Social Sciences

Master of Science in Floriculture

The Master of Science in Floriculture is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in floriculture, ornamental plant production, flower breeding, and the cut flower industry. The programme combines plant science theory with practical greenhouse, field, and laboratory work, research, and application.

Core areas include floriculture, ornamental plant production, flower breeding, greenhouse management, post-harvest physiology, plant biotechnology, pest management, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, laboratory sessions, field work, and research.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi as MSc in Floriculture through the Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection in the Faculty of Agriculture. JKUAT and the University of Embu offer MSc in Horticulture with floriculture as a core module. All are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in floriculture production, flower breeding, greenhouse management, post-harvest handling, and plant biotechnology. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory sessions, field work, and a supervised research thesis.

University of Nairobi charges approximately KES 365,500/year (KES 731,000 total) for MSc in Floriculture, based on comparable biological sciences programmes. JKUAT charges approximately KES 178,500/year (KES 357,000 total) for MSc in Horticulture. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in agriculture, horticulture, botany, environmental sciences, forestry, or related plant science fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as floriculture scientists, flower farm managers, greenhouse managers, post-harvest specialists, plant breeders, and lecturers in floriculture across flower farms, horticultural companies, research institutions, government ministries, and universities.

Skills Required

Floriculture Production and Management
Ornamental Plant Breeding and Genetics
Greenhouse and Controlled Environment Management
Post-Harvest Physiology of Cut Flowers
Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology
Floriculture Pest and Disease Management
Flower Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Irrigation and Nutrient Management
Research Methods in Horticultural Science
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Floriculture Production and Management
Ornamental Plant Breeding and Genetics
Greenhouse and Controlled Environment Management
Post-Harvest Physiology of Cut Flowers
Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology
Floriculture Pest and Disease Management
Flower Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Irrigation and Nutrient Management
Research Methods in Horticultural Science
Thesis Research

Certifications

KFC Silver Standard Certification
GlobalG.A.P. Certification

Specializations

Cut Flower Production

Focuses on cut flower production, covering roses, carnations, lilies, propagation, and managing cut flower production.

Ornamental Plant Breeding

Examines ornamental plant breeding, covering genetics, selection, hybridisation, biotechnology, and managing ornamental breeding.

Greenhouse Management

Covers greenhouse management, covering climate, irrigation, fertigation, structures, and managing greenhouse operations.

Post-Harvest Technology

Focuses on post-harvest technology, covering handling, storage, packaging, quality, and managing post-harvest of cut flowers.

Landscape and Nursery Management

Examines landscape and nursery management, covering design, plants, propagation, production, and managing landscape and nursery.

Plant Biotechnology

Covers plant biotechnology, covering tissue culture, transformation, markers, conservation, and managing plant biotechnology.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 432,500
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Floriculture Production and Management
Ornamental Plant Breeding and Genetics
Greenhouse and Controlled Environment Management
Post-Harvest Physiology of Cut Flowers
Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology
Floriculture Pest and Disease Management
Flower Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Irrigation and Nutrient Management
Research Methods in Horticultural Science
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Floriculture and Ornamental Plant Production
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines cut flower production, roses, carnations, lilies, propagation, pot plants, bedding plants, and managing floriculture.
Advanced Plant Physiology and Metabolism
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers photosynthesis, respiration, hormones, flowering, senescence, stress, and managing plant physiology.
Research Methods and Scientific Communication
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, horticultural research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Crop Biotechnology and Improvement
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines tissue culture, transformation, markers, GM crops, conservation, and managing plant biotechnology.
Greenhouse and Controlled Environment Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers climate, irrigation, fertigation, structures, automation, and managing greenhouse operations.
Post-Harvest Physiology and Phytosanitary Standards
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines handling, storage, packaging, quality, senescence, standards, and managing post-harvest of cut flowers.
Floriculture Pest and Disease Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers pests, diseases, IPM, biocontrol, chemicals, and managing floriculture pests and diseases.
Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines nutrients, fertility, soils, media, analysis, and managing plant nutrition for floriculture.
Ornamental Plant Breeding and Genetics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers genetics, selection, hybridisation, mutation, biotechnology, and managing ornamental plant breeding.
Flower Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines marketing, supply chain, export, auction, logistics, quality standards, and managing flower marketing.
Landscape and Nursery Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers landscape design, plants, nursery production, propagation, and managing landscape and nursery operations.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a floriculture topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and floriculture knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Cut Flower Production
Focuses on cut flower production, covering roses, carnations, lilies, propagation, and managing cut flower production.
Ornamental Plant Breeding
Examines ornamental plant breeding, covering genetics, selection, hybridisation, biotechnology, and managing ornamental breeding.
Greenhouse Management
Covers greenhouse management, covering climate, irrigation, fertigation, structures, and managing greenhouse operations.
Post-Harvest Technology
Focuses on post-harvest technology, covering handling, storage, packaging, quality, and managing post-harvest of cut flowers.
Landscape and Nursery Management
Examines landscape and nursery management, covering design, plants, propagation, production, and managing landscape and nursery.
Plant Biotechnology
Covers plant biotechnology, covering tissue culture, transformation, markers, conservation, and managing plant biotechnology.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Floriculture programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, greenhouse work, field visits, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover floriculture, ornamental plant breeding, greenhouse management, post-harvest physiology, and plant biotechnology. Floriculture sessions examine cut flower production, roses, carnations, lilies, propagation, and managing floriculture. Ornamental breeding sessions cover genetics, selection, hybridisation, biotechnology, and managing ornamental breeding. Greenhouse sessions cover climate, irrigation, fertigation, structures, and managing greenhouse operations. Post-harvest sessions cover handling, storage, packaging, quality, senescence, and managing post-harvest of cut flowers. Tissue culture sessions cover micropropagation, media, sterilisation, acclimatisation, and managing tissue culture. Pest management sessions cover pests, diseases, IPM, biocontrol, and managing floriculture pests. Irrigation sessions cover systems, scheduling, fertigation, efficiency, and managing irrigation. Marketing sessions covering flower marketing, supply chain, export, quality standards, and managing flower marketing. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with tissue culture, plant analysis, and pest diagnostics. Greenhouse sessions provide hands-on experience with climate control, irrigation, fertigation, and crop management. Field visits provide exposure to commercial flower farms and horticultural operations. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with propagation, post-harvest handling, and analytical tools. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in floriculture and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced floriculturists, flower farm managers, and researchers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a floriculture topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya is a leading global exporter of cut flowers, providing strong career opportunities for floriculture professionals.
Programme offered by UoN with floriculture expertise, plus JKUAT and Embu with horticulture programmes including floriculture modules.
JKUAT offers competitive fees at approximately KES 178,500/year for MSc in Horticulture.
Graduates are eligible for KFC and GlobalG.A.P. certifications, enhancing career prospects in the flower industry.

Against it

UoN charges relatively high fees at approximately KES 365,500/year (KES 731,000 total).
Specific MSc Floriculture fees not independently verified from UoN programme page.
No private university confirmed offering this specific programme.
Career opportunities are concentrated in the flower export sector, which may be vulnerable to market fluctuations.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses

Public179k to 433k

179k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology433k at University of Nairobi

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN MSc Hort 865K/2yr~~432K/yr. JKUAT MSc Hort 357K/2yr~~178.5K/yr. Private: unverified. Src: uonbi, jkuat

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KFC may offer industry grants for floriculture research. RUFORUM may offer research grants for horticultural research. Some flower farms may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KFC Industry Grant
RUFORUM Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KFC Industry Grant
ScholarshipKsh 300,000Kenyan
KFC may offer industry grants for floriculture research and development.
RUFORUM Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 500,000
RUFORUM provides research grants for horticultural and agricultural research in Africa.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: UoN requires Upper Second in relevant discipline from UoN or equivalent. JKUAT requires Upper Second from JKUAT or recognised institution, or Lower Second with three years of experience. University of Embu requires Upper Second in BSc Agriculture, Horticulture, Botany, Zoology, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, or BEd Science with Botany and Zoology, or Lower Second with two years of experience or postgraduate diploma, or Pass with postgraduate diploma or five years of experience. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, laboratory reports, greenhouse reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering floriculture, plant physiology, greenhouse management, and post-harvest physiology.
Practical and Field Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through laboratory work, greenhouse operations, tissue culture, field visits, and demonstrating floriculture skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a floriculture topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and floriculture knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). University of Nairobi offers MSc in Floriculture, while JKUAT and University of Embu offer MSc in Horticulture with floriculture modules. All are public universities meeting CUE standards for postgraduate training in horticultural sciences. Graduates are eligible for KFC Silver Standard certification and GlobalG.A.P. certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. University of Nairobi offers MSc in Floriculture, while JKUAT and University of Embu offer MSc in Horticulture with floriculture modules. All are public universities meeting CUE standards for postgraduate training in horticultural sciences. Graduates are eligible for KFC Silver Standard certification and GlobalG.A.P. certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Floriculture Scientist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts floriculture research, overseeing experiments, analysis, publications, and managing research projects.
Flower Farm Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages flower farm operations, overseeing production, quality, staff, and managing flower farm.
Greenhouse Manager
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages greenhouse operations, overseeing climate, irrigation, crops, and managing greenhouse.
Post-Harvest Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages post-harvest operations, overseeing handling, storage, quality, and managing post-harvest of cut flowers.
Plant Breeder
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 480,000
Develops new flower varieties, overseeing breeding, selection, trials, and managing ornamental plant breeding.
Floriculture Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches floriculture at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Greenhouse Climate Control System
EquipmentPrimary
Climate control system for greenhouse management, covering temperature, humidity, CO2, ventilation, and managing greenhouse climate.
Tissue Culture Lab Equipment
Equipment
Tissue culture equipment for micropropagation, covering laminar flow, autoclave, media, and managing tissue culture.
Irrigation System Controller
Equipment
Irrigation controller for fertigation, covering drip, scheduling, monitoring, and managing irrigation and fertigation.
R Studio
Software
R Studio for data analysis, covering experimental design, statistics, biometrics, and managing horticultural data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Floriculture is just about growing flowers.
Floriculture covers comprehensive production, breeding, post-harvest, biotechnology, pest management, and marketing beyond just growing flowers.
This programme is only for farmers.
Floriculture skills are valuable for researchers, breeders, post-harvest specialists, consultants, and educators beyond just farmers.
Greenhouse management is just about watering plants.
Greenhouse management covers comprehensive climate control, irrigation, fertigation, structures, and crop management.
Post-harvest is just about keeping flowers fresh.
Post-harvest covers comprehensive handling, storage, packaging, quality, senescence, and supply chain management.
Plant breeding is just about crossing plants.
Plant breeding covers comprehensive genetics, selection, hybridisation, biotechnology, and variety development.
Tissue culture is just about growing plants in labs.
Tissue culture covers comprehensive micropropagation, media, sterilisation, acclimatisation, and commercial production.