Current Size: 100%
Landscape Technician Co-op |
School of Applied Technology |
2012/2013 Program AvailabilityNorth Fall: Open |
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Type:
Co-op Diploma
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Campus:
North
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Program Code:
01521 |
Length: Four semesters, beginning in September, plus a co-op work term |
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CONTACT INFORMATION: Harry Chang, program co-ordinator | 416.675.6622 ext. 4880 | harry.chang@humber.ca
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The Landscape Technician co-op program is based on the principles of sustainability, conservation and environmental sensitivity, which form the foundation of our teaching philosophy. Students gain comprehensive knowledge of landscape design and development, site construction, general horticulture, grounds maintenance, and related technologies. Students acquire the above skills through a combination of in-class studies and workplace landscape training, resulting in approved industry experience.
Humber College has some of the best facilities for delivery of this type of education. The Humber Arboretum is a 250 acre botanical garden the surrounds the campus and includes ornamental gardens, woodland gardens, wildlife gardens, and ecologically diverse environments centered on the west branch of the Humber River. The Arboretum serves as a unique “living classroom" for plant studies, construction, arboricultural and horticultural skills. Our new construction lab is housed in a weather protected 8000 square foot facility which allows full scale structures such as decks, gazebos, retaining walls and water features. We also have excellent computer labs for teaching our CAD (computer aided design and drafting) courses.
A career in the multifaceted landscape industry lets you combine your interests in construction, design, plant materials and the environment. Opportunities exist with: landscape contractors, design firms, design-build firms, garden centres, nurseries, municipalities, golf courses and in technical sales. Many graduates establish their own companies or obtain senior supervisory positions within the industry. A complete list of job opportunities, career positions, and salaries is available at horttrades.com.
Following semester two, students participate in a four-month (minimum 400 hours) paid co-op position in the landscape industry. The school provides a range of services to support student co-op, including a job fair and networking with various industry sectors to identify co-op employment opportunities.
Note: For more information visit Selection Procedures.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.
All students entering this program must provide proof of having received a tetanus injection or booster shot within the last ten years. Successful completion of Standard First Aid – A is required before optional work term or co-op begins.
Humber also offers the Horticultural Technician Apprenticeship certificate program.
Qualified graduates of this program have successfully applied their academic credits toward further study at many postsecondary institutions. For detailed information, visit our website at humber.ca/transferguide.
The 2011/2012 fee for two semesters was
– domestic $3,807.08
– international $12,200.
Amounts listed are the total of tuition, lab and material fees, student service and auxiliary fees for the first two semesters of the 2011/2012 academic year.
Fees are subject to change.
For more information visit Fees and Financial Assistance.
Year one – $1,600 for construction safety boots, personal safety equipment, field trips, conferences, textbooks and supplies.
Year two – $850 for field trips, conferences, textbooks and supplies.
For information regarding the co-op fee for this program, refer to Fees and Financial Assistance in this publication.
Humber has a reputation for excellence and the students in our program have won numerous awards over the years including:
Humber has a reputation for excellence and the students in our program have won numerous awards over the years including:
Semester 1 | ||
| Course Code | Course | Credits |
| COMM 220 | English Communications 1 for Skilled Trade ProfessionalsEnglish Communications 1 for Skilled Trade ProfessionalsCourse Code: COMM 220 Credits: 3 This course is designed to develop the writing skills that will be required in the technical workplace. Students will learn to select and use appropriate language and layout for technical documents and write documents that are clear, accurate, and grammatically correct.
Students will practice reading and writing skills that will be valuable in their college programs and build a strong base for professional technical and business writing. Those students who plan to further their studies will develop the fundamental skills for writing acceptable academic English.
To help students reach these goals, the course covers the following: analytical reading and critical thinking; the organization and development of various technical documents; and the elements of clear writing, including grammar and punctuation skills.
To complete COMM 220 successfully, students must produce writing that meets or surpasses the minimum departmental standards as set out in the attached sample criterion sheets. | 3 |
| LAND 121 | Sustainable Horticultural Practices 1Sustainable Horticultural Practices 1Course Code: LAND 121 Credits: 4 This course introduces students to basic horticultural skills required to develop and maintain commercial, public and residential landscapes. Bed layout and construction, maintenance, basic pruning, planting techniques and turf maintenance are covered. Students develop a professional and safety conscious work culture which will prepare them for the workplace. Conventional, sustainable and organic land management practices are taught and carried out in a lab oriented environment. Students develop a basic competency level in the use and care of tools and equipment commonly used in the industry. | 4 |
| LAND 122 | Surveying and Construction Practices 1Surveying and Construction Practices 1Course Code: LAND 122 Credits: 4 This course provides students with practical, hands-on landscape construction and basic surveying training. Emphasis is placed on recent trends and practices involving sustainability and environmental analyses for hardscape materials. This includes interlocking paving, precast retaining walls and flagstone paving. Basic land surveying and measuring principles are introduced and the use of appropriate survey and measuring equipment is practiced. Safe work practices and professional conduct on the job site are stressed to prepare students for the workplace. Actual on-site projects and demonstration sites are used in this course. | 4 |
| LAND 123 | Plant Studies 1Plant Studies 1Course Code: LAND 123 Credits: 3 Correct plant identification and selection, as well as knowledge of the plant?s cultural requirements are the cornerstones of sustainable design and site management. A variety of native plants and ornamental hybrids are studied to provide students with a broad overview of the different plant categories and their use in the landscape. Students learn to consider a number of characteristics when choosing the right plant for the right location: the design intent (colour, size, shape, etc.), as well as issues of plant suitability for sustainability (cold hardiness, heat tolerance, plant moisture requirements, maintenance requirements, etc.). | 3 |
| LAND 124 | Botany and SoilsBotany and SoilsCourse Code: LAND 124 Credits: 3 This lab-oriented course provides regular hands-on experiments to demonstrate the complex physiological processes necessary to sustain plant life. Students gain an appreciation for the diversity of plants, their basic needs and the growing challenges they face in a variety of habitats. The soil food web is covered at length, introducing students to the relationship of soil micro-organisms and plant fertility necessary for optimal plant health and sustainability. | 3 |
| LAND 125 | Turf and GroundcoversTurf and GroundcoversCourse Code: LAND 125 Credits: 3 The development and maintenance of turf in an environmentally responsible way is the focus of this course. Students gain an understanding of the soil base, turf plant behaviour, fertility and pest control. A holistic approach to turf care is stressed. Ground covers and other alternatives to turf are presented as options. | 3 |
Semester 2 | Course Code | Course | Credits |
| COMM 320 | English Communications 2 for Skilled Trade ProfessionalsEnglish Communications 2 for Skilled Trade ProfessionalsCourse Code: COMM 320 Credits: 3 This course is designed to reinforce and expand on the skills students learned in English Communications 1. In English Communications 2, students will learn to design and write informal reports and a variety of other technical documents, using appropriate research, language, layout, and graphics. | 3 |
| HUMA 024 | Humanities: An Introduction to Arts and ScienceHumanities: An Introduction to Arts and ScienceCourse Code: HUMA 024 Credits: 3 The Humanities course focuses on fundamental questions individuals ask of themselves as they proceed through life. Why are we the way we are? Do we have free will or are we prisoners of our past experience or our biological inheritance? What motivates societies to change? Why do societal changes so often divide people into opposing camps? Why do so many people find contemporary life at home, at work, and in the community unfulfilling? What constitutes good government? How should injustice be fought? Can nations successfully deal with global problems? What is science and how does it differ from other kinds of inquiry? Can scientists provide solutions to the problems we face? What is art and does it offer answers of its own? What is its relationship to beauty, to knowledge, and to ethics? Is objectivity about art (or anything) possible? These questions are organized into units that begin with issues concerning the nature of the individual and then extend outward to various social, cultural and physical contexts.
The issues explored in this course are too complex to have any one right answer. Rather, individuals must search for answers that make sense of their experiences via various theoretical perspectives. The Humanities course supports this endeavour through study of different thinkers presented in the readings and exploration of different points of view explored in class discussions.
ESL students should consider taking the ESL Humanities course. Students may transfer into
ESL Humanities (HESL 024) either at the Registrar?s Office or the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Office (K201) on a first-come, first-served basis before the Last Day to Add. | 3 |
| LAND 150 | Drafting for CAD and LandscapesDrafting for CAD and LandscapesCourse Code: LAND 150 Credits: 3 This course is an introduction to the drawings used for landscape design and construction on a residential scale. The appropriate skills for the preparation of various drawing types are developed mainly in a CAD (computer-assisted design) environment. | 3 |
| LAND 151 | Plant Studies 2Plant Studies 2Course Code: LAND 151 Credits: 3 The integration of broadleaf and coniferous plants in design is fundamental to providing year-round interest in the landscape. Students are also introduced to the value of using dwarf ornamental conifers in the garden. Identification and cultural requirements are studied using the vast selection of plant material in the Humber Arboretum. Emphasis will be on native plants and their application in the creation and maintenance of sustainable landscapes. A continuation of Land 123 Plant Materials 1, students will apply the knowledge gained from lectures and theory components into laboratory settings by identifying, selecting, and explaining different plants and plant groups and their characteristics and conditions for proper and healthy growth and maintenance. | 3 |
| LAND 152 | Plant Health CarePlant Health CareCourse Code: LAND 152 Credits: 3 This course offers a practical and systematic approach to plant health care and integrated pest management (IPM) in a project-oriented setting and integrates with LAND 121 Sustainable Horticultural Practices 1. Key identification features of pests, diseases, beneficial insects and natural controls are covered using visual methodology, case studies, problem solving, and cultural solutions to biotic and abiotic problems in the landscape. | 3 |
| LAND 153 | Plant Propagation and ProductionPlant Propagation and ProductionCourse Code: LAND 153 Credits: 3 This course covers the basic concepts of commonly used plant propagation techniques and ornamental plant production. There are several field trips to observe production operations which will enhance the knowledge base in this area. Plant production management and field operations are discussed as related to ornamental greenhouse and nursery crops. In addition, students will learn how to identify and select native plant materials for sustainable landscapes. | 3 |
| LAND 154 | Introduction to Landscape EstimatingIntroduction to Landscape EstimatingCourse Code: LAND 154 Credits: 3 Determining the amount of materials, equipment, and labour required for projects and calculating costs are essential parts of the design and construction process. This course starts with a review of basic math principles and practice problems and then provides detailed instruction in quantity estimating for the landscape industry. Instruction includes the use of case studies and various data sheets and concentrates on the principles and methods of quantity estimating. Cost estimating and tender documents are also covered. | 3 |
