Certificate Programs

Planting Design

Planting Design is an art that requires a professional who is knowledgeable in horticulture, and creative with nature's palette. A range of courses at the Boston Architectural College provide the opportunity to explore this dynamic field. Courses may be taken individually, or applied to the Planting Design Certificate Program.

Planting Design Certificate
The BAC’s Planting Design Certificate prepares students to effectively use living materials in the design of environments that are functional, sustainable, and harmonize aesthetically with their surroundings. Focus on methods of site design, materials choice, and plant selections as you prepare for a rewarding career options such as a sole practitioner, design-build contractor or retail garden operator.

All courses in the Planting Design Certificate program are requirements for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) at the BAC. Please consult with an advisor from Continuing Education at 617.585.0101 or ce@the-bac.edu regarding the specifics of transferring courses form the certificate into the BLA program.

Ten Required Classes

  • Botany for Designers
  • Introduction to Landscape Architecture Studio
  • Landscape Materials & Methods
  • Landscape Architecture Studio: Concept and Synthesis
  • Horticultural Science I: Trees
  • Horticultural Science II: Shrubs
  • Horticultural Science III: Perennials
  • Planting Design I
  • Planting Design II
  • Design Media Elective

Botany for Designers
Course Number: AS275
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: None

This course will emphasize plant structure, growth and function. Topics will include plant adaptations, reproduction, environmentally sound landscape practices, plant diversity, issues of soils and plant nutrition, urban horticulture, and the use of plants in reclamation/remediation of sites. Issues of wetland restoration, Xeriscapes, invasive plants, and monocultures will be discussed. In addition to providing benchmark, physical science–based plant criteria, the course is intended to provide a lively, design oriented perspective on plants and their role as a viable vocabulary element in “green” design. Four, four-hour, Saturday field trips (12:00 PM- 4:00 PM) are required to satisfy the laboratory component of the course. The dates will be decided on the first day of class.

Introduction to Landscape Architecture Studio
Course Number: LA103
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Basic drafting and sketching skills.

This studio is a survey of aspects of landscape architectural practice and design, concentrating on analysis as a process. It will include principles of site analysis, programming, site design, planting design and materials selection. It provides basic exposure and iterative practice in a variety of landscape and site plan graphic methods. Students will learn to clearly communicate observations, site analysis, program analysis, and design alternatives to a variety of publics. Idioms of artistic and technical drawing will be practiced including: freehand sketching, rendering black & white and color plans, as well as using labels, symbols and legends to communicate information. Techniques for effectively presenting plans will also be explored. Weekly graphic exercises are expected; these come to fruition in a final, portfolio-quality product featuring an existent, complex site design. Three Sunday field trips, 1:00-3:00PM. Dates TBD.

Planting Design I
Course Number: TM360
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: Botany for Designers, Horticultural Science I and II, or equivalent experience.

This BAC course offers a working exposure to planting design techniques, criteria, and graphic representation. It also focuses on the generic aspects of planting design: placement aspect and specification standards of plant materials, their rational (according to growth characteristics) and artistic treatment, planting niche and usage. It functions as the professional extension of the Horticultural Science classes which are the science lecture and laboratory, liberal studies function component of plant materials study at the BAC. Two field trips will also be scheduled outside of class time.

Planting Design II
Course Number: TM385
*New course for Spring 2008

The course will deal with naturalized planting, natives/invasives, stream planting, remediated sites, and erosion control strategies in at least three project based applications. Full course description to come.

Landscape Architecture Materials and Methods
Course Number: TM215
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: Basic drafting and sketching skills.

This course investigates the various hardscape materials used in building landscapes and is the first course in the LA Construction course sequence. This course will contribute to a student’s ability to support design and production for landscape architectural projects both in the Practice Component and in LA Design Studios. The course will cover the terminology of landscape materials, how materials are specified, how to document installation techniques, the cost implications of material and detail choices, and sustainable practices in materials selection. This course will also include 3 Friday afternoon field trips, dates TBD.

Horticultural Science 1: Trees
Course Number: AS276
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Botany for Designers or equivalent experience.

The use of trees in landscape requires knowledge of tree biology, habit, and cultural requirements. Understanding tree structure and the biological systems of a tree are essential in making optimum decisions in use, placement, and care of plantings for residential, commercial, and public landscapes. The Saturday class will be held at the Arnold Arboretum, Public Gardens, or Mount Auburn Cemetery, all T-accessible.

Horticultural Science 2: Shrubs
Course Number: AS376
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Botany for Designers or permission of the LA Program Director for any of the three Horticultural Science courses.

Shrubs is a plant science lecture and lab class covering woody ornamental shrub identification, growth habit and planting niches. Class meets twice a week, once for lecture and once for field labs which will be held at the Arnold Arboretum, the Boston Public Garden and Mount Auburn Cemetery.

Horticultural Science 3: Perennials – Cape Cod Trip
Course Number: AS476
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: Botany for Designers or permission of LA Program Director for any of three Horticultural Science courses.

Horticultural Science 3- Perennials will take the form of a weekend Cape Cod Tour class which will include visits to Wayland, Rehoboth, and Westport, MA nurseries, design offices, project sites, the Cape Cod National Seashore, Chatham Common, portions of Cape Cod Bike Trail, and new planting at the Chatham Bars Inn. Housing will be at the Thompson Estate compound of Ben Thompson overlooking Sandy Neck and Barnstable Harbor with shared family style cooking and study of his garden design. We will examine unique issues of Cape Cod soils, geology, and selection plants for both native and modern perennial designs. The cost of travel for this trip is $500 and includes lodging, food and van travel.

Landscape Architecture Studio: Concept and Synthesis
Course Number: LA203
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Introduction to Landscape Architecture Studio

The second studio in the landscape architecture sequence continues to build on the fundamental design principles introduced in the first studio course while integrating elements of theory, technology and representation. A series of design problems of varying scale and complexity will require students to generate solutions that address specific site and program requirements. Particular emphasis will be placed on the process of meaningful site observation and analysis, as well as the articulation and exploration of design concepts via drawings and models.

Examples of Design Media electives:

Orthogonal Drawing
Course Number: VS152
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: Freehand Drawing or equivalent experience.

This course introduces the basic conventions of straight-line architectural drawing: plan, section, elevation, and axonometric. Emphasis is on acquiring basic freehand and hard-line drafting skills, but study will include introduction to theories of representation and the power of basic drawing to inform the architectural and interior design process.

AutoCAD I/2D Drafting
Course Number: VS655
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: Basic computer skills and familiarity with drafting techniques.

This introductory course in computer-aided drafting presents the basic concepts and operation of AutoCAD. Hands-on instruction emphasizes two-dimensional computer-aided concepts and conventions and documentation production.

Watercolor Rendering
Course Number: VS158
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: None

This course explores drawing in color. Students will understand the versatility of watercolor through various exercises and will be able to formulate their own creative approach to the medium. Elements of composition and design will be discussed and different techniques will be presented to build presentation skills one step at a time. Special emphasis will be given to the selection and mixture of color.

For more information, contact us at ce@the-bac.edu or use the Request Information link.  

For course availability for the current semester, use the CE Course Schedule link.