Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program
OVERVIEW
- Understand the characteristics and etiologies of the various populations served by horticultural therapy.
- Demonstrate skills in goal setting, activity planning, risk management, evaluation methods, plant selection, and accessible design.
- Prepare proposals to deliver horticultural therapy programs in various venues including public settings, not-for-profit organizations, private companies, and independent contracting services.
REQUIRED COURSES
Certificate students must complete 189 total course hours (181 required + 8 site visit hours), plus a 100-hour internship. After completing a minimum of six Horticultural Therapy courses, students should contact the Program Coordinator to arrange their internship. For more information on internship requirements and guidelines, click here.
COURSE | CODE | HOURS | |
Introduction to Horticultural Therapy | THR 301 | 15 | |
Horticultural Therapy for Older Adults | THR 401 | P | 15 |
Horticultural Therapy for Youth with Disabilities | THR 402 | P | 15 |
Horticultural Therapy for Physical Rehabilitation | THR 403 | P | 15 |
Horticultural Therapy in Behavioral Health Settings | THR 404 | P | 15 |
Horticultural Therapy Methods and Materials | THR 406 | P | 15 |
Activities Analysis for Horticultural Therapy | THR 407 | P | 15 |
Garden Design for Special Populations | THR 408 | P | 15 |
Horticultural Therapy Program Management | THR 409 | P | 15 |
Fundamentals of Gardening | GAR 301 | 12 | |
Introduction to Plant Science | HRT 300 | 16 | |
Plant Propagation I: Basic Principles | HRT 411 | P | 18 |
Horticultural Therapy Site Visits (see below) | 8 | ||
TOTAL REQUIRED HOURS | 189 |
SITE VISITS | CODE | HOURS | |
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center | THR 567 | P | 4 |
Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center: The Garden of Hope | THR 546 | P | 4 |
Please note: During the pandemic, we will offer limited trips to observe working programs at hospitals and other institutions. Site visits remain a Certificate requirement, and we plan to resume scheduling them as soon as it is safe to do so.
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.
COLLEGE CREDIT RECOMMENDATION
Please note that Horticultural Therapy courses that begin in November 2022 or later will not be eligible for college credit through the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS).
Horticultural Therapy (THR) courses that have been completed before November 2022 will continue to be eligible for one college credit per course, provided a passing grade of C or better was received. NYBG recommends applying for college credit for all courses completed before November 2022 as soon as possible. There are two associated fees: a $45 administrative fee to NYBG and a $52 application and transcript fee to Excelsior. For more information, call the Registration Office at 718.817.8720.
Once college credit has been obtained, any of the nine Horticultural Therapy courses successfully completed before November 2022 can be applied toward voluntary Professional Registration through the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA).