SETU launches new programme in horticulture with Kildalton College

The course comes as Ireland’s horticulture sector continues to grow, creating strong demand for skilled graduates across areas like landscaping, food production, research and education

The new degree reflects the growing demand for highly skilled graduates across the horticulture sector in Ireland

Careers

29 July 2026

South East Technological University (SETU) in conjunction with Teagasc Kildalton College has launched of a new four-year Level 8 BSc (Hons) in Horticulture, available on the CAO for the first time this year.

The new honours degree builds on the long-standing success of horticulture education at SETU and Teagasc Kildalton College and reflects the growing demand for highly skilled graduates across the horticulture sector.

“People are often surprised by the sheer diversity of careers available to horticulture graduates. Horticulture combines science, business, sustainability, creativity, and practical skills in a way that opens many different pathways for students,” Cara Daly, programme director for the Level 8 BSc (Hons) in Horticulture at SETU, said.

She added: “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.”

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

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

Furthermore, elective options also include sustainable food production, landscape design, sports turf science, nursery stock production, social and therapeutic horticulture, integrated pest management, protected crop production, and beekeeping.

“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,” Eleanor Kent, head of the Department of Land Sciences within the Faculty of Science and Computing at SETU, said.

Professional placement

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

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

Graduates from SETU horticulture programmes have gone on to establish successful landscaping and landscape design businesses, manage nurseries and garden centres, work as craft gardeners in public and private gardens, become turfgrass professionals, and work in education, community, and social and therapeutic horticulture settings. Others progress into protected crop production, nursery stock production, arboriculture, and scientific research roles.

SETU also continues to offer the long-established Level 7 BSc in Horticulture in partnership with both Teagasc Kildalton College in Piltown, Co. Kilkenny and Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin.

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

Advanced entry

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.