Looking for your first degree in Horticulture? See All Bachelors degrees in Horticulture
Alternatively if you are looking for graduate level options? See All Masters degrees in Horticulture
Defined as the culture of plants for food, comfort and beauty, horticulture is the cultivation, processing, and sale of fruits, nuts, vegetables, ornamental plants, and flowers as well as many additional services. Horticulture includes plant conservation, soil management, landscape restoration, garden and landscape design, construction and maintenance, and arboriculture.
The knowledge you gain on a horticulture course will allow you to grow plants and flowers for human food and non-food uses and for personal or social needs. You will learn about resistance to insects, diseases, as well as the environmental issues surrounding intensive farming processes. Horticulture is a popular subject for students who are interested in the social elements of agriculture.
If you choose a horticulture degree course, you may have to study several science based modules. These might include plant biology, botany, plant disease diagnostics and soil science. Because horticulture also involves the production and sale of plants, you may be required to study some business modules.
The degree will be delivered in a mixture of modes. These will include classroom work, laboratory work and some experience in a practical horticulture environment. This might be either on campus, or off campus as part of a placement.
Depending on your institution, you may be able to specialise in a favoured area towards the end of your horticulture degree. Common specialisations offered by institutions are:
Some horticulture degree courses may offer a core set of modules, and all students will be expected to study all of them.
A horticulture degree prepares graduates for a wide range of career paths. Successful completion can lead to a professional career in production, management, marketing, research, and landscape design and maintenance.
You may choose to work in horticulture in a practical sense, as a designer or contractor for landscaping for both residential and commercial projects. You may also wish to work in the business side of horticulture, for example working as an inspector who makes sure that fresh and processed fruits and vegetables are meeting government standards. There are also employment opportunities in nurseries, greenhouses, garden centres, zoos, schools, design firms and educational institutions, among others.
Study in the UK
The UK is a popular destination for international students who want to study abroad. With a wide range of universities offering a variety of courses, there are so many opportunities that students might not be able to find elsewhere. Each university will pride itself on offering high quality education from leading teaching professionals. A qualification gained in the UK will be well regarded across the globe, making an education in the UK a great investment in your future. As well as this, there are many highly ranked universities in the UK, around 17 of which are consistently appearing in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings.
See our detailed guide to studying in the UK for international students.
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