The Horticulture (Sustainable Urban) certificate program is designed to provide students with cutting edge opportunities in the area of green technologies. Topics include green roofs, xeriscaping, rain gardens, and other new emerging technologies in the green industry.

This program is a hands-on, technical training in sustainable urban agriculture offered in partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago. Students receive a combination of classroom, lab, and field experience at the Arturo Velasquez Institute (AVI) greenhouse and at Windy City Harvest farm sites, complemented by a 14-week paid work experience at a Windy City Harvest (WCH) farm or partnering urban-farming operation. 

Program Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Program Core
STTRDE 136	Basic Horticulture	3
STTRDE 137	Managing Urban Green Space	3
STTRDE 138	Horticultural Plant Science	3
STTRDE 139	Urban Horticultural Floral	3
STTRDE 140	Greenhouse Crop Production	4
STTRDE 141	Soil Fertility and Assessment	3
STTRDE 142	Management of Plant and Animal Invasion	3
STTRDE 143	Sustainable Farming Practices	4
Required Work-Based Learning Courses
STTRDE 144	Practicum/Internship	5
Total Hours		31

Pathway

This is an example course sequence for students interested in pursuing Horticulture (Sustainable Urban). It does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If this pathway is followed as outlined, you will earn an Advanced Certificate (AC). 

Semester-by-Semester Program Plan for Full-Time Students

All plans can be modified to fit the needs of part-time students by adding more semesters.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 1		Hours
STTRDE 136	Basic Horticulture	3
STTRDE 138	Horticultural Plant Science	3
	Hours	6
Semester 2
STTRDE 137	Managing Urban Green Space	3
STTRDE 140	Greenhouse Crop Production	4
STTRDE 141	Soil Fertility and Assessment	3
	Hours	10
Semester 3
STTRDE 139	Urban Horticultural Floral	3
STTRDE 142	Management of Plant and Animal Invasion	3
STTRDE 143	Sustainable Farming Practices	4
	Hours	10
Semester 4
STTRDE 144	Practicum/Internship	5
	Hours	5
	Total Hours	31

Choose your courses with your College Advisor.

The Windy City Harvest Apprenticeship program is offered annually from February through October, and applications for the program are due in the fall. 

Careers

This program can prepare students for the jobs listed below. Click on each one to learn more, including average earnings, annual job openings, and how much education people in that field have. For additional guidance and resources on career options, current City Colleges students and alumni can contact the Career Services Office.

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

Job Description

Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

Salary Based on Experience Level

Take a look at the average hourly/annual earnings for this career in Cook County

Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES data from the BLS and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.

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• View Hourly Wages

Annual Wages

Entry-Level 10th Percentile	$24,408
Median 50th Percentile	$34,539
Senior-Level 90th Percentile	$58,357

Hourly Wages

Entry-Level 10th Percentile	$12
Median 50th Percentile	$17
Senior-Level 90th Percentile	$28

Annual Job Openings

163 annual openings in Cook County

National Education Attainment

Here, you can see the level of education that people in this career complete.

Degree Program	% of Jobs
A high school diploma or less	67.50%
A certificate	0.32%
Some college	5.32%
An Associate degree	2.00%
A Bachelor's degree	16.80%
A Master's or Professional degree	8.07%
A Doctoral degree or more	0.00%

24.87% continue their education beyond an associate degree

Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers

Job Description

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.

Salary Based on Experience Level

Take a look at the average hourly/annual earnings for this career in Cook County

Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES data from the BLS and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.

• View Annual Wages
• View Hourly Wages

Annual Wages

Entry-Level 10th Percentile	$9,003
Median 50th Percentile	$40,883
Senior-Level 90th Percentile	$202,339

Hourly Wages

Entry-Level 10th Percentile	$4
Median 50th Percentile	$20
Senior-Level 90th Percentile	$97

Annual Job Openings

267 annual openings in Cook County

National Education Attainment

Here, you can see the level of education that people in this career complete.

Degree Program	% of Jobs
A high school diploma or less	4.16%
A certificate	8.82%
Some college	18.50%
An Associate degree	23.84%
A Bachelor's degree	44.67%
A Master's or Professional degree	0.00%
A Doctoral degree or more	0.00%

44.67% continue their education beyond an associate degree