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Turfgrass Management Certificate Program

DID YOU KNOW: The average Golf Superintendent salary in Oregon is $74,850 (according to Salary.com)

The career possibilities of turfgrass management are endless.

Whether you work for a lawn care company, manage an athletic field, landscape at a city park, work at a golf course or just want the best lawn on your block, our turfgrass management program can help you succeed.

This online turf management certificate program is also great for anyone interested in a profession that deals with lawn care. If you work for a hardware or lawn care store and field customer questions or consult with landscape architects, this course will give you the language, knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

Study turfgrass, golf courses, integrated pest management and more

This series of courses provides specialized training in three areas: turfgrass management, golf course management and integrated pest management. Throughout these courses, you will learn about:

  • What types of fertilizer to use on a lawn and when and how to apply them
  • Irrigation best practices for your turfgrass
  • Agronomic and managerial aspects of golf course maintenance 
  • Putting green construction and turf selection
  • How to read a pesticide label
  • Key laws and safety materials associated with being a pesticide applicator

Together, these courses will provide a comprehensive introduction to turfgrass management that can help you enter or advance in this industry.


NOTE: Courses offered in Spanish (on demand) | Cursos de césped ofrecidos en español (bajo demanda)

  • Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety | Educación y Seguridad para Aplicadores de Pesticidas 
  • Introduction to Turfgrass Management Coming Soon | Introducción a la gestión del césped Muy pronto
  • Irrigation and Drainage Coming Soon | Riego y Drenaje Muy pronto

Take the whole Turfgrass Management Program

This series includes the following component courses, which may be taken together or individually:

COMPLETE IN AS LITTLE AS SIX MONTHS:  By enrolling in multiple courses concurrently, it is possible to complete the program in six months. All courses begin in October, January and February annually.

Please note: This course is primarily designed for those working in northern climates such as Oregon and Washington, Europe, Scandinavia and parts of Canada; however, course concepts may apply to other climate zones and some information on warm-season grasses is also covered. By focusing on these climates, you'll gain detailed information you can apply to your own park, field or lawn.

Course Hours and GCSAA Class A Credits

If you're looking to become GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) certified, you can take this online program and get GCSAA credit toward your certification. This program is designed to be a cost-effective way of getting those points for the GCSAA golf course superintendent credits.

Course Title Course Hours GCSAA Class A Credits
Introduction to Turfgrass Management 30 3
Introduction to Golf Course Management 36 3.6
Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety 18 1.8
Irrigation and Drainage 21 2.1
Cool-Season Turfgrass Diseases and Suppression Using Fungicides 30 3
Turfgrass Mathematics 36 3.6
Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management 36 3.6

 

Study turfgrass management with the experts

This program is designed and led by Oregon State University experts in turfgrass management with experience and connections throughout the industry. From golf courses in Europe to Disney theme parks and more, our instructors bring a wide range of knowledge into the classroom. You will benefit from their experience through weekly video lectures and discussion boards.

 

 

calendar
October 21 - December 1, 2024
January 6 - February 16, 2025
February 18 - March 31, 2025
clock
Asynchronous
location
Online
price (2)
Full Program: $2,695
Individual Courses:
$325
(+ $60 non-refundable registration fee, per course)
2755
Additional Information: Earn your Certificate as quickly as two months.

risk-free-boxEnjoy peace of mind with our risk-free guarantee on online instructor-led courses.


No degree or prerequisites required.

Ask us about Team Training. We can customize this program to fit your organization's specific needs.

Turfgrass Management Program Course Start Dates

Introduction to Turfgrass Management

October 21 - December 1, 2024
January 6 - February 16, 2025
February 18 - March 31, 2025

Introduction to Golf Course Management

October 21 - December 1, 2024
January 6 - February 16, 2025
February 18 - March 31, 2025

Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety

October 21 - December 1, 2024
January 6 - February 16, 2025
February 18 - March 31, 2025

Irrigation and Drainage

October 21 - December 1, 2024
January 6 - February 16, 2025
February 18 - March 31, 2025

Turfgrass Mathematics

October 21 - December 1, 2024
January 6 - February 16, 2025
February 18 - March 31, 2025

Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management

October 21 - December 1, 2024
January 6 - February 16, 2025
February 18 - March 31, 2025

The Turfgrass Management program is a great course that is easy to follow and understand. Being in the industry for 25+ years and having a degree this course still taught me some new things and freshened up things I haven't used in a long time.”  ~ Damon Richardson at Pacific Sports Turf

Damon Richardson

It was a great program that helped me get the job I wanted!”

Braden Burge

Instructors

Dr. Alec Kowalewski

Alec has over 17 years of research experience and multiple publications on various cool-season and warm-season turfgrass species obtained while employed at Michigan State University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the University of Georgia and Oregon State University. Alec is an Associate Professor at Oregon State University and teaches several undergraduate classes in the Department of Horticulture. Alec also provides Extension material for stakeholders in turfgrass and landscape management.

Charles Schmid

Chas Schmid, Ph.D., has over 15 years of experience conducting research focused on cultural management practices for golf course turf. Chas is a faculty research associate at Oregon State University, where he teaches in the undergraduate and PACE programs at OSU.

Emily Braithwaite

Emily Braithwaite is a Faculty Research Assistant at Oregon State University, with research focusing primarily on managing turfgrass diseases.

Ruying Wang
Dr. Wang's current research directions include turfgrass disease suppression using Epichloë endophytes, as well as exploring the carbon sequestration potential of managed turfgrass systems. 

Past Students' Work

Take a look at some recent projects our students have created.