College Catalog

The Landscape Emphasis curriculum offers rewarding careers to students who enjoy working with plant materials in an innovative and constructive environment. Students study landscape design, sustainability, installation and maintenance of landscape materials, turf management, plant insects and diseases, and plant information and identification. Classroom and laboratory activities include operation of landscape equipment and landscape construction, including retaining walls, walkways, patios, decks, and general landscape operations, with an emphasis on sustainability and responsible use of resources. In addition to vast career opportunities, graduates may transfer into advanced-degree programs at other colleges and universities.

Career Opportunities

Careers in the following segments of the landscape or "green" industry are available to the graduate: landscape design and installation; floral shop and garden center manager; horticultural product marketing and merchandising; greenhouse and nursery propagator of trees, shrubs, and tropical, annual and perennial plants; landscape, field, and production manager; arborist/tree care specialist; landscape foreman/supervisor; landscape designer; botanical and estate gardener; irrigation technician; horticulture product buyer; horticulturist with an institutional or government agency.

Recommended High School Subjects

Four years of English, two years of algebra, and two years of science.

Remediation Strategies

All students must remediate by the end of the first year. The order of remediation will be math, reading, and English.

Transfer Procedures

This major is subject to the transfer standards established by the College (see http://www.pct.edu/catalog/TransferringCredits.htm ). Exceptions must be approved by the school dean.

Program Goals

A graduate of this major should be able to:

• demonstrate the safe and effective use of hand tools, power equipment, and heavy equipment common to the ornamental horticulture and landscape industry.
• summarize and apply knowledge in the use of plant growth media, soil amendments, and fertilizers.
• demonstrate a responsible and professional attitude in relationships with employers, colleagues, and clients through various courses, labs, and on-the-job work experience.
• summarize and apply a basic knowledge of various careers within the ornamental horticulture industry.
• apply basic knowledge of botany to ornamental horticulture products and services.
• identify various trees, shrubs, tropicals, and herbaceous plants; summarize each plant's functional horticultural use and maintenance.
• identify and evaluate horticultural problems caused by insects, diseases, and physiopaths; plan for proper control of these problems by developing a plant health care/integrated pest management plan.
• apply skills in pruning, fertilizing, and spraying for managing landscapes and ornamental plans in commercial production.
• develop production schedules and outline production of commercial plants in nursery and/or greenhouse operations.
• use computers and the Internet as business/project management tools and information resources for managing growing environments.
• develop an understanding of sustainability and its application and practices in landscaping and plant production.

Specifically, graduates of the Landscape Emphasis should be able to:

• appraise, plan, and design for functional and aesthetically pleasing use of landscape plant material and accessories in developing public, commercial, and residential landscape areas.
• design, develop, and install landscape features such as waterfalls, pools, steps, lighting, walks, walls, patios, and other hardscaping features using materials such as flagstone, brick, landscape timbers and pressure treated wood. mountain stone, interlocking pavers and retaining walls, and other landscape construction materials.
• demonstrate the skills necessary to professionally install and maintain high quality landscapes.
• identify turf grass varieties and their uses in the landscape; demonstrate an understanding of the establishment and maintenance of turf areas.
• develop contracts, materials, and cost estimations for a landscape design and installation using a pen and ink technique or computer software programs.
• develop a landscape design using computer-based software programs.
• develop a plan to manage a landscape installation or maintenance job.

Curriculum

Accreditation

Recognized and accredited by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET).