PLSC & AGST Course Outcomes

PLSC 101 - Introductory Crop Science

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PLSC 115 -
How Safe is Your Salad? The Microbiological Safety of Fresh Produce

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Course description: As food is produced in larger quantities and made to travel longer distances, keeping our food safe in this day and age is an ever growing challenge. This course will focus on the question of what it takes to grow and maintain safe fruits and vegetables, as food travels along the path from the farm to your fork. Food safety of fresh produce will be discussed from the public health, agricultural, economical and policy perspectives.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Student will increase their science literacy by learning how to access information regarding food safety, through reading material taken from scientific literature, mainstream media, industry guidelines and press releases dealing with the modern issues of food safety we face today.
2. Students will engage in discussions on foodborne disease. This discussion will cross multiple disciplines, including public health microbiology, epidemiology, agriculture, genetics, public policy and globalization, such that the knowledge gained will be broad and appealing to a wide range of study majors.
3. Students will garner an appreciation for the complexity of food safety issues, from a public health, economic and environmental perspective. They will think more about the fresh produce they eat every day, and will be able to make informed choices regarding that food. They will reflect on how their vegetables were grown, how they were handled and cleaned, where that food came from, etc. 
4. Students will better understand what happens behind the scenes when a food-borne disease outbreak happens. They will learn the language used by scientists and policy makers in the world of food safety and understand the ethical responsibility farmers have to grow safe food. 
5. Students will learn some basic principles of microbial diversity (used in epidemiology to investigate an outbreak) and microbial genetics, how selective pressures may drive gene acquisition and how this could lead to the emergence of new strains and ultimately emerging pathogens. 
6. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate, reason and debate food safety questions facing our society from the perspective of the consumer, the producer and the government. Students will be able to integrate knowledge and information from various sources and learn how bridging multiple disciplines informs public policy, improves public health and protects industry. 

PLSC 120 - Mushrooms and Molds

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PLSC 125 - Feeding Nine Billion by 2050: Food Security and Crop Production

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Course description: A big question in global food security is "how can we feed 9 billion people in 2050?" This course will stimulate creative thinking about possible solutions particularly from the crop production perspective. The instructor will introduce the concept of food security and different dimensions of this complex issue, identify major constraints to food security, and discuss scientific approaches that may be used to meet the grand challenge. Emphasis will be placed on topical and controversial issues such as the impact of biofuel production and GM crops on food security, and novel strategies that can enhance crop protection for improving food security.

Learning Outcomes: 

Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of food insecurity as a grand challenge of the world 
2. Define the basic concepts of food security and sustainable agriculture 
3. Identify and demonstrate an understanding of the major problems/constraints related to food security, particularly from the biological perspective 
4. Identify various approaches and inspire novel ideas that can be exploited to enhance food production and mitigate food insecurity 
5. Communicate major ideas and issues concerning food security through case studies and oral/written presentations
6. Relate food security issues to one’s own life, community, other courses, and even future career goals.

PLSC 201 - Plant Structure and Function 

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PLSC 203 - Plant, Genes and Biotechnology

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PLSC 205- Introduction to Turf Science and Management 

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Course description: Principles of turf science and culture with emphasis on turfgrass anatomy, morphology, and physiology. The role of cultural interventions in achieving specific aesthetic and functional objectives is examined for multiple turf uses. Pest problems typically encountered in turfgrass management are also covered.

Learning Outcomes:

When you complete this course you should be able to:

1. Understand what criteria are used in describing turfgrass quality and the role turfgrasses play in an urban, suburban, and rural settings.
2. Identify the major turfgrass species found in the U.S. and the primary pests that affect turfgrasses in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. 
3. Select appropriate turfgrass species and cultivars given knowledge of site environmental conditions, intended use and anticipated maintenance level. 
4. Describe growth and development differences in C3 and C4 grasses and explain how environmental conditions and the use of common cultural practices affect the immediate growth and long-term survivability of turfgrasses. 
5. Describe the role plant nutrients, fertilizers and pesticides have in turfgrass culture. 
6. Provide examples of the potential risks associated fertilizer and pesticide applications made to turfgrass. 
7. Outline the steps plant scientists follow when conducting a field trial experiment. 
8. Interpret the results and identify potential limitations in data obtained from a simple field trial experiment.

PLSC 251 - Financial Applications for the Green Industry 

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Course description: An introduction to the application of financial principles in the Green Industry business sector. Accounting, pricing, and estimating, job cost management and production efficiency are discussed and manifested in Scholarship In Practice exercises, case studies and a business plan project.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To acquire a working knowledge of business principles applicable to the landscape industry. 
2. To gain a comprehension of the business structure and management associated with the industry. 
3. To develop an understanding of landscape contracts, and the differentiation between design/build and landscape management. 
4. To become familiar with landscape management services and design/build project management. 
5. To gain an understanding of physical and human resources required for design/build and landscape management.

PLSC 253 - Woody Plants for Mid-Atlantic Landscapes I

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Course description: A field and laboratory study of trees, shrubs, and vines used in ornamental plantings. Major emphasis is placed on native deciduous plant materials.

Learning Outcomes:

You will become familiar with:

1. Specific woody plants that are common, useful, and/or undesired in Mid-Atlantic landscapes
2. Physical characteristics of plants that will enable you to identify species learned in class, and to use dichotomous keys to identify unknown species
3. The influence of evolutionary history on development of plant traits, and how these traits affect the performance of woody plants and composition of plant communities under different environmental conditions, including soil properties, moisture, and light
4. Ecological processes and patterns that affect woody plant growth, reproduction, survival, and plant traits that people desire or avoid 
5. Ecosystem services provided by woody plants

You will also practice:

1. Observing and identifying woody plants in your everyday life
2. Grappling with current problems related to woody plants using a systems thinking approach, and proposing solutions

PLSC 289I- Greening Cities: Who Wins, Who Loses, and Who Cares?

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Learning Outcomes:

1. investigate significant issues with imagination and intellect with a belief that they will inspire future investigation and provide concrete mechanisms to implement innovative ideas. 
2. challenge students to wrestle with the Big Questions 
3. offer students new intellectual domains to explore and new ways to think about contemporary problems and age-old dilemmas like ecological sustainability. 
4. promote critical thinking, effective communication skills, media literacy, technology fluency, and humane understanding. 
5. students will take responsibility for their learning and for demonstrating their mastery of the material in their course work. 
6. students must be willing participants/subjects in an experiment to help develop this course to meet expectations for future students.

PLSC 389 - Internship 

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Learning Outcomes:

1. To become informed about internship learning experiences. 
2. To learn about career opportunities. 
3. To become familiar with the university career counseling service.

PLSC 405 - Agroecology 

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Course description: How can we balance the multiple, and often competing objectives of sustainable agricultural intensification to promote both agricultural productivity and human wellbeing? The answer to this question requires a transdisciplinary, agroecological perspective. Agroecology is the integrative study of the ecology of the entire food system, encompassing ecological, economic and social dimensions. This course is designed to introduce various topics in agroecology (e.g. organic agriculture, biodiversity, the Farm Bill). We will take an ecosystems approach to the study of agriculture that will enable students to analyze the environmental, social, and economic interconnections within various types of agricultural systems locally and globally. 

Learning Outcomes:

Course-Specific

1. Ability to define, describe and apply basic ecological principles to agroecosystems. 
2. Understand the impacts and interrelationships between agricultural systems and associated ecosystems. 
3. Ability to identify holistic relationships between the major ecological, social and economic factors affecting agroecosystem sustainability.
4. Understand the diversity of agroecological systems in terms of scales, dimensions, diversity and value systems. 
5. Integrate and synthesize knowledge to inform the design of sustainable food systems.

General

1. Demonstrate competence in independent research and problem solving.
2. Demonstrate written and oral communication skills.
3. Improved ability to work efficiently in teams and independently research relevant information 
4. Demonstrate critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including an ability to access, retrieve, evaluate and utilize relevant information from a wide range of sources including primary and secondary scientific literature sources, and also from personal observations.

PLSC 420 - Principles of Plant Pathology 

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Course description:  An introduction to the causal agents, nature and management of plant diseases with particular attention paid to economically important diseases of horticultural and agronomic crops.

Learning outcomes:

Students completing this course will (i) be familiar with major types of plant pathogens, (ii) have the skills for plant disease diagnosis; (iii) understand the process to demonstrate pathogenicity, (iv) have awareness of the different stages of fungal, bacterial and viral disease cycles and basic research methods for the study of each pathogen group; (v) understand plant disease epidemiology and major practices of disease management; (vi) understand mechanisms of plant disease resistance and basic strategies for breeding  disease- resistant crop cultivars.

PLSC 453 - Weed Science

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PLSC 601 - Plant Genomics

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PLSC 605 - Advanced Agroecology

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Course description: How can we balance the multiple, and often competing objectives of sustainable agricultural intensification to promote both agricultural productivity and human wellbeing? The answer to this question requires a transdisciplinary, agroecological perspective. Agroecology is the integrative study of the ecology of the entire food system, encompassing ecological, economic and social dimensions. This course is designed to introduce various topics in agroecology (e.g. organic agriculture, biodiversity, the Farm Bill). We will take an ecosystems approach to the study of agriculture that will enable students to analyze the environmental, social, and economic interconnections within various types of agricultural systems locally and globally. Students will be required to plan and execute group discussions and learning activities.

Learning Outcomes:

Course-Specific

1. Ability to define, describe and apply basic ecological principles to agroecosystems. 
2. Understand the impacts and interrelationships between agricultural systems and associated ecosystems. 
3. Ability to identify holistic relationships between the major ecological, social and economic factors affecting agroecosystem sustainability.
4. Understand the diversity of agroecological systems in terms of scales, dimensions, diversity and value systems. 
5. Integrate and synthesize knowledge to inform the design of sustainable food systems.

General

1. Demonstrate competence in independent research and problem solving.
2. Demonstrate written and oral communication skills.
3. Improved ability to work efficiently in teams and independently research relevant information 
4. Demonstrate critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including an ability to access, retrieve, evaluate and utilize relevant information from a wide range of sources including primary and secondary scientific literature sources, and also from personal observations.

PLSC 608 - Research Methods

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Course description: The objective of this course is to acquaint graduate students with the procedures, methods and thought processes used to plan, implement, and present scientific research. The course is intended to acquaint students with the culture of scientific research and help them understand how to efficiently and responsibly conduct a research program. The development of an oral and written research project summary is used as a functional device to help students understand how the concepts developed in the course become part of research planning. Classroom exercises help students understand universal concepts of scientific presentation to specialized, non-specialized, and non-scientific audiences. Integrated into this group study is a thorough investigation of the principles of responsible conduct of research. Those discussions will deal with topics that are specific to graduate students as well as general topics that impact all researchers. The topics for this portion of the course have been developed to satisfy guidelines established by the UMD Division of Research Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) program, the NIH Research Ethics recommendations, ICMJE Uniform Guidelines for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals, and the updated America Competes Act (2010) requirement. Students are required to take and be certified by the online Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative RCR course administered through the UMD VPR’s office. Additional lectures are dedicated to discussions of RCR policy and RCR-related scenarios that might be encountered by graduate students during their careers. These discussion sessions deal with issues of plagiarism, collegial interactions, authorship, intellectual property, and special requirements of extramurally-funded projects. Diversity as an essential component of research excellence is a theme within the course, and the practices that limit diversity in the research enterprise are discussed. Finally, class discussions focus on the career opportunities available to M.S. and Ph. D graduates.

The outcome of this class is to provide a “road map” outlining strategies and general concepts to follow which will help lead graduate students to a successful career as working scientists.

PLSC 619 - Seminars in Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

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Course Description: The purpose of this course is broaden student exposure to research advances in the field of plant science, bridge concepts and ideas from multiple disciplines and encourage critical thinking. The course is structured around Department research seminars that are presented by invited speakers and a subsequent discussion of seminar material.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will increase their science literacy by being exposed to a broad range of seminar topics and speakers 
2. Students will engage in discussions on various aspects of plant science, experimental design, hypothesis testing and presentation formats. This discussion will cross multiple disciplines, such that the exposure gained will be broad and appealing to a wide range of research foci. 
3. Students will garner an appreciation for the importance of clearly stating research questions and rationale, recognizing novel research, becoming aware of funding source as well as identifying the significance and applicability of research in a socio-economic and public health context. 
4. Students will gain experience and develop skills in facilitating a discussion, guiding the conversation to steer the group to better understand the subject matter or discussion point, and develop communication and leadership skills and intellectual independence.

PLSC 100 - Introduction to Horticulture

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PLSC 226- Plant Diversity

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Course description: The objective in this course is for you to learn to identify major plant families and species and to understand relationships among them.  The class is taught through lecture, field, and laboratory study. Identifying characteristics, biogeography, and evolutionary relationships of families are emphasized in lecture. These characteristics will be woven together to provide understanding of the ecological and evolutionary drivers of the plant diversity of our region. Sight iden­tification of families, genera, and species and keying skills are stressed in laboratory sessions. 

Learning outcomes:

1. Students will learn distinguishing characteristics of and relationships among major plant lineages. 
2. Students will learn to identify ~80 families of plants, emphasizing angiosperms and conifers. We will focus primarily on families and genera will be found in northeastern North America, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region. We will also cover some families that are important worldwide in terms of ecology, evolution or agriculture but that do not occur here. 
3. By learning evolutionary relationships among the families students will begin to appreciate diversity in these plant groups. 
4. Students will learn to identify ~80 dominant species within the families we study. 
5. Students will become familiar with resources available to help you learn on their own after the semester is over. 
6. Learning to identify new plants using dichotomous keys will enable students to continue to identify plants on their own after the class is over.

PLSC 235 - Irrigation and Drainage

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Course description: An overview of U.S. and state water doctrines and plant water use rates Irrigation systems for residential and athletic field use will be discussed covering such topics as hydraulics, sprinkler spacing, pipe selection and sizing, pumps, controllers, valves, and irrigation trouble shooting. Surface and subsurface drainage for turfgrass sites will also be covered.

Learning outcomes:

When you complete this course you should be able to:

1. Identify the major uses of water and the current water laws and water use doctrines in the United States. Review water conservation programs for turf and landscape systems.
2. Calculate the influence of flow rate, pipe size, and elevation differences on the operating pressure of an irrigation system. 
3. Design an irrigation system for a residential property and an athletic field.
4. Trouble shoot an irrigation system.
5. Assemble a small scale irrigation layout, run a hydraulic check of the system and conduct an irrigation audit.
6. Determine grade elevations, cut-fill volumes, and elevation differences used in land grading exercises.

PLSC 254 - Woody Plants for Mid-Atlantic Landscape II

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Course description: A field and laboratory study of trees, shrubs, and vines used in ornamental plantings. Major emphasis is placed on introduced and evergreen plant materials.

Learning outcomes:

1. Specific woody plants that are common, useful, and/or undesired in Mid-Atlantic landscapes
2. Physical characteristics of plants that will enable you to identify both species learned in class and species you haven’t seen before
3. Using dichotomous keys to identify unknown species
4. Ecological processes and patterns that affect woody plant growth, reproduction and survival
5. Factors influencing vegetation dynamics over time in woody plant communities

1. Observing and identifying woody plants in your everyday life
2. Conducting research and communicating your results
3. Applying concepts to solving problems in your field of study

PLSC 271 - Plant Propagation

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PLSC 272 - Principles of Arboriculture

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Course description: The establishment and maintenance of healthy trees in an urban setting will be studied. Lectures will focus on the environmental constraints to tree development in the city, and the role of physiological processes in regulating tree vigor. Laboratory exercises will cover the unique aspects of urban soils, tree valuation procedures, pruning and training, and supervised climbing.

Learning outcomes:

1. Recognize the risks and benefits of trees in the urban forest.
2. Gain a thorough understanding of tree biology including growth and development, decline, death, and decay. 
3. Recognize faults in tree structure, identify hazardous trees, and specify corrective actions. 
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the tools and techniques used by arborists. 
5. Investigate the conflicts between trees and people including utility conflicts, electrical transmission, hardscape damage, tree litter, neighbor vs. neighbor complaints, and vegetation management issues.

PLSC 275 - Fundamentals of Agricultural Chemistry

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Course description: An in-depth discussion of chemistry targeted to students enrolled in plant and animal management curricula offered in AGNR. Covers the nomenclature and basic functional groups in organic chemistry, secondary plant metabolites, basic tenets of organic agriculture and the creation of genetically-modified plants. The chemistry, handling and usage of agricultural pesticides is also discussed.

Learning outcomes:

1. Carbon Chemistry. Students will learn basic chemical structures and nomenclature of organic chemistry through lecture, reading and problem-solving.
2. Organic Agriculture. Students will study the evolution of organic agriculture and understand the differences between organic chemistry and organic production.
3. Pesticide Laws, Handling, and Usage. Through readings and problems, students will learn the basic laws, principles and procedures needed to properly handle commercial pesticides. Following this training, students will be ready to sit for the pesticide licensing exam offered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
4. Integrating questions related to the interplay of science and society. By the end of this course you are expected to be able to integrate your knowledge of basic organic chemistry to clearly discuss societal issues related to chemical hazards, environmental health and human nutrition.

PLSC 303 - Global Food Systems

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Course description: An introduction to the global food system and its agricultural, biophysical, and socioeconomic domains. The problems and potentials for increasing world food supply based on current agronomic knowledge. Emphasis on international aspects of food crop production as its interrelationships with people and the environment in the developing world.

Learning outcomes:

1. Scientific Literacy. Students will gain foundational knowledge in how and why certain crops are well- or mal-adapted to geographical regions (in terms of soils, water, and nutrients). Students will learn about different types of farming systems found around the world. From this foundation, students will be able to proficiently discuss the complex balance between people, food, and nature and understand what makes a sustainable agroecological system.
2. Science and Society. Students will study and discuss the specific effects of monocultures, crop diversity, food safety and security, genetically modified crops, organic agriculture, and the carbon footprint generated by specialty crop production. The effects of agricultural trade on natural resources and the environment will also be discussed.
3. Global Citizenship. Students will gain an understanding of food security issues at home and abroad. We will discuss the causes and consequences of over- and under-nutrition in the context of the globalization of food markets. 

PLSC 400 - Plant Physiology

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Course description: A survey of plant physiology and development responses and adaptation to the environment.

Learning outcomes:

Understand how plants respond and adapt to the environment and the ecological relevance of these responses.

1. Develop ability to think independently, critically, and logically 
2. Improve skills in organizing and presenting experiments and in writing reports 
3. Outcome will depend on what you put into the lectures and laboratories.

PLSC 407 - Advanced Crop Science

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PLSC 425 - Green Roofs and Urban Sustainability

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Course description: The integration of disciplines associated with sustainability issues. Topics range from plant science to design to policy, all of which can contribute to improving the urban environment.

Learning outcomes:

1. To provide exposure to the application of technology and systems management for urban sustainability. 
2. To introduce private sector companies and state agencies who are engaged in urban sustainability projects.
3. To develop an understanding of green roof systems and their impact on storm water management.
4. To provide information about water harvesting and water quality management.
5. To provide insight into solar energy technology.
6. To introduce Sustainability Policies associated with the Department of Natural Resources and the State of Maryland.
7. To gain an understanding of a major corporation’s effort towards sustainable growth and development.

PLSC 452 - Environmental Horticulture

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Course description: Environmental horticulture principles used in the establishment and maintenance of plant materials in residential and commercial landscapes will be addressed. The effect of soil conditions, environmental factors, and commercial practices will be discussed in relation to the growth and development of newly-installed plant materials. Field diagnostics will be used by students to assess significant problems of plant decline. Environmental sustainability will be combined with current commercial practices of storm water management, nutrient management, and irrigation management to achieve an integrated approach to plant management.

Learning outcomes:

1. Students will develop technical and knowledge-based skills in the required areas of study.
2. Students will use technical and basic learned knowledge to collaborate, solve problems and then articulate conclusions.
3. Students shall develop effective communication skills and demonstrate the ability to present ideas with clarity to an appropriate audience.

PLSC 460 - Application of Knowledge in Plant Sciences

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Course description: A capstone course based on interactions with plant science professional and student-led class discussions. Students will apply their knowledge and experience to practical issues in the discipline, further develop critical thinking ability, and enhance their communication, teamwork, and professional skills. Topics will include nutrient management, integrated pest management, plant interactions with urban and rural ecosystems, planning of public grounds, plant biotechnology, and teaching skills.

Learning outcomes:

1. Apply the fundamentals of basic plant science principles to a current issue facing the environment, agricultural production, and/or plant and landscape maintenance.
2. Evaluate the validity of scientific information resources and apply their results to resolve scientific or applied issues.
3. Effectively communicate complex thoughts and findings to audiences of various scientific and non-scientific backgrounds.
4. Demonstrate the ability to work individually and in groups in order to resolve problems and develop solutions.
5. Describe the potential impact that the resolution to an issue may have on the industry/discipline as a whole.

PLSC 461 - Cultural Management of Nursery and Greenhouse Systems: Substrates

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PLSC 462 - Cultural Management of Nursery and Greenhouse Systems' Irrigation

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PLSC 464 - Cultural Management of Nursery and Greenhouse Systems: Nutrients

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PLSC 471 - Forest Ecology

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PLSC 480 - Urban Ecology

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PLSC 618 - Advances in Research; Critiquing Primary Plant Science Literature

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PLSC 619 - Seminars in Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

[top] Spring
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Course Description: The purpose of this course is broaden student exposure to research advances in the field of plant science, bridge concepts and ideas from multiple disciplines and encourage critical thinking. The course is structured around Department research seminars that are presented by invited speakers and a subsequent discussion of seminar material.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will increase their science literacy by being exposed to a broad range of seminar topics and speakers 
2. Students will engage in discussions on various aspects of plant science, experimental design, hypothesis testing and presentation formats. This discussion will cross multiple disciplines, such that the exposure gained will be broad and appealing to a wide range of research foci. 
3. Students will garner an appreciation for the importance of clearly stating research questions and rationale, recognizing novel research, becoming aware of funding source as well as identifying the significance and applicability of research in a socio-economic and public health context. 
4. Students will gain experience and develop skills in facilitating a discussion, guiding the conversation to steer the group to better understand the subject matter or discussion point, and develop communication and leadership skills and intellectual independence.

PLSC 685 - Advanced Plant Ecophysiology

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