DURATION
2500 hours Normally 3 years full time or 5-7 years part time; but may be completed in 1-2 years with extra effort.
COURSE STRUCTURE
1. There are 20 modules/subjects to be studied. These are all available by correspondence study.
a/ Core Modules (12)
Biochemistry (Plants), Business Studies, Instructional Skills, Workplace Health & Safety, Horticulture I, Landscaping I, Landscape Construction, Soil Management, Engineering I, Plant Science I, Horticultural Management, Horticultural Marketing.
b/ Electives (8)
Choices include: Landscaping II, Park & Playground Design I, Permaculture Systems, Advanced Permaculture, Turf Care, Irrigation, Arboriculture I, Horticulture II, Australian Native Plants I, Roses, Orchid Culture, Herb Culture, and more! (NB: Other options will be added in 1996).
2. Workshops
2 X 100 hrs each involving a series of PBL projects:
Workshop I
This module involves undertaking three problem based learning projects to solve set hypothetical problems, which are highly specified, and in the following areas:
1. Workplace Tools, Equipment and Materials: Identifying and describing the operation of tools and equipment used in the workplace; routine maintenance of tools and equipment; identifying and comparing materials used in the workplace; using different materials to perform workplace tasks.
2. Workplace Skills: Determining key practical skills in the workplace; identifying and comparing commonly-performed workplace tasks; determining acceptable standards for workplace tasks; implementing techniques for improving workplace efficiency.
3. Workplace Safety: Identifying health and safety risks in the workplace; complying with industry WH&S standards; developing safety guidelines for handling dangerous items.
Workshop II
This module involves undertaking three problem based learning projects to solve set hypothetical problems, which are highly specified, and in the following areas:
1. Identifying Technical Problems and Collecting Samples or Data: Investigating technical problems in the workplace; collecting and treating samples, data or other evidence.
2. Analytical Procedures: Using specialised technical equipment to analyse samples, data or other evidence; undertaking routine and advanced scientific or technical analyses.
3. Workplace Operations: Describing the operations and equipment of a laboratory or other technical environment.
3. Industry Conference/Seminars
Attendance at conferences, seminars etc totalling 100 hrs
4. Research Projects
Two projects (2 X 100 hrs), dealing with different aspects of the workplace.
STUDY SEQUENCE
The 20 modules are divided into six stages. In stage 1, you study Biochemistry, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Instructional Skills, and Workplace Health & Safety. This stage is completed before workshops, research projects or other modules. Remaining core modules are then completed before commencing electives.
Note: Fees cover all tuition and "essential" texts. This does not include fees for any Industry conferences or seminars which are attended).
Enrolment fees do not include exam and workshop fees
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How can I learn the Practical Side of Landscaping?
Answer: The question of practicals is a complex one....There are literally hundreds of different things we do throughout a course such as this.
The diploma in landscaping is an excellent course, and it can be done anywhere -you do not need to attend practicals or workshops in any particular place at any particular time....BUT ....there is a lot of work that goes well beyond just theory; and the way in which that is tackled can be extremely diverse, and different for every student.
Here are just a few examples:
1. There are a lot of tasks that involve vesting gardens or sites to be landscaped; and observing, conducting surveys , photographing or otherwise recording what is observed, undertaking an analysis etc.
-Some of these tasks may involve using improvised survey equipment (if you do not have more sophisticated equipment, ewe can show you how to improvise).
-Some may involve doing an analysis of soil
-Some might involve planting something or growing something.
2. Some tasks involve networking with industry -making contact with and interacting with people who work in landscaping or associated support industries
3. Some tasks involve pbl projects (a system that has been tried and proven not only by ourselves but by many highly reputable international universities (see http://www.acs.edu.au/enrolment/problem-based-learning/default.aspx) For instance.....this has been shown to work just as well in providing practical learning, in medical degrees in the USA, as running actual laboratory classes.
4. Research projects -You need to visit, observe, interpret things in places like landscape material supply yards, soil supply companies, machinery & tool suppliers, etc.
5. Plant Collections -This is a tried and proven way of learning plant knowledge....we have adapted it for distance ed. and used it for 30 years....feedback from graduates and employers has been overwhelmingly positive. It works!
I find that the question of "practical" learning is always one that people feel cannot be achieved through correspondence; and I understand that apprehension; but we have been grappling with that problem and contriving solutions for 30 years. Over those 30 years, we have been given more and more tools (eg. video, internet, fax) that make our job easier. Over the same period, funding for practicals in government colleges has become tighter and tighter; and today, with huge funding pressures, much of the hands on instruction that used to be part of face to face courses, is not as practical as what you get from our correspondence courses.
Question: Do I need to Travel much to do practicals?
Answer:
The answer really varies greatly from one student to the next. It can depend very much upon what you choose to do, where you live and what is going on in your locality at the time you come to do an assignment.
If a student has difficulty doing something, they can liaise with a tutor and always find an achievable solution.... sometimes for instance, if you need to visit a garden and you are living in the north of Sweden, trying to do the assignment in the middle of winter -the tutor might direct you to do a "virtual visit" on the internet. If you cannot visit an ideal site to conduct a physical survey, we may need to explore and find a site closer to home that achieves the purpose, but is more achievable for you.
When issues arise that are a problem, our approach to finding solutions is very much on a case by case basis. This approach has worked for 30 plus years, and our students do learn well because we charge a level of fees, and have an infrastructure that allows us to take time to do this if necessary.
For the majority of students though, the assignments and set tasks are written in a way that gives them sufficient flexibility that our intervention is not needed.
You need to understand that every student is doing a different mix of assignments -We may have 50 people doing this course, but it's rare for more than 2 or 3 to be living within several hundred miles of each other.... as a consequence, the assignments are presented in a way that gives the student a framework....and beyond that they are making choices themselves about where they travel to.
