At the end of the program graduates will be professional horticulturists with experience in independent learning, problem-solving and with sound communication skills. In Year 1, biology and chemistry applicable to horticulture are covered, along with horticulture and plant health. In Year 2, plant function, resource industry economics, soil and water management, experimental design and statistics resource assessment and horticultural engineering. Students are able to start specialising in their areas of interest by choosing electives associated with landscape horticulture or nursery production. In Year 3, a major focus is the industry research project which students undertake in conjunction with a subject on human resources management and other electives.
Honours students undertake a fourth year of study.
They take the human resources subject in third year and seven electives. Students develop skills in communicating effectively orally and in writing to both scientific and non-scientific audiences. The project is developed in close collaboration between student, academic and industry advisers. Students attend lectures on research methodology, project design and communication strategies. The remainder of third year is devoted to electives.