A new four-year Level 8 BSc (Hons) degree in horticulture will be available on the Central Applications Office (CAO) system for Leaving Cert students for the first time this year.

It will be provided by South East Technological University (SETU) in conjunction with Teagasc Kildalton College.

The new honours degree reflects the growing demand for highly skilled graduates across the horticulture sector, according to Cara Daly, programme director for the course at SETU.

The programme combines practical horticultural training with scientific, business, environmental, and land management expertise.

Students will study a range of subjects, including plant biology; plant propagation; biodiversity and horticulture; arboriculture; and horticulture business management.

Elective options include: sustainable food production; landscape design; ports turf science; nursery stock production; social and therapeutic horticulture; integrated pest management; protected crop production, and beekeeping. 

Students will also complete a 15-week professional placement and research projects, helping them develop both practical industry experience and academic skills.

Routes to entry

The long established Level 7 BSc in horticulture - in partnership with Teagasc Kildalton College, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny, and the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin - is still offered by SETU.

Students completing the Level 7 programme at either location have the opportunity to transfer to SETU to progress to honours degree level.

SETU offers advanced entry pathways into years 2 and 3 of its horticulture programmes for applicants with prior horticultural qualifications.

Graduates holding both the Level 5 certificate in horticulture and the Level 6 advanced certificate in horticulture may gain entry into Year 2.

Older qualifications, including the Department of Agriculture/ACOT senior certificate in horticulture and the ACOT/Teagasc/FETAC diploma in horticulture, are also recognised for advanced entry purposes. 

Horticulture careers

The horticulture industry in Ireland continues to experience strong growth and offers graduates a variety of career opportunities.

Daly said that people are often surprised by the sheer diversity of careers available to horticulture graduates.

"Graduates may go on to work in landscaping, food production, plant propagation, biodiversity management, sports turf or public gardens, while many also establish their own successful businesses.

"In many cases, horticulture graduates can take smaller farms or growing enterprises and develop sustainable and profitable businesses from them.

"We welcome both school leavers and mature students onto the programme each year, and that mix of experience and backgrounds creates a really supportive learning environment," the programme director said.

Eleanor Kent, head of the Department of Land Sciences within the Faculty of Science and Computing at SETU, said: "Alongside the recent development of new Level 8 programmes in forestry and agriculture, this highlights the growing potential and importance of land sciences education in the south-east and beyond.

"Many of our graduates continue their studies through our Level 9 part-time postgraduate opportunities, including the MSc/postgraduate diploma in organic and biological horticulture, allowing students to further specialise while continuing to work within the sector.”

Those applicants already in possession of a CAO number for 2026, are reminded that the CAO change of mind deadline closes on July 1.