You should contact the PHC Program Office (certificates.admin@usask.ca) for general academic advising or appropriate referrals.

We encourage undecided Prairie Horticulture Certificate students to declare a stream major by the time they begin registering in Stream Requirement and Stream Elective courses. You must identify a stream as your major prior to applying to graduate; you cannot graduate with a PHC certificate if you do not declare an official stream as your major.

The PHC program has provisions to award transfer credit for work completed at other educational institutions deemed to be equivalent to specific PHC courses. A maximum of four courses (approximately 50% of the program) may be recognized for transfer credit from qualifying previous postsecondary study.

Find details on the PHC transfer credit application process here.

You do not need to take PHC courses in any particular order as few of the courses have prerequisites (see individual course descriptions for details). During your time in the program, you are free to choose courses that interest you from any stream. If you are pursuing a certificate, it is very strongly recommended that you complete the two foundational courses SLSC 14.6 Soils for Horticulture and HORT 13.6 Applied Botany before enrolling in additional required courses. To complete your certificate requirements, you would then complete the required courses in a particular stream and work your way through any elective courses. Learn which courses are being offered each term at http://phc.usask.ca/courses.php.

PHC students are permitted to register in 12 credit units per term.  You can expect to work eight to ten hours per week reading course materials and preparing assignments for a six-credit course (60 hours) and approximately half that for a three-credit course (30 hours). The PHC program is designed to be a part-time home study program. Generally, one 60-hour (six credit) course or two 30-hour (three credit) courses would be a reasonable load to take each term, especially if you have family, work and/or other commitments which consume much of your time.

PHC students will be permitted to take the same course more than once in order to improve their final grades. The highest grade obtained in a particular course will be used to calculate a student’s overall program average.

Here are some options if you are having difficulties in a course:

Contact your instructor

If you are having difficulty with the course content, requirements, and/or assignments, contact your instructor with questions or concerns so your instructor can clarify key points and recommend solutions.

Seek extra help

Student Learning Services offers a number of helpful free resources for students, including Study Skills workshops and tip sheets, writing help, and more. Find more information here.

Inquire about options for extenuating circumstances

If extenuating circumstances (medical, compassionate, or personal circumstances beyond your control) prevent you from submitting an assignment on time, contact your instructor before the assignment is due to discuss your situation. If circumstances prevent you from contacting your instructor in advance, contact them as soon as possible. Be aware that regulations for late assignments vary across courses and instructors. Be sure to read your course syllabus so you are aware of the late assignment penalties for each course.

Consider withdrawing from the course

If you have tried all of the above options and feel that you cannot successfully complete a course, or if you feel that the requirements to improve one course will negatively affect your success in other courses, you can withdraw before the final withdrawal deadline for the term. Withdrawing from a class before this deadline will result in a 'W' on your transcript; this carries no academic penalties and will not count towards your average calculation.

Multiple failing grades can pull your average below promotion and graduation standards. A low average means that you are at risk for being placed on academic probation or being required to discontinue from your studies. For more information about promotion standards, academic probation, please see https://phc.usask.ca/current-students.php#AcademicandGraduationStandards.

If you miss a midterm exam due to medical, compassionate, or extenuating personal circumstances, contact your instructor immediately to discuss the situation.

If you miss a final examination for valid, verifiable reasons, such as medical, compassionate, or extenuating personal circumstances, you can apply for a deferred final examination using the deferred final exam application form.

Requests for deferred final examinations must be submitted to the PHC Program Office (certificates.admin@usask.ca) within three (3) working days of the missed examination(s). Eligible students will be given instructions for completing the deferred exam application form, along with providing detailed supporting documents, to the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.  If it is not possible for you to submit your application within that time frame, please contact the PHC Program Office as soon as possible to advise us of your extenuating circumstances.

Aside from exceptional circumstances, students cannot apply for a deferred final examination if they were present for 50% or more of the time allotted for their final examination, or if they have handed in their examination for grading.

In order to be officially awarded your USask parchment, you must apply to graduate.

To apply to graduate, please visit: https://students.usask.ca/academics/graduation.php and click on the Apply to Graduate button when available.

Graduation officially recognizes the time and hard work you have put into post-secondary studies. Benefits of graduation include: the opportunity to participate in the Convocation ceremony and receive a personalized University of Saskatchewan parchment; having your name and accomplishment published in the public Convocation program; the inclusion of your certificate award date on your University of Saskatchewan transcripts; credential verification services to professional bodies and employers; the generation of confirmation of certificate letters; etc.

At the University of Saskatchewan, registration is a student-initiated activity. Admission to the PHC program does not automatically result in course registration.

Learn how to search for classes, create a class schedule, and view a step-by-step registration video tutorial at http://students.usask.ca/academics/classes.php.

Learn which courses are being offered each term at http://phc.usask.ca/courses.php.

You can find all of the important dates and deadlines for the PHC program, including registration deadlines, here.

Learn how to search for classes, create a class schedule, and view a step-by-step registration video tutorial at http://students.usask.ca/academics/classes.php.

Pay attention to the information in the error message you are receiving, as this will help you to understand the issue. Check out the list of common registration error messages in PAWS for information and options for resolving the issue.

The 10-week PHC term schedule does not follow the regular four-month USask undergraduate term dates and deadlines.  All important dates in the PHC program can be found here: https://phc.usask.ca/important-dates.php.  As a PHC student, you must be aware of the unique registration and withdrawal dates for the program.

A non-refundable late registration fee of $35.00 per class will be assessed by the university to students who attempt to register after the registration deadlines in each term. Complete the request a class override form to request to register in a class after the deadline.

The 10-week PHC term schedule does not follow the regular four-month USask undergraduate term dates and deadlines.  All important dates in the PHC program can be found here: https://phc.usask.ca/important-dates.php.  As a PHC student, you must be aware of the unique registration and withdrawal dates for the program.

Late registration may not be possible.

Should it become necessary to switch classes or withdraw from a class for any reason, you must drop the class in PAWS to cancel your registration. If you drop a class before the deadline for registration changes, all applicable tuition and student fees will be credited to your account or refunded and your grades will not be affected.

If you drop a class after the deadline for registration changes, a portion of the tuition may be credited or refunded, depending on when you withdraw from the class, and you will receive a grade of Withdrawal (W). Failure to appropriately withdraw from a class will result in the full assessment of tuition and fees and the assignment of a 0% or failing grade.

Non-payment of fees, non-attendance and/or non-submission of assignments and exams does not constitute withdrawal from a class. You must withdraw in PAWS by the deadline dates to avoid academic and financial penalties.

More information about withdrawing from a class can be found here https://students.usask.ca/academics/classes.php#Droporwithdrawfromclasses.

PHC courses are offered in a distance education format and exclusively through online delivery that is meant to mimic the structure of in-person instruction; however, there are no scheduled in-person, live broadcast, or recorded video lectures.

All coursework, assignments, and exams are completed in online learning environments such as Canvas and Moodle. Access to a personal computer and common computer literacy skills (technological comfort, word processing, email and collaboration tools, internet and database navigation, etc.) are necessary for success in the program. Scheduling time for and staying on top of course content and assignment deadlines also requires a level of self-directed commitment from each student.  The course information is provided directly to you, and you work according to your schedule within the timeframe outlined for the term and in each class syllabus.

PHC courses are offered in a distance education format and exclusively through online delivery that is meant to mimic the structure of in-person instruction.  All coursework, assignments, and exams are completed in learning environments such as Canvas and Moodle. Scheduling time for and staying on top of course content and assignment deadlines also requires a level of self-directed commitment from each student.  The course information is provided directly to you and you work according to your schedule within the timeframe outlined for the term and in each class syllabus.

Access USask online classes through https://canvas.usask.ca.  Find information on consortium partner-delivered course access here.

Find your first day of class here.

Course content, modules, assignments, and course messaging will not be available until the first day of term.  Instructors will not be available for contact before the first day of classes.

If the term has begun and your course is not available, please contact the PHC program office.

As a University of Saskatchewan student, you follow regular registration procedures through PAWS for all classes in the PHC Program. The PHC Program Office will forward your registration information to the appropriate consortium partner when necessary. You will receive a confirmation of registration and course information directly from the consortium partner institution. You will not receive any course information from the University of Saskatchewan and will not access any content through PAWS. While registered with a consortium partner, you remain a University of Saskatchewan student.  All USask policies and procedures remain in effect (i.e. course cancellations and tuition deadlines, add/drop dates, exam procedures, academic integrity and student conduct, etc.).

USask tuition and fees are assessed based on registration each term. Tuition is assessed per class and payable by the relevant deadlines each term. If you register in a PHC class in a given term, you will be assessed USask tuition and fees for that class. If you do not register, you are not assessed any tuition or fees.

Your USask tuition balance and available payment methods can be accessed in the Tuition and Fees channel in PAWS. Find more information, deadlines, and payment options here.

The Prairie Horticulture Certificate provides the essential tools to work in the horticulture industry, advance your career, start your own business, work or volunteer in your community, and expand your gardening skills. Many PHC graduates are employed in horticulture companies such as greenhouses, landscape firms, and nurseries, or with public works.

The City of Saskatoon and other municipalities recognize the value of the PHC program in the career advancement of their employees.  The PHC program is a recognized program for an additional qualification certificate (AQC) from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education (see www.sptrb.ca).  The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (see www.saskapprenticeship.ca) has approved the PHC program as the online option for the educational component of the Landscape Horticulturist apprenticeship. 

Are you a University of Saskatchewan student or alumni looking to explore careers and develop job search skills? Find additional information USask Career Services.

The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (see www.saskapprenticeship.ca) has approved the PHC Program as the online option for the educational component of the  Landscape Horticulturist apprenticeship.

Once you have become an apprentice with the SATCC, you can apply to the University of Saskatchewan to become a PHC student and complete the coursework required to qualify to complete the SATCC journeyperson certification exam.

NOTE: Only the Prairie Horticulture Certificate is awarded by the University of Saskatchewan. The SATCC exclusively evaluates apprenticeship qualifications and the award of credentials.