The next few pages are to help you get a better idea of what you will be studying. We’re also very happy to discuss more about the courses and also offer the option of taking modules in a different order to those specified– just email Paula on paula@organiccollege.com and we’ll be happy to help.
Remember:
You can take the Full Certificate over two or three years.
You can sign up for just the ‘Basics’ or ‘Fundamentals’ in the first year and then go on to take more modules in future years – you just pay the difference in price next year.
Completing the ‘Full Certificate’ in one year is a big undertaking – you will need to have lots of spare time and some experience of gardening and organics. Most Distance Learning students would complete this over two years.
A. Organic Basics (€500)
Our Organic Basics course gives you all you need to get growing successful organic crops. Two FETAC level 5 modules are included – Organic Food Crops and Soil Science and Growing Media:
1. Organic Food Crops
Raised Beds
This module goes into the detail of how to grow specific fruit and vegetable crops organically. It’s the most popular module and together with Soil Science and Growing media gives you a sound introduction to organics. It specifically recommends the best techniques and varieties for growing in Irish conditions.
When you successfully complete this module you will:
be capable of preparing and cultivating a site suitable to food crop production
have acquired skills in propagation, cultivation and harvesting of food crops
be capable of selecting weed, pest and disease control measures appropriate to specific situations
The project for the Food Crops module is to grow a tasty organic crop in your garden (or window-sill)! By completing this module you will have had the satisfaction of producing and eating your own organic crop – as well as observing and recording the whole process.
Topics include:
Planning, ground prep, yield and year round supplies
Overwintering crops
Protected cropping: growing in polytunnels and under cover
Rotations and the vegetable families
Seeds and seedlings
Fruit and orchards
Harvesting, storing, eating, cooking and selling!
Assessments for Food Crops are:
Five short assignments
Project where you grow a crop and record various aspects of how it went.
2. Soil Science and Growing Media
The soil is the most important part of an organic system (except for you)! Organic growing begins and ends with the soil – it’s critical to everything we do – by developing a healthy soil you’ll find you grow healthier crops and that the work of gardening gets easier. This module will give you the skills to understand your soil and how to improve it. You’ll also learn about the best ways to improve fertility organically with compost and other organic fertilisers. Understanding the soil and fertility is crucial to becoming a good organic grower.
When you successfully complete this module you will be:
be familiar with the origins, characteristics and properties of
be capable of manipulating the properties of soil to support crop production
appreciate the importance of the practices and requirements of soil nutrition and cultivation for organic crop production
care and foster a respect for the environment as a finite resource.
Topics include:
Soil origins profiles, and Soil Types
Soil drainage and erosion
Soil water, air and temperature + Irrigation
Soil nutrition and soil pH and liming
Nitrogen cycle and nitrogen fixation
Soil Ecology
Organic matter
Cultivation, Dig and no dig
Compost
Organic manures and fertilisers
Green manures
Mulches
Soil-less growing media and liquid feeds
Assessments for Soil Science are:
Written exam at the college in February
5 short assignment
B. Organic Fundamentals (€900)
The organic fundamentals course includes four FETAC level 5 modules: the two modules above from Organic Basics and adds two more core organic modules: Organic Production Principles and Plant Identification.
Completing this course will give you additional knowledge and experience about the history of organics and how organic standards are applied in Ireland. You’ll also develop Plant Identification skills to help you recognise common weeds, wild flowers and trees.
3. Organic Production Principles
Farmer's market
This is one of our most popular modules and covers all the basics you’ll need to know about growing crops organically in Ireland – this is especially useful if you are aiming to sell organic certified produce with a symbol.
When you successfully complete this module you will:
be familiar with organic principles and practices
be aware of regulations and standards in the field of organic production
appreciate the role of organic food production within the wider environmental movement
have acquired skills in propagation, cultivation, and harvesting of food crops organically
appreciate the organic approach to the control of soil fertility, weeds, pests and disease.
An important part of the module is the project where you grow a crop in your garden.
Topics on Organic Production Principles include:
The history and principles of organics
Organics in Ireland
Benefits of organic methods
Organic organisations
Organic standards
Seed saving
Rotations
Converting to organics, farm inspection and record keeping
Financial assistance for organic producers
Weed and pest control
Local food, marketing, farmers markets and box schemes
Assessment for Organic Production Principles is:
Written exam at the college in February
Project where you grow a crop (same as Food Crops)
2 short assignments
4. Plant Identification
Would you like to be capable of identifying a wide variety of trees, shrubs and other plants? Would you like to learn some botanical / Latin names?
You’ll learn how to select appropriate plants for different conditions and be able to plant in a variety of situations. Developing a basic knowledge of what plants are around you and what their names are so you can communicate with other growers is very helpful for all growers.
When you successfully complete this module you will:
be capable of identifying a wide variety of trees, shrubs and other plants
be familiar with the characteristic features of a wide selection of plants
be capable of selecting appropriate plants for different situations
demonstrate ability to plant in a variety of situations
be familiar with techniques used to control weeds, pests and diseases.
Topics for Plant Identification include:
Botanical names and plant nomenclature
Plant parts and names
Trees
Weeds
Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit
Wild Flowers
Planning a garden
Assessment for Plant Identification is:
Group project
Group learner record where you write up plants you’ve identified during the course
Identification skills test where you identify plants at the college.
C. The Full Certificate (€1600)
To obtain the full certificate you will complete eight FETAC level 5 modules. These are the four modules already listed and also Plant Science, Sustainable Development, Communications and Work Experience.
You can take this over more than one year – you might like to sign up for four modules in the first year. Then in the 2nd year you just pay the difference in price – so if you plan to do the Full Certificate over more than one year you don’t need to pay for it all straight away.
5. Plant Science
In order to grow plants well it is crucial to have a good understanding of how they grow. This module covers basic botany as it applies to organic growing. You’ll be amazed how much easier it is to care for your plants once you understand how they grow. You’ll know more about when to water them, how best to care for them and their nutritional needs at different points in the life cycle.
When you successfully complete the Plant Science module you will:
have acquired a broad knowledge and understanding of plant structures, growth and development
be familiar with the basic living processes of plants and their relationship with environmental factors
acquire skills of observation, investigation and recording
be familiar with the characteristic features of a wide selection of plant life
Topics for Plant Science include:
Classification of plants
Plant Cells
Plant Structure: roots and stems, leaves and flowers
Plant transport systems, Respiration and Transpiration
Plant Life cycles and Reproduction
Plant hormones
Genetics and DNA
Assessment for Plant Science is:
Written exam at the college in February
5 short assignments
6. Sustainable Development
Home made Solar water heater
Are you concerned about the future? Do you want to learn about how to live more sustainably? Are you interested in the global as well as the local environmental issues that face us? Do you want to take action? This could be through managing your own household and garden to achieve greater environmental, economic and social sustainability; or it could be to by seeking employment in the sustainable development sector where you could manage projects and influence policy.
This exciting module covers a lot of areas that will give you the skills to:
understand how the production of Organic Food fits into the wider national and global context of Food Production.
analyse the long-term effect of mismanagement of resources on the environment.
understand how globalisation and trade liberalisation have affected millions of agricultural producers worldwide.
be able to demonstrate how we can make your home and our local communities more sustainable using exciting tools such as Permaculture, renewable energy, green building and traditional woodland crafts
be capable of working effectively as part of a group to instrument change both at local, national and international level.
Topics for Sustainable Development include:
What is Sustainable Development?
Ecological footprints and population
Energy and peak oil
Renewable energy and transport
Waste and reduce, reuse, recycle repair
Localisation and fair trade
Permaculture
Natural building
Localisations and local food
Assessment for Sustainable Development is:
Written exam at the college in February
Project – practical / research on a sustainability topic – e.g. permaculture or renewable energy
2 short assignments
7. Communications
Communication skills are highly valued in the workplace but this module extends beyond exclusively vocational needs, recognising that the acquisition of these skills is a life-long process, and central to personal, social and professional development and fulfilment.
This module is a requirement for all FETAC courses and should be taken if you are completing the full certificate. You will need to do a presentation, write sample letters and create other forms of visual communication.
This module does not normally require too much work and you will complete it quite quickly.
Topics include:
The written word
Non-verbal communication
Interpersonal communication
The Spoken Word (listening, speaking, dialogue)
Interviews
Giving Presentations
Groups and meetings
Communication technology (phone, computers)
Mass Communication – the media
Assessment for Communications is:
Perform a short 5 to 10 minute presentation on a subject of your choice
Produce a collection of work including written, visual and technological aspects.
8. Work Experience
If you wish to complete a full certificate you will need to complete a 10 day work placement. This can be with a grower or organisation that is near to you or of interest to you. We have contacts with some of the best organic growers in the business and can help with a choice of placement host. The placement can be 10 consecutive days, or you could go every Saturday for 10 weeks – it’s up to you – you just need to complete 10 days in total.
You would normally take this module if going on to complete the full certificate. A good time is over the summer when there is plenty going on at farms and gardens. You will need to take photos and notes of what you did and hand in a report on how the placement went.
Assessment for Work Experience is:
Hand in a written report
Now you have a summary of all the modules you’ll be wanting to know what to choose – read on for help:
3. The Modules
The next few pages are to help you get a better idea of what you will be studying.
We’re also very happy to discuss more about the courses and also offer the option of taking modules in a different order to those specified– just email Paula on paula@organiccollege.com and we’ll be happy to help.
Remember:
A. Organic Basics (€500)
Our Organic Basics course gives you all you need to get growing successful organic crops. Two FETAC level 5 modules are included – Organic Food Crops and Soil Science and Growing Media:
1. Organic Food Crops
Raised Beds
This module goes into the detail of how to grow specific fruit and vegetable crops organically. It’s the most popular module and together with Soil Science and Growing media gives you a sound introduction to organics. It specifically recommends the best techniques and varieties for growing in Irish conditions.
When you successfully complete this module you will:
The project for the Food Crops module is to grow a tasty organic crop in your garden (or window-sill)! By completing this module you will have had the satisfaction of producing and eating your own organic crop – as well as observing and recording the whole process.
Topics include:
Assessments for Food Crops are:
2. Soil Science and Growing Media
The soil is the most important part of an organic system (except for you)! Organic growing begins and ends with the soil – it’s critical to everything we do – by developing a healthy soil you’ll find you grow healthier crops and that the work of gardening gets easier. This module will give you the skills to understand your soil and how to improve it. You’ll also learn about the best ways to improve fertility organically with compost and other organic fertilisers. Understanding the soil and fertility is crucial to becoming a good organic grower.
When you successfully complete this module you will be:
Topics include:
Assessments for Soil Science are:
B. Organic Fundamentals (€900)
The organic fundamentals course includes four FETAC level 5 modules: the two modules above from Organic Basics and adds two more core organic modules: Organic Production Principles and Plant Identification.
Completing this course will give you additional knowledge and experience about the history of organics and how organic standards are applied in Ireland. You’ll also develop Plant Identification skills to help you recognise common weeds, wild flowers and trees.
3. Organic Production Principles
Farmer's market
This is one of our most popular modules and covers all the basics you’ll need to know about growing crops organically in Ireland – this is especially useful if you are aiming to sell organic certified produce with a symbol.
When you successfully complete this module you will:
An important part of the module is the project where you grow a crop in your garden.
Topics on Organic Production Principles include:
Assessment for Organic Production Principles is:
4. Plant Identification
Would you like to be capable of identifying a wide variety of trees, shrubs and other plants? Would you like to learn some botanical / Latin names?
You’ll learn how to select appropriate plants for different conditions and be able to plant in a variety of situations. Developing a basic knowledge of what plants are around you and what their names are so you can communicate with other growers is very helpful for all growers.
When you successfully complete this module you will:
Topics for Plant Identification include:
Assessment for Plant Identification is:
C. The Full Certificate (€1600)
To obtain the full certificate you will complete eight FETAC level 5 modules. These are the four modules already listed and also Plant Science, Sustainable Development, Communications and Work Experience.
You can take this over more than one year – you might like to sign up for four modules in the first year. Then in the 2nd year you just pay the difference in price – so if you plan to do the Full Certificate over more than one year you don’t need to pay for it all straight away.
5. Plant Science
In order to grow plants well it is crucial to have a good understanding of how they grow. This module covers basic botany as it applies to organic growing. You’ll be amazed how much easier it is to care for your plants once you understand how they grow. You’ll know more about when to water them, how best to care for them and their nutritional needs at different points in the life cycle.
When you successfully complete the Plant Science module you will:
Topics for Plant Science include:
Assessment for Plant Science is:
6. Sustainable Development
Home made Solar water heater
Are you concerned about the future? Do you want to learn about how to live more sustainably? Are you interested in the global as well as the local environmental issues that face us? Do you want to take action? This could be through managing your own household and garden to achieve greater environmental, economic and social sustainability; or it could be to by seeking employment in the sustainable development sector where you could manage projects and influence policy.
This exciting module covers a lot of areas that will give you the skills to:
Topics for Sustainable Development include:
Assessment for Sustainable Development is:
7. Communications
Communication skills are highly valued in the workplace but this module extends beyond exclusively vocational needs, recognising that the acquisition of these skills is a life-long process, and central to personal, social and professional development and fulfilment.
This module is a requirement for all FETAC courses and should be taken if you are completing the full certificate. You will need to do a presentation, write sample letters and create other forms of visual communication.
This module does not normally require too much work and you will complete it quite quickly.
Topics include:
Assessment for Communications is:
8. Work Experience
If you wish to complete a full certificate you will need to complete a 10 day work placement. This can be with a grower or organisation that is near to you or of interest to you. We have contacts with some of the best organic growers in the business and can help with a choice of placement host. The placement can be 10 consecutive days, or you could go every Saturday for 10 weeks – it’s up to you – you just need to complete 10 days in total.
You would normally take this module if going on to complete the full certificate. A good time is over the summer when there is plenty going on at farms and gardens. You will need to take photos and notes of what you did and hand in a report on how the placement went.
Assessment for Work Experience is:
Now you have a summary of all the modules you’ll be wanting to know what to choose – read on for help: