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Diploma in Professional Gardening

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Why Study Diploma in Professional Gardening ?

This two-year course is designed for a new generation of head gardeners. The Diploma in Professional Gardening will combine the theoretical knowledge of a Higher National Certificate in Horticulture with wide practical experience, and equip its graduates with skills that are very much in demand.

Candidates will be chosen from amongst those showing a willingness to get their hands dirty as well as learning horticultural theory. SAC believes the new course will be of interest to new entrants and those already working in gardens but wanting to gain new qualifications. It has already gained industry backing.

A course leaflet can be downloaded from the right of this page.

About The Course

The course will be work-experience based, with students attending courses at SAC’s Ayr campus on day-release. Placements will be found for students at at least two locations over two years. Bodies such as the National Trust for Scotland, private gardens and local councils in Ayrshire are offering appropriate opportunities. SAC will be seeking further placements as the course expands. This approach gives students the added advantage of receiving pay while studying, and an opportunity to minimise student debt.

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Diploma in Professional Gardening

Study In Ayr: Apply direct to SAC

Length Of Course

The Diploma in Professional Gardening is studied part-time over two years.

Minimum Entry Requirements

2 Highers (CC) or 1 A Level pass, or relevant vocational qualifications are accepted.
Mature candidates with experience but no formal qualifications are encouraged to apply.
An interview with a panel which includes representatives of employers will also be required.

Progression Routes

Successful completion of the Diploma in Professional Gardening will also grant you an HNC in Horticulture. It is possible to progress from this course into year 2 of the Horticulture HND or degree course.

Course Content

Further information is available in SAC's undergraduate prospectus and in our course leaflet, which can be downloaded from this page. Please contact us for further information.

The course includes taught academic modules such as Plant Recognition, Soil Management, Planting Design, Horticultural Mechanisation, and Business Management, as well as work experience, and training courses such as Tree Surveys, Chainsaw Maintenance and Crosscutting, and Spraying Modules.

The course is studied part-time over 2 years.

Career Opportunities

Local authorities, owners of large gardens open to the public and those maintaining plant collections are concerned that the present generation of skilled and experienced senior managers is ageing. They are actively supporting this initiative by SAC which is designed to offer the right candidates a sound start to what can be a rewarding career.

Employment opportunities are excellent with challenging and rewarding posts possible both in the UK and abroad in areas such as:

  • Management of public green space and private gardens
  • Local authorities, country parks, botanic gardens, community gardens
  • Landscaping companies
  • Nurseries
  • Restoration of historic gardens
  • Landscape reclamation
  • Horticulture as therapy

 

Course Contacts

Ayr Course Contact

Mr Peter MacDonald
Lecturer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, Riverside Campus, University Avenue,
Ayr
KA8 0SX
TelWork 01292 886173
Fax 01292 886199

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Ayr Campus General Contact

Mrs Jill Thomson
Student Recruitment Officer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC Ayr, Riverside Campus, University Avenue,
Ayr
KA8 0SX
TelWork 01292 886196

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Student Experiences

The SAC course follows the kind of recommendations made in an industry-wide survey.

“Giving students a broad range of experience, the chance to specialise and an expansive education early on will be an enormous benefit to the horticultural trade as a whole”

“In my experience the skills needed to effectively run an historic garden are quite different from those needed for working in a commercial landscape maintenance team”