Most formal horticultural educations derive from a community or technical college so you have just an associates when you graduate. I'm not sure why you think this would be inferior to a 4 year program........a good percentage of a four year degree is just basic courses that have little to nothing to do with your major or focus and you already have those under your belt with your geology degree. The job market is just as broad for a 2 year associates as it is for a 4 year degree - maybe even broader. The only horticulturists I know with a 4 year degree are either researchers/scientists or teachers. If this is your interest then yes, maybe a 4 year program makes sense. But otherwise, for a practical job in horticulture - landscaper, designer, groundskeeper, garden curator, grower, nursery owner/manager - a 2 year degree is fine. It essentially just condenses most of the 4 year program into 2 years.

Ok thats good to hear. I'm encouraged to take the program now. Also, my ultimate dream is to open up my own nursery for mail orders+on site customers as well selling plants that I grow myself. So I want to become a plant propagator. But that is my greedy dream but as long as I can do my job propagating plants then I will be happy being anywhere

Um....gardengal, I have a four year degree. And it was a necessary credential in order to apply for some of the positions I enjoyed. My considerable coursework in plant pathology, entomology, soils science, propagation, and business management did me very well.

I spent my first two years taking the essential horticultural fundamentals before deciding on my concentrations in the last two years.

Most of my classmates went on to own or manage greenhouse operations, orchards, landscape management businesses, arboretums, and the like. Many went on to graduate school for Master's or PhD degrees in order to enter research and development or education.

I took my Bachelor's degree and went out to work. ;-)

Yes, but Heruga already has a bachelor's degree. I have been round and round about this. Frankly, I'd rather pay for classes to get the skill set I need than a degree. The modern work world is all about skills. A mix of coursework and on the job training is best. I also work in horticulture and already have a masters degree in another related field but not specifically horticulture. I'd like to learn more about specific things. No way is another degree going to be worth it for me. On the other hand, short courses, online, workshops, certificate programs, evening college, etc. would be fab. The trick is finding a good one. Lots of ways to waste your money in another way too. I work in academia, and its going to change dramatically in the next ten years and getting the most bang for your buck will be the challenge for everyone. I think certificate programs will grow, since many folks want the specific courses of the degree but already have one degree and don't want the limitations of other courses they may have already taken or just don't need. My colleague got an online degree although she also took in person classes at the institution. Combined with hands on experience, she is very marketable. Well, as marketable as one can be in an overstuffed, underpaid job market. I've gone back to school several times and sometimes it was money well spent and sometimes not. For example, I took a GIS course--invaluable. Then I took a course that was GIS for wildlife management. Thought it would be specialized with good examples and hands on projects. Instead it was the same as the intro course with just a project for the wildlife part. I paid twice the price since it was a grad. course, for the same material I already knew. I took a conservation grad. course with the same textbook from a non-majors course I had already taught. Again, complete waste of money and time. On the flip side, I took a one day "floristic inventory" workshop at a local wildflower preserve, changed my life!

There are only 12 classes to take to achieve this degree and I think that is a good amount to get a good knowledge on horticulture. Many of those classes are specialized in certain areas in horticulture. For example I started taking interior plantscaping (first class was last week) and this course is all about indoor plants. Then theres other courses such as exterior plantscaping, pests and diseases etc.. I think its a good idea to learn most of the basic in order to become a horticulturist. I would say that I want to learn more about horticulture rather than to achieve a degree since I never got the formal education on it. And hopefully 12 classes would be enough for me to get started. So you are saying that what I'm doing now is a waste of money and time?

No, it seems very focused. It's the four year degree I would wonder about. Not that a four year degree would be a bad thing, I would just be very cautious when evaluating it. Particularly after getting one already . . .

12 classes is not all that much :-( I took 6 classes in my first quarter of my 2 year hort degree, so 36 classes altogether for a total of at least 135 credits. I also agree a second 4 year degree is not necessary - the 2 year program should put you in good stead for a hort career, provided it touches all the bases and in enough depth. That would be the critical element, IMO. Not all hort programs offer the same material or in the same manner........I would just want to make sure I was getting everything I needed.

Can you post the name of the college you are attending or the outline of their hort program? I'd be interested to know how the program is structured and to what depth the classes delve. I was on the advisory board for a local horticultural school for more than 8 years so I am pretty familiar with the standard course work and accreditation requirements:-))

I'm attending bergen community college. Here is the link that shows everything about the program I am taking: http://bergen.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2017-2018/Catalog/Academic-Programs/AAS-Degree-Programs-Health-Professions-and-Career-Technologies/Career-Technologies-AAS-Science-Technology-Horticulture-Degree

So gardengal what do you think

Sorry......got involved with other projects :-)

I checked out the overall curriculum and several of the courses. While they do not appear nearly as detailed or in depth as some horticultural programs I am familiar with, I do believe they will provide you with a decent, well-rounded horticultural education. It really depends on what your planned career path is as to whether or not this program will be sufficient or whether you should continue to pursue other educational opportunities. Which I would highly encourage, regardless........there is ALWAYS more to learn!!

Thanks. I think this will program will be good to get me started. While I did learn a lot about horticulture from my own research, experience, and even on this forum I think a formal education will also teach me a lot of new things. My new course started 2 weeks ago and I already learned a bunch of new things :)

Also, some colleges offer online certificate programs you can add to your resume later if you want. Good luck!

2 yr program is q perquisite , this would get you in the interview door , experience will come later , with additional upgrading as req,d

I'll try to stop this from becoming a soapbox about the status of education requirements, education in general, and the overall job market in the U.S.

You have the four year degree. It's one box checked, and in the world we live in, It's a big check.

If you want the hort minor, get it now. It only gets harder to go back to school the longer you're out.

You'll want to learn Spanish.

You'll want a good course in plant pathology.

You'll want to learn Spanish.

You'll want a good course in entomology.

You'll want to learn Spanish. Got that? Good. Because knowing Spanish is the most important thing you can do to further your career in horticulture in America.

You'll want a good basic course in botany.

You'll want a good course in soils.* In order to understand the course materials, You'll want one if not two courses in chemistry. Intro to organic chem is where you want to get, maybe one course beyond that...often two prerequisite courses to get to the organic chem intro.

*Once you do this a little, You'll learn no one knows jack about soils. Lots claim to, even more give lip service to the importance, but actually know soils? I've met two such people in my life. I've met more who won the lottery. So, get the background, then Never. Stop. Learning. Never succomb to the idea that knowing something means more than just that...something.

Have I mentioned Spanish yet?

Pant ID courses. If you're doing interior scape, You'll have at least three. Woody plants (trees and shrubs) and herbaceous plants (annuals and perennials).

I'd be surprised if they let you get the degree without at least one design concept course.

Plant propagation. If there's an intro to horticulture 101, this is part two.

Greenhouse/nursery/landscape management. A course in turf management is worth considering.

If I had it all to do over again, I'd skip horticulture. No job I have ever had did I get because of my degree in horticulture. Not that I'm demeaning the value of the education...but unless you want to work for an educational concern, or manage a public garden, the education is a side note. What's your experience? Maximize your experience and augment your education.

I'd get as much experience as you can in the fields of small engine repair, welding and fabrication, become adept with general hand tools and construction equipment.

Have I mentioned Spanish before?

I did 4 years at college (as well as the Ba and MA in history) - mine was affiliated to the RHS...although it would have taken 6 years to get a MA Hort, I do have the RHS Dip Hort...but all that is besides the point. I can heartily recommend education as it takes you out of your comfort zone (plant growth and nutrition, soil science) and encourages you to do things you might choose to avoid if left to your own devices (lawn care, conifers, amenity hort.)

I actually hugely enjoyed my term of groundskeeping (grass maintenance)...and can apply for an enormous range of jobs with this qualification under my belt.