Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC)

A Permaculture Design Course (PDC) is the internationally recognized foundation training in permaculture. It introduces the ethics, principles, and design methods used to create sustainable systems for living and working — from gardens and farms to communities and organizations.

The usual 72-hour Permaculture Design Course combines theory and practice. Participants learn how to observe natural patterns, design resilient landscapes, and apply permaculture thinking to real-life situations. Most courses include hands-on activities, group work, and a final design project that brings all elements together.

Many permaculture teachers in Europe base their PDC on the Core Curriculum (PDF) developed by the teachers of the Permaculture Association Britain. This shared framework ensures that courses across Europe provide a solid foundation in permaculture design while allowing local adaptation to climate, culture, and context.

After completing a Permaculture Design Course, participants receive an internationally recognized certificate. This certification opens the path toward the Permaculture Diploma and supports participants in applying regenerative design in their personal, professional, and community projects.

Find below a list of Permaculture Design Courses.

starts from (dd.mm.yyyy)
Creating a design on a PDC
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Online
This fully accredited online PDC will provide: * 39 hours online contact over 11 x 3.5-hour zoom sessions * 40+ hours, in between the online sessions, of self-directed learning, with observation and design activities, group tutorials and peer group exercises (on average about 2 hours per week). * a chance to apply permaculture design principles and process on a real home and/or personal design of your choosing.
PDC 2026 in Czech
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Toulcův dvůr - Prague, Prague, Czechia
Every spring we run a PDC course in a format 4x4day in Prague environmental ecocenter, and rural ashram Zdarec u Skutce, where students design 1ha family farm.
Non-human residents of the Fools' Valley Community outside one of the communal buildings
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Fools' Valley, Sobral de Monte Agraço, Portugal
Full 72-hour residential PDC on a 16-hectare rural site 20 minutes north of Lisbon, home to a young international community exploring linkages between ecological restoration and personal and collec
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
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Keela Permaculture Farm, Fundao, Portugal
The course follows the full 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) curriculum, with a strong focus on integrated systems, hands-on practice, and real-world design skills.
Sunset over the water
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Tinos Ecolodge, Tinos, Greece
We are excited to announce the tenth  PDC that will be hosted in Tinos Eco-lodge, welcoming for the eighth time Peter Cow from England, alongside Elena Symeonidou from Greece and Nicolas Bedau
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
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Keela Permaculture Farm, Fundao, Portugal
The course follows the full 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) curriculum, with a strong focus on integrated systems, hands-on practice, and real-world design skills.
Trelowia garden - Aranya's home
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Learn Permaculture, Looe, United Kingdom
A two-week residential course at Aranya's home that focuses on home-scale permaculture and provides an overview of its application in many other aspects of our lives.
Flyer CCP
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CDFP La Messicole, Montpezat sous Bauzon, France
PDC in Ardèche, France, in a Permaculture Demonstration and Training Center created by Steve Read - course inspired by Bill Mollison's approach, under the supervision of Sarah Weber and Robin Thouilleux and given directly by them and their team.
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
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Keela Permaculture Farm, Fundao, Portugal
The course follows the full 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) curriculum, with a strong focus on integrated systems, hands-on practice, and real-world design skills.
Kents Permaculture Design Course
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Learn Permaculture, Bude, United Kingdom
A two-week residential course at a permaculture project in North Cornwall that focuses on smallholding-scale permaculture and provides an overview of its application in many other aspects of our li
Permakultur-Designzertifikatskurs
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12 Tage Permakultur-Designzertifikatskurs 9. bis 14. August und 17. bis 22. August 2026 mit Möglichkeit zur Exkursionsteilnahme am 15. August.
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
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Keela Permaculture Farm, Fundao, Portugal
The course follows the full 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) curriculum, with a strong focus on integrated systems, hands-on practice, and real-world design skills.
Flyer CCP non mixte
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CDFP La Messicole, Montpezat sous Bauzon, France
PDC in Ardèche, France, inspired by Mollison and organized by and for women and non-binary only. Men are most welcome in the July session. We will cover the same topics and activities in the two sessions. In September, we just want to create a safe place for people who need it to dare discover permaculture and design.
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
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Keela Permaculture Farm, Fundao, Portugal
The course follows the full 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) curriculum, with a strong focus on integrated systems, hands-on practice, and real-world design skills.
High Heathercombe Permaculture Design Course
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High Heathercombe Centre, Newton Abbot, United Kingdom
A two-week residential course at the High Heathercombe Centre, situated 1250 feet (380 metres) high in the Dartmoor National Park, backing onto the open moor and adjoining Heathercombe woodlands.