Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will my classes in Plant, Soil & Insect 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.


Q: I am interested in majoring in Plant, Insect & Soil Sciences. How do I enroll as an undergraduate student?

A: You will have to submit a formal application for enrollment at UMASS. Visit the undergraduate admissions web page for additional details.


Q: I am interested in environmental issues. What is the difference between the various departments offering environmental programs?

A: In Plant, Soil & Insect 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 Science Program if you are interested in environmental policy, toxicology and chemistry, or environmental biology.


Q: Does the Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences program require students to complete an internship?

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.


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?

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, Soil & Insect 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.


Q: I know that I want a career working with plants, but I don't know which Plant, Soil & Insect Science "Option" is right for me. How do I decide?

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.