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Bachelor’s in Horticultural Plant Production
Welcome to our green Bachelor's program!
On this degree program, you will receive a practical and hands-on education in horticulture. You will acquire academic knowledge of the field and learn how it is implemented in practice. The Bachelor of Science in Horticultural Plant Production aims to qualify you for management positions in horticultural businesses and related economic sectors as well as for consulting and experimental work.
As diverse as horticulture is itself, so is our degree program with its links to very different academic disciplines. If you are interested in biology, chemistry, economics or technology, Horticultural Plant Production could be the right subject for you.
In the Bachelor's program, you will learn practical skills for the diverse professional field of modern horticultural plant cultivation. In lectures, greenhouses and on the experimental plots, you will learn about the fundamentals of natural science, plant cultivation, future-oriented economics and green research, thus giving you the ideal grounding for your future work with and in nature.
Objective of the program
We aim to provide students with a broad-based horticultural education that prepares them for the very diverse fields and related areas in which they will work. In addition to the fundamentals of natural science, we also teach aspects of plant cultivation and production technology as well as economics. We use seminars, practicals, laboratory work and field trips for teaching and learning. Traditional lectures are the exception rather than the rule.
Structure
The subject matter and structure of the Bachelor's degree in Horticultural Plant Production is geared towards the key horticultural skills. Each semester, certain modules are offered that first impart basic knowledge and later cover increasingly specialist fields. Among the subjects studied up to the 3rd semester are Botany, Plant Physiology, Chemistry, Statistics, Agroecology, Plant Nutrition, Phytomedicine, Plant Science in addition to the fundamentals of technology and economics.
From the 3rd semester onwards, the students take specific compulsory and compulsory elective modules. These include, for example, Business Planning, Vocational and Occupational Pedagogy, Quality and Environmental Management, Experimentation, Breeding and Ecology, Ecological Plant Production and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.
In the 3rd semester, you can also specialize in the specialist compulsory elective modules: fruit farming, vegetable farming, ornamental horticulture, tree management. From Winter Semester 2024, we are almost the only university in Germany to offer courses on cannabis cultivation.
The 4th semester is dedicated to your work placement, which you can do in a business of your choice in Germany or abroad. You will put the theoretical skills you have acquired so far into practice and gain practical experience that will benefit you during your last two semesters of study.
In the 5th semester, the focus is on a practical project in crop planning. In groups, you will learn to plan a complete crop (selecting varieties, cultivation systems, nutrition, phytomedicine, economics, etc.). This allows you to put the knowledge you have acquired into practice.
In the 6th and final semester, you will be tested on your practical skills: In the practical module "Crop Management" you will implement your plans from the 5th semester and develop and evaluate your crop: Did your plans work out? What income and expenses have you generated? What would you do differently next time?
Above all, however, your 6th semester will be dominated by your Bachelor's thesis. In an independent academic project, you will be supervised in working on a research topic of your choice - as an empirical project (experiment, survey ...), a conceptual project (operational planning ...) or as a literature paper. Our teaching takes place primarily in seminars, project work and self-study.
Our assessment options include written examinations, portfolio examinations (several partial examinations), coursework, written examinations or certificates of participation
You can find more details in our study plan and module catalogue.
In the 5th semester, the students work on a practical project, designed to apply the knowledge they have acquired in practice.
Teaching takes the form of lectures, seminars, project work and self-study.
Students are assessed on the basis of oral and written exams, participation and the Bachelor's thesis and colloquium.
For further details, please refer to the module catalogue.
FAQs
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The degree program takes 6 semesters.
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The program leads to a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) degree in Horticultural Plant Production.
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The degree program always begins in the winter semester (1 October). You can apply from 15 May every year.
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There are no admission restrictions for the Bachelor's in Horticultural Plant Production, but a pre-study placement of 8 weeks must be undertaken. You have until the beginning of the 3rd semester to complete this placement.
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No, they don't. If you have completed an apprenticeship in a horticultural business, you do not have to do a pre-study placement as long as you can present your certificate that proves you have passed your apprenticeship.
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The aim of the pre-study placement is to give first-year students an impression of their future working environment through practical horticultural work and insights into the various activities of a horticulturist.
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As a rule, yes.
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The 8-week pre-study placement must be done before you start the program. In approved exceptional cases, it is also possible to only undertake part of the placement (but at least 50 % = 4 weeks) before you start the degree program, with the remaining 4 weeks having to be completed by the start of the 3rd semester at the latest.
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Yes, the department even recommends doing an apprenticeship in horticulture or plant cultivation as the best preparation for gaining comprehensive insights into the field.
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As a rule, the work placement must be carried out in a recognized training company in the field of horticulture or plant production. Exceptions are possible if they are agreed well in advance with the person in charge of the Placement Office. Typical host organizations may include: practical horticultural businesses in all sectors, public administrations, authorities or horticultural service providers, horticultural research institutes, botanical gardens, professional associations and organizations, or other businesses approved by the head of the Placement Office.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Placement Officer (see above).
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Ideally, your university entrance qualification should be in sciences (maths, biology, chemistry) and/or economics-related subjects, but it is possible to take the degree program without this prior knowledge. In this case, however, you should expect to have to invest more time in self-study.
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General Botany, Plant Physiology, Ecology, Statistics, Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Technology, Ecological Plant Production, Climate Change Mitigation
Ornamental Plant Cultivation, Tree Nurseries, Fruit Farming, Vegetable Farming, Plant Nutrition, Phytomedicine, Plant Breeding, Commercial Horticulture, Sales and Marketing,
In addition to lectures, there are also seminars and projects in which students work on their own.
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Due to a lack of skilled personnel in this field, the career opportunities are exceptionally good.
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If you wish to have credits from your previous university recognized, you need to proceed as follows:
Apply for recognition of the modules passed in your previous degree program that are equivalent to our modules. For this purpose, the equivalent module in our module catalogue must be named and at least the module description from the partner university must be attached for the module to be approved. If possible, please provide details of the lecture content (the more detailed the better the decision can be made). If the documents submitted are insufficient to determine equivalence, we will not approve the credit transfer. In this case, you will have to submit a new application with more detailed documents (you can obtain the application forms from the faculty secretary).
- Title Bachelor Horticultural Plant Production
- Qualification/degree Bachelor (Bachelor of Science)
- Duration 6 semesters
- Mode of study full-time
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Flexibility
Part-time studies possible
Open to affiliate students
Open for occasional students
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Beginning
Winter semester
- Costs -
- Period for enrolment 15.05. - 15.09.
- General Requirements Yes Show
- Special Requirements No
- International application Show
The Bachelor's degree program "Horticultural Plant Production" takes 3 years and includes a semester on placecment.
Our students enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, working in small groups with excellent supervision, making it easier for them to settle in and succeed in their studies
You can use the spacious areas in the greenhouse and outdoors to carry out your own student projects.
Our modern greenhouse facilities with an area of 2,400 m², divided into 19 cabins that can be individually climate-controlled, as well as a 3.5-hectare outdoor trial area for practical demonstrations and experiments, provide our students with the ideal conditions for a practice-oriented degree program and applied research.
The degree program is modular in structure. In the 1st - 2nd semester you will study the basics in compulsory modules. From the 3rd semester onwards, this is followed by compulsory electives and elective modules that you can choose yourself.
Teh 4th semester is spent on placement. In the 5th/6th semester you will undertake a cultivation project.
In the 6th semester, you finish your degree program with your Bachelor's thesis.
Entry requirements
Enrolment for the degree program at Fachhochschule Erfurt is regulated by the Thuringian Higher Education Act and the Enrolment Regulations of the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, as most recently amended, as well as in the program regulations for Horticultural Plant Production.
The following are the main qualifications necessary to study on this program:
- general university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- specific qualification for university entrance (Fachgebundene Hochschulreife)
- specialist qualification for entry to universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulreife)
Admission to the degree program can also be granted to holders of a master craftsman's diploma, state-certified technicians or state-certified economists, or holders of a vocational further education diploma equivalent to the master craftsman's diploma according to the Vocational Training Act (Berufsausbildungsgesetz).
In addition, before you begin your studies, a pre-study placement of at least 8 weeks must be undertaken in a horticultural business or proof of a completed apprenticeship in horticulture must be provided.
Please note: This degree program is taught in German and therefore requires all students to have at least C1 level German skills. More information on applying to FH Erfurt as an international student can be found here.
Applications
There are no restrictions on admissions to the department of Horticulture.
You can apply for the degree program online. The complete application documents, which you need to upload to the online applications portal during the respective application period of the current year, include
- certificates, university entrance qualification (copies of certificates must be officially certified)
- written confirmation or preliminary confirmation of the pre-study placement (already completed or to be completed) or your apprenticeship certificate
- proof of all qualifications listed: university entrance qualification, vocational training certificates, periods of service (military service, alternative civilian service, voluntary social or ecological service, periods of childcare), work placements, etc.
The documents of applicants who are not admitted will be destroyed at the end of the admissions procedure. Upon enrolment, you are required to present certified copies or the originals for comparison.
When does the program begin?
It is only possible to start this program in the winter semester, i.e. the end of September/beginning of October.
The Bachelor of Science in Horticultural Plant Production opens up a wide range of career opportunities in horticulture and areas outside the traditional professional field. Whichever path you choose, you will be shaping the course of sustainability for future generations!
In addition to managerial positions in horticultural production, trade and services, it is also common to find our graduates employed in consulting, public administration, research and experimental work. Managerial roles in horticulture require specialists with a broad fundamental knowledge of the natural sciences and economics, combined with expertise in plant cultivation and production technology.
It will be your responsibility to convert research findings into real-world horticultural practice. A broad range of methodological skills will help you to quickly find your bearings and familiarize yourself with specific issues in everyday working life.
You will learn to combine approaches from the world of natural sciences, engineering and business and understand the interactions and relationships between the individual areas as you work towards interdisciplinary solutions.
This degree is designed to qualify students to work in the following areas:
- management of horticultural businesses or departments in large companies
- managerial positions in horticultural wholesale and retail
- consultancy work and advisory roles
- product consulting in the horticultural supply industry
- experimental work in state institutions and industry
- administrative work in state and municipal authorities
- involvement in the management of professional associations and organizations for amateur horticulture and allotment gardens
The job market currently looks very promising for graduates of horticulture. By the time they are awarded their Bachelor's degree, more than half of our graduates already have either a firm job offer or at least the prospect of one.