One of the mandate of the university is to provide teaching facilities in horticulture, forestry and allied sciences under mountain perspective of Himachal Pradesh. Similar to other State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), based upon Land Grant System, the university also follows course credit system of students education under bifurcation of annual academic session into two semesters. Each semester is spread over a duration of 19 weeks along with short duration semester breaks of six weeks each. During semester breaks educational tours and field trainings are organised to expose students to different farming situations.

The entire teaching spectrum is broadly divided into a number of courses offered by departments under college of horticulture, college of forestry and college of Horticulture & Forestry. These departments are staffed by a sufficient number of scientists and technical staff. Under faculty improvement program the teaching/scientific/ technical staff are free to interact with centres of national and international repute. Each department is a primary unit of education and administration and is entrusted to carry on programs of teaching, research and extension education.