The Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University is located in Raleigh, NC. The program has 3 graduate degrees, MHS (non thesis and optional DE), MS (thesis) and PhD (dissertation). Studies range from landscape design, production, sustainable agriculture, herbicide and weed science, plant physiology, breeding, molecular biology and biotechnology, and genomics. Research is conducted in modern labs, excellent controlled environment and greenhouse facilities, and 18 field research stations across the state. Thirty-one graduate faculty are located on campus and at off campus research sites. We currently have 60 graduate students in the 3 programs. The department has a number of graduate assistants available each year that provide the student with a stipend and pay for the tuition. Raleigh is located in the center of the state with easy access to highways, an international airport, many parks and greenways, and is just a short drive to the mountains and the beach. Raleigh is a cosmopolitan city and is one corner of the Research Triangle Park, a community of numerous universities, colleges, and biotech research companies.
Traditional disciplines in food and agriculture education are insufficient to fulfill the gaps of knowledge and innovation to solve future challenges. How agriculture and farming have been perceived is very different from what reality needs to be. We will share examples and current jobs available in an integrated farming/food system program in North Carolina to provide skill training, career development, and workforce development opportunities within a private/public collaboration. The integrated approach including production, marketing, finance, risk management, renewable energy, Workload, expectations, and types of tasks will be explained including compensation and other support.
