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 Frequently
Asked Questions
Q: Will my classes in Plant and Soil Sciences provide for learning
experiences outside of the lecture?
A: Yes,
many of our classes included Labs, which depending on the class
may be held in our greenhouses, orchards, laboratories, or field
sites throughout the Connecticut River Valley.
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Q: I
am interested in majoring in Plant and Soil Sciences. How do
I enroll as an undergraduate student?
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A:
You will have to submit a formal application for enrollment
at UMASS. Visit the undergraduate
admissions web page for additional details.
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Q: I
am interested in environmental iussues. What is the difference
between the various departments offering environmental programs?
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A:
In Plant and Soil Sciences we focus on the terrestrial environment.
Soil and groundwater contamination, wetlands, and interaction
of organic compounds with soil constituents are some of the
areas that we study. You should check the interdisciplinary
Environmental Program if you are interested in environmental
policy, toxicology and chemistry, or environmental biology.
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Q: Does
the Plant and Soil Sciences' program require students to complete
an internship?
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A:
Internships are not required under most of our programs, but
they are always encouraged. The Undergraduate Program Office
maintains an active inventory of relevant internship opportunities.
A student typically earns 3 to 6 academic credits for a summer
internship experience, with up to 12 credits earned for a semester-long
experience.
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Q: If
I am planning on transferring into the University of Massachusetts
in the future, what types of courses should I be taking now
in preparation?
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A:
The University requires all students to complete a set of general
education requirements which includes:
- College
Writing (freshman composition)
- Liberal
arts course work, including literature and history
- Two courses
in social-behavior areas (like psychology, sociology, and
economics)
(You should
contact the Transfer Admissions Office at 413-545-0222 for a
more complete listing).
Other courses which are relevant to the Plant and Soil Sciences
major include:
- Pre-calculus
math
- Statistics
- General
botany or biology
- Computer
literacy
- General
Chemistry with laboratory (one semester minimum, two semesters
reccommended)
PLEASE NOTE:
It is not necessary to complete all of these courses before
you transfer.
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Q: I
know that I want a career working with plants, but I don't know
which Plant and Soil Science "Option" is right for
me. How do I decide?
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A:
The Plant and Soil Sciences major can be completed under either
a "Business Management"or a "Science"option.
Your selection of this option does not usually influence your
selection of course work within the major itself. Instead, the
"option"is intended to supplement your Plant and Soil
Sciences course work and prepare you for a successful career
in some aspect of professional horticulture whether as a wholesale
or retail grower/manager (i.e., the business option) or as someone
with more scientific specialization (i.e., science option).
Many graduates from our program who completed the business option
have found successful employment as managers of nurseries, greenhouses,
and landscaping firms. Others are superintendents of golf courses,
directors of landscape departments for major athletic stadiums,
as well as public and private parks. Still others are entrepreneurs
who own their own wholesale or retail horticultural business.
Graduates completing our Science option find employment in major
conservatories and arboreta around the country. Others work
as research technicians, studying aspects of plant breeding,
disease management, or agrochemical product development (just
to name a few examples). The Science Option is also designed
to prepare students for graduate studies if they so desire.
Recent graduates are presently enrolled in M.S. and Ph.D. programs
studying developmental plant biology and plant pathology.
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