Horticulture and landscaping

This field of study deals, on the one hand, with horticultural products, services and their marketing (horticulture), and on the other hand, the focus is on the development, planting and maintenance of gardens, green spaces as well as sports and leisure facilities (landscaping).

Bachelor's and master's degree programs are available at technical colleges and universities. The courses are called Horticulture (Sciences) or Horticultural Science in English. In landscaping there is some overlap with landscape architecture and environmental planning. Depending on the focus, the courses can have a business administration or a technical and planning focus.

Studying horticulture provides broad basic knowledge in all areas of gardening and landscaping science, e.g. modern methods of production in intensive crops, sustainable use of resources and biological plant protection. In addition, an ecological understanding of gardening and landscaping is conveyed.

The bachelor's degree focuses on the basic sciences and horticultural plant production. Modules include biology, botany, plant production, horticultural technology, vegetable, fruit and ornamental plant cultivation, tree nursery, meteorology, plant physiology, soil science, genetics, plant nutrition and phytomedicine.

In the subsequent master's degree, you can choose to focus on biological, ecological, crop cultivation, technical and economic areas. Knowledge in the areas of ornamental plant cultivation, vegetable cultivation, fruit growing, production optimization, horticultural market theory, business management, advice and organic gardening is imparted.

A company internship is usually planned and lasts between eight weeks and six months. A one-year internship is strongly recommended for students who want to enter the higher agricultural service.

Depending on the type of university and the university, preliminary internships may be required.

Graduates of gardening and landscaping sciences work in public administration, in private and public gardening and landscaping businesses, in commercial businesses and garden centers as well as in official, private or professional association horticultural advice centers. There are also employment opportunities in public and industrial research institutes, in research institutes and departments, e.g. in the field of plant breeding or in the plant protection and fertilizer industries. Horticultural engineers are also employed in the sales of supply industries, e.g. by manufacturers of crop protection products and fertilizers, and special horticultural machines and equipment.