About the word PERMACULTURE (Copyright)
Permaculture is a word coined by the author, Bill Mollison. Its copyright is vested in the Permaculture Institutes and their College of graduates, and is guarded by them for the purposes of consistent education.
Copyright was deliberately sought, and the unique name coined, so that this system of education could not be pre-empted by existing institutions or government agencies, but belongs to certified individuals and Permaculture Institutes (as corporate bodies). The intention of the copyright is to maintain the integrity of the educational area (with its considerable goodwill) for those who know the content of a Permaculture Design Course.
A person must be a Design Course graduate to use this name.
A Certified Permaculture Design Course, must be completed prior to receiving a Certificate. These certified courses allow students to apply for Diplomas in design, following on two or more year’s activity.
The chapter contents of the text, PERMACULTURE: A Designer’s Manual, lays out the curriculum of the basic 72 hour Permaculture Design Course; students should check this outline with teachers or trainee teachers giving courses, and should be familiar with the whole field covered in the text. If Registered Teachers fail to cover the course content, this Institute can be notified.
The Permaculture Design Certificate Course is the only course where the Permaculture Institute reviews teacher’s notes and outlines. As it is the course, which upon completion, allows the student to teach Permaculture, to use the word Permaculture and to enter the Academy, the Permaculture Institute must ensure students are receiving the entire curriculum for this course.
Permaculture Institute Teacher Register
The Permaculture Institute’s criteria for issuing Permaculture Design Course Certificates has been formalized over the last few years and The Permaculture Institute Teacher Register was established. The Register protects students by reviewing teachers course notes with the goal of maintaining the integrity of the Permaculture Design Certificate Course content.
The Institute has over the years, received criticism and complaints from many students who had completed a PDC, only to find out later that their teacher/s had not presented to students the full curriculum of the Permaculture Design Course. In some cases, not one but several core subjects were not presented. This is a grave concern. Students sign up with teachers for a Permaculture Design Course believing they will receive all subjects necessary for a PDC.
The Permaculture Institute only recommends registered Permaculture Design Course teachers for the Permaculture Design Course.
To become a Registered Permaculture Design Course Teacher
Teachers applying for registration need to provide a copy of their Permaculture Design Course Outline. Please note, if each topic is not clearly indicated in the Permaculture Design Course Outline, notes need to be attached explaining in which section of the Permaculture Design Course the topic is presented.
The Institute requires on file, a copy of the teacher’s own Permaculture Design Course Certificate; however, if teachers have a Diploma of Permaculture Design, it is not necessary to submit a Permaculture Design Course Certificate. Perusal of Permaculture Design Course outlines to determine content demands a substantial input of time. It has become necessary to request a fee of AUD$125.00 to cover costs on application for registration.
The role of the Permaculture Institute in this process is to assist applicants for Permaculture Design Course Teacher registration. Applicants can proceed with confidence that should their goal be to become a registered Permaculture Design Course teacher, by presenting the full curriculum, the Institute will assist them with that goal. Teachers who may not be presenting the full curriculum will be assisted to find deficient areas -they can then extend their Permaculture Design Course presentation to fully cover the Permaculture Design Course curriculum, and hence complete their Permaculture Design Course Teacher registration.
Once qualifications have been confirmed, and Permaculture Design Course Outlines perused and found to adequately cover the Permaculture Design Course curriculum, teachers will be registered on the Institute’s Permaculture Design Course Teacher Register.
Continuing registration is conditional upon the teacher’s undertaking to continue to present the full curriculum to students.
Post Design-Course Diplomas
Through the Permaculture Institute of Australia
Diploma of Permaculture Design
After at least two (2) years’ applied work within at least one subject area, graduates of the Permaculture Design Certificate Course can apply to this Institute for a Diploma of Permaculture Design.
Applicants can apply for a Diploma in up to three (3) subject areas:
- Education
- Finance and Business
- Media
- Technical Development
- Site Development
- Resource Development
- Site Design
- Architecture and Building
- Community Services
- Research
Applications must be accompanied by written references or testimonials from co-workers and/or employers, field reports, photographs, journal articles or other supporting evidence.
