Permaculture Design Course
Santa Barbara City College – Summer 2015
(this course is one of the most affordable PDC in the USA it is open to Community Members(see details below) and students to attend)
Monday through Thursday
May 18th – June 25th, 2015 (6 weeks)
1:00pm – 4:30pm
Course Number: EH109 (CRN #19976)
Instructor: Mike Gonella (& guest teachers)
Affordable! (~$250 with SBCC Fees)
Permaculture is a design system that enables humans to interact in a positive and regenerative way with our surroundings, as we consciously create lifeways that focus on emulating natural patterns such as diversity, connectivity, resilience, flow, and cycling.
Everyone can apply permaculture techniques fruitfully to their lives... including: students, architects, massage therapists, homeowners, environmental/social activists, medical professionals, teachers, musicians, retired people, gardeners, dancers, and more!
The Permaculture Design Course (PDC) offered at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) has been a part of the SBCC Environmental Horticulture program for 7 years. We welcome students from the surrounding communities to sign up, engage, and contribute to the presence of permaculture on the SBCC campus.
Topics of this course will include: the philosophy and ethics of permaculture, concepts and methods of design, pattern understanding, ecological functions of soils and plants, re-localizing food production, water harvesting systems, animal systems, natural building, renewable energy, and building community connections (among others).
* This is not a stand-alone certificate-based (PDC) course, though an option for an additional 2-day (paid) intensive course at Quail Springs Permaculture Site will allow you to earn your Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC)
How to sign up for the Summer 2015 SBCC Permaculture Design Course
1. Be sure you can attend on the days and times class will be held. Due to the nature of the material and group project emphasis, you must be committed to attending all class meetings:
2. This course is being offered through Santa Barbara City College proper – not the Continuing Education arm of SBCC. If you are already an SBCC student, then you may enroll in the course as you would any other. If you are not an active SBCC student (even if you took classes there years ago), then you will need to apply and be accepted to the college before you can enroll in the class. If you have questions or problems along the way, check out
http://www.sbcc.edu/apply/ and use the links along the left side of the page to help you find answers.
a) Apply to SBCC. You can apply online or in person at the school. For online applications and for
processed within 45 minutes. Paper applications are processed within 48 hours. Your application
must be fully processed before you can sign up for any classes. You should get an email or snail mail notification when your application has been processed. You must be a CA resident to
receive the great fee structure for taking SBCC classes -- $46/unit. If you have lived in CA for less
than 2 years, you will be required to pay a much higher rate ($225/unit).
b) Obtain Pipeline Account: Once your application is accepted and on file, you may register for
classes. In order to do this, you must first get yourself a ‘Pipeline’ account. Pipeline is the school’s electronic communication interface. Every student has a Pipeline email that can be
accessed easily by instructors, and all sorts of college info (including class-specific postings by
instructors) can be found on the Pipeline homepage. Students can add, drop, and change
courses through Pipeline. Your application confirmation (step 1) should tell you how to sign up
for a pipeline account –
you’ll need your Student Number. Go to
www.pipeline.sbcc.edu to sign
in and create a password.
c) Register for the class. You’ll receive an appointment date when you can register (the college’s
way of prioritizing student enrollment). Register online on or anytime after your appointment by
going to
http://pipeline.sbcc.edu and go to ‘Registration and Student Records’. In person
assistance is available in Admissions & Records, SS-110 on or after your appointment. Go to
www.sbcc.edu/admissions for office hours.
d) Pay your fees. You can do this through Pipeline as well.
e) Show up to class! Our first class meeting is on Monday, May 18th at 1:00pm in the
Administration Building, Room 162.