Permaculture and Regenerative Systems Certificate
Program Overview
This certificate program provides training for participants who are seeking to create and design regenerative food and medicine systems within resilient communities. It provides robust curriculum in permaculture design, including basic permaculture training as well as related courses in botany and plant ID; design methods, process, and mapping; herbal production; and hands-on earthen building projects. Classroom-based lectures and theory are paired with hands-on experiential learning.
Length: 12 weeks
Offered: May-July
Hours: 240 total
Program Enrolment: 20 students maximum
My experience in the Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems Diploma has been life altering in all of the best ways. The way I look at the world, at our ecosystems and at our history as individuals and a society has forever been changed. The value of understanding regenerative farming, sustainable practices and how to thrive while practicing permaculture principles are priceless. I am grateful for all of the instructors that shared their passions with us and continue to plant seeds of inspiration and knowledge for a brighter future.
– Nikki Wilkinson, Alumnus
Why Pacific Rim College?
What You’ll Learn:
Key Learning Outcome #1
To understand the importance of biodiverse food and medicine systems.
Key Learning Outcome #2
To prepare, plant, and tend to a mixed annual and perennial edible garden.
Key Learning Outcome #3
Skills for cultivating and harvesting medicinal plants, and for safely processing plant materials to create medicinal products
Key Learning Outcome #4
Ability to identify various plants that grow in the Pacific Northwest using taxonomic keys and other resources.
Key Learning Outcome #5
To understand how to site, select materials for, and apply various natural building techniques.
To me, the PDRE program embodies holism in every sense of the word. It is a re-remembrance of what it means to be a human on this earth, and reminds us how to co-create with the land and its people in an inventive, harmonious way that celebrates the unique gifts and contributions of all. When I think back to all that I have experienced through this program, I recall how it felt to make a hawthorn tincture, or learn how to sheet mulch, or taste a medlar for the first time. It has taught me a deeper, more grounded way of interacting with the past and the future in this pivotal time on earth – honouring where we come from, learning how to be a good ancestor.
– Dominique Argan, Alumnus
Core Program Instructors
Hannah is a professional agrologist and ethnobotanist, and her research interests span agroecology, permaculture, medicinal plants, and indigenous land-management and cultivation techniques.
Ryan directs the Redfish School of Change, a field school dedicated to fostering a community of leaders working for sustainability and justice on both sides of the international border in the Salish Sea.
Lindsay is a Medical Herbalist and sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council of Herbalist Associations.
Maurita holds a Masters in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability and works as the Executive Director of LUSH Valley Food Action Society in the Comox Valley.
Kristen is a biologist who specializes in the restoration and botany of southeastern Vancouver Island.
Mark is a co-founder of the City Repair Project in Portland, Oregon, and founder and principal of Communitecture, Inc.
Bryce runs a natural building and renovation company called Cre, which is based out of Victoria.
Curriculum
Below is a list of all courses included in the Permaculture and Holistic Management Certificate. Please click on course links below to see more course information including descriptions and prerequisites.
Food and Medicine Systems
Natural Building Techniques
Permaculture Design
Total Requirements
Learning Sites
This program is offered primarily at the college’s two herb farms: Ravenhill Herb Farm and Tiny Tree Herb Farm. These farms are located on the beautiful and fertile Saanich Peninsula, about 25 minutes north of our downtown campus.
Ravenhill Herb Farm is a locally-run farm overlooking the Saanich Inlet of the Salish Sea. This 10-acre west coast oasis grows food, medicinal herbs, and culinary herbs, all organically, for the community and is dedicated to sharing knowledge of sustainable living and permaculture practices. The farm also is home to many happy animals including goats, livestock guardian dogs, and chickens.
Tiny Tree Herb Farm is located near the coastal community of Brentwood Bay overlooking the Malahat. This 6-acre farm organically grows a variety of food, along with medicinal and culinary herbs, trees and mushrooms. The rich soil, spring-fed water and ample sun exposure makes it a beautiful place to grow.
Admissions
Admission into the School of Permaculture Design at Pacific Rim College is on a competitive basis. Entering students must have a high school diploma or an equivalency test. In addition, all non-native English speaking applicants must demonstrate a mastery of written and spoken English. Any foreign applicant may be required to submit an official score report from an English proficiency exam such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Test System).
To apply for this program, please click on the link below. We do not have a set deadline for applications and will continue to accept students up until the start of classes, provided there is space within the program. Typically programs do fill prior to the semester start, so we recommend applying 3 months in advance for domestic students and 6 months in advance for international students requiring a study permit. While international students do not require a study permit for a program 6-months or less in duration, international students hoping to work while studying will require one.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for the Permaculture and Regenerative Systems Certificate total $3300 and are broken down as follows:
– A $250 non-refundable registration fee and a signed student contract is required for acceptance into this program.
– A $3050 tuition payment is due 10 days before the first scheduled day of the semester.
– A $100 program supply fee is due with each semester’s tuition payment.
Please click here for a description of Academic Fees in PDF format.
Financial Aid
This program is approved for Canada Student Loans. British Columbia residents can apply for student loans online through StudentAid BC. Students can also pick up a paper application from PRC or any other academic institution registered with Canada Student Loans. For non-British Columbia residents, please visit hrsdc.gc.ca for information about Canada Student Loans.
For a list of all financial aid programs available to PRC students, please visit our Financial Aid page.
Post-Graduation
Graduates of the Permaculture and Regenerative Systems Certificate program will be poised to be leaders in the permaculture realm and can seek employment in the permaculture design field, in greenhouse/nursery management, in a horticulture and/or sustainable agriculture business, in herbal medicine production and processing, in community development and organizing, and as a natural builder.
This program comprises a third of the curriculum of the Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems Diploma. Graduates who complete all 3 certificate programs in the School of Permaculture Design are eligible for a Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems (PDRE) Diploma. Students cannot transfer into the PDRE diploma program and must either begin their studies in the diploma program or complete each of the 3 certificate programs as individual programs. The end result is the same – a PDRE Diploma and 3 Certificates – but a separate admission application and fees are required to complete each of the certificate programs individually.
