lANDSCAPING EDUCATION

Landscaping Courses

From entry level to degree, there is a huge choice when it comes to qualifications in landscaping, so where do you begin?

Let us help and guide you on landscaping courses available.

Whether you are just about to leave school or college or thinking of a career change, landscaping college courses can teach you the skills and knowledge needed to work in the landscaping industry, including hard and soft landscaping, planning, and design. 

Popular courses include:

BENEFITS OF A COURSE

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Quality Education
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REAL QUALIFICATIONS
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HIGHER EARNING POTENTIAL

What Do All The Levels Mean?

Landscaping qualification levels include:

Entry Level

What they give you:

  • Basic knowledge and skills
  • Ability to apply learning in everyday situations

Entry Requirements: 

No previous experience is necessary, but a keen interest in the subject is essential.

Example Qualifications:

  • ABC Entry Level Award in Practical Horticulture Skills
  • BTEC Award in land-based studies

Level 1

What they give you:

  • Basic knowledge and skills
  • Ability to apply learning with guidance or supervision
  • May be linked to job competence

Entry Requirements: 

No previous experience is necessary, but a keen interest in the subject is essential.

Example Qualifications:

  • City & Guilds Award, Certificate or Diploma
  • City & Guilds Award, Certificate or Diploma in land-based studies
  • BTEC Award, Certificate or Diploma in land-based studies
  • RHS Award
  • ABC Award or Certificate
  • NOCN Certificate

Level 2

What they give you:

  • Good knowledge and understanding of a subject
  • Ability to do a variety of tasks with some guidance or supervision
  • Suitable for many job roles

Entry Requirements: 

Usually at least 4 GCSEs at grade E or above including Maths and English (new GCSE grading level 3) with Science desirable. Alternatively, a suitable Level 1 vocational qualification with English and Maths at Level 1.

Example Qualifications:

  • City & Guilds Technical Certificate
  • BTEC first certificate, Extended Certificate or Diploma
  • RHS Certificate
  • Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • ABC Award, Certificate or Diploma

Level 3

What they give you:

  • Ability to gain or apply a range of knowledge, skills and understanding at a detailed level
  • Appropriate if you plan to go to university, work independently or (in some cases) supervise and train others in their field of work

Entry Requirements: 

Usually at least 4 GCSEs at grade C or above (new GCSE grading levels 4 to 9) to include any 2 from English, Maths and Science with at least a grade D in the remaining subject. Alternatively, a suitable Level 2 vocational qualification (Merit or above) with English and Maths at Level 2

Example Qualifications:

  • City & Guilds Advanced Technical Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma
  • City & Guilds & BTEC Certificate, Subsidiary Diploma, 90-Credit Diploma, Diploma or Extended Diploma
  • RHS Advanced Certificate
  • Advanced Apprenticeship
  • ABC Certificate or Diploma

Level 4

What they give you:

  • Specialist learning, involving detailed analysis of a high level of information and knowledge in an area of work or study
  • Suitable for people working in technical and professional jobs, and/or managing and developing others

Entry Requirements: 

Successful completion of a Level 3 qualification and/or A levels in appropriate subjects eg: Science, Maths, English.

Example Qualifications:

  • BTEC Higher National Certificate (HNC)
  • Diploma
  • NVQ

Level 5

What they give you:

  • Ability to increase the depth of knowledge and understanding of an area of work or study, so you can respond to complex problems and situations
  • Involves high level of work expertise and competence in managing and training others
  • Suitable for people working as higher-grade technicians, professionals or managers

Entry Requirements: 

48 UCAS points from AS and A-Levels (at least 32 points must be at A2-level) or relevant Level 3 qualification, i.e. BTEC National Diploma / BTEC Extended Diploma – PPP Grades required. Access to HE Diplomas – 45 credits at Level 3. Plus, GCSEs at grade C/grade 4 or above in English Language and Mathematics.

Example Qualifications:

  • BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND)
  • Foundation degree (science) (FdSc)
  • Diploma
  • NVQ

Level 6

What they give you:

  • A specialist, high-level knowledge of an area of work or study, to allow you to use your own ideas and research in response to complex problems and situations
  • Suitable for people working as knowledge-based professionals or in professional management positions

Entry Requirements: 

80 UCAS points from AS and A-Levels (at least 64 points must be at A2-level) or relevant Level 3 qualification, i.e. BTEC National Diploma / BTEC Extended Diploma – MMP Grades required. Access to HE Diplomas – 45 credits at Level 3. Plus, GCSEs at grade C/grade 4 or above in English Language and Mathematics.

Example Qualifications:

  • BSc (Hons)
  • Diploma
  • NVQ

Level 7

What they give you:

  • Highly developed and complex levels of knowledge, enabling you to develop original responses to complicated and unpredictable problems and situations
  • Suitable for senior professionals and managers

Entry Requirements: 

Applicants will normally hold a BSc or equivalent in a related topic, but applications are equally welcome from individuals with extensive industrial experience.

Example Qualifications:

  • Master’s Degree (MA)
  • Professional Landscape Architecture
  • Horticulture MSc
  • Diploma
  • NVQ

Level 8

What they give you:

  • Opportunity to develop new and creative approaches that extend or redefine existing knowledge or professional practice
  • Suitable for leading experts or practitioners in a particular field
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Example Qualifications:

  • Diploma

Please note, the entry requirements are a guide. Contact your nearest education provider to find out more details.

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Full time or part time courses?

It’s worth remembering that 16-18 years olds still get free education and that there are a number of reasonable loan opportunities for older students. So there has been no better time to join a landscaping course.

Full time in today’s further and higher education systems often only means attending 3 or 4 days a week, with the rest of the time devoted to personal study. 

Part time is often just a day or evening a week.

Choice will come down to the time you can devote to study and the speed with which you want to gain your qualification.

A wealth of careers open to you...

The industry has a broad range of landscaping roles. View over 40 job roles in the landscaping industry to see which ones pique your interest. Then, learn more about the qualifications, skills, and experience needed.

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Career Stories

Get inspired by individuals
who have entered the landscaping industry through college or specialist courses

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LANDCAPING APPRENTICESHIPS

Apprenticeships combine practical training in landscaping jobs with study and could be a better option to learn on the job.

FIND YOUR LOCAL EDUCATION PROVIDER

With hundreds of courses and education providers all over the UK, use our map to find the right education providers near you

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Landscaping Career Tips

Landscaping Courses Frequently Asked Questions

Need more information?

Why become qualified?

I’m sure you’ve heard someone say, ‘I didn’t bother going to college and I did alright for myself’, and maybe they have. But a qualification demonstrates you have been taught how to learn, and a good education makes a potentially more productive and adaptable employee.

Are all learning providers the same?

No, Choose carefully and look closely at the specific department you want to study with. Just because they have an outstanding Sports Department doesn’t necessarily mean they have an outstanding Horticulture Department.

No course is taught in exactly the same way everywhere.

Visit the college or university, attend open and taster days, speak to current students and teachers, and find reviews on the college or university. Be prepared to travel or move to an education establishment which has a strong reputation.

Have realistic expectations about the course, it won’t teach you everything. It’s a foundation to be built upon giving you the fundamental principles of the subject and teaching you research skills. A good course will enable you to adapt those fundamentals when you come across a new challenge, product or process.