This six-week course is intended for a wide audience, including allied health
professionals who may want to incorporate plant-based activities into their existing
practices, master gardeners or volunteers, educators and other interested people who work with community members with diverse needs and abilities.
Students will learn to safely and ethically apply therapeutic horticulture
interventions with diverse populations of varying physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural backgrounds and abilities.

The elements of Universal Design will be discussed in relation to the conceptualization and design of healing/therapeutic gardens that are used in TH programming. Students will become acquainted with various adaptive tools and techniques that enable participants of all abilities to connect with plants and nature-based activities in the least restrictive, strengths-based environment.

Using dynamic interactive forums with real-world examples, students will research, discuss, and reflect on best practices for accommodating diverse populations in therapeutic horticulture. References and resources will be provided for further study.

Course Prerequisites Foundational knowledge of therapeutic horticulture is a prerequisite for taking this course. Registrants should have received a Certificate of Participation or Mastery in:

• TH1: Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture

Note that TH2: Program Development is not a prerequisite for the TH3 course. If you have taken an Introduction to HT or TH course at any of the accredited programs listed on THIS webpage, please email proof of completion to the instructor prior to enrolling in TH2, TH3, or TH4 (contact Emilee Weaver: erweaver@unc.edu).

Internet access is required for this fully online, self-paced, non-credit course. There is open access 24/7 and the resource materials are available online at no additional cost for six months after the course formally ends.  Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available through the Office of Continuing Education at UNC.

Students can watch lectures and fulfill assignments when their schedule permits during the 7-week period the class is in session, with a new module opening up every Monday morning.  Despite the asynchronous nature of this course, it is highly recommended that students keep up with lectures and assignments before the next module is introduced since it is possible to fall behind quickly.

Don't delay - this class will fill quickly!  Register today!

TH3 Course Outline

Fees

• Regular Tuition: $450 11/01/2024
• Discounts:
  • $10 (tuition= $440) - Early Bird  (applied automatically when you register 3 weeks before course start date)
  • $10 (tuition= $440) - Members of JC Raulston Arboretum, or the NC Botanical Garden
  • $30 (tuition= $420) - Volunteers:  JC Raulston Arboretum, NC Botanical Garden, and Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteers (regardless of location)
  • $30 (tuition= $420) - Professionals: NC State University and UNC
    • Contact your membership coordinator for the discount code. If they do not have the code, ask them to send a request via email to afbruzzi@ncsu.edu from their work email account.

• Payment Plan Option 
  • ​Available upon registration for this course, with $200 due at the time of enrollment and the remaining balance due 14 days before the course begins.