Professional Horticulture
Field of studies
- Horticulture
- Natural Resources and Biotechnology
Degree title
- Bachelor of Natural Resources
Registration periods
- Direct Application 2025, Bachelor's
- Finnish Joint Application 2025
- Study Paths, august 2025
Teaching language
- English
Type of education
- Bachelor’s Degree
Academic level
- Bachelor Level Studies - EQF 6
Campus
- Lepaa
Teaching format
- Contact Lessons
Cultivate your career towards a more fruitful future!
HAMK is the only higher education provider in Finland from the field of horticulture. Horticulture is cultivation, selling and marketing of plants, vegetables, fruits and mushrooms. You can study horticulture in Lepaa campus, located in a beautiful manor park with beautiful scenery, gardens, and parks, not to mention our very own greenhouse. There are great employment opportunities in the field of horticulture both in Finland and abroad.
Objective
You will learn good biological and technical skills for commercial plant production and to work with entrepreneurial thinking. You will also learn how to develop business’ responsibility and sustainable development aspects by utilising digitalisation, innovations and international networks.
Qualification provided by education
After graduation you can find employment as an expert in commerce, counselling, education and administration. Typical employers are companies, cities and associations. The branch is very international which offers great opportunities for career development.
Structure of studies
During your studies, you will gather a wide knowledge about horticulture both from technical and biological point of view. Studies include also subjects from business, such as cost calculations, entrepreneurial working, marketing, and developing businesses and commerce in the field. You will also learn how to innovate new products and services.
From the biological perspective, different cultivars will become familiar to you as well as different cultivation systems suitable for your purpose. You will study how to time your crop, direct its quality and quantity and how to handle the crop correctly. You will learn different actions to store your crop and how this might affect the end result.
Lepaa campus has its own greenhouse, which produces tomatoes for commercial purposes every year. There are also several research studies conducted in the greenhouse. The greenhouse is utilized during the studies, and it give a great practical approach to horticulture. The campus has also various parks and gardens, that are also used for this purpose.
Responsibility is one of the main elements of Finnish production, and it is, together with sustainable development, underlined in this degree programme as well.
Apply to study
Joint and Rolling Application
Bachelor of Natural Resources, Professional Horticulture, full-time studies, Joint application
- Application begins:
- Application ends:
- Studies begin:Autumn 2025
- Places of Study:15
Bachelor of Natural Resources, Professional Horticulture, full-time studies, HAMK Direct application intake 2025
- Application begins:
- Application ends:
- Studies begin:Autumn 2025
- Places of Study:15
For Students Living in Finland
Study Paths – Open Studies Leading to a Degree
In our Study Paths, you will complete studies that are part of a degree program as a student of the Open University of Applied Sciences, alongside degree students. Once you have completed the required amount of studies with the necessary grades, you can apply to become a degree student and continue your studies to completion as usual. Check more information:
Students outside of Finland: As Open University Studies are not leading to a degree it is not possible to get a residence permit only for that purpose.
3 Reasons to Study Professional Horticulture!
You get to study in a fully equipped greenhouse on campus
Horticulture offers great employment opportunities in Finland and abroad
You’ll get to experience your studies in the heart of Finnish horticulture, Lepaa campus
See a Video About Professional Horticulture:
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See how it is like to study with us and get to know our every day life:
The degree programme in Professional Horticulture combines advanced technology and knowledge of biology with plant production. Food production in particular is a significant business, where efficiency and sustainable production methods are of primary importance.
Studying in Lepaa is communal, the teachers are motivated and the teaching methods are modern. Also, our learning environments are of high quality, such as the greenhouse on campus!
Heikki Peltoniemi
Head of Degree Programme
Professional Horticulture
I highly appreciate the dynamic learning environment at HAMK, where industry professionals, hands-on experiences in greenhouses and open fields, and exposure to advanced technologies enhance my knowledge and skills in horticulture. The well-equipped classrooms and resourceful facilities further enrich the learning process.
Beyond academics, I am grateful for the various programs designed to prepare students for successful careers in the horticulture industry while also facilitating adaptation to Finnish culture. These opportunities inspire me to continue learning and growing in this field.
Buddhini
The first year student
Professional Horticulture
I am proud to be a first-year student at HAMK Lepaa University, where I receive hands-on training in our well-equipped campus greenhouse. This practical learning experience enhances my skills and deepens my understanding of plant cultivation.
Additionally, the university supports students in finding valuable internship opportunities, helping us gain real-world experience for our future careers
Keerthilanka
The first year student
Professional Horticulture
I truly appreciate the enriching academic environment at HAMK, where practical learning, industry collaboration, and exposure to modern technologies help me build strong professional skills. The university’s well-equipped facilities and interactive teaching methods make learning both engaging and effective.
Apart from academics, I am grateful for the various extracurricular activities and career-oriented programs that enhance both professional and personal growth. The university fosters an inclusive and inspiring atmosphere, encouraging students to embrace new challenges and continuously develop their skills.
Poornima
The first year student
Professional Horticulture
Opiskelijoiden projektiesimerkkejä
In the autumn, we went on a study trip with the Professional Horticulture students to Viksten nursery & gardening in Tammela and Wennborg farm in Hyvinkää. The purpose of the visits was to see and get acquainted with the work environments in our field, in this case, a nursery and a berry farm. The company representatives talked about their operations and job tasks, and the students had the opportunity to ask questions about topics that interested them.
Usually, our trips are related to some kind of practical work or connected to the module contents. With first-year students, we make a general trip like this at the beginning of their studies. It is useful for most, as not everyone has worked or visited such places before.
Arto Paappanen
Teaching Assistant
Professional Horticulture
Studying in Finland
Finland is a great place to study! Here are some information for international applicants:
Study Methods
Full-time Studies, Contact Lessons
Campus
As a student of Professional Hoticulture programme, your home campus will be Lepaa.
Lepaa Campus, Hattula
At our Lepaa campus, you’ll get to experience the field of horticulture up close. The campus has a long history, educating horticultural professionals for over a hundred years, since 1910. HAMK’s horticulture programs are unique in Finland, complemented by several vocational programs from Häme Vocational Institute at the campus. Lepaa also hosts the Built Environment Research Group under the Bioeconomy Research Unit, focusing on current developmental challenges emerging at the interfaces of social, vegetative, and built environments.
The Lepaa Campus is located 20 kilometres away from City of Hämeenlinna, and the drive takes approximately 20 minutes by car. There is no public transportation between Hämeenlinna City and Lepaa Campus, so you will need your own car for convenient travel outside the campus.
Studies Tailored to You
Your degree consists of 240 credits and includes four core elements:
As a student at HAMK, you can tailor your degree to suit you. You have the option to choose various studies from us and around the world, and complete the required studies in different ways.
Explore more about the content of the program and learn about planning your studies at HAMK:
Innovative Study Options That We Offer
At HAMK, we develop new, innovative ways of study. Our goal is to provide you with versatile expertise that you can develop in various directions. We hope to inspire you to try something completely new!
Entrepreneurial university
Entrepreneurship is about recognizing opportunities, innovation capability, and the ability to create something new. In an entrepreneurial university, learning happens through collaboration and experimentation!
Design Factory
Design Factory is an operational and learning environment that brings together businesses, students, teachers, and researchers. Join projects where you develop new solutions together with students from various fields!
RUN EU studies
HAMK is part of the RUN-Europe University, comprised of nine European universities. You can leverage the fantastic opportunities provided by RUN Europe University for accumulating international study experiences!
Exchange Studies
Exchange studies are a unique opportunity to explore the world. We encourage all our students to seize the chance and go abroad for an exchange. Will you go too?
HAMK’s Study Selection
We offer you a wide range of studies that you can choose as part of your degree. You can also select modules from other degrees at HAMK. Or why not utilize the expertise you’ve gained previously, for example, from scouting!
Cross-Institutional Studies
As a student at HAMK, you have the opportunity to take courses at other universities as well! It’s called cross-institutional studying, aiming to allow you to study comprehensive units that support your own goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
From here you can find answers to frequently asked questions from Professional Horticulture programme!
Want to Ask More?
If you want to ask more about the content of the programme, please contact:
If you need more information about applying to this programme, please visit here:
Looking for Something Else?
Choosing the right education for yourself can sometimes be challenging, especially when there are plenty of good options available! We’ve gathered a few more alternatives in the same field for you, in case you’re interested in exploring our other programs as well. You can find our entire range through the search tool:
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Sustainable Urban Design
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