Gainful employment information as required by the Federal Department of Education

Learn how to use plants and plant-related activities to help people! 

“Horticultural therapy is the engagement of a person in gardening-related activities, facilitated by a trained therapist, to achieve specific treatment goals. The American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) believes that horticultural therapy is an active process which occurs in the context of an established treatment plan.  Horticultural therapy is an effective and beneficial treatment for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.”  

Horticultural therapy blooms as an emerging profession and a practice, offering many career opportunities.  Trained horticultural therapists are in demand at schools/colleges, hospitals/rehabilitation centers, nursing homes/retirement centers, public gardens/parks, vocational/occupational training facilities, and even prisons/correctional facilities serving individuals with special needs.  The principles, benefits and applications of horticultural therapy can further be extended to general populations.

 

The Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program at Del Val College, accredited by the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA), provides traditional and non-traditional students with unique educational and professional opportunities to benefit special populations through horticultural therapy as well as the general public through therapeutic horticulture.  The program includes three concurrent courses in horticultural therapy with hands-on learning and two courses in ornamental horticulture.  The professors can provide further supervision for students to conduct horticultural therapy activities with clients in order to meet the required 480-hour internship towards professional registration with AHTA.

Feel free to download the brochure, or read the below information.

Course requirements

Courses

Credit requirements

OH3237 Introduction to Horticultural Therapy (3 credits)

OH3250 Hort. Therapy Techniques & Practices (3 credits)

OH3365 Horticultural Therapy Management (3 credits)

9 credits in horticultural therapy required for accreditation of a horticultural therapy certificate program by the AHTA

OH3117 Herbaceous Plant Materials I (2 credits)

OH3232 Introductory Floral Design (3 credits)

or

OH2014 Floriculture Techniques (3 credits)

5 credits in ornamental horticulture required

Total credits

14 credits required for the Delaware Valley College horticultural therapy certificate program

Course descriptions

OH3237 Introduction to Horticultural Therapy:

This course will provide students with educational opportunities on profound interaction of people and plants as well as benefits of horticulture on mind, body and soul.  Students will learn the concept, history, principle, practice, basic skills, applied research and recent development of horticultural therapy; familiarize with physically, mentally and emotionally challenged populations in different settings including special schools and correctional facilities; take field trips to local facilities and connect with professionals in the field. 

OH3250 Horticultural Therapy Techniques and Practices:

This higher level course provides students in horticultural therapy with hands-on opportunities for developing horticultural techniques and skills needed to work with varied populations with special needs.  Students will be supervised and trained to practice horticultural therapy techniques and gain experience in diverse settings.  

OH3365 Horticultural Therapy Management:

This higher level course prepares students in horticultural therapy to develop, manage, supervise and evaluate horticultural therapy programs. Students will also visit local horticultural therapy sites to learn managing and supervising experience from horticultural therapists.  This course will study strategies of how to run a horticultural therapy program as a growing business. 

Gainful Employment Information

Certificate in Horticulture Therapy Cost of Program 2011-12

Tuition & Fees

$6918.00

Books & Supplies

$900.00

Living Allowance*

$5421.00

Total Costs

$13239.00

* Based on a full-time resident program, most students are non-resident part-time

Length of Program

Intended time to complete

One year based on a traditional 15 week semester

% of graduates who completed on time

60%

Employment (SOC codes)

The US Department of Labor’s Standard Occupational Classification code that the Certificate in Horticulture Therapy prepares students to enter:

31-2012.00 - Occupational Therapist Aides
http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-2012.00

For more information go to: http://www.onetonline.org

Debt

Median program graduate debt from:

0

Federal Loans

$0.00

Private educational loans

$0.00

% of graduate that took federal loans

%0

% of students successfully repaying federal loans

%0