Earning a landscape design degree lets you be involved in shaping outdoor areas.
Although most major universities near Orlando do not offer a program in landscaping, hope is not lost for those that want to break into this field and get their hands dirty. Several community colleges and smaller schools in Orlando and outlying areas give prospective students options to consider.
Valencia Community College
Valencia Community College is the only school in Orlando that offers a degree in Horticulture and Landscape Technology, according to CTI Career Search. It is the most immediate school in relation to Orlando and offers an associate degree in landscape/horticulture technology that can be completed in a year or less, according to Valencia's Landscape and Horticulture Technology curriculum. Students can choose to specialize in horticulture or landscape specializations. Students who choose the landscape concentration must complete three hours of courses in nursery operation and plant propagation as well as 11 hours of electives. These electives can cover courses dealing with pesticides and citrus growth and can even include internships.
Valencia Community College
P.O. BOX 3028
Orlando, FL 32802
407-299-5000
valenciacc.edu
College of Central Florida
The College of Central Florida, located in Ocala, Florida, is one of only a handful of schools close to Orlando that offers a degree in landscape design. Like Valencia Community College, CTI Career Search states that the College of Central Florida offers an associate degree in the field. According to the College of Central Florida's website, their landscape design program prepares students for work in fields such as greenhouse production, nursery management and landscape designers. The program, once completed, can also lead to the Florida Gateway College, which offers an additional golf course operations program. According to the College of Central Florida's website, the landscape design concentration requires 64 credit hours that include core courses, nine hours of general education requirements, and six hours of electives.
College of Central Florida
3001 SW College Road
Ocala, FL 34474
352-873-5800
cf.edu
South Florida Community College
The South Florida Community College located in Avon Park, FL is another college that offers an associate degree in landscape design. The department's website states that this 30-hour course was designed to prepare students for work in the field and emphasizes courses in plant physiology, identification, and, in the case of the landscape concentration, equipment maintenance and employability skills. Courses within the 30 hours of work include citrus culture, landscape design and turfgrass management.
South Florida Community College
600 West College Drive
Avon Park, FL 33825
863-453-6661
southflorida.edu
Tags: Community College, Central Florida, College Central, College Central Florida, landscape design, Valencia Community