Controlled Environment Agriculture Professional Concentration

This course will provide fundamental knowledge of indoor farming under controlled environment conditions and build a foundation for those entering, advancing or investing in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industry. At the end of the course, you will understand the history of CEA, the range of employment opportunities, common business models, the major processes of indoor farming, current technologies, and the challenges and drivers of success and profitability of indoor farming.

Designed for anyone broadly interested in indoor farming, this course is appropriate for those who seek to enter or advance their role in the CEA industry, those who are interested in establishing small farming businesses or start-up companies, potential investors and policymakers. Others who work within the controlled environment agriculture sector as suppliers or educators, operations managers, safety and compliance officers, marketing analysts and more will also find this course beneficial.

Students should expect to spend approximately 6 to 8 hours a week on recorded lectures, readings and assignments.

Learning Outcomes

• Examine the social, environmental and political factors that led to the CEA industry’s expansion
• Understand the difference between greenhouse and vertical farming
• Learn the major processes that occur in indoor crop production
• Understand the current technologies used in CEA
• Identify the key drivers of success in CEA businesses
• Develop a business plan that optimizes environmental conditions to maximize yield and profitability

Skills You’ll Gain

• Major business models used in CEA
• Development of business plans to optimize environmental conditions
• Identification of key drivers of success and profit in CEA

Designed for those in facility management, plant science or system operations roles where an understanding of plant production and environmental control systems in CEA is required, this course will build the foundation needed for the planning and implementation of indoor farming operations. Topics include plant physiology, plant nutrition, pest and disease management, nutrient management and environmental control systems.

Others who may find this course beneficial include CEA system providers, potential investors and learners interested in establishing small farming businesses or start-up companies.

Students should expect to spend approximately 6 to 8 hours a week on recorded lectures, readings and assignments.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the general principles of plant development from seed to harvest
• Examine lighting and heating/cooling systems commonly used in CEA
• Assess pest and disease management strategies for different crops in controlled environments
• Evaluate nutrition needs and identify nutrition management strategies for various indoor crops

Skills You’ll Gain

• Ability to assess the appropriate strategies for various plants in different settings
• Pest and disease management
• Nutrient management

Designed for those seeking to advance in facility management, plant scientist or systems operations roles, this online course will provide an overview of food safety requirements, consumer impact on post-harvest processes, best practices for harvesting, proper storage and distribution processes and effective consumer marketing. CEA systems suppliers, potential investors and those interested in establishing small farming businesses or start-up companies may also find this course beneficial.

Students should expect to spend approximately 3 to 4 hours a week on recorded lectures, readings and assignments.

Learning Outcomes

• Apply regulatory requirements and consumer demands for food safety in CEA
• Employ best practices in harvesting to maintain safety and quality
• Identify the major components of post-harvest operations that impact product safety and nutritional quality
• Differentiate CEA products in marketing communications

Skills You’ll Gain

• Best practices in harvesting processes
• Storage and preservation of nutritional quality
• Distribution practices for safety and quality
• Consumer messaging and positive marketing differentiation for CEA

This online course will introduce you to data systems used in indoor farming, explain why and how data is collected and describe how to use data to optimize operations and growth. It is designed for those who seek to advance in facility management, systems operations or data analyst roles, where an understanding of how to manage and use data to optimize plant growth and operations in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is required. CEA systems suppliers, potential investors and those interested in establishing small farming businesses or start-up companies may also find this course beneficial.

At the end of this course, you will have developed the data management and analytical skills needed to successfully operate a CEA facility.

Students should expect to spend approximately 3 to 4 hours a week on recorded lectures, readings and assignments.

Learning Outcomes

• Summarize the key data that is collected in indoor farms
• Evaluate how data is used to impact indoor farming operations
• Distinguish differences between commonly available software options in the CEA industry
• Demonstrate data management strategies used in CEA operations

Skills You’ll Gain

• Leverage data to drive decision-making and operations
• Use and optimization of various digital technologies
• Best practices in data management