You can download the syllabus for the new RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth and Development (2022) here.

The RHS puts it simply: ' All life on earth is directly or indirectly reliant on plants either from a nutritional perspective or increasingly ... through a deeper connection linked to mental health and wellbeing. People need plants. Plants need horticulturists.'

This new Level 2 Certificate covers the core scientific principles underpinning horticultural practices, and looks at how horticulture benefits society. It also considers horticulture's role in preserving biodiversity, introducing more sustainable practices and reducing our carbon footprint to protect the natural environment.

The qualification is designed to help you develop the level of knowledge of plants and horticultural practices which is considered essential by the horticultural industries, and equip you for employment within the horticultural sector. It can help with career development if you already working in the profession, but also provides a springboard for a change of career into horticulture.

Delivery:

You can begin to study this course at any point in the year.

Online learning gives you flexible study  - you can log in to your 'virtual classroom' for each unit and study at home, or whenever and wherever it suits you. You can download most of the course materials, print them out if you prefer, or take them with you on a tablet on your daily commute.

Click here to enter the teaching website to see some examples of course materials in a sample online classroom ( you will be asked to log in as a guest).

Assessments:

The two units will each be assessed by an examination taken online on a special RHS exam platform. You must achieve at least the pass mark (50%) in each unit to be awarded the qualification.

If you fail an exam, there are no limits on how often you can retake it, but you will need to pay another RHS examination fee. 

Examination 1 will cover Unit 1 (topics 1.1-1.4) and Examination 2 will cover Unit 2 (topics 2.1-2.4). 

Examinations:  exams for each unit  take place in February and June each year.

Examinations last 120 minutes (2 hours). Each consists of three sections: 

• A , 20 'forced-answer' questions (multiple choice), 20 marks
• B, a series of short-answer questions, 50 marks;
• C, choice of 2 from 4 longer questions, 2 x 15 marks.

Your final grade for the overall qualification will be calculated by combining marks for each exam:  grades are: Pass (50-64%), Merit (65-79%). Distinction (80%+).

If you study this course, you commit to taking the examinations as this is now an RHS requirement.

You pay the fees for registration with the RHS and for two Unit exams at the start of your course, and we pass these on to the RHS as soon as you are registered. 
Online enrolment with BEST gives you access to the online classroom and tutor support for 18 months; during this time there will be at least three opportunities to take your exams.
The RHS expects that it will take no longer than 24 months to complete a Certificate, even if you should need to retake both your exams. As you can only be entered for exams by a centre, BEST will arrange exam bookings if you need them for a further two exam sessions during a 6-month ‘grace period’ after the end of your enrolment.   If you want to continue tuition and support for this period you can extend your enrolment for six months.

A matrix suggesting exam dates from each month of starting enrolment can be seen here and the RHS exam timetable (which covers all qualifications) here.

Past examination papers and examiner comments are provided for practice, as well as end-of-topic papers which your tutor will mark for you. 

When you have passed exams in both units, the Royal Horticultural Society will award you the RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth and Development (2022) - at either Pass, Merit of Distinction.

Tuition: Online course materials and tuition for both units costs £500.

RHS fees and exam administration: £260.  In the month that you enrol, the RHS will invoice us for registration and examination fees. We cannot enrol you for the course without charging you these fees.

This means that the total course cost is  £760. 

Click on the course option below to enrol.

You can enrol and buy the course on the website using PayPal;  you do not have to have a PayPal account, this allows you to use a debit or credit card as a 'guest' to pay securely. 

You can also use Paypal 'Pay in 3' to spread the payments. 

When you enrol, your username and password should be emailed to you automatically; please check spam filters if you do not see an email within an hour, and contact us if nothing has arrived overnight. 

There is no compulsory course work;  but you will be given the opportunity to try practice questions to prepare yourself for the examinations and encouraged to use tests at the end of each Topic to check your understanding as you work through the course. You can also complete a workbook for each Topic to consolidate your knowledge. Your tutor will give you help and support through your preparation for your two exam sessions and you have access to the classroom and to online resources for 18 months.

Our candidates have enjoyed a good level of success in these first new RHS examinations.

You can go on to study the RHS Practical Certificate, and work towards the RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture.

An RHS Level 2 qualification is well respected in the horticultural industry and can be the first step in changing to a career in horticulture.

If you want to continue developing your horticultural knowledge with RHS theory courses, you can move on to the RHS Level 3 Certificate in Plant Growth, Garden Planning and Applied Propagation.