CORE UNITS
Click on each module for more details
Office Practices
Develops basic office skills covering use of equipment, communication systems (telephone, fax, etc) and office procedures such as filing, security, workplace organisations, etc.
Business Operations
Develops knowledge of basic business operations and procedures (eg. types of businesses, financial management, business analysis, staffing, productivity, etc) and the skills to develop a 12 month business plan.
Management
Develops knowledge of management structures, terminology, supervision, recruitment and workplace health and safety.
Marketing Foundations.
Develops a broad understanding of marketing and specific skills in writing advertisements, undertaking market research, developing an appropriate marketing plan and selling.
STREAM MODULES
The three specialist units include:
1. Outdoor Plant Production
This unit has been written to satisfy one of the modules in the RHS Diploma in Horticulture; and over 100 hrs of study, will cover the following:
- Crop Production Systems
- Organic Crop Production
- Soils and Nutrition
- Nursery Stock Production
- Tree Fruit Production
- Soft Fruits Production
- Vegetable Production
- Cut Flower Production
- Herbs, Nuts and Miscellaneous Crops
- Crop Production Risk Assessment
2. Protected Plant Production
This unit has been written to satisfy one of the modules in the RHS Diploma in Horticulture; and over 100 hrs of study, will cover the following:
Structures For Protected Cropping
Environmental Control
Cladding Materials And Their Properties
Irrigation
Nursery Nutrition
Relationship Between Production Techniques And Horticultural Practices
Horticultural Management In A Greenhouse: Pests And Diseases
Harvest & Post Harvest Technology
Greenhouse Plants
Risk Assessment
3. Another Crops Module chosen from the following options:
Fees do not include exam fees
PROJECT
This is the final requirement that you must satisfy before receiving your award. There are various options available to you to satisfy this requirement, including the following:
Option 1.
If you work in the cropping industry that you have been studying; you may submit a reference from your employer, in an effort to satisfy this industry (ie. workplace project) requirement; on the basis of RPL (ie. recognition for prior learning), achieved through your current and past work experience.
The reference must indicate that you have skills and an awareness of your industry, which is sufficient for you to work in a position of responsibility.
Option 2.
Workplace Projects I and II. These each involve a series of three Problem Based Learning projects. With problem-based learning, students are assessed on their ability to go through a well structured problem solving process. Oftent, for example, the student is provided with a hypothetical prtoblem, and a clearly designed pathway to follow, step by step, in order to work through that problem and produce a funal report.
Research shows that PBL gives the learner greater long-term benefits than traditional learning, and many successful and progressive universities around the world use it in their courses. Graduates of PBL courses advance faster and further in their careers.
- Other benefits of PBL:
- Develops critical and creative thinking;
- Creates effective problem-solvers;
- Increases motivation;
- Encourages lateral thinking;
- Improves communication and networking skills;
- Is based on real-life situations.
Option 3.
If you do not work in the relevant industry, another option is to undertake a project as follows.
Procedure for a Workplace Project
This project is a major part of the course involving the number of hours relevant to the course (see above). Although the course does not contain mandatory work requirements, work experience is seen as highly desirable.
This project is based on applications in the work place and specifically aims to provide the student with the opportunity to apply and integrate skills and knowledge developed through various areas of formal study.
Students will design this project in consultation with a tutor to involve industry based activities in the area of specialized study which they select to follow in the course. The project outcomes may take the form of a written report, folio, visuals or a mixture of forms. Participants with relevant, current or past work experience will be given exemption from this project if they can provide suitable references from employers that show they have already fulfilled the requirements of this project.
Students will be assessed on how well they achieve the goals and outcomes they originally set as part of their negotiations with their tutor. During each project, the students will present three short progress reports. These progress reports will be taken into account when evaluating the final submission. The tutor must be satisfied that the work submitted is original.
This accredited course, covers both the skills required to manage a horticultural farm (eg. Market Garden, Orchard), and also to developing knowledge in the identification, growing, processing and marketing crops and crop related products. This course involves eight units, plus a 200 hr workplace project. These are the five core units common to all streams of this Advanced Certificate (ie. Communications, Management, Business Operations, Office Practices and Marketing), and three specialist units of study relating to crop production.
This course is internationally accredited through I.A.R.C.
