Gardening & Landscape Design
The Gardening and Landscape Design course focuses on designing and constructing gardens with professional landscapers and garden designers. One garden is designed and built from beginning to end during the academic year preparing students to work as assistants to landscape designers
| Award Name | Level 5 Certificate (Level 5 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | QQI |
| NFQ Level | Level 5 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 Certificate (Level 5 NFQ) | Major | QQI | Level 5 NFQ |
Duration
1 year full-time.
Entry Requirements
Leaving Certificate or equivalent advised, but mature students with work/life experience are welcome to apply.
Careers / Further progression
Career Opportunities
Graduates have a wide variety of employment opportunities in domestic landscaping, private gardens, public parks and nurseries, market gardens, managing your allotment and garden centers. The Design elective allows students to look after large gardens, while the market gardening elective prepares learners to cultivate a site suitable for food crop production, acquire skills in propagation, cultivation, and harvesting of food crops.
Progression
Our Gardening and Landscape Design programme has strong progression into higher education institutions depending on the strand chosen by the learner. Progress to the following degree courses:
- DCFE Level 6 Horticulture
- National Botanic Gardens, Horticulture
- UCD, DN272 Horticulture
- UCD DN120 Landscape Construction
Graduates who achieve the required standard may progress to our two-year part-time programme in Horticulture Supervision or Market Gardening Supervision at level 6 or may be eligible for advanced progression procedures to year 2 of Higher Certificate/Degree programmes in Horticulture through the CAO application process.
Further information
Applications for September 2024 Now Open.
SUSI Grant
SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) is Ireland’s single national awarding authority for all higher and further education grants. SUSI offers funding to eligible students in approved full-time third-level education in Ireland and also, in some cases, funding for students studying outside of Ireland. Support is available to all types of students, from school leavers to mature students returning to education. www.susi.ie
1. Choose Your Course
To help choose your course:
- Visit our Programme Advisory Video on our website
- Read this prospectus or visit our website
- Visit the College (Advisory Meetings, Open Days, College Awareness Week)
- Talk to our Guidance Counsellor or Course Coordinator
2. Make Your Application:
When you have decided on your course(s) you should:
- Complete our online application form. You must have a valid email address, mobile number, and your PPSN number to apply online.
- All applications are acknowledged through our online Enrol system. The status of your application can be tracked 24/7 by logging into your Enrol account, which is created for you when you first apply.
3. Advisory Meeting
- Soon after making your online application you will receive an email and text from the College inviting you to view our online Information Session, or attend one of our regular Open Advisory Meetings where any questions can be answered in person.
- Admission to courses are advisory in nature, though some entry criteria apply to all our courses. Leaving Cert/Leaving Cert Applied or its equivalent is normally a requirement, though the College can look at individual cases where criteria may not be met. The advisory meeting also ensures that mature students (over 23) are matched to the right course.
- Following this session/advisory meeting, you will receive an email with details on how to accept your place on the course.
4. Accept Your Place
When you decide to accept your place:
- A non-refundable deposit of €50 can be made by credit or debit card through the Website. The College is a cashless centre and will not normally accept cash or cheques. If you have any issues making your payment please contact the college.
5. Registration and Induction
- Induction and orientation sessions take place at the commencement of courses in September.
- The College will notify applicants of induction and commencement dates, details of fees and the academic calendar.
The Level 5 Horticulture courses are highly recommended for those interested in hands-on, realistic experience in all aspects of gardening. The core modules prepare learners to work as craft gardeners, with emphasis in sustainable and organic methods that are friendly with the environment. 60% of the course involves working in charity gardens nearby, established private and public parks as well as college garden space. All with the guidance of the tutors. All the skills are demonstrated in the form of workshops and learners develop great confidence by the end of the academic year. Work placement involves 440 hours in total and our partners are well established organisations that many times offer a job position to students at the end. The Gardening and Landscape Design course focuses on designing and constructing gardens with professional landscapers and garden designers. One garden is designed and built from beginning to end during the academic year preparing students to work as assistants to landscape designers.
Core Modules
Communications
Work Practice
Plant Science
Soil Science and Growing Media
Plant Protection
Elective Modules:
Landscape Construction & Maintenance
Garden Design
Plant Identification and Use
Ornamental Horticulture
Modules offered may be subject to change due to resource demands.
Work Placement/Gardening Projects
Practical experience is an integral part of the course, including a 440-hour placement. Work placement takes place on a weekly basis plus a full month working in the industry in spring. The College has established the following practices to enhance learners’ exposure to horticulture:
- Garden maintenance in public parks, private gardens, and college grounds
- Community support: designing and helping to build a garden for St. Michael’s House
- Maintaining the gardens of Simpson’s Nursing Home and helping with the Airfield
5M2586 - Horticulture.
Certification: QQI Level 5 - Horticulture Code 5M2586.
Dundrum College of Further Education,
Dundrum Main Street,
Dundrum,
Dublin 14,
D14 HD83
Email: info@dcfe.ie
Tel: +353 1 298 5412