Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (BS): Urban Horticulture Concentration
The Bachelor of Science in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems: Urban Horticulture Concentration is one of the four concentrations offered in by the Department of Horticultural Science. Students are offered a unique look at various aspects of Horticulture and Food Systems. Two of the concentrations, Agroecology Research and Production and Community Food systems, are supported and advised by faculty in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department.
Students in the Urban Horticulture concentration are required to take two Biology courses, two Soil Science courses, General Chemistry, and Ecology. These students also required to take interdisciplinary courses that focus on the societal issues of food availability and security. The remaining courses for the major are selected from a series of Foundational and Restricted electives.
Students can follow paths toward sustainable and multidisciplinary approaches in growing food in urban systems and food security.
Department of Horticultural Science
Kilgore Hall
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | |||
| ALS 103 | Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | 1 | |
| or ALS 303 | Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | ||
| HS 290 | Horticulture: Careers and Opportunities | 1 | |
| Mathematics & Natural Sciences | |||
| MA 107 | Precalculus I | 3 | |
| or MA 114 | Introduction to Finite Mathematics with Applications | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Elements of Calculus | |||
or MA 131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | ||
or ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics | ||
| AEC 360 | Ecology | 4 | |
| or PB 360 | Ecology | ||
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 | |
| BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 | |
| or PB 200 | Plant Life | ||
| CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 | |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 | |
| CH 220 | Introductory Organic Chemistry | 3 | |
| CH 222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 | |
| or PY 131 | Conceptual Physics | ||
| Communication/Advanced Writing | |||
| COM 110 | Public Speaking | 3 | |
| or COM 112 | Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Communication Methods and Media | |||
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | |||
| Communication for Business and Management | |||
| Communication for Science and Research | |||
| Major Requirements | |||
| ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 | |
| CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3 | |
| CS 415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 | |
| CS 430 | Advanced Agroecology | 4 | |
| HS 201 | The World of Horticulture: Principles and Practices | 3 | |
| HS 410 | Community Food Systems | 3 | |
| HS 476 | Crop Physiology and Production in Controlled Environments | 3 | |
| HS 480 | Sustainable Food Production (capstone) | 1 | |
| PB 321 | Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology | 3 | |
| SSC 200 | Soil Science | 3 | |
| SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory | 1 | |
| SSC 427 | Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems | 3 | |
| SSC 428 | Soil Management Principles for Sustainable Agriculture | 1 | |
| STS 323 | World Population and Food Prospects | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship Study Abroad | |||
| Horticulture Internship | |||
| Research Experience in Horticultural Science | |||
| Teaching Experience in Horticultural Science | |||
| Concentration Electives | |||
| Horticultural Science Electives | 9 | ||
| Advanced Horticultural Science Electives | 6 | ||
| Socio-Economic and Food System Electives | 6 | ||
| Advanced Socio-Economic and Food System Electives | 3 | ||
| GEP Courses | |||
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 | |
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | ||
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Free Electives | |||
| Free Electives | 4 | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
- 1
A grade of C- or higher is required.
- 2
Students should consult their academic advisors to determine which courses fill this requirement.
Horticultural Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEC 203 | An Introduction to the Honey Bee and Beekeeping | 3 | |
| CS 211 | Plant Genetics | 3 | |
| or HS 215 | Agricultural Genetics | ||
| ENT 425 | General Entomology | 3 | |
| HS 421 | Temperate-Zone Tree Fruits: Physiology and Culture | 3 | |
| HS 422 | Small Fruit Production | 3 | |
| HS 431 | Vegetable Production | 4 | |
| HS 432 | Introduction to Permaculture | 3 | |
| HS 440 | Greenhouse Management | 3 | |
| PB 215 | Medicinal Plants | 3 | |
| PB 325 | Culinary Botany | 3 | |
| PP 315 | Principles of Plant Pathology | 4 | |
Advanced Horticultural Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS 451 | Plant Nutrition | 3 | |
| HS 462 | Postharvest Physiology | 3 | |
| ENT 401 | Honey Bee Biology and Management | 3 | |
| ENT 526 | Organic Agriculture: Principles and Practices | 3 | |
| SSC 332 | Environmental Soil Microbiology | 3 | |
| SSC 341 | Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management | 3 | |
| SSC 461 | Soil Physical Properties and Plant Growth | 3 |
Socio-Economic and Food System Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACC 200 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 | |
| ACC 280 | Survey of Financial and Managerial Accounting | 3 | |
| ARE 215 | Small Business Accounting | 3 | |
| ARE 270 | Principles of Agribusiness Entrepreneurship | 3 | |
| ARE 303 | Farm Management | 3 | |
| ARE 304 | Agribusiness Management | 3 | |
| ARE 306 | Agricultural Law | 3 | |
| ARE 309 | Environmental Law & Economic Policy | 3 | |
| ARE 311 | Agricultural Markets | 3 | |
| FS 301 | Introduction to Human Nutrition | 3 | |
| or NTR 301 | Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
| IDS 211 | Eating through American History | 3 | |
| NTR 210 | Introduction to Community Food Security | 3 | |
| NTR 310 | Food Insecurity and Federal Nutrition Programs | 3 | |
| NTR 330 | Public Health Nutrition | 3 | |
| SOC 211 | Community and Health | 3 | |
| SOC 241 | Sociology of Agriculture and Rural Society | 3 | |
| SOC 241A | Sociology of Agriculture and Rural Society | 3 | |
Advanced Socio-Economic and Food System Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEE 433 | Leadership and Management of Volunteers in Agricultural and Extension Education | 3 | |
| ARE 433 | U.S. Agricultural Policy | 3 | |
| ARE 448 | International Agricultural Trade | 3 | |
| IDS 203 | Humans and the Environment | 3 | |
| PB 345 | Economic Botany | 3 | |
| PB 346 | Economic Botany Lab | 1 | |
| SOC 311 | Community Relationships | 3 | |
| SOC 342 | International Development | 3 | |
| SOC 350 | Food and Society | 3 |
Semester Sequence
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ALS 103 | Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | 1 |
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| HS 201 | The World of Horticulture: Principles and Practices | 3 |
| MA 107 | Precalculus I | 3 |
| HS 290 | Horticulture: Careers and Opportunities | 1 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO 183 or PB 200 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology or Plant Life | 4 |
| COM 110 or COM 112 | Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Elements of Calculus or Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A or Introduction to Statistics | ||
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| PB 360 | Ecology | 4 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| AEE 311 | Communication Methods and Media (Select one of the following:) or Communication for Engineering and Technology or Communication for Business and Management or Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| Horticultural Science Electives | 3 | |
| PB 321 | Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology | 3 |
| SSC 200 | Soil Science | 3 |
| SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CH 220 | Introductory Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| Horticultural Science Electives | 3 | |
| SSC 427 | Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems | 3 |
| SSC 428 | Soil Management Principles for Sustainable Agriculture | 1 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CS 415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 |
| CS 430 | Advanced Agroecology | 4 |
| STS 323 | World Population and Food Prospects | 3 |
| Socio-Economic and Food System Electives | 3 | |
| Horticultural Science Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Advanced Horticultural Science Electives | 3 | |
| HS 410 | Community Food Systems | 3 |
| HS 492/493 | Horticulture Internship or Research Experience in Horticultural Science or Teaching Experience in Horticultural Science | 3 |
| HS 480 | Sustainable Food Production (capstone) | 1 |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Socio-Economic and Food System Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| HS 476 | Crop Physiology and Production in Controlled Environments | 3 |
| Advanced Horticultural Science Electives | 3 | |
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | |
| Advanced Socio-Economic and Food System Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Career Opportunities
Career Titles
- Farm Nursery Manager
- Organic Farming
- Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
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