Undergraduate Degrees

The multidisciplinary Sustainable Crop & Landscape Systems major offers a broad education in the agricultural, horticultural, biological and ecological sciences.  There are five areas of specialization within this degree:

 The Insects and Society  emphasis area will prepare you for careers in the basic and applied aspects of the study of insects and how they influence human activities.  The program provides a broad entomological education with opportunities to specialize in such areas as agricultural and aquatic entomology, biological control, host plant resistance, insect ecology, insect physiology, and insect-plant relations.  The curriculum is designed for students pursuing professional careers in the basic and applied fields of entomology, or for those interested in continuing their education at the graduate level.

Under the Sustainable Cropping Systems emphasis area, students can study crop management, plant protection and fundamental aspects of plant sciences.  Many courses emphasize environmental concerns, ecological relationships, and sustainability of agricultural systems.  Students interested in crop management gain the necessary background to be successful in a wide range of crop related careers in agriculture.  They can tailor their academic program in the basic and applied aspects of crop science to suit their individual interests and career goals.  This emphasis area will prepare students for graduate education or professional careers in cropping systems management, plant protection, agricultural consulting, plant biotechnology, plant breeding and genetics, seed production and certification, and weed science.

The Environmental Horticulture emphasis area is designed to provide students with a background in the production of various horticultural crops and/or urban landscape management.  Students can learn about many facets of horticulture, including horticultural crop production (floral crops, woody landscape plants, fruits or vegetables).  Students can enroll in courses highlighting the production and management of horticultural crops that are economically significant to Idaho and the nation.  Students can select courses to help them specialize in a particular career path.  An internship is also available that provides insight into careers in horticulture.   Courses in plant science, soils, biology, and entomology further enhance the knowledge needed for a professional career in horticulture.  Students enrolled in this option can prepare for careers in management and operation of commercial greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, vineyards, and vegetable farms.  This emphasis area is also flexible enough to enable students to pursue science-oriented careers or advanced degree studies.  Students can also focus on urban landscape management.  They have the opportunity to focus on managing and maintaining the various components of urban landscapes, including trees, shrubs, herbaceous plantings, and turf grass.  Students can specialize in landscape maintenance and golf & sports turf management.  This option also ties in directly to the minor in arboriculture and urban forestry.  The package of courses will prepare students for positions in landscape maintenance and tree and turf management within the growing green industries in the Northwestern United States and nationally.

 The Soil and Land Resources emphasis area is offered for students who are interested in working as consultants for businesses, industries, and government agencies associated with soils and farm chemicals; professional soil scientists working with the formation, classification, chemistry, physics, and fertility of valuable soil resources; or environmental scientists conserving or improving soil and water quality.  Courses in geology, botany, chemistry and physics are also stressed.

The Plant Biotechnology emphasis area teaches students to use molecular genetic techniques to address food and energy needs in the 21st century.  Students will learn to understand and use the genetic information of plants to develop crops with improved traits (e.g. yield; biofuels production; nutritional value; insect, disease, drought or temperature tolerance) to address world issues such as increasing population, decreasing availability of water, and global warming.

These offerings are designed to prepare students for graduate school and a variety of rewarding career opportunities.  Each emphasis area is based on a curriculum designed to prepare students for present and future employment.  The department offers students the opportunity to work closely with faculty in classroom and field situations.  Our faculty provide wide educational experiences for PSES students.  Formal courses are offered as needed and additional specialization may be obtained by enrolling in directed study, special topics, seminars, and other courses with particular faculty members.  An internship program is available to provide students with practical job experience and to open doors for career opportunities.

 Laboratory units specially equipped with controlled temperature and light programmed rooms and growth chambers are available for advanced studies in histology, anatomy, and physiology.  Our state-of-the-art biotechnology facility has space to accommodate 101 faculty, staff, and students.  The university has 1,145 acres located close to campus for field crops, orchards, and livestock.  Excellent field and laboratory facilities are also available at research and extension centers at Aberdeen, Parma, and Twin Falls.  The department has three important scientific collections: the entomology museum, the soil monolith collection and a weed herbarium.  Additionally, the graduate program is closely coordinated with the Departments of Entomology, Crop and Soil Sciences, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, and Plant Pathology at Washington State University (eight miles away), enhancing the department's offerings.

Faculty members are committed to addressing the needs, and nurturing the interests, of individual students.  We welcome questions regarding our programs, people, and facilities.  Please feel free to email us at pses@uidaho.edu, or give us a call at (208) 885-6274.