Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate Program

OVERVIEW

NYBG’s Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate Program emerges from a health and wellness model of human development, combined with research supporting nature as an effective therapeutic medium. Learn to create experiences that utilize plants, gardening, and nature to empower individuals and groups whose lives have been affected by illnesses, injuries, disabilities, and life circumstances in order to achieve improvements in their cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
 
Respected nationwide, NYBG’s program is led by our expert faculty—all highly trained practitioners—who are the ideal guides. Whether you are embarking on a new path or want to further enhance your therapeutic horticulture knowledge in human services, education, mental health, or other fields, NYBG will facilitate your skills and knowledge development.
 
Upon completion of the program, students will:
  • Select and care for a diverse group of plants suitable for use in indoor and outdoor settings.
  • Understand the characteristics and needs of service communities served through therapeutic horticulture programs.
  • Develop goals, activities, adaptations, and evaluation methods that fit the specific needs of an individual or group.


REQUIRED COURSES

Certificate students must complete 176 course hours, 10 site visit hours, and 100 hours of field experience. After completing all Therapeutic Horticulture requirements, students should contact the Program Coordinator Program Coordinator to discuss options for their field experience.

 

COURSE CODE              HOURS
Introductory & Service Community Classes
Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture  THP 301   10
Therapeutic Horticulture for Older Adults  THP 401 P 12
Therapeutic Horticulture for Youth with Disabilities THP 402 P 12
Therapeutic Horticulture for Mental Health  THP 404 P 12
Therapeutic Horticulture for Neurological Conditions    THP 403  P 12
Therapeutic Horticulture for Chronic Health Conditions THP 405 P 12
Foundations of Horticulture Classes
Fundamentals of Gardening GAR 301
12
Introduction to Plant Science HRT 300
16
Plant Propagation I: Basic Principles HRT 411 P 18
Therapeutic Horticulture Techniques and Materials
Accessibility in Therapeutic Horticulture Programming THP 406 P 8
Indoor Plants for Therapeutic Programs THP 330 P 8
Outdoor Plants for Therapeutic Programs THP 320 P 8
Therapeutic Horticulture Activity Planning THP 407 P 10
Therapeutic Horticulture Program Management THP 409 P 10
Elective courses     16
Therapeutic Horticulture Site Visits (see below)     10
TOTAL REQUIRED HOURS     186

 

ELECTIVES CODE               HOURS
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Therapeutic Horticulture THP 318 P 6
Developing Cultural Competency in Therapeutic Horticulture Programs THP 312 P 6

SITE VISITS

Site Visit offerings vary with every catalog season. Browse our Site Visits page to discover what's currently scheduled.

 

P = Courses with a prerequisite before you can register

For classes with no current session available, please check back when we announce the next season's catalog.

 

FAQs

In fall 2022, we unveiled our re-conceptualized Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate Program. Please view these Frequently Asked Questions for more information about this program and how it differs from the former Horticultural Therapy program.


 

PARALLEL COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS PREVIOUSLY ENROLLED IN THE HORTICULTURAL THERAPY PROGRAM

For those who have been working toward a Horticultural Therapy Certificate, please review the chart below to determine which new classes correlate with the previous classes required to complete your certificate: