Horticulture (Plantsmanship)

This HND in Horticulture (Plantsmanship) has been designed by subject specialists and has a unique focus on plantsmanship. This course is delivered in unique partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), which enhances course delivery by being a high-profile advocate for plant biodiversity and conservation research and outreach work. This partnership adds immense value to the course due to their respected presence and the immersive learning experience it provides.

Throughout the course, you will develop the skills, knowledge, professional behaviours and values that are required to enter the horticulture sector or progress to further academic study.

This course is delivered by skilled horticulturalists and plant scientists to enhance the learning experience. The course structure is centred around authenticity, allowing you to gain real-world experiences that enhance your learner journey. In the first year, you will study a broad range of specialisms to give you a better understanding of the horticulture sector. In the second year, you will begin to focus more closely on plantsmanship specialism and begin to develop higher levels of inquiry skills by carrying out research into a preferred area of study.

The units that you will study are project-based and aim to develop your planning, initiative and practical skill. The course integrates self-management, social intelligence and innovation meta skills at its core which complement the vocational and technical elements of the course, developing your personal skills which you can employ and adapt in future for further study or in your career.

This HND is the equivalent first two years of the BSc (Hons) in Horticulture (Plantsmanship), but can equally be studied as a stand alone qualification.

This HND in Horticulture has 6 mandatory units in the first year or study and 6 mandatory units in the second year of study. By studying this HND in Horticulture (Plantsmanship), you can expect to study the following modules as part of the course:

Botanical and historic garden horticulture - This unit provides you with knowledge and experience of the history, current roles, and management of botanic and historic gardens. You will use case studies to develop your knowledge of the evolution of the gardens through time and how they are currently used and managed as landscapes, places for research and learning, and visitor attractions.

Ecological and conservation horticulture - This unit provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to work in ecological and conservation horticulture. It focuses on plant ecology and how an understanding of plant ecology can help with planning and decision making in plant conservation and wider conservation.

Applied horticultural research – this unit provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to understand and apply research techniques in the context of horticultural research and plant trials. You can pursue your own interests to develop specialist knowledge.

Horticulture: Professional practice - This unit provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to enter the horticulture industry at an appropriate level. You will gain authentic, practical and professional skills, in collaboration with industry partners. You will carry out and reflect on two meaningful simulated and/or work-based learning placements throughout the year in areas of industry that are of interest to you.

Advanced plant biology - This unit develops your knowledge of plant biodiversity in the context of evolution and adaptation, contextualises mechanisms of plant physiology, advances your knowledge of plant breeding principles, and allows you to apply a range of practical laboratory techniques relevant to the topics discussed.

This HND in Horticulture (Plantsmanship) is assessed primarily through portfolio and project-based assessments. All assessments within the course are designed to be authentic; incorporating realistic objectives that are reflective of industry activities. The authenticity of the assessments will foster innovation and creativity skills.

Personalised learner journeys are championed by providing opportunities for students to select from a range of topics for an assessment, or by providing different methods of completing assessments such as by incorporating different media types into a portfolio of evidence.