Advance your agricultural expertise with our Professional Development Certificate, designed to enhance your skills in crop management and sustainable farming practices.
Credential Type
Graduate Certificate
Cost (2026-27)
$7,182 - $9,576
Delivery Format
Online
Program Length
9 - 12 Credit Hours
Enrollment
Fall or Spring
Eligibility Criteria
Bachelor's degree required
Benefit 1
Deepen expertise in sustainable food production and crop management.
Benefit 2
Boost your career with advanced agricultural skills.
Benefit 3
Apply cutting-edge methods to enhance crop yields.
Overview
This certificate is for agricultural professionals, farm managers, and crop consultants.
It allows you to explore in-depth courses on advanced crop management and sustainable farming practices to enhance your expertise and operational efficiency.
Skills You Will Learn
Upon completing this certificate, you will:
- Learn to assess, plan, and transform urban landscapes for food production, considering various scales from regional to specific sites.
- Gain skills using design software such as SketchUp for mapping and designing urban agriculture projects.
- Develop the ability to critically analyze readings from both peer-reviewed and popular literature relevant to urban agriculture.
- Understand and integrate multiple functions within urban food production sites, focusing on permanent infrastructure and perennial vegetation.
- Explore strategies to maximize productivity and sustainability in urban food systems through various agricultural techniques.
- Examine the interplay between agricultural, environmental, energy, social, and economic factors in urban food production.
- Engage in service-learning opportunities that allow practical application of urban agriculture concepts and techniques.
- Acquire knowledge in specialized production systems such as hydroponics and aquaponics within controlled environments.
Build Skills that Matter
Gain the knowledge and practical experience needed to excel in your field and create meaningful impact.
Course Details
The Urban Agriculture Professional Development Certificate consists of the following requirements:
- Complete one 500-level approved course (must be HORT or CPSC)
- Complete two 400-level approved courses (at least two credit hours or more)
- Complete one of the following courses: HORT 434 or HORT 435
- Complete two courses from either Crop Sciences (CPSC) and/or Horticulture (HORT)
- Take courses for academic credit and earn a "B" or better for all courses
Coursework cannot be used to qualify for multiple certificates, but can count toward an Online Master's Degree.
How to Enroll
Applying for this Certificate
To apply for a graduate certificate program, you'll need to start an online application through the University of Illinois Graduate College.
The following items are required for your application:
- Bachelor’s degree: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4.0), or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of undergraduate study is a minimum requirement for admission.
- Professional resume: This should include personal information (name, address, telephone number, and email address), academic background, work experience (start and end dates for each position and a brief description of responsibilities), educational training, professional associations, and leadership experiences. Please limit your resume to two pages.
- English proficiency scores (international students only): If you are a non-native English speaker, you must upload your TOEFL or IELTS scores directly to your application. Review the Graduate College’s English proficiency requirements for more details on possible exemptions.
Receiving your Certificate
For all students, after courses are completed, confirm your completion of the requirements.
