About the Program
The Hybrid Certificate in Therapeutic Horticulture (HCTH) is a nine-month program combining comprehensive online and in-person instruction to professionals and students in allied health, education, and design fields who wish to incorporate therapeutic horticulture into their practice.
The program allows maximum flexibility for those who need convenient, self-paced, evening, and weekend learning opportunities. Students will build foundational knowledge and explore how Therapeutic Horticulture supports human health & wellness, including physical, cognitive, emotional, spiritual, vocational, and social needs. Instructors in the program include AHTA registered horticultural therapists, accomplished therapeutic horticulture professionals, allied health professionals, and other accomplished experts in their respective fields.
We are proud to offer four partial scholarships per year and monthly payment plans to make this program more financially accessible for students.
Note: This certificate program is not accredited by the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) and does not contribute to becoming a Registered Horticultural Therapist (HTR) or the AHTA Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner (THP) designation. To learn why NCBG chose not to seek AHTA accreditation, read more here.
Eligibility
Professionals who will find the program highly applicable to their work include occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, recreational therapists, art/music/movement therapists, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health counselors, nurses, physicians, rehabilitation counselors, vocational rehabilitation counselors, substance use disorder counselors, K-12 educators, college educators, educators of exceptional children, public garden professionals, urban planning designers, and landscape designers/architects. However, we encourage all who are passionate about connecting plants and people (regardless of education or professional experience) to apply. The TH field is strengthened by the incredible diversity of the practitioners that we educate, and we gratefully consider all applicants.
Format
Students will receive approximately 2-4 hours of recorded lectures each month (August 1, 2025-April 25, 2026) that cover a wide variety of topics. There is no limit to the number of times students can listen to the lectures, and they can be accessed 24/7 on our online learning platform. The recorded content of this hybrid program has been developed in partnership with the NC State Extension Gardener program.
On the second Saturday of each month (except December 2025 and April 2026), we will meet as a group at the North Carolina Botanical Garden and discuss the lecture content, participate in hands-on activities that reinforce the online content, network with classmates, instructors, and attend field trips to therapeutic horticulture programs that are local to the Garden. Our past students have reported that the depth of course content, field trips, and peer networking opportunities were amongst their favorite aspects of our program! See the detailed 2025-2026 Schedule >
Before registering for this program, please ensure that you’ll be able to attend at least 6 of the 7 scheduled in-person workshops. To accommodate winter holiday schedules, no in-person workshop will be held in December 2025, but online content/assignments will still be assigned during this month. The last workshop of the program will be held on the fourth Saturday of April.
Learn more in the Progam Handbook
Program Cost
Pricing for the total cost of the nine-month Hybrid Certificate in Therapeutic Horticulture Program is as follows:
- Early Bird Rate: $1,850 (Register by February 28, 2025)
- Regular Rate: $1,950 (Register on or after March 1, 2025)
A deposit is due at the time of registration. Registrations made after June 1, 2025 will incur a $300 late registration fee.
Payment Plans
All students are eligible to pay in full or in installments prior to the start date of the program (including scholarship students). All payments must be made prior to July 31, 2025. If you’d like to learn more about payment plan options, contact our Registrar-David Michaud at ncbgregistrar@unc.edu or 919-962-4882.
Scholarships
Each year, we provide four partial, needs-based scholarships for individuals who would otherwise not be able to participate in the program due to cost. Each scholarship award of $1,200 will be applied to the registration fee of the recipients. Scholarship recipients are responsible for paying the remaining portion of the registration fee ($650).
Individuals who have personal or professional lived experience and/or education that increases their capacity to build relationships and serve diverse and under-represented populations are highly encouraged to apply.
The scholarship application process will be open between December 2, 2024 and February 28, 2025. Students must submit the application before 12 a.m. on February 28, 2025. Applications received after 12 a.m. on March 1, 2025, will not be considered. All applicants will be informed whether they were or were not selected for the scholarships by March 15, 2025.
For those who wish to apply for a scholarship, please complete the partial scholarship application. After filling out the form, complete the Program Registration form. When you reach the ‘payment’ section on the form, select the option, “I’m applying for the HCTH scholarship.” You will be required to make a refundable deposit of $100 at the time of registration. If selected to receive a partial scholarship, you will be responsible for paying the remaining balance of $550 in full or in installments through an interest-free payment plan.
Partial Scholarship Application
Completion
Students earn a Certificate of Mastery by viewing all online lectures (approximately 2-4 hours per month), attending 6 of 7 in-person weekend classes, completing pre-workshop assignments, completing 8 volunteer hours, and satisfactorily completing a final take-home practicum.
Online Content Hours: Approximately 23 hours (24/7 access allows unlimited review of lectures)
In-Person Skills Workshops: 40 hours
Volunteer Service-Learning: 8 hours
Course scheduling is designed for completion within a 9-month period.
Upcoming Programs
The Hybrid Certificate in Therapeutic Horticulture (HCTH) is scheduled to run once a year from August to April. If you’d like to be notified when registration opens for upcoming programs, please join our interest list.
We have also developed a series of fully online therapeutic horticulture courses in partnership with the NC State Extension Gardener Program. Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture is the first in the series and is suitable for anyone interested in exploring the field of therapeutic horticulture.
Wondering about the difference between the Hybrid and Online Certificate in Therapeutic Horticulture? Learn more in this program comparison chart.
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