Bachelor of Science - Plant & Horticultural Sciences Major

The horticultural sector plays a pivotal role in shaping Aotearoa’s economic landscape and there’s a growing demand for a qualified workforce. With the Bachelor of Science, majoring in Plant and Horticultural Sciences, you’ll unearth your potential in a thriving industry.

This degree helps you develop critical knowledge in applied plant production, integrated pest management and problem solving. With a clear focus on sustainability, the programme will prepare you to make a real difference in any number of technical, advocacy and management roles.

You will also benefit from working at our Living Laboratory, an outdoor setting on campus that brings together research partners and students to explore challenges facing our world. You will increase your hands-on experience of the different aspects of horticultural production.

How you’ll grow

• Explain how horticultural plants grow in relation to soil, temperature, water, light and nutrition
• Understand the principles and practices concerning pruning, training and harvesting of horticultural crops
• Discuss the significance of sustainable production, integrated pest management and how Mātauranga Māori can be integrated and applied in commercial field operations
• Describe the different plant growth regulators and how these interact in horticultural production systems
• Identify the different controlled environment production systems, including managing an indoor climate and understanding growing media and fertilisers utilised in horticultural production systems
• Integrate knowledge and skills from different disciplines to help solve complex problems in a wide range of plant and horticultural sciences industries.

Career opportunities

Armed with this degree, you’ll be prepared to undertake a wide range of technical, advocacy and management roles across the agriculture and horticultural production industries.

Graduate Attributes refer to the knowledge, skills, and values that you gain from completing your qualification. These high-level qualities will prepare you for career success, further study or research and making a valuable contribution to society in your chosen field.

Knowledge

• Describe the biological, physiological, and biochemical processes that underpin plant form and function.
• Describe the scientific principles of plant physiology.
• Outline current scientific and public debates in plant production, including sustainability and biotechnologies.
• Describe the major weeds, plant diseases and pests that impact plant production in New Zealand.
• Describe the management methods for biosecurity, the control of pests, and their impact on horticultural production and biodiversity.
• Identify key functional areas of management and their interlinkage with the overall global supply chain. Outline how plant performance can be manipulated to improve plant production with consideration to sustainability.

Skills

• Acquire, analyse and interpret information across a range of plant systems.
• Utilise and expand existing knowledge and skills to solve a range of theoretical and practical problems.
• Apply the scientific method and correctly interpret the results of scientific studies.
• Apply scientific methods in a real-world context through exposure to industry and sectors that utilise this science.
• Employ scientific methods to solve problems, both independently and as part of a team.
• Competently apply statistics and biometrics, in the design of experiments and data analysis.
• Collect, collate, synthesise, and interpret data across a wide range of disciplines.
• Communicate information effectively in written and/or oral form to lay and expert audiences.
• Relate effectively to people from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.
• Use self-directed learning.

Values

• Appreciate the key principles and practices underpinning sustainable development in plant production.
• Evaluate the ethical implications of scientific research.
• Appreciate the key principles and practices underpinning horticultural production science and their limitations.
• Develop an awareness of Māori perspectives and their implications for plant and horticultural science.
• Develop an awareness of the importance of cultural indigenous knowledge.