Thursday 17 May 2012

Online Landscape Design Degree: Overview of Distance Learning Programs

While it is not possible to earn a landscape design degree completely online, students may be able to complete a portion of a 2-year associate's degree via distance learning. Those seeking to earn a professional certificate in the landscaping field can find more options for online learning, but even those are rare.

Online Associate's Degree in Landscape Design

Due to the hands-on nature of landscape design and horticulture, there are very few online courses allowed in the associate's degree. Upon completion of the program, students will understand how to use landscaping tools, incorporate various types or ornamental plants into a design and present a final landscape plan to a client.

Program Information and Requirements

A landscape design associate's degree requires students to spend a lot of time learning in the field working with instructors and classmates. As such, there are very few online courses available for degree-seeking landscape design students, and very few programs offer any courses via the Internet.
To take an online course, students need use e-mail and message boards to communicate with classmates and teachers. Some courses require students to watch videos and presentations through the Internet.

Landscape Design Associate's Degree Courses Offered Online

Few programs offer online components in a landscape design associate's degree curriculum. Often, an online course is offered only occasionally and sometimes on-campus work is required to complete the course. The following course is one possible online topic related to landscaping.

Pest Management in Horticulture Course

Students in this course learn how to control garden pests with the safe use of chemicals and equipment. An on-campus laboratory portion covers mixing non-pesticides. Some states require licensing, which requires testing and an additional fee.

Career Information for Graduates

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects job opportunities to grow in the landscaping field between 2008 and 2018 (www.bls.gov); however, their data doesn't break down landscape designer information. According to Payscale.com, landscape designers just starting their careers made between $25,236 and $38,884 annually, as reported in 2010.

Continuing Education Information

Graduates of an associate's degree landscape design program can earn a bachelor's degree through an on-campus program. The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) offers certification that might apply to some landscape design professionals, depending on the nature of their business and their specialty. Professional certificates in landscape architecture and horticulture are available, and in some circumstances students can take some of the required courses online.

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