Internships
Build experience before you graduate
An internship is one of the best ways to discover where a Horticulture degree can take you. Internships allow students to apply what they have learned in class, develop practical and professional skills, explore career options, and build connections within the horticulture industry.
Many horticulture internships are paid, and some may also provide housing or other benefits.
Why complete an internship?
Internships help students apply horticultural knowledge, develop technical and professional skills, explore careers, build a resume, meet professionals, develop references, and discover what they do - and sometimes do not - want to do after graduation.
Find an internship
Students are responsible for identifying internship opportunities that match their interests and career goals, but they do not have to search alone. Start by searching Horticulture jobs and internships, talking with your Faculty Mentor, asking faculty in your area of interest, attending industry events and career fairs, exploring professional organizations, and contacting horticultural businesses and organizations that interest you.
This student received a paid internship to manage the UGA Geography green roof garden.
Where could you intern?
Possible settings include greenhouse and nursery operations, fruit and vegetable growers, controlled-environment and hydroponic operations, botanical and public gardens, floral businesses, landscape companies, farms and vineyards, seed and plant companies, sales and marketing organizations, university research programs, UGA Extension, government agencies, nonprofits, and industry associations.
Want to stay in Athens?
UGA-based academic-credit opportunities include HORT 3920 - UGArden Internship, HORT 3930 - Trial Garden Internship, and HORT 3940S - Botanical Garden Internship. Availability may vary by semester.
Earn Academic Credit: HORT 3910
HORT 3910 - Horticulture Internship allows eligible Horticulture students to earn three hours of academic credit for an approved professional internship. Approval is required before registration, so students should plan ahead.
HORT 3910 approval process
- Identify an internship aligned with your career goals and interests.
- Discuss the internship with your assigned Faculty Mentor. Your Faculty Mentor can be found in SAGE.
- Confirm that the required UGA agreement/MOU is in place for the internship site. Your Faculty Mentor can help determine this.
- Complete the current departmental HORT 3910 Internship Agreement (pdf).
- Receive approval before beginning the internship for academic credit and before registering for HORT 3910.
HORT 3910 requirements
Students enrolled in HORT 3910 complete a minimum of 150 internship hours over at least 10 weeks and at least 10 hours per week. Students also complete a weekly log documenting internship activities and observations and a final written reflection/report connecting the experience to horticultural practices, business operations, professional development, and career goals.
Other internship and research courses
- HORT 3910 - Horticulture Internship
- HORT 3920 - UGArden Internship
- HORT 3930 - Trial Garden Internship
- HORT 3940S - Botanical Garden Internship
- HORT 4960R - Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research I
Start with your faculty mentor
Your Faculty Mentor is the first point of contact for HORT 3910 approval and can help you think about opportunities that fit your interests and career goals. Your assigned Faculty Mentor can be found in SAGE.
