Attended a DODEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) school.

Applicants who should not complete the SSAR:

Attended a secondary school located outside the United States for more than one semester.
Studied a curriculum that did not follow the standard U.S. system.

Required: At least three full years of your most recent secondary school transcripts, including courses in progress (grades 9, 10 and 11 + senior schedule) in both the native language of instruction and a word for word certified English translation (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts are accepted electronically via the status Check Status page for the review process, while official transcripts and translations are required upon enrollment.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6
TOEFLMin 80

English Program Requirements

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English proficiency. English proficiency examination results, such as TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test, are encouraged for non-native English speakers, but are not required for freshman admission. SAT or ACT results are required for all freshman applicants.

Tuition and Fee Information for Bachelor of Plant Science at University of Florida

How to Apply for Bachelor of Plant Science at University of Florida

A copy of your transcript for any school you have attended with the grades you have earned
A list of your high school activities including jobs, clubs, sports, community service, etc.
Information about your parent(s) or guardian(s), such as educational background, occupation and employer information

Add UF as a university to receive your application and review our specific application requirements.

Fill in your profile information. Your profile is where you'll enter information that will be sent to all schools to which you apply. The University of Florida requires the following sections:

Information about who you are and how to contact you, your address, citizenship, high school and family information
Current-year coursework
Honors and distinctions
Activities and experiences

Complete the UF Supplement. This includes a few additional short-answer questions so that we can learn more about you when reviewing your application.

Complete the essay questions. The essay helps our admissions staff get to know you better. Use this space to tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t learn elsewhere in your application. And remember, the best essay topic for you is going to be the one that you are most excited to write about.

Once you have submitted your application, a link will appear on your status page to create your Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR). List your high school courses and grades exactly as they appear on your transcript. You must complete the SSAR by December 1 for your application to be complete. If you begin the SSAR separately before submitting your UF application, be sure to link it to your application once your application has been submitted.

Submit your test scores to UF no later than December 15. You may either self-report your SAT and/or ACT scores through your application status page or send official scores from the testing agency. Since accuracy is critical, students who choose to self-report should have a copy of their SAT/ACT score report(s) available to reference when submitting their scores. Because UF superscores both the SAT and ACT, we encourage you to submit scores for all SAT or ACT tests you have taken. If admitted, students who have self-reported their scores in the admissions process will be required to submit official scores from the testing agency to UF by May 1. UF Institutional Codes:

You may request to begin your studies in either the Summer B or Fall term. The term requested DOES NOT affect the consideration of your application. If you are admitted, we will try to offer you the term you requested, but space limitations may mean you receive an offer for a different term.

When you submit your application, pay the $30 nonrefundable fee by credit card unless you qualify for a fee waiver. In both the Common and Coalition applications, you can indicate in the profile section if you qualify for a fee waiver.

You will receive an email 24-48 hours after submitting your application with instructions to create your MyAdmissions application status credentials. Once completed, you can log in to the MyAdmissions app status portal to keep track of your application status and the materials that UF has received. This is also where you will find the link to create your SSAR.

Bachelor of Plant Science at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville