Master of Urban Horticulture

The Master of Urban Horticulture (Coursework) was developed specifically for those seeking professional employment or developing research careers in urban horticulture. There is a focus on the design, implementation and management of urban landscapes. Employment opportunities can be found in a variety of settings including arboricultural services and tree management, urban parks and public open space, revegetation and restoration, residential landscape design, landscape and asset management, landscape construction and services and in nursery and greenhouse management. Upon completion of the course students can progress to PhD studies at the University of Melbourne. Whilst it is beneficial for students to have some experience in the horticultural industry it is not essential to have previous employment to gain entry to the course. There are different pathways for students depending on the previous studies completed. The course has excellent linkages and contacts to the urban horticulture industry, adding to the currency and relevancy of the study experience, but also building employment opportunities for the future.

The Master of Urban Horticulture is a graduate coursework program of 200 points completed over two years of full-time study or part-time equivalent. Offered primarily at the Burnley and Parkville campuses the course began in 2008. Some subjects may be offered online or using intensive, residential or mixed-mode delivery. Core studies are completed in the areas of ecology and environments, landscape management, plant production and establishment, horticultural science, urban flora, and either project management, social research or experimental design and statistics. Elective subjects include social and therapeutic horticulture, garden history and design, urban tree management, managing invasive species and many others across the university. A number of research project studies can also be completed as elective studies.

Note: Students can elect to exit after the first year of full time study (100 points) with a Graduate Diploma in Urban Horticulture. Graduates from relevant Honours programs or from the Graduate Diploma in Horticulture can apply for up to 100 points credit into the Masters program.

On completion of the Master of Urban Horticulture, students should be able to:

• Display skills, knowledge, understanding and competence in the area of urban horticulture;
• Analyse problems, advise, guide, develop and organise horticultural programs and operations;
• Develop a holistic approach to horticultural management through an understanding of the biological, socio-cultural and environmental factors within the system;
• Extend scholarly and critical attitudes in the discipline of urban horticulture;
• Develop an understanding of a range of problem solving methodologies suited to horticultural management;
• Apply such understanding to a contemporary issue or problem affecting urban horticulture

The 200 point Masters Course is normally completed over two years of full-time study. There are different course pathways available to students with either a horticulture study background or non-horticultural study background.

The program comprises of 75 credit points of Core subjects, 25 credit points of Professional Toolbox subjects, a minimum of 25 credit points Research Project and a minimum of 25 credit points of discipline electives.

Master of Urban Horticulture

Core Subjects

Students must complete all of the following (75 points)

Professional Toolbox

Students must complete 25 points of Professional Toolbox subjects (12.5 points from Science Tools and 12.5 points from Business Tools)

Science Tools

Students must complete one of the following:

Business Tools

Students must complete one of the following:

Research Project

Students must complete a minimum of 25 points of the following:

Discipline Electives

Students must complete a minimum of 25 points from the following:

Other Electives

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant's ability to successfully pursue the course using the following criteria:

• a three-year undergraduate degree with a grade average of 65% or greater; or
• an honours degree or equivalent qualification; or
• successful completion of a postgraduate diploma or a graduate diploma;or
• successful completion of a postgraduate certificate or graduate certificate with a grade average of 65% or greater, and
• a curriculum vitae or resume, and
• two academic referee reports, and
• a personal statement of up to 500 words.

2. The Selection Committee may conduct interviews or may call for referee reports to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

The Melbourne School of Land and Environment (MSLE) welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and School policy to take reasonable steps to make reasonable adjustments so as to enable the student’s participation in the School’s programs. MSLE contributes to the New Generation degrees and offers a broad range of programs across undergraduate and post-graduate levels many of which adopt a multi-disciplinary approach.

Students of the School’s courses must possess intellectual, ethical, and emotional capabilities required to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the levels of competence required by the School. Candidates must have abilities and skills in observation; motor in relevant areas; communication; in conceptual, integrative, and quantitative dimensions; and in behavioural and social dimensions.

Adjustments can be provided to minimise the impact of a disability, however students need to be able to participate in the program in an independent manner and with regard to their safety and the safety of others.

I. Observation: In some contexts, the student must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic and applied sciences. More broadly, observation requires reading text, diagrams, maps, drawings and numerical data. The candidate should be able to observe details at a number of scales and record useful observations in discipline dependant contexts.

II. Communication: A candidate should be able to communicate with fellow students, professional and academic staff, members of relevant professions and the public. A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively. Communication includes not only speech but also reading and writing.

III. Motor: Candidates should have sufficient motor function necessary for participation in the inherent discipline-related activities. The practical work, design work, field work, diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests, require varying motor movement abilities. Off campus investigations may include visits to construction sites, urban, rural and/or remote environments.

IV. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of professionals in land and environment industries, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the candidate should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.

V. Behavioural and Social Attributes: A candidate must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel their disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.

Upon completion of the course students can apply to progress to PhD studies at the University of Melbourne. There are different pathways for students depending on the previous studies completed. The course has excellent linkages and contacts to the urban horticulture industry, adding to the currency and relevancy of the study experience, but also building employment opportunities for the future.

The Melbourne Experience enables our Graduates to become:

Academically excellent
Our Graduates will be expected to:

• have strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship
• have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s)
• reach a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities,
• problem-solving and communication
• be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self directed
• learning
• be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and
• communication technologies

Knowledgeable across disciplines

Our graduates will be expected to:

• examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines
• expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experinces in diverse subjects
• have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems
• have a a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment.

Leaders in communities

Our graduates will be expected to:

• initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including
• professions and workplaces
• have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of
• personal strengths and limitations
• mentor future generations of learners
• engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs

Attuned to cultural diversity
Our graduates will be expected to :

• Value different cultures
• be well-informed citizens able to contibute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work
• have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community
• respect Indigenous knowledge, cultures and values

Active global citizens
Our graduates will be expected to:

• accept social and civic responsiblities
• be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
• have a broard global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equality and ethics.

• A profound respect for truth, intellectual and professional integrity, and the ethics of scholarship
• Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning and research
• An ability to derive, interpret and analyse social, technical or economic information from primary and other sources
• Awareness of and ability to utilise appropriate communication technology and methods for the storage, management and analysis of data
• Capacity for creativity and innovation, through the application of skills and knowledge
• Ability to integrate information across a relevant discipline to solve problems in applied situations
• Highly developed computer - based skills to allow for effective on-line learning and communication.
• Highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
• Highly developed oral communication skills to allow informed dialogue and liaisonwith individuals and groups from industry, government and the community.
• Appreciation of social and cultural diversity from a regional to a global context
• Ability to participate effectively as a member of a team
• Ability to plan work, use time effectively and manage small projects