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Parent Site > Online MS in Regenerative Organic Agriculture > Certificate
MIU’s certificate in Regenerative Organic Agriculture explores the development of food production systems that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and promote the wellbeing and nourishment of local communities.
With our nine month, on-campus certificate program students will learn and implement regenerative practices under the guidance of our highly experienced faculty and staff. Concepts learned and practiced through our program can be adopted and implemented on any agricultural operation to increase yields, enhance soil and plant health, and to reduce operating costs.
Gain extensive hands-on experience in running a regenerative, organic farm from seed to sale
Learn how to regenerate soils, maximize water efficiency, and increase biodiversity throughout your landscape
Connect with a network of farms across the US and beyond that accept our students as skilled interns
Receive personalized mentorship from experts in the field of regenerative agriculture
Our curriculum includes a combination of scientific research, philosophical inquiry, and hands-on field experience at our certified organic farm to facilitate the development of the whole individual and synthesize the head, heart, and hands of our students. We focus on creating a learning environment that leverages interaction, observation, and critical thinking skills to generate an honest dialogue about how we can coexist with the natural world.
• Enhance your resume and increase your earning potential by becoming an expert in regenerative agriculture with our certificate program
• Gain extensive hands-on experience in running a regenerative, organic farm from seed to sale
• Implement regenerative practices to revive soil health, maximize water efficiency, and increase biodiversity
• Receive personalized mentorship from experts in the field of regenerative agriculture
• Connect with a network of farms across the US and beyond that accept our students as skilled interns
The Regenerative Organic Agriculture Program at Maharishi International University further emphasizes the alignment of the individual with natural law to optimize one’s own potential as an agent for positive change in the world. As we search for solutions to perhaps the greatest challenge facing humanity, we acknowledge that the outer reflects the inner, and that we must start with cultivating a connection to the field of all possibilities as the underlying source for all solutions.
”Being a ROA student means you’ll be tested both mentally and physically, and the reward is an experience matchless to any other”
"The ROA program is a great launching point for aspiring regenerative organic growers. The alternations between learning in class and practical engagement on the farm along with the TM technique to anchor the activity creates a unique educational program that no school can offer except MIU.”
• TM technique (1 credit, waived if the student learned prior to enrolling)
• Exploring Consciousness Part A (2 credits, waived if the student has taken STC/SCI prior to enrolling)
Ecosystems are living systems composed of human, more-than-human, and biogeophysical components. Understanding and living in alignment with living systems is essential for regenerative, thriving societies. In this course, students will explore living systems principles through the lens of ecology and ecosystems sciences. We apply those principles to how humans have and could live as powerful agents of change. We look at ecosystem components, dynamics, processes, and systems across scales with an emphasis on the human influence on ecosystems. We conclude with an understanding of how living in alignment with ecosystems and living systems principles supports people and the planet. By the end of this course, students will be able to explain the complexity of ecosystems and why a foundation of ecology is important for regenerative sustainability, understand and explain the potential effects human consciousness and actions have on the ecosystem, think systemically, and apply this thinking to specific living systems.
Regenerative Organic Agriculture is a systems based approach to agriculture that leverages natural ecology to build soil, improve water efficiency, and increase biodiversity while emphasizing local food, feed, and fiber as the foundation of a strong community. This course acts as an introduction to the principles and practices involved in regenerative agriculture with an emphasis on horticultural sciences. Students will learn basic botany related to plant physiology and seed production, along with strategies for farm layout, land preparation, crop rotation, and fertility management. By the end of this course, students will have the contextual knowledge and conceptual framework needed to understand the management strategies involved in regenerative organic farming.
Regenerative Organic Agriculture is a systems based approach to agriculture that leverages natural ecology to build soil, improve water efficiency, and increase biodiversity while emphasizing local food, feed, and fiber as the foundation of a strong community. This course acts as an introduction to the principles and practices involved in regenerative agriculture with an emphasis on horticultural sciences. Students will learn basic botany related to plant physiology and seed production, along with strategies for farm layout, land preparation, crop rotation, and fertility management. By the end of this course, students will have the contextual knowledge and conceptual framework needed to understand the management strategies involved in regenerative organic farming.
The ability to analyze, build, and manage soil is a key component of regenerative, organic agriculture. In this course, students will learn fundamental concepts in soil science relating to physical, chemical, and biological properties, along with instilling an awareness of soil as a natural basic resource. This class will involve fieldwork sessions where students gain experience in strategic garden bed preparation while developing technical skills for building soil fertility through the creation and application of compost, biochar, and other soil amendments.
Horticulture and the science of crop production represents the foundational knowledge of the regenerative, organic agriculture program. This fieldwork course at the farm combines experiential learning in greenhouse management, transplanting, field maintenance and harvesting with an in-depth understanding of various vegetable and tree crops used in market gardening and agroforestry. Students will learn the unique characteristics and considerations associated with different annual and perennial crops such as growth patterns, propagation techniques, lifespan, and disease and pest pressure. This course will also involve workshops in tree planting and establishment, pruning, and grafting strategies
Regenerative organic agriculture insists on deep nourishment and soil fertility as the basis for plant maintenance. This fieldwork course at the farm continues with daily engagement in various farm activities and includes a focus on the strategies involved in pest mitigation and disease management for organic crop production. Students will develop a basic understanding of entomology and plant pathology in order to identify various markers for disease and pest pressure, along with gaining hands-on experience through the creation and application of foliar sprays and biological remedies that promote a holistic approach to pest and fertility management.
Water is the foundation of life on earth and plays a significant role in sustainable farm management and greater ecological restoration. This fieldwork course involves daily engagement in various farm activities and includes a focus on strategies for conserving and optimizing water resources throughout your landscape. Students will develop a basic understanding of the hydrological cycle with an emphasis on watershed management that allows them to perform site analysis and identify issues related to runof , pollution, and improper drainage. Workshops will include practical applications in keyline design, grey water systems engineering, rainwater harvesting and irrigation.
Biodynamics is a unique, spirit based approach to agriculture that was first developed by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920’s. In biodynamics, farmers are regarded as “cosmic artists” that use specific preps at various times throughout the year to reinvigorate the Earth and improve soil fertility and plant nutrition. This fieldwork course includes daily engagement with farm activities and will cover various lectures involved in Rudolf Steiner’s “Agriculture Course”. These lectures will explain the philosophical principles underlying Biodynamics, with an emphasis on how to create and utilize the preps and applications that represent the “life force” of biodynamic agriculture.
This course focuses on problem solving for farming in unique environments and explores the design, development, and economic considerations involved in urban farm production, cold-season extension, and winter preparation. Students will gain hands-on experience while working on the farm with a special focus on winter storage techniques, fermentation sciences, mushroom cultivation, microgreen production and various methods used in small scale farm production.
Sustainable business management is an attempt to execute triple bottom line performance in business through social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and economic viability. In this course, students will develop a conceptual framework to use for business management that integrates a practical understanding of marketing, operations, and finance with a careful consideration of environmental justice and human welfare. Students will explore issues that demonstrate the complexity of sustainability and will end the class by developing a project initiative or business plan that promotes positive change in their local community.
Your training program will culminate in a final, comprehensive project on the design and development of your own farm or a unique business venture that demonstrates your understanding of Regenerative Organic Agriculture. All students will be expected to present their final projects during the last week of their final class.
The internship experience represents the culmination of the student experience in the BA-Regenerative Organic Agriculture program. Students will work closely with an advisor to find an internship opportunity with a farm or organization that embodies the principles of regenerative organic agriculture. Internships may include farms with various practices, ranging from pasture management, market gardening, agroforestry, homesteading, among others. At the end of the internship experience, students will give a presentation to instructors from the department that explains knowledge gained, lessons learned, and a self-reflective assessment of personal growth through the internship experience as a whole. (4-16 credits) Prerequisites: Consent of the program director and approved Internship Proposal.
