The Program | Elective Streams or Areas of Study | Course Schedule | Admission Requirements | Application | Course Progression | Course Delivery | Deadlines and Important Dates | Certification/Graduation | Plan Ahead Schedule | For More Information

The Program

The Prairie Horticulture Certificate Program (PHC) is the first home study program in horticulture designed specifically for use in the prairie provinces. Whether you want to become part of the horticulture industry or are a hobbyist gardener, you will find this program interesting and useful. All courses have been developed in cooperation with the horticulture industry.

The PHC Program is offered co-operatively by a consortium of four Western Canadian educational institutions:
• University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
• Assiniboine Community College (Brandon, Manitoba)
• Olds College (Olds, Alberta)
• University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)

Each partner in the consortium develops and delivers courses for the program in its areas of expertise.

All courses are delivered by home study and offered over three terms.

You can choose from four streams or areas of study; you select your stream when you apply to the program. The successful completion of a minimum of nine courses and 360 hours, in the stream you chose, is required.

You can also take individual courses for general interest or professional development if you are not interested in completing the Program.

PHC is for anyone interested in horticulture:

• Horticulture industry owners, managers and employees
• Community gardening enthusiasts
• People interested in employment in the horticulture industry
• People taking horticulture courses for general interest

PHC Elective Streams or Areas of Study

Select one of the following four streams when you apply to the program:

1. Fruit and Vegetable Production Stream
Required Courses
• Applied Botany (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Soils for Horticulture (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Postharvest Handling of Food Crops (U of M) (30 hrs)
AND at least three of
• Integrated Plant Management (U of M) (60 hrs)
• Safework/Pesticide Application (ACC) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Marketing (Olds) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Business Management (Olds) (30 hrs)
AND at least two of
• Vegetable Crop Production (U of M) (30 hrs)*
• Fruit Production (U of S) (30 hrs)
• Propagation (Olds) (60 hrs)
PLUS an Open Elective course (if necessary) to meet the minimum requirements of nine courses/ 360 hours.

*Financial support for this course was provided by the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development Fund in Saskatchewan (CARDS) and the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council Inc (MRAC). Funding for the CARDS Program is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
**The development of Vegetable Crop Production was funded in part through the Canada-Manitoba Agreement under the Canadian Farm Business Management Program.

2. Greenhouse Crop Production Stream
Required Courses
• Applied Botany (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Soils for Horticulture (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Greenhouse Crop Production (Olds) (60 hrs)
• Greenhouse Structures and Environments (Olds) (30 hrs)
AND at least three of
• Integrated Plant Management (U of M) (60 hrs)
• Safework/Pesticide Application (ACC) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Marketing (Olds) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Business Management (Olds) (30 hrs)
AND at least one of
• Indoor Landscaping (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Propagation (Olds) (60 hrs)
PLUS an Open Elective course (if necessary) to meet the minimum requirements of nine courses/ 360 hours.

3. Nursery Crop Production Stream
Required Courses:
• Applied Botany (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Soils for Horticulture (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Nursery Crop Production (ACC) (30 hrs)
• Propagation (Olds) (60 hrs)
AND at least three of:
• Integrated Plant Management (U of M) (60 hrs)
• Safework/Pesticide Application (ACC) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Marketing (Olds) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Business Management (Olds) (30 hrs)
AND at least one of:
• Woody Landscape Plants (U of M) (30 hrs)
• Landscape Design (Olds) (60 hrs)
• Landscape Construction (Olds) (30 hrs)
PLUS an Open Elective course (if necessary) to meet the minimum requirements of nine courses/ 360 hours.

4. Landscaping and Arboriculture Stream
Required Courses:
• Applied Botany (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Soils for Horticulture (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Woody Landscape Plants (U of M) (30 hrs)
• Arboriculture (U of M) (30 hrs)
AND at least three of:
• Integrated Plant Management (U of M) (60 hrs)
• Safework/Pesticide Application (ACC) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Marketing (Olds) (30 hrs)
• Basics of Horticulture Business Management (Olds) (30 hrs)
AND at least two of:
• Landscape Design (Olds) (60 hrs)
• Landscape Construction (Olds) (30 hrs)
• Indoor Landscaping (U of S) (60 hrs)
• Turfgrass Production and Management (ACC) (60 hrs)
• Herbaceous Landscape Plants (Olds) (30 hrs).

Open Elective Courses
Any course in the PHC program can be used as an open elective, including the following courses:
• Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (U of S) (30 hrs)
• Floral Design (U of S) (30 hrs)
• Field Production of Floral Crops (Olds) (30 hrs)
• Human Resource Management (ACC) (60 hrs)
OR any course from another elective stream

Course Schedule

A list of all courses available for credit in this program is available in the Course Schedule.
• Click on the course number for the course description and a list of sections being offered.
• Click on the section start date for instructor and fee information.

Admission Requirements

Normally, students who are admitted to the PHC program will have a complete grade XII (high school standing) or its equivalent. Other applications will be considered on a case by case basis.

You can choose which partner institution you wish to apply to for admission to the program. This becomes your “home” institution and you will be eligible to receive the Prairie Horticulture Certificate from that institution.

How to Apply to the PHC Program

If you have chosen The University of Manitoba as your "home" institution, you submit the Application to Enter Certificate Program Form with the $50 application fee ($75 for international students). You must choose your stream from the four available, when you apply to the program. Once you are admitted to the program, you register for all courses through your home institution. You can register online, by fax, mail or in person for courses.

All courses taken from participating institutions are treated as if they had been taken at the home institution. All courses are transferable for credit between the participating institutions.

Course Progression

We suggest that you take the courses in the order listed, starting with Applied Botany. However, the required and elective courses may be taken in any order. View PHC Course Schedule.

Course Delivery

All courses with a few exceptions have a course website with course material posted online.  Olds College is transitioning to online delivery of PHC courses so may mail print materials for some courses.

Assignments are submitted to the course website or emailed to the instructor.

The course instructor is available by telephone, email, or online chat to answer questions or receive comments about the course.

PHC Deadlines and Important Dates 2013-2014

* Less a $60 administrative fee

Certification/Graduation

To qualify for graduation you must successfully complete all required and elective courses in your stream, with a minimum of nine courses and 360 hours, within eight years from initial registration in the program and maintain a minimum overall grade average of “C” (2.0). To be eligible to graduate, you must submit the Application for Graduation Form before your last course is completed.

The Prairie Horticulture Certificate is awarded by The University of Manitoba, Extended Education.

For more information