MSc Horticulture

Horticulture is the science, technology, art and business of cultivating and using plants to improve human life. Horticulturists and Horticultural Scientists create global solutions for safe, sustainable, nutritious food and healthy, restorative and beautiful environments.

The MSc Horticulture caters for early career graduates working or intending to work in the global dynamic horticulture production and supply industry. It is designed for students who wish to acquire greater expertise in horticulture, mature students and career changers and draws on the academic expertise available in the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science.

Today the supply of horticulture goods and services involves a global network of producers, distributors and retailers. While labour is currently a significant part of the cost basis for horticulture enterprises, innovations in technology, logistics and management is disrupting the traditional labour-intensive model of horticulture businesses.

With ever-increasing demands from the marketplace to reduce costs, future horticulture enterprises will require highly educated and skilled individuals who can interpret and apply sound scientific knowledge and utilise modern innovative technologies and management systems to provide sustainable globally relevant horticulture products and services.

The minor thesis component offers a very broad choice of research topics that allows a candidate to focus on a specific subject area. Students are assigned an academic supervisor with research interests and expertise in the thesis subject area.

Vision and Values Statement

The MSC Horticulture programme provides students with the education and skills to enable them to attain leadership roles and to set and maintain professional standards of excellence within horticulture in Ireland and globally. Graduates can become professional horticulturists and horticultural scientists who utilise their scientific education to provide sustainable management of horticulture enterprises, services and organisations. They have the capacity to influence and direct policy and governance at corporate, local, national and international levels for the betterment of their enterprise or services and the wider community. Dissemination of knowledge by engagement with the various industry sectors and horticultural services is a key activity for staff and students.

Student education is informed by active internationally recognised research where engagement in learning is through formal lectures, practical classes, scenario-based learning, and group and individual research project work. Teaching and learning activities are conducted in an atmosphere of fairness, quality, and excellence, which is supported by an assessment process designed to provide students with a record of their academic progress. Their educational experience is enriched by intensive interaction with staff as part of our community of scholars and by their participation in modules and industry/site visits. This programme enables students to develop critical thinking capabilities, to be confident and competent individuals who have the ability to acquire the knowledge necessary for professional decision-making and to advocate for horticulture in a global context.