Term Effective: Fall 2005

The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.

Description:

The Environmental Horticulture: Nursery Technician Skills Certificate prepares students to engage in the propagation, growing and marketing of plants for use in the home, business or the landscape greenhouse and nursery operation; or to help support that activity in allied sales and service occupations. The program provides a solid foundation of plant knowledge and nursery, garden center and computer applications skills to equip students to work effectively in nurseries, retail garden centers, and entrepreneurial enterprises. The program emphasizes hands-on learning and most courses incorporate lab activities that apply knowledge and skills in realistic settings. The program is actively supported by the local horticulture industry.

The Horticulture: Nursery Technician Skills Certificate program is the third level in the Nursery program. Completion of the Horticulture: Nursery Technician Skills Certificate fulfills a portion of the Horticulture: Nursery Management Certificate of Achievement.

The Horticulture industry, which involves the growing, selling, planting and servicing of plants and landscapes for human environments, is one of the fastest growing industries in America. The landscape industry in California is one of the state's largest industries. University studies have consistently found this dynamic, growing sector represents over $12 billion in sales and 130,000 employees. In addition, designed and maintained landscapes cover more than 1.6 million acres in California.

In Sonoma County the nursery industry has expanded dramatically in the last decade. Retail nurseries and full-service garden centers have seen substantial increases in sales from previous years, and demand for employees with plant knkowledge and nursery skills continues to grow.

For more information see the Agriculture Department website.

It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories; that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course. Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers in the Program Requirements section.