Pest Control Advisor Preparation
Certificate Agriculture · Shasta College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Program description
Pest Control Advisors (PCAs) are licensed professional production consultants who serve California agriculture, natural resource and horticulture producers. PCAs specialize in pest management, but they are also an important resource to producers in a wide range of production concerns related to plant health. This certificate satisfies the core-course requirements specified for option “3. b” in preparing to take the Pest Control Advisor’s exam with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. The following courses need to be completed with a 2.0 grade point average or better. Note: In addition to completing the course work, the Department of Pesticide Regulation requires PCA exam applicants to have completed 24 months of technical work experience before taking the exam.
This certificate is approved through the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Upon satisfactory completion of the listed requirements and filing an application for graduation with Admissions and Records, the student’s transcript will reflect completion of this certificate.
Program learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the certificate, the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate with clients, assess pest damage for ecological and economic sustainability, determine thresholds and implement IPM practices based on client/crop needs.
- Explain and apply basic principles of soils, cation exchange capacity, entomology and botany to horticulture practices and pesticide mode of action.
- Be prepared to take the California Pesticide Applicators Certificate Exam with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
- Demonstrate application of pesticides in a safe manner, include selecting proper PPE, mixing, calibration and application.
To prepare for the Agriculture Pest Control Advisers exam, students will need to complete 42 units of the required curricula specified in each of the category areas below with a 2.0 grade point or better in each course.
Requirements for certificate
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1: physical and biological sciences | ||
| Choose 12 units from the following courses | 12 | |
| AGAS-11 | Livestock Feeding & Nutrition | 3 |
| AGNR-6 | Native Plant Identification | 3 |
| AGNR-60 | Environmental Science | 3 |
| AGNR-65 | Forest Ecology | 3 |
| AGNR-70 | Wildlife Conservation and Management | 3 |
| AGPS-20 | Plant Science | 4 |
| BIOL-1 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| BIOL-10 | General Biology | 3 |
| BIOL-10L | General Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL-12 | Field Biology | 4 |
| BOT-1 | General Botany | 4 |
| CHEM-2A | Introduction to Chemistry | 5 |
| orCHEM-2B | Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | 5 |
| CHEM-70 | Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| orCHEM-71 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| MICR-1 | Microbiology | 5 |
| ZOOL-1 | General Zoology | 4 |
| Category 2: crop health | ||
| Choose 9 units from the following courses | 9 | |
| AGEH-10 | Plant Identification and Usage | 3 |
| AGEH-31 | Landscape Irrigation | 3 |
| AGEH-50 | Introduction to Tree Care and Urban Forestry | 3 |
| AGPS-24 | Soils | 3 |
| AGPS-25 | California Water | 3 |
| Category 3: pest management and methods | ||
| Choose 6 units from the following courses | 6 | |
| AGEH-26 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 |
| AGEH-61 | Plant Protection Materials | 3 |
| Category 4: production systems | 6 | |
| Choose 6 units from the following courses | ||
| AGAS-19 | Principles of Animal Science | 3 |
| AGAS-30 | Livestock Production | 3 |
| AGEH-22 | Nursery Practices and Plant Propagation | 2 |
| AGEH-23 | Nursery Practices and Management | 2 |
| AGEH-33 | Environmental Horticulture | 3 |
| AGEH-38 | Landscape and Turf Management | 3 |
| AGEH-60 | Master Gardener Training | 3 |
| AGEH-71 | Organic Gardening Practices (Summer) | 1 |
| AGNR-53 | Forest Protection and Health | 3 |
| AGNR-55 | Introduction to Forest Operations | 3 |
| AGVIT-81 | Vineyard Care | 2 |
| Restricted electives | 9 | |
| Complete an additional 9 units from Categories 2 or 4 above | ||
| #Indicates at least one prerequisite is required. | ||
| Total units for certificate | 42 | |