Horticulture courses
Beyond tending to flowerbeds, a career in horticulture tackles real-world challenges. From combating food poverty to promoting healing through therapeutic gardens, you can make a meaningful impact on people's lives
The horticulture industry in the UK is a significant contributor to the economy, generating £5billion annually and providing employment for over 674,200 people. Whether you are science-minded, have a creative flair, or excel in technical tasks, there is a perfect fit for you.
Horticulture is responsible for:
- growing plants for biomass, textiles and medicines
- keeping a good supply of plants for habitat restoration and conservation
- maintaining over 20,000 hectares of vegetable and fruit growing in the UK.
The horticulture industry offers a wide range of opportunities. There are roles for:
- plant specialists
- horticultural consultants
- researchers
- mechanics
- technicians
- designers
- gardeners
- horticulture therapists
Whether you're a school leaver, have a degree, or are considering a career change, there are horticulture courses available at all levels for applicants from all backgrounds.
Why study horticulture?
Studying horticulture involves more than just getting your hands dirty in a garden. It can include designing landscapes, using a microscope in a pathology lab to discover new plant strains, or delving into entomology to address garden pest problems.
Visit the Chartered Institute of Horticulture - Grow Careers to explore the full range of jobs available in this field.
For those passionate about addressing global environmental challenges, horticulture offers a particularly rewarding path. The field is increasingly focused on supporting the environment and combating climate change, making horticultural skills highly sought-after. You could be at the forefront of developing new food sources to feed a growing population or finding innovative solutions to combat evolving plant threats.
Horticulture apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a great option if you're new to the field and want to learn by working while earning valuable qualifications. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) offers two Level 2 apprenticeships that span two years. You'll gain practical experience working alongside experienced horticulturists at one of their five gardens:
- Bridgewater, Greater Manchester
- Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire
- Hyde Hall, Essex
- Rosemoor, North Devon
- Wisley, Surrey.
Find out more at RHS - Apprenticeships.
Kew Gardens' two-year Level 2 Botanical Horticulture Apprenticeship is perfect if you'd like to become a professional amenity horticulturist. You'll gain hands-on experience in diverse areas like the arboretum, gardens and horticultural services, glasshouses, nurseries and display horticulture. Plus, there's the exciting chance for a two-week exchange programme at a European botanic garden, broadening your horizons.
The YMCA offers a two-year Level 2 Horticulture or Landscape Operative apprenticeship. This programme provides a comprehensive education with placements in various settings like parks, retail nurseries, and production facilities.
Learn more about apprenticeships in general.
RHS qualifications
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) offers respected qualifications within the horticulture industry. Learners gain access to the latest knowledge and practical skills, which can help them advance their careers. The programmes are designed for part-time study over a year and are delivered through approved centres across the UK and Ireland.
Additionally, theory-based qualifications are available through reputable distance learning providers, such as the RHS Level 2 Certificate - Principles of Plant Growth and Development from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The curriculum covers plant science, plant health, plant nutrition, and plant specification.
Horticulture degrees
In the UK, universities offer a wide variety of undergraduate horticulture courses, each with its own unique specialisations. For those who are creatively inclined, the BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture and Design at Leeds Beckett University may be a perfect fit. This course emphasises teamwork and hands-on projects, helping you build confidence and explore your individual design style.
The course provides a strong foundation through modules in the first and second years such as:
- Designing for people and place
- Reading the landscape
- Planting for the future
In the final year, you'll complete the course with a specialist design project.
For those with a scientific curiosity, a BSc in Plant Sciences, like the programme offered at the University of Bristol, could be a great match. In the first year, you'll establish a strong foundation in biological sciences, exploring fundamental life processes. In later years, you'll delve into specialised units on topics such as agricultural biotechnology.
See what you could do with a landscape and garden design degree.
Postgraduate horticulture courses
A postgraduate course will allow you to specialise in a particular area of horticulture, such as sustainable agriculture, plant breeding, or garden design. This can give you a significant edge in the job market.
Several institutions offer postgraduate horticulture courses, including:
- Anglia Ruskin - choose from their MSc programmes in Horticulture, Crop Production (Horticulture) or Postharvest Technology.
- The University of Edinburgh - MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants (available as both a Masters and a PGDip).
- Harper Adams University - MSc, PGDip or PGCert in Plant Health and Biosecurity.
For a flexible learning option, consider the RHS Master of Horticulture. Delivered through their virtual learning environment, this three to five-year programme allows you to fit your studies around your existing commitments.
The programme structure will first broaden your understanding of the horticultural landscape. You'll then develop skills to delve deeper into a specific area later in the course. Your final year ends with a dissertation on a chosen topic and an applied knowledge assessment, ensuring you can put your learning into practice.
If you're ready to start looking for opportunities, search postgraduate courses in horticulture, or learn more about postgraduate diplomas and certificates.
Find out more
- Search for vacancies at Horticulture Jobs.
- See what else the environment and agriculture sector has to offer.