The Vermont Master Composter Certification program, also known as Track 1, is designed for Vermonters who are interested in learning more about the science and practice of composting and then sharing that knowledge with other Vermonters through volunteerism. Track 1 students take the course and commit to 10 hours of volunteering in their communities providing education and service around small-scale composting. Students who are interested in this track have access to the online course with a weekly schedule that includes live Zoom classes, quizzes and a final exam, weekly homework and discussions, and an in-person workshop at a community composting site. Students in this track commit to completing all course assignments on time, complete the program's volunteerism forms, achieve a course grade of 85% and go on to a 10-hour volunteer-internship requirement over a 2-year period following the course.

Volunteer Certification Requirements:

• Complete a Volunteer Application.
• Complete a background check (if you have lived in Vermont for more than a year) or fingerprinting process (if you have lived in Vermont for less than a year). At least one of these is required regardless of whether you volunteer with youth or not.
• Complete a Minor Protection Training course.
• Complete all weekly course requirements on time devoting about 4-6 hrs per week to the course
• Attend all the weekly online sessions on Zoom, Thursday evenings.
• Participate in one in-person composting workshop (offered in three Vermont locations).
• Willing to participate in a 10-hour volunteer internship.
• Dedicated to maintaining annual volunteer certification, 5 hrs per year.

Benefits of Certification:

• Receive official "Vermont Master Composter" Volunteer status with badge and certificate.
• Learn from experienced faculty, industry professionals and Master Composters in the field.
• Give back to your community.
• Membership in our volunteer network.
• Receive access to special offers and educational opportunities.

A Good Fit for This Program is Someone Who Is:

• A Vermont resident (required).
• Confident using a online-course platform, Zoom, and word processing programs.
• Eager to make a difference in your community.
• Happy to teach others and share your knowledge with the public.
• Able to interact amicably and professionally with others.
• Interested and deeply committed to environmental stewardship.
• Able to commit to the course schedule and complete all assignments on time.
• Dedicated to completing 10 hours of volunteering within 2 years of taking the course.
• Committed to maintaining volunteer certification. 

This track allows students to access the course material at their own pace without a volunteer requirement. Students who achieve a grade of 80% or higher by the end of the course receive a Backyard Composter Certificate indicating they've successfully completed the course.

This Track is a Good Fit for Someone Who:

• Is not a resident of Vermont (*VT residents can also apply for this track).
• Doesn't want the pressure of deadlines.
• Is not interested in volunteering.
• Works in the compost industry and wants a professional development opportunity. 
• Wants to apply their knowledge to their home composting system.
• Is interested in earning a Backyard Composter Certificate.

Track 2 Requirements:

• Complete the pre-recorded lectures, quizzes, and final exam at your own pace.
• Complete the course with a 80% or higher grade.

Track 2 Benefits:

• No schedule, no pressure, no hassle.
• Access the course materials anywhere.

Course Topics Include

• Decomposition Process
• Biology of Composting
• Site and Container Selection
• Community Composting
• Compost Uses
• VT Act 148
• Managing the Compost Process
• Troubleshooting
• Effective Volunteerism 

2025 Syllabus

The 2025 course syllabus is not currently available. 

Assignments for Track 1 & 2

• Read assigned materials for each unit
• Watch a pre-recorded lecture (1-2 hours) for each unit
• Take a quiz for each unit (5 questions each, multiple choice) 
• Take final exam (10 questions multiple choice) 

Additionally Track 1 Students Weekly Assignments

• Post 1 weekly question for the instructors to answer (on time)
• Attend all of the weekly Zoom Q&A sessions, held on Thursdays from 6-7:30 pm

Other Info

• The online course is offered statewide through the Extension Foundation Campus website, using the Moodle software platform.
• The textbooks for this course are the Vermont Master Composter and the NY Master Composter Manual. These manuals are provided to students in an online pdf format in an effort to save paper.
• The instructor Q&A sessions are held weekly online using Zoom. These sessions are for Track 1 students only and provide an opportunity to interact with instructors to ask questions and review the lecture material.
• Course lectures are provided as pre-recorded YouTube videos. 

Getting an Extension Foundation Account

This course is hosted on the Online Campus of the national Extension Foundation.

To register for the course (and other courses we offer), you must have an Extension Foundation account. You may use your Google or your Microsoft account to create an account and subsequently log in. If you do not have either, then please select the "Create new account" button at login or use the account creation Form which does not require email validation.

If you have any problems or questions about creating your account, see the Extension Foundation's campus help .

Finding Our Courses

Once you have an Extension Foundation Campus account, you will be able to enroll in our UVM Extension Master Gardener and Vermont Master Composter courses. You can find our courses through a search of the catalog, using "compost" as a keyword.

Registration Deadline

The final day to register for the 2024 course is August 31, 2024 by midnight. We are unable to accept students after this date but would be happy to add you to our contact list for next year's course.

Dropping the Course and Refund Policy

The final date to drop out of the course and request a refund is September 15, 2024. We are unable to process refunds after this date. 

Accommodations

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Deb Heleba at debra.heleba@uvm.edu or 802-656-1777 so we may assist you.

Is an Online course right for me?

A gardening class online?

Although it may seem counterintuitive to learn about gardening and composting online, the mission of UVM Extension is to make University resources available to individuals across the State of Vermont. The online platform provides us with a cost-effective and accessible way to reach people in many different locations - rural and urban - who would not otherwise have access to one physical location. Plus, we are able to reduce our carbon footprint by offering the course online! A rough estimate shows we are able to save around 12.29 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents by offering each course in this way.  

We suggest these courses be taken as a first step toward learning more about sustainable gardening or composting practices, including reducing your use of pesticides and other harmful garden products and enhancing your landscape to be both a human and wildlife-friendly environment.You might be surprised how much you enjoy the convenience of an online course, as it allows you the flexibility to schedule your time around work, vacations and other family activities.

What do I need to know?

You will need basic computer skills, such as knowing how to do the following:

• Download and open files (word docs, and pdf docs)
• Fill out answers on a word doc and upload it 
• Familiarity with opening links and watching videos online
• Be able to search the internet comfortably
• Be able to login to the course website and send messages on the website to the instructor
• Have access to high-speed internet-1.5 mpgs or faster. Talk to your internet provider if you are not sure of your internet speed
• Have access to a webcam 
• Download and use Zoom software for online meetings
• Operating systems and computer brands can varry, but it may feel more frustrating to use an operating system that is not updated

Tech Support Policy

We take pride in providing a high quality, interactive and engaging online courses. However, at this point, we do not have the staffing capacity to provide in-depth assistance with individual level computer issues. Please consider lining up help prior to enrolling in one of our courses.