Pest Control Adviser Certificate Agriculture & Natural Resources Total Units: 42.0

Term Effective: Fall 2024

The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.

Previous Versions:

Pest Control Adviser - effective Fall 2023
Pest Control Adviser - effective Fall 2022
Pest Control Adviser - effective Fall 2020
Pest Control Adviser - effective Fall 2019
Pest Control Adviser - effective Fall 2018
Pest Control Adviser - effective Fall 2016

Description:

The Pest Control Adviser (PCA) Certificate of Achievement prepares students to be licensed professional production consultants who serve California agriculture, natural resource and horticulture producers. PCAs specialize in pest and disease management. In addition they are an important resource to growers in matters related to general plant health. This certificate satisfies the core-course requirements specified for Option 3.b in preparing for and qualifying to take the PCAs exam(s) with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR).

Program Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  1. Qualify to take the PCA licensing exams from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, including Laws and Regulations, and the specific license categories of A) insect, mites, and other invertebrates B) plant pathogens C) nematodes D) vertebrate pests E) weeds F) defoliation and G) plant growth regulators.
  2. Explain and apply basic principles of soils, cation exchange capacity, entomology, epidemiology, and botany to agricultural practices and pesticide modes of action.
  3. Correctly identify the causal agents for pest infestations and disease infections in agricultural settings, and suggest effective control strategies that include biological control, cultural control, mechanical control and chemical control methods, in this order.
  4. Read and interpret any pesticide label, and recommend legal, safe and appropriate application of that chemical.

Program Requirements:

The requirements for the Pest Control Adviser program are:

  • Complete 42.0 units from
    • Pest Control Adviser Requirements

Pest Control Adviser Requirements - complete 42.00 units
Complete any combination totaling at least 12.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
Physical & Biological Sciences
BIO 2.1Fundamentals of Biology (Cell and Molecular)5.00
BIO 2.3Fundamentals of Biology (Botany and Ecology)5.00
BIO 10Introduction to Principles of Biology4.00
BIO 12Basic Concepts of Ecology3.00
BOTANY 10Plant Biology4.00
BOTANY 60Field Botany4.00
CHEM 3AGeneral Chemistry Part 1: Lecture3.00
CHEM 3ALGeneral Chemistry Part 1: Lab2.00
CHEM 3BGeneral Chemistry Part 25.00
CHEM 8Introductory Organic Chemistry5.00
CHEM 12AOrganic Chemistry5.00
CHEM 12BOrganic Chemistry5.00
CHEM 42Introductory General Chemistry4.00
ENVS 12Introduction to Environmental Science3.00
MICRO 5General Microbiology5.00
MICRO 60Fundamentals of Microbiology4.00
NRM 12Introduction to Environmental Conservation3.00
Complete any combination totaling at least 9.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
Crop Health
AGRI 20Introduction to Plant Science4.00
AGRI 60Soil & Plant Nutrition3.00
HORT 144Landscape Irrigation3.00
SUSAG 64Warm Season Crop Production2.00
SUSAG 65Cool Season Vegetable Production2.00
SUSAG 103Composting for Organic Farming and Gardening1.00
VIT 124Vineyard Irrigation and Fertilization1.00
Complete any combination totaling at least 6.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
Pest Management Systems & Methods
AGRI 70Integrated Pest Management3.00
SUSAG 50Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture3.00
VIT 70Vineyard Pest and Disease Management3.00
VIT 132Advances in Vineyard Integrated Pest and Disease Management0.50
Complete any combination totaling at least 6.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
Production Systems
ANSCI 20Basic Animal Science3.00
ANSCI 27Beef Cattle Science3.00
ANSCI 29Dairy Cattle Industry/Dairy Cattle Science3.00
ANSCI 61Livestock Feeding and Nutrition3.00
ANSCI 91Rangeland Management3.00
ANSCI 153Sustainable Agriculture Production Systems with Animals3.00
ANSCI 171Livestock Behavior and Humane Management1.00
EQSCI 25Equine Science3.00
HORT 8Landscape Plants: Summer/Fall3.00
HORT 12Landscape Plants: Winter/Spring3.00
HORT 70Plant Propagation3.00
HORT 71Nursery Production3.00
HORT 72Greenhouse Production3.00
HORT 80Sustainable Landscape Management3.00
NRM 70Forest Management and Assessment4.00
SUSAG 109Organic Crop Planning and Production4.00
SUSAG 116Organic Apple Production1.00
SUSAG 117Organic Fruit Tree and Berry Production1.50
SUSAG 119Specialty Crop Production2.00
VIT 51Viticulture: Fall Practices3.00
VIT 52Viticulture: Spring Practices3.00
VIT 53Advanced Vineyard Practices for Quality Production3.00
VIT 54Viticulture: Summer Practices1.00
VIT 55Basic Wine Grape Viticulture3.00
VIT 60Vineyard Management3.00
VIT 113Organic Viticulture1.50
VIT 114Sustainable Viticulture1.50
VIT 122Vineyard Canopy Management1.00
VIT 123Budding & Grafting0.25
VIT 130Grapevine Physiology1.00
VIT 132Advances in Vineyard Integrated Pest and Disease Management0.50
VIT 133Advances in Viticulture1.00
Complete any combination totaling at least 9.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
Pest Control Adviser Electives
AGRI 20Introduction to Plant Science4.00
AGRI 60Soil & Plant Nutrition3.00
AGRI 70Integrated Pest Management3.00
ANSCI 20Basic Animal Science3.00
ANSCI 27Beef Cattle Science3.00
ANSCI 29Dairy Cattle Industry/Dairy Cattle Science3.00
ANSCI 61Livestock Feeding and Nutrition3.00
ANSCI 91Rangeland Management3.00
ANSCI 153Sustainable Agriculture Production Systems with Animals3.00
ANSCI 171Livestock Behavior and Humane Management1.00
EQSCI 25Equine Science3.00
HORT 8Landscape Plants: Summer/Fall3.00
HORT 12Landscape Plants: Winter/Spring3.00
HORT 70Plant Propagation3.00
HORT 71Nursery Production3.00
HORT 72Greenhouse Production3.00
HORT 80Sustainable Landscape Management3.00
HORT 144Landscape Irrigation3.00
SUSAG 50Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture3.00
SUSAG 109Organic Crop Planning and Production4.00
SUSAG 116Organic Apple Production1.00
SUSAG 117Organic Fruit Tree and Berry Production1.50
SUSAG 119Specialty Crop Production2.00
VIT 51Viticulture: Fall Practices3.00
VIT 52Viticulture: Spring Practices3.00
VIT 53Advanced Vineyard Practices for Quality Production3.00
VIT 54Viticulture: Summer Practices1.00
VIT 55Basic Wine Grape Viticulture3.00
VIT 60Vineyard Management3.00
VIT 70Vineyard Pest and Disease Management3.00
VIT 113Organic Viticulture1.50
VIT 114Sustainable Viticulture1.50
VIT 122Vineyard Canopy Management1.00
VIT 123Budding & Grafting0.25
VIT 130Grapevine Physiology1.00
VIT 132Advances in Vineyard Integrated Pest and Disease Management0.50
VIT 133Advances in Viticulture1.00

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories; that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course. Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers in the Program Requirements section.

It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.

Notes:

Elective units may not be double-counted towards requirements

Contact
Information
Phone Email Website
(707) 527-4987
mpadgettjohnson@santarosa.edu