Landscape Horticulture | Gateway Technical College

Develop technical skills in planting, pruning, equipment usage and weed control to become a well-rounded landscape professional.
Gain advanced skills in technology that will help you stand out to employers. You’ll study digital design, 3D rendering and presentation of landscape design ideas.
Learn through project-based, hands-on program work in Gateway’s state-of-the-art Pike Creek Horticulture Center and gardens.
Explore integrated pest-management systems to help you identify pests and diseases, and work to prevent and control them.
Engage in sustainable landscape design, installation, retrofits and management around the campus and community.

Program Credits

61

LOCATION

Kenosha Campus

Financial Aid Eligible

Yes

ESTIMATED PROGRAM COST

Tuition & Fees: $11,688
Books and Supplies: $5,000

Start Dates

Fall

Salary Outlook

$64,251

Career Opportunities:

Landscape/Garden Specialist, Landscape Service Representative, Lead Grower, Nursery Production Manager, Horticulture Maintenance Crew Foreman, Horticulturist

Landscape Horticulture Career Pathway

Career Pathways are designed to help you reach your educational goals and explore college and career options. Pathways are made up of related certificates, diplomas and degrees that build on common skills and knowledge. You can begin at any point on the Career Pathway and customize your pathway to fit your goals. View the pathway for your area of interest.

There are many opportunities, both in high school and through previous college, work, and/or military experience, to earn credit for prior learning at Gateway.

Certificates include a streamlined set of courses in a specific program area, providing a set of industry-recognized skills preparing students for entry-level employment. Certificate opportunities in this pathway include:

Horticulture Basics

Associate degrees are typically completed in two years by full-time students and combine hands-on technical skills with general education. Associate degree opportunities in this pathway include:

Landscape Horticulture

Prepare to enter your exciting new career, or choose to continue your education with another Gateway program or by transferring your credits to a four-year college or university.

Curriculum Sheet:

10-001-4 Landscape Horticulture Full-Time 2025-26 Curriculum Sheet.pdf

Part Time Curriculum:

10-001-4 Landscape Horticulture Part-Time 2025-26 Curriculum Sheet.pdf

Course Number: 890-155Credits: 1.00

In this course, students explore the Gateway Technical College community. They examine college resources and services, investigate skills that lead to academic success, and identify strategies for achieving educational and personal goals.

Course Number: 001-143Credits: 3.00

Learn to identify and care for annual and perennial flowering plants. Visit local gardens and professional sites to study plants and view design styles. Graphic skills used to create professional flower bed designs is also taught. Hands on experience propagating annuals and perennials and working with tropical foliage in the Gateway greenhouse is also included.

Course Number: 001-185Credits: 3.00

Students examine the science and profession of horticulture, including its role and importance of throughout history, current trends, and careers. Learners will identify horticulture crops, crop use and interrelationships among the environment, plant growth, and plant development.

Course Number: 804-134Credits: 3.00

All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts.

Course Number: 001-148Credits: 1.00

Learn to identify the different lifecycle stages of plant pests in the greenhouse and landscape and how to control them using cultural, physical and biological control methods. Learn about beneficial insects and how to use predators, parasites and pathogens to control insects and diseases of plants.

Course Number: 001-147Credits: 1.00

Students will study physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. Soil conservation practices, plant nutrition and composting will be discussed in detail. Labs involve soil testing and soil improvement.

Course Number: 001-146Credits: 1.00

Following guidelines set forth by the national Sustainable Site's Initiative students will learn how to improve the sustainability of urban landscapes. Identifying soil conditions, capturing storm water, using native plants, composting, waste and energy management are concepts learned in this class. Students have the opportunity to analyze their own property to find ways to improve sustainability while reducing chemical inputs and maintenance needs.

Course Number: 801-136Credits: 3.00

This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research, and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.

Course Number: 001-151Credits: 3.00

Focuses on growing cut flowers, potted plants and foliage plants in a greenhouse. Provides practical experience in growing/maintaining crops using equipment, and solving problems. Includes field trips to commercial greenhouse operations.

Course Number: 001-132Credits: 3.00

Continued emphasis on identification and evaluation of landscape plants with emphasis on evergreen landscape materials.

Course Number: 001-129Credits: 1.00

Learn how to apply pesticides safely and legally. This class prepares students to take the Wisconsin State pesticide applicator exam with the certification exam given during class. Anyone applying chemicals to someone else's property is required to obtain this certification.

Course Number: 461-120Credits: 3.00

Structure and theory of the two and four cycle engines. Troubleshooting, storage, maintenance, and repair of the small gas engine are included. Safety of the operator is stressed along with the use and study of operator's manuals for small power equipment.

Course Number: 001-142Credits: 3.00

Students will study methods of vegetable gardening and become familiar with basic annual and perennial vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. Organic growing methods, composting, pest and disease control, and self-sustaining gardening methods will be discussed in detail. Field trips to local market gardens will be included in the course.

Course Number: OPTION-COMM.1ACredits: 3.00

Please complete 801-196 Oral/Interpersonal Communication or 801-198 Speech. This is for informational purposes only. Once you register for your course, you can delete this block from your timeline.

Course Number: 001-111Credits: 3.00

Work independently, or in small groups, with instructor and staff to gain in depth knowledge and experience in one of five program specialty areas; greenhouse growing , floral retailing and events, trial and display gardens, urban farm. Can also be used for internship with horticulture employer.

Course Number: 001-160Credits: 3.00

In this course, learners examine the principles of landscape features in the built environment focusing on hardscapes, low voltage lighting, and irrigation. Learners practice constructing, installing, and troubleshooting problems hands-on. They explore industry techniques by interpreting drawings, analyzing manufacturers' specifications, as well as, identifying and allocating structural components. Learners explore construction safety practices that regulate the landscape environment in which they will work. Upon successful completion of the course, learners will be able to create sustainable features intended to enhance the built environment.

Course Number: 001-140Credits: 3.00

Covers how to plan and draw a professional landscape design. Focuses on selecting correct plant material, proper placement, and uses of landscape construction elements. Practical design and drawing experience provided in lab.

Course Number: 001-136Credits: 3.00

Maintenance of industrial, public, institutional, and private grounds. Also covers operation and management of an ornamental nursery. Labs include pruning, balling and burlapping, procedures for preventing winter injury, and field trips.

Course Number: 001-130Credits: 3.00

Study of deciduous trees, shrubs, and vines grown for landscape use in residential and commercial settings. Examines environmental requirements, dormant characteristics, and landscape applications. Labs involve on-site identification of plant material.

Course Number: 001-159Credits: 1.00

In this course, learners will take their landscape designs to the next level and bring them to life for clients with the use of 3D modeling software. This course is intended to build on skills gained in Advanced Landscape Design with the use of Dynsacape software. Learners will explore and learn how to analyze, design, and represent landscapes through SketchUp as 3D modeling software. Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to integrate advanced landscape design skills and technologies to communicate an enhanced presentation to a client or clients.

Course Number: 001-122Credits: 3.00

Simulated operation of horticulture industries utilizing principles of marketing, economics and office management. Includes hands-on practice on computers used in each branch of the horticulture industry. Field trips and practice work are involved.

Course Number: 001-180Credits: 1.00

This capstone course will provide horticulture students the opportunity to pull together portfolio elements created in several classes into a cohesive professional portfolio for use when starting the career search. The portfolio will include samples of work, letters of reference, resume, horticultural resources and other pertinent career search and employment information, which can be used during employment interviews. Students will develop a high-quality professional portfolio as the final project.

Course Number: 001-117Credits: 3.00

Advanced study of landscaping designed to fine-tune landscape drawing techniques. Course focuses on landscape construction methods, Japanese-style design principles, designing for energy conservation and how to attract wildlife. Labs include drawing plans and blueprinting.

Course Number: 809-198Credits: 3.00

This course introduces students to some of the major theories and topics of psychology, including the physiological basis of behavior, personality and learning theories, memory, states of consciousness, stress, research methods, intelligence, human development, psychopathology, and social behavior.

Course Number: 809-196Credits: 3.00

This course examines interpersonal relationships of humans and groups and the consequent structure of society. It details the various social processes and concepts which shape human behavior, analyzing such phenomena as organizations, deviance, race and ethnic relations, population, urbanization, social change, and social movements. Religion, education, and the family are studied.

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Application for Admission & Application Fee
Students must meet one of the following multiple measures: earned a technical diploma or higher,* earned a minimum high school GPA of 2.6, earned a minimum college GPA of 2.0 or submit ACT or Accuplacer test scores. Submit any needed transcripts or test scores. *Please note short term technical diplomas do not fulfill Multiple Measures. These programs include Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced EMT, and Truck Driving.