Bachelor of Horticulture

What is this course about?

CSU's Bachelor of Horticulture with specialisations in Production Horticulture and Environmental Horticulture aims to develop a multi-skilled professional capable of fulfilling a range of management and leadership roles.

The Bachelor of Horticulture course at CSU offers two areas of study:

Production Horticulture

The Bachelor of Horticulture (Production Horticulture) focuses on technical and business management training for the fruit, nut,vegetable and flower industries and places an emphasis on the integration of the science and technology of horticulture with business management capability. This integration of production technology with business skills in finance, marketing, people management and law aims to develop a multi-skilled professional capable of fulfilling a range of management and leadership roles in these industries.

Environmental Horticulture

The Bachelor of Horticulture (Environmental Horticulture) focuses on technical and applied science training for the amenity, landscaping and environmental horticulture industries. The environmental consequences of urbanisation are immense and environmental horticulture can play a major role in improving the quality and amenity of urban environments.

Credit

The Bachelor of Horticulture is well suited to TAFE graduates who wish to upgrade their existing qualifications and to those in, or wishing to enter, these exciting industries. Arrangements are in place to assist with this articulation and are updated on a regular basis. 

More information about credit and pathways.

Study through CSU Wangaratta

The Certificate IV or Diploma of Production Horticulture at Goulburn Ovens TAFE (GOTAFE) provides a pathway to CSU's Bachelor of Horticulture. Graduates of these TAFE qualifications will receive credit towards their CSU degree. Students in North East Victoria who are undertaking the Bachelor of Horticulture are able to complete some subjects by supported distance education. Support for each subject usually includes recorded lectures, a range of documents and resource, online meetings, interactive video teaching, face-to-face tutorials or field exercises at Wangaratta. The rest of the course will be completed by distance education using a range of online study resources and communication tools, and may include some residential schools at CSU's Orange and Wagga Wagga campuses.

Residential school

Students may need to attend residential school sessions on Orange Campus, although some may be held at Wagga Wagga Campus. Regular field trips are made to rural businesses. Orange Campus has well established facilities for horticultural education including plant propagation and glass houses within a horticulture centre. Orange is located in close proximity to major fruit, vegetable, nut, flower and grape industries.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.

Course Structure

The course of 192 points duration.

Core Subjects
AGB110 Agricultural Economics (8CR)
AGB310 Agricultural Marketing (8CR)
AGR202 Food, Environment and Culture (8CR)
AGS107 Precision Agriculture and Data Handling (8CR)
AHT101 Professional Skills in Agriculture and Horticulture (8CR)
AHT231 Agricultural Finance and Business Management (8CR)
AHT274 Industry Practice (8CR)
PSC104 Soil Science (8CR)

Additional Compulsory Subjects
AGS301 Weed and Pesticide Sciences (8CR)
IRR200 Principles of Irrigation (8CR)
HRT107 Introductory Landscape Design (8CR)
HRT301 Plant Propagation and Production (8CR)
HRT307 Flower Crop Management (8CR)
PSC102 Botany (8CR)
PSC201 Invertebrate Pests (8CR)
PSC215 Plant Physiology (8CR)
PSC371 Plant Pathology (8CR)
PSC415 Soil Management (8CR)
MCR101 Introduction to Microbiology (8CR)
SCI301 International Experience (8CR)

Stream Subjects (Production)
AGR237 Property Planning and Development (8CR)
AGR347 Rural Project (8CR)
HRT308 Fruit and Nut Crop Management (8CR)

Stream Subjects (Environmental)
HRT202 Plant Taxonomy and Systematics (8CR)
HRT209 Landscape and Planting Designs (8CR)
HRT305 Plant Establishment and Management (8CR)

Restricted Electives
Restricted electives (in both streams) can be chosen from the following list of subjects:
HRT308 Fruit and Nut Crop Management (8CR)
HRT209 Landscape and Planting Designs (8CR)
HRT306 Vegetable Crop Management (8CR)
AGR220 Extension (8CR)
AHT254 Organic Production (8CR)
VIT211 Viticultural Science (8CR)
VIT402 Vine Physiology and Performance (8CR)
VIT405 Integrated Vineyard Management (8CR)
BIO112 Principles of Ecology (8CR)
BIO262 Vegetation Ecology (8CR)
HRM210 Human Resource Management (8CR)

Enrolment pattern

Enrolment Pattern (Production) By Distance Education study

Year 1
Session 1
AHT101 Professional Skills in Agriculture and Horticulture (8CR)
PSC102 Botany (8CR)
Session 2
AGS107 Precision Agriculture and Data Handling (8CR)
MCR101 Introduction to Microbiology (8CR)

Year 2
Session 3
AGB110 Agricultural Economics (8CR)
HRT107 Introduction to Landscape Designs (8CR)
Session 4
IRR 200 Principles of Irrigation (8CR)
PSC104 Soil Science (8CR)

Year 3
Session 5
AHT231 Agricultural Finance and Business Management (8CR)
PSC215 Plant Physiology (8CR)
Session 6
AGR202 Food, Environment and Culture (8CR)
AGS301 Weed and Pesticide Sciences (8CR)

Year 4
Session 7
AGB310 Agricultural Marketing (8CR)
AGR237 Property Planning and Development (8CR)
Session 8
PSC371 Plant Pathology (8CR)
PSC201 Invertebrate Pests (8CR)

Year 5
Session 9
PSC415 Soil Management (8CR)
HRT301 Plant Propagation and Production (8CR)
Session 10
HRT308 Fruit and Nut Crop Management (8CR)
[ ] Restricted Elective (8CR)

Year 6
Session 11
AHT274 Industry Practice (8CR) OR
SCI301 International Experience (8CR)
HRT307 Flower Crop Management (8CR)
Session 12
AGR347 Rural Project (8CR)
[ ] Restricted Elective (8CR)

Enrolment Pattern (Environmental) By Distance Education study

Year 1
Session 1
AHT101 Professional Skills in Agriculture and Horticulture (8CR)
PSC102 Botany (8CR)
Session 2
AGS107 Precision Agriculture and Data Handling (8CR)
MCR101 Introduction to Microbiology (8CR)

Year 2
Session 3
AGB110 Agricultural Economics (8CR)
HRT107 Introduction to Landscape Designs (8CR)
Session 4
IRR 200 Principles of Irrigation (8CR)
PSC104 Soil Science (8CR)

Year 3
Session 5
AHT231 Agricultural Finance and Business Management (8CR)
PSC215 Plant Physiology (8CR)
Session 6
AGR202 Food, Environment and Culture (8CR)
AGS301 Weed and Pesticide Sciences (8CR)

Year 4
Session 7
AGB310 Agricultural Marketing (8CR)
HRT209 Landscape and Planting Designs (8CR)
Session 8
HRT202 Plant Taxonomy and Systematics (8CR)
[ ] Restricted Elective (8CR)

Year 5
Session 9
PSC415 Soil Management (8CR)
HRT301 Plant Propagation and Production (8CR)
Session 10
PSC371 Plant Pathology (8CR)
PSC201 Invertebrate Pests (8CR)

Year 6
Session 11
AHT274 Industry Practice (8CR) OR
SCI301 International Experience (8CR)
HRT307 Flower Crop Management (8CR)
Session 12
HRT305 Plant Establishment and Management (8CR)
[ ] Restricted Elective (8CR)

Admission requirements

To be admitted into the course, prospective students need to indicate their likelihood of success through:

1. previous studies, and
2. other attainments and experience.

Previous studies

Previous studies include:

• the NSW Higher School Certificate or interstate /overseas equivalent;
• the International Baccalaureate Diploma;
• a completed or part completed course of a university, college of advanced education or other accredited tertiary institution;
• a completed or part completed course of a TAFE college or other accredited post-secondary institution (including TAFE Tertiary Preparation Certificate);
• an approved Foundation Studies program certificate;
• completion of undergraduate subjects as an Associate Student with the University or through another University, or Open Universities Australia.

NSW and interstate school leavers are normally selected on the basis of their Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) or interstate equivalent. You may also be admitted on the basis of a strong performance in subjects relevant to your course preferences.

Currently no secondary school subjects are prerequisites for admission to particular CSU courses however some courses assume a certain level of knowledge. This will be specified in the course information if applicable.

English language proficiency

The University has minimum requirements for English language proficiency prior to entry to our courses. Some courses also have a requirement for a higher entry or exit level of English proficiency. More information on English language requirements.

Attainment and experience

You may also be admitted to a course based on other attainments and experience. These may include:

• voluntary or paid work experience;
• performance in tests and examinations conducted by professional recognised bodies;
• participation in continuing education programs and/or staff development programs conducted by adult education agencies, consultancies, professional bodies or employers;
• completion of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT).

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

Apply now

This course is available to commence study in

Session 1; Session 2