The RHS is the world’s leading gardening charity, and the degree-level equivalent Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award has been offered to candidates for over 100 years. It is highly regarded in the industry worldwide, and is designed for professional horticulturists, with at least four years industry experience, of which one must be at supervisory level, looking to advance their knowledge and grow further in their careers.
The MHort introduces candidates to a diverse range of sectors within the horticultural industry, pushing candidates outside their comfort zone to consider new possibilities and gain knowledge of the macro issues facing the horticultural industry on a global scale.
Virginia Colquhoun grew up in Spain, studied natural resources management, and got her first job at a nursery, before realising that growing plants could be a career path choice. Nine years on, she is now the head grower at a hydroponics nursery, growing herbs.
She said “I worked up and down the UK, always moving for the next opportunity, and while I do not consider myself an ambitious person, I want to push myself to see where I can get. I am curious, I like to understand, and while one day I might find myself with a level in my career that I am happy with, I think one should never lose their drive to learn.
It was when I decided that I wanted to give an extra push to my career and I looked into further education that I found the MHort. I saw that it was a good compromise for those that are at a time progressing in their careers but want to keep working while obtaining quality education from a reputable source.
After finishing my MHort, I was offered a step up in my career, from a supervisor to head grower. I would say that having the award gave me the confidence to take the leap of faith. Apart from information
you might learn along the way on the subjects you need to write about, the MHort helps you define the way you obtain information, your time management, accountability and other qualities that you need when you get to a certain level of management. In my case it pushed me to my limits on my time management and the way I express myself, as while I speak fluent English, my formal writing and speech tends to be better in Spanish. Overall, it has helped in all the aspects expected, but I have also made a connection with those I met along the way, not just contacts in the industry, but also friends.
I currently work in a company that produces herbs in containers, which I would say it is quite different from growing ornamentals in glasshouses and the outdoors. I had to learn about LEDs for one of my assessments for the MHort, so that has come in quite handy. The business is a start-up, so we are all learning, but so far, I am loving the challenge”.
Completed over three years, the award offers an affordable and high-quality research experience with exposure to different sectors of the horticultural industry, and provides improved business and managerial skills, both sought after and highly transferable. In the third year, candidates get to write a dissertation linked directly to their own organisation or area of interest.
Virginia chose to write her dissertation on “Plugs: the different materials and their development in both plastic and biodegradable pots, with a focus on its degradation and user experience”. She said, “I wanted to talk about something that I knew I would deal with now and in my future career. I always had this idea that it would be interesting to compare the different materials plugs are made of. Plugs or plant cells are something that many people deal with one way or another, from an amateur gardener to a professional nursery; moreover, not just ornamentals, but also those involved in the production of plants for human consumption. I kept seeing the cells in plants at garden centres and even private gardens, materials that should have broken down to allow the plan to develop properly. The debate about micro plastics in the environment is being discussed more and more often, so it was another reason I wanted to research to what degree the use of non-biodegradable cell materials was contributing to this issue. It is a subject that requires a more extended study, far longer than the seven months that I had to put it together, so I hope I can get back to researching, not just these same materials, but any other than I didn’t include in my dissertation”.
By the end of the award, successful candidates will develop a better understanding of business and operational strategies, management planning, and awareness of scientific, economic and social issues within the horticultural industry on a global context. Alongside this, they will have developed improved research, analytical, communication and decision-making skills that will provide a better understanding of horticultural challenges and appropriate management strategies.
Mainly completed online, the programme is flexible, allowing candidates to study and expand their career alongside work or other commitments. At under £6k in total the MHort costs considerably less than degrees, and the RHS have introduced a range of easy payment options, including monthly, to help spread the cost.
Open to candidates from around the world, with graduates from the USA, Hong Kong, China, Australia, Singapore, Europe, and the UK, the award links candidates to a range of professional networks and provides a great opportunity to increase global connections.
Holders of the award may use the designation MHort (RHS) after their name.
Annual applications are now open for an October 2022 start.
For more information please get in touch:
Email: mhort@rhs.org.uk
Website: rhs.org.uk/mhort
Twitter: @RHSEducation