Municipal Gardener, Level 1
Certificate of Achievement Landscape Horticulture · Merritt College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Program Description
Those who earn the Municipal Gardener, Level 1 Certificate of Achievement will have the theoretical and practical skills required for entry level municipal gardener positions.
Enrolling in COPED 452A, the work experience course, is a requirement for this certificate. Students must secure 290 hours of paid or unpaid work in landscape horticulture. The minimum time for completion of this certificate is 2 semesters. Completion time will vary based on student preparation and the number of units completed per semester.
The Certificate of Achievement will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of all program requirements.
Career Opportunities
Jobs this program leads to: 1. Landscaping and Groundskeeping 2. Entry level municipal garden positions
Learning Outcome(s)
- Demonstrate the following basic horticultural practices: proper planting, pruning and routine maintenance for landscape plants.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | 12 | |
| Core Courses: | 6 | |
| LANHT 26 | Pruning | 0.5 |
| COPED 452A | Work Experience in Landscape Horticulture | 2.5 |
| COPED 452A | Work Experience in Landscape Horticulture | 3 |
| Choose One: | 3 | |
| LANHT 1 | Introduction to Landscape Horticulture with Lab (Day) | 3 |
| LANHT 1E | Introduction to Landscape Horticulture (Evening) | 3 |
| Choose One: | 3 | |
| LANHT 12 | Weeds in the Urban Landscape | 3 |
| LANHT 13E | Arboriculture (Evening) | 3 |
| LANHT 201 | Landscape Maintenance Practices | 3 |