Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Horticulture

Writtle University College (WUC) is pleased to offer the Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Horticulture qualification.

The City and Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Horticulture provides you with a very wide range of specialist technical practical skills and detailed knowledge and understanding which will equip you to seek a diverse range of employment opportunities, or to further learning and training within the horticultural industry.

The course provides 18 units over two years that include a work placement with in the industry itself helping students apply the knowledge gained from their studies and working to an industry standard.

This qualification consists of the following 12 mandatory and 7 selected optional specialist units.

Mandatory Units

The proportion of mandatory content ensures that all learners are following a coherent programme of study and acquiring the knowledge, understanding and skills that will be recognised and valued.

• Principles of Health and Safety
• Undertake and review work related experience in the land based industries
• Identification, selection and planting of plants
• Maintain turf in parks and gardens
• Land based industry machinery operations
• Principles of plant health and protection
• Plant and soil science
• Tree and shrub maintenance
• Undertake estate skills
• Business management in the land based sector
• Undertake a specialist project in the land based sector
• Construct horizontal landscape surfaces

Optional Specialist Units

Students will study 7 optional specialist units (as determined by WUC Course lead) from the following.

• Principles of advanced horticultural science
• Identification and use of ornamental plants
• Sustainable development
• Manage plant propagation activities
• Establish and manage exterior plant displays
• Principles and practices of garden design
• Construct and maintain timber landscape features
• Horticultural production techniques - protected environments
• Horticultural production techniques – outdoors
• Construct and restore walls
• Construct and maintain decorative landscape features
• Site surveying, levelling and setting out
• Historical influences on the development of gardens
• Computer-aided design in horticulture
• Prepare landscape and garden design briefs
• Specification, programming and monitoring of landscape projects
• Establish and manage interior plant displays
• Manage advanced nursery stock production
• Principles of organic crop production
• Customer care and retail merchandising
• Water management

• 5 GCSEs at Grade 9-4 or A*-C
• Must include English and Maths
• A work placement of 5 days in a related industry is desirable
• Satisfactory references from most recent school, college or employer

Please note:
Alternative qualifications or experience will be considered on application.

Educational progression
Students could further their education in horticulture by studying the following courses:

• Advanced Apprenticeship in Horticulture
• Certificate of Higher Education in Horticulture
• Diploma of Higher Education Horticulture
• Foundation Year (Horticulture)
• BSc (Hons) Horticulture

Employment opportunities
By taking the Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Horticulture qualification, you will be exposed to, and have the opportunity to gain experience in, the wider horticultural sector. This will enable you to progress to a diverse range of employment opportunities, as you will have gained hands-on experience over 2 years, which employers really value.

You might progress into employment as:

• Production manager
• Commercial manager
• Landscape site manager/foreman
• Gardener/grounds maintenance manager