Program Overview

Environmental Horticulture, Certificate of Proficiency

The Environmental Horticulture, Certificate of Proficiency program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in horticulture. Students learn plant identification, plant propagation, sustainable landscape practices, soil science, practical pruning, and botanical concepts. Through hands-on training, students will learn to propagate, seed, transplant, design landscape plans, and maintain a variety of plants. Students will participate in an industry-based training experience. Graduates find jobs with nurseries, greenhouses, landscape firms, garden centers, and park departments.

Program Description

The program emphasizes a sustainable approach to horticultural principles. A diverse population of students enjoys working in a 1200 sq. ft. state-of-the-art growing facility. The classroom setting includes individual and small group instruction with a hands-on focus on horticultural practices.

Program Outcomes

Environmental Horticulture certificate graduates will:

• be prepared to obtain various positions in the field of horticulture
• be prepared for Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association Certified Professional Horticulturists exams
• demonstrate professional knowledge of horticultural skills
• demonstrate communication, critical thinking, cultural humility, information literacy, and teamwork skills
• meet Quantitative Reasoning, Social Science, and Written Communication general education distribution area outcomes

Program Requirements

The program requires 82 credits. Lake Washington Institute of Technology does not offer every course each quarter. It is the student’s responsibility to consult the Class Schedule and work out an individual schedule with an advisor. Any developmental coursework a student may be required to complete may increase the program length.

Annual Course Sequence

The classes listed below are offered on a four-quarter rotation and are not sequential; a student may start any quarter and should take the HORT classes in blocks as listed below.

• Quarter One
  • HORT 111 Botany 5 credits
  • HORT 113 Propagation 3 credits
  • HORT 115 Plant ID Fall 4 credits
  • HORT 116 Fall Horticulture Lab 3 credits
  • HORT 212 Sustainable Lawn Care 2 credits
• Quarter Two
  • HORT 121 Soils 4 credits
  • HORT 122 Pruning 2 credits
  • HORT 123 Integrated Pest Management 4 credits
  • HORT 125 Plant ID Winter 4 credits
  • HORT 127 Winter Horticulture Lab 3 credits
• Quarter Three
  • HORT 134 Nursery Retailing 2 credits
  • HORT 135 Plant ID Spring 4 credits
  • HORT 137 Spring Horticulture Lab 5 credits
  • HORT 216 Introduction to Greenhouses 5 credits
• Quarter Four
  • HORT 132 Survey of Landscape Materials 2 credits
  • HORT 211 Intro to Bidding and Estimating 2 credits
  • HORT 215 Plant ID Summer 4 credits
  • HORT 218 Landscape Design 4 credits
  • HORT 219 Landscape Drafting 5 credits
• Quarter Five
  • Written Communication course 5 credits
  • Quantitative Reasoning course 5 credits
  • Social Science course 5 credits

General Education Requirements

• Written Communication course 5 credits
• Quantitative Reasoning course 5 credits
• Social Science course 5 credits

Diversity and Social Justice Requirement

Within the degree requirements, students must complete a 3-5 credit course that meets the college’s Diversity and Social Justice (DSJ) requirement. DSJ courses are designated in the college schedule and are designed to meet other general education or technical requirements simultaneous to meeting the DSJ requirement.

Total Program Credits

The total program credits required for the Environmental Horticulture, Certificate of Proficiency program is 82 credits.