Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Landscape Technology Design, associate degree

Student taking notes at a board filled with landscape design sketches

A beautiful landscape starts with a solid plan. Landscape design is the intersection of problem solving and art to create a vision for living outdoor spaces for residential properties.

Award information

Degrees and certificates by number of terms to complete
Award Length Financial aid eligible Currently accepting students?
Associate Degree: Landscape Technology Design2 years

Learn more about Landscape Technology and all 6 awards available »

Locations

What will you learn?

  • Plant identification and care
  • Fundamentals of art as applied to landscape design
  • Plant composition
  • Computer-aided and hand drafting
  • Presentation skills
  • Construction, maintenance, and irrigation basics
  • Sustainable landscape practices
  • Site evaluation and measurement
  • Business management and operations

Courses

Course listing for the 2023-2024 catalog year.

Plan of Study Grid
First TermCredits
HOR 290 Introduction to Landscape Design 3
LAT 101 Introduction to the Landscape Industry 2
LAT 236 Landscape Math § 3
Plant ID Electives 3
Second Term
CSS 200 Soils and Plant Nutrition 4
LAT 271 Computer-Aided Landscape Design 3
LAT 272 Sustainable Landscaping 3
Plant ID Electives 3
Third Term
LAT 102 Plant Establishment and Maintenance 3
LAT 108 Landscape Irrigation I 3
LAT 279 Computer-Aided Landscape Design II 3
Plant ID Electives 3
Fourth Term
WR 121
or WR 122
or WR 227
Composition I (WR121=WR121Z) Z
or Composition II (WR122=WR122Z)
or Technical Writing (WR227=WR227Z)
4
Landscape Design Electives 3
General Education: 2 courses
Fifth Term
LAT 106 Plant Anatomy and Physiology 4
LAT 111 Landscape Construction Practices 3
LAT 214 Landscape Design II 3
LAT 223 Site Evaluation 3
LAT 237A Landscape Problem Solving-Fall 1
Sixth Term
HOR 291 Landscape Design III 3
LAT 115A Tools and Equipment Seminar 2
LAT 237B Landscape Problem Solving-Winter 1
LAT 243 Landscape Business Operations 3
LAT 264 Landscape Estimating and Bidding 3
General Education: 1 course
Seventh Term
LAT 219 Landscape Illustration 3
LAT 224 Grading and Drainage 3
LAT 237C Landscape Problem Solving-Spring 1
LAT 276 Employment & Careers in the Landscape Industry 2
General Education: 1 course
Eighth Term
LAT 280C
or LAT 280A
Cooperative Work Experience- Landscape Design 1
or Cooperative Education: Landscape
3
Landscape Design Electives 3
 Total Credits96
§

 Course cannot be substituted with another course.

1

Students with one year documented work experience in landscape design may take an additional 3 credits of LAT elective courses in lieu of cooperative work experience. Arrange with landscape department chair.

2

Most LAT classes are only offered once a year.  First term corresponds to the fall term, second term to winter term, third term to spring term, and fourth term to summer term. Students may start the program at any time of the year.  Please contact the LAT program advisor for more guidance.

Z

This course is part of Oregon Common Course Numbering. The following courses are equivalent:

WR 121 and WR 121Z

WR 122 and WR 122Z

WR 227 and WR 227Z

Students may take the LAT Math Challenge Test to test out of LAT 236, Landscape Math. Please contact the LAT Department Chair, Jenn Peters, to learn more.

What will you do?

  • Gather site and client information
  • Design outdoor living  and garden spaces
  • Draft and illustrate landscape designs
  • Consult with clients on landscape solutions
  • Sell and manage landscape projects and accounts
  • Project estimating and bidding

Who will hire me?

  • Landscape design and build firms
  • Commercial landscape maintenance firms
  • Retail nurseries and garden centers
  • Landscape designers and architects

Many students go on to own their own freelance design businesses.

Next steps

Applying to PCC is free and only takes a few minutes.Apply now

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