Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
2139 Plant Sciences Building
Phone: 301-405-4359 
dcortez@umd.edu
http://psla.umd.edu

The Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture seeks to solve pressing worldwide issues such as mitigating climate change, maximizing crop yield sustainably to feed our growing population, improving nutritious food access for all, and creating and restoring landscapes to benefit human and environment health. Specifically, our students learn how to 1) sustainably grow food (fruit, vegetable, and grain), ornamental crops, feed and fiber crops and crops used to make plant-based fuels, 2) lead, to educate, and to participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning, and artful design of our cultural and natural environments, 3) educate the agricultural and extension educators of the future, and 4) conduct cutting edge plant-based research aimed at solving critical issues challenging the world today. We seek to offer every student a diverse curriculum aimed to ensure they gain expertise in an area they are passionate about, that offers many rewarding job opportunities, and that allows them to contribute to making our world a better place in their own way. For instance, we offer course options in horticulture, agronomy, controlled environment agriculture (including hydroponic), urban agriculture, plant molecular biology and genetics, plant breeding, plant pathology and microbiology, ecology, food safety, landscape design and construction, winemaking, and beer brewing, among many others. These courses are organized in the three programs our department offers: Agricultural Science and Technology, Landscape Architecture, and Plant Sciences. We are also very excited about our new major in Fermentation Science that is jointly offered with the Department of Nutrition and Food Science focusing on how to use the fermentation process to produce a variety of products including beer, wine, yogurt, silage, cheese, and phytopharmaceuticals, among others.

Administration

Chair: J. Erwin (Professor & Chair)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 

Field Crop Production, Fruit, Vegetable and Ornamental Crop Production, Controlled Environment and Urban Agriculture and Food Safety

Faculty members in Plant Science and Landscape Architecture may also teach courses for this degree program. Courses taught under Plant Sciences (PLSC) may be prerequisites.

Director: M. Leiden Welsh

Professors: C. Beyrouty, J. Erwin, K. Everts, J. Lea-Cox, J. Sullivan, S. Xiao

Assistant Clinical Professors: B. Phillips, D. Cochran

Assistant Professors: M. Farcuh, N. Fiorellino, M. Hu, N. Rawat, C. Silvert, V. Tiwari

Instructor: A. Ristvey (Affiliate Senior Agent)

Professors Emeriti: S. Cohan, A. Murphy, C. Walsh

AGRICULTURAL AND EXTENSION EDUCATION

Faculty members in Agricultural Science & Technology, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture may also teach courses for this degree program. Courses taught under Plant Sciences (PLSC) and Landscape Architecture (LARC)  may be prerequisites.

Director: M. Welsh (Assistant Clinical Professor)

Assistant Professor: C. Silvert

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Ecological Design, Urban Design, Community Design, Creative Design, Urban Agriculture Design, Therapeutic Landscapes

Faculty members in Agricultural Science & Technology and Plant Sciences may also teach courses for this degree program. Courses taught under Plant Sciences (PLSC) may be prerequisites.

Directors: D. Myers (MLA Program Chair & Associate Professor), D. Ruggeri (BLA Program Chair & Associate Professor)

Professors: C. Ellis, B. Kweon

Associate Professors: D. Myers, D. Ruggeri, J.B. Sullivan

Assistant Clinical Professor: K. Fleming

Assistant Professor: N. Sachs

Lecturers: D. Cortez, R. Jawin, S. Russell, R. Sessoms, C. Vacelet, S. Wang, J. Wray IV, C. Yglesias

Majors

Minors

The department has mandatory faculty advising for each of its major and minor programs. Students are required to meet with their faculty advisor at least twice a year.

Faculty Advisors

See Diana Cortez, Lecturer & Academic Advisor for Undergraduate Studies, in 2139 Plant Sciences Building (301-405-4359), or email dcortez@umd.edu for additional information.

Undergraduate Research Experiences

Students have abundant opportunities to conduct research with faculty from this department as well as related programs on campus. Research opportunities are also available at government laboratories such as USDA, NIH, etc.

Internships

A great variety of internships are available that range from with scientists at nearby federal and state agencies, to working with farmers, greenhouse growers and fruit and vegetable producers, to working with landscape architecture and urban planning professionals.

Student Societies and Professional Organizations

Students from the majors as well as any interested students on campus may participate in the Horticulture, Agronomy, and Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (SASLA) clubs sponsored by the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Many scholarships and awards are available to PSLA students. Contact the Associate Dean's office at 301-405-2078 for additional information. The department also maintains a listing of scholarships. Contact the executive administrative assistant in 2104A Plant Sciences, 301-405-4356 for additional information on these scholarships.

The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) administers all types of federal, state and institutional financial assistance programs and, in cooperation with other university offices, participates in the awarding of scholarships to deserving students. For information, visit: http://financialaid.umd.edu.