Higher Diploma in Conservation and Tree Management

Programme Aims

The programme aims to meet the increasing manpower demand in arboriculture, tree management and nature conservation profession by providing students with specialised training and practical skills in arboriculture, tree management and nature conservation.

The programme is designed with an emphasis on generic and language training, whole-person development and workplace experience to better prepare students for further studies and employment after graduation.

The programme is linked to the “Earn and Learn” scheme. Upon completion of the full-time first year of this programme¹, the student may choose to study in the “Earn and Learn” scheme. Under the “Earn and Learn” scheme, students can enroll in the seventh semester of the “Earn and Learn” Part-Time (Day) mode. Students will be employed by the participating companies as registered apprentice for two years in the “Earn and Learn”. During the two-year training period, there will be salary, government allowance under the Earn & Learn Scheme, Industry Incentive Allowance and Training Allowance. For the two years of “Earn and Learn” scheme, the employer will sponsor the apprentice to study the Higher Diploma (HD) programme at IVE for one day per week².

For details, please refer to the "Earn and Learn” scheme website.

The tuition fee for the full-time Higher Diploma is paid by the student.
Employers will sponsor the tuition fees for these two years.

Professional Recognition

The programme fulfils the academic qualification requirements for Inspection Officers for Form 1 - Tree Group Inspection and Form 2 - Individual Tree Risk Assessment as required by Development Bureau.
The programme is a recognised programme in the Study Sponsorship Scheme under the Urban Forestry Support Fund, eligible student will be granted a subsidy of HK$35,000 upon satisfactory completion of this programme. Please refer to the Urban Forestry Support Fund website for the eligibility to apply for the Study Sponsorship.

Career Prospects

Graduates may be employed in government departments, landscape and greening contractors, professional consultancy firms, nature conservation green groups, etc.

Information

Duration of Study	2 Years
Mode of Study	Full-time
Offering Campus(es) / Venue(s)	IVE (Sha Tin)
Entrance Requirements	HKDSE Chinese Language;2 English Language;2 Core/Elective Subject;2 Core/Elective Subject;2 Core/Elective Subject;2 VTC Diploma of Foundation Studies; OR VTC Diploma of Vocational Education / VTC Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate; OR Diploma Yi Jin / Diploma of Applied Education; OR Relevant and substantial work experience and/or prior qualification(s) obtained in or outside Hong Kong (e.g. assessed through recognition of prior learning and credit accumulation and transfer), with demonstrated ability to undertake sub-degree education; OR Equivalent Remarks Applicants can use HKDSE Applied Learning (ApL) subjects (except ApL Chinese) for admission purpose. An "Attained", "Attained with Distinction (I)" and "Attained with Distinction (II)" in an ApL subject (Category B subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2", "Level 3" and "Level 4" respectively for admission purpose. For 2024 HKDSE and before, a "Grade D or E" and a "Grade C or above" in an HKDSE Other Language subject (Category C subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" and "Level 3" respectively; From 2025 HKDSE onwards, Language Proficiency Level A2 or above in French / German / Spanish, N3 or above in Japanese and TOPIK II: Grade 3 or above in Korean are also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement. For details, please click here. One Other Language subject can be counted for admission purpose. An "Attained" in HKDSE Citizenship and Social Development is regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" for admission purpose. If one of the five HKDSE subjects is Citizenship and Social Development, the general entrance requirement would become "Attained" for Citizenship and Social Development and Level 2 or above in four other HKDSE subjects including Chinese Language and English Language. Besides, Level 2 or above in Mathematics Extended Part (Module 1 or Module 2) is also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement. If applicants have taken both Module 1 and Module 2, either one of the modules (with a higher level) will be counted for admission purpose. Applicable to holders of Diploma in Vocational Education / Diploma of Vocational Education (DVE) (students admitted to DVE in AY2017/18 or before are required to complete prescribed further studies modules). Upon completion of the Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate (DVB) programmes, students can progress to Higher Diploma programmes in VTC, subject to their BTEC and IGCSE results. Applications with work experience and/or prior qualification(s) submitted will be assessed individually by the departments concerned.
Articulation	Graduates may articulate to the Degree programmes offered by Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi): BA (Hons) in Landscape Architecture; and BSc (Hons) in Horticulture, Arboriculture and Landscape Management. Graduates may apply for admission to the following programmes: BSc (Hons) in Environmental Management and Sustainability offered by the Plymouth University, United Kingdom; BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science offered by the Plymouth University, United Kingdom; BSc (Hons) in Integrated Environmental Management offered by Education University of Hong Kong; BEng (Hons) in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development offered by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; BSc (Hons) in Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health offered by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and BSc in Natural Sciences offered by Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Remarks	The tuition fee for the full-time Higher Diploma is paid by the student. Employers will sponsor the tuition fees for these two years.
Notes	The programme information is applicable to local applicants. For non-local applicants, please visit here. Students may be required to attend classes on other VTC campuses. VTC reserves the right to cancel any programme, revise programme title, content or change the offering institute(s) / campus(es) / class venue(s) if circumstances so warrant.