The Learning Institute

Horticulture Diploma

NCFE Level 4 Accredited!!

Course Overview
The course covers all the major horticultural topics - such as lawns, trees, shrubs, the greenhouse, plants and vegetables. We examine them from a professional point of view. In doing so, we'll transform you from an enthusiast into an expert. We'll greatly increase your horticultural knowledge. So you'll know why things happen, as well as how they happen.

You don't have to leave your own garden to study. We bring all the course materials to your door. If you enjoy gardening, the Diploma course will help you get the most from it.

It doesn't matter whether you have a small town garden or a large space in the country. Both present their own challenges. And both are just as satisfying. With our help, you'll have the confidence to embark upon new projects. Perhaps you haven't tried tackling soft fruit, or a rock garden? Possibly you'd like to try greenhouse cultivation, or producing plants from cuttings? By enrolling on the Diploma course, all these things are possible.

And maybe you'd like to be your own boss? We'll show you how you could start selling your own plants, or even set up your own nursery.

Alternatively, we reveal how to get work as a contract gardener or landscaper. You'll discover what types of gardening produce more income. Often the changes are minor, but the financial improvement is immense.

Course content
Introduction to the course
Lawns
How plants work
Vegetables
Ornamentals and propagation
Soil and soil improvement
Trees and shrubs
Flower structure
Fertilization
Fruit
Genetics and selection
Pests, diseases and disorders
Plant physiology
Artificial environments
Water (including transpiration etc.)
Weeds
Ecology
Preparation for the exam
Index
Glossary
Fact sheets

Here's what you'll find in your course pack:

• A sturdily bound set of course modules that lies flat for ease of study. Detailed, practical information that guides you skilfully towards becoming a horticulturalist.
• Horticulture assignments. Your assignments will be carefully marked with personal advice by an experienced tutor.
• Copyright-free checklists, questionnaires, exercises, quizzes and action plans for you to use on your clients. It's a complete toolkit that gets you started as a horticulturalist.
• A stylish case that keeps all your course material.
• A confidential personal profile for you to complete. This helps you assess your goals, your strengths and weaknesses, and your progress.
• A study guide and planner that helps you organise your study.
• Self-assessment exercises. They occur throughout the course to help check that you can tackle each type of event.
• A folder for your completed assignments.
• A text book to accompany the course materials.
• A planning system that helps you be organized.
• Question and Answer sheets for you to have your queries answered.
• The contact details for your personal tutor.
• Details of how to contact other students.

Does the Diploma course involve an exam?
No, we use a continuous assessment process. To get your Diploma, you have to attain an A-C grade in all your assignments. You can re-submit (without cost) any assignments which fall below a C grade.

Qualification
This course is fully accredited by the national awarding body NCFE, and on completing it you get a national award at Level 4 of the National Learning Framework (post A level/HNC/HND standard).

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

To read more about NCFE please go to www.ncfe.org.uk

Students who satisfactorily complete the course are awarded the Diploma in Horticulture. They receive the Diploma certificate, and the right to use the letters Dip.H. (Inst.G) after their name.You'll also get a virtual sticker to use on your web site, letters and brochures.

Get the RHS qualification, too!
The course has a second function: it enables you to sit the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society's exam, the RHS (level 2) Certificate in Horticulture.

Want a lower price version? Get the online edition for only £443.00 , a saving of £100. With this edition, you don't get:

The printed modules (but you can read them online)
The course text book (but you can do the course without it because it's an aid not a prerequisite)
Course materials' case
Post-course mentoring
Any other printed material
In short, you get everything you need, including your assignments, access to your tutor, and the Diploma. But you have to do all your studying from our online edition, which you can download.
Just select the online format option at the bottom of this page and then click the "Enrol Now" button.