Get Your Hands Dirty Maintaining Grass: Turf Management Degree
Are you interested in studying for a career-oriented major instead of a broader degree? Would you like a career where you get to spend most of your time outdoors after completing your studies? This can be possible with a degree in turf management. A college degree alone is no longer a guarantee for finding employment, which is why something like a turf management degree can provide you with the specific technical skills that employers look for in candidates. Keeping grass soft, green and well-kept is an art and something that requires a full-time commitment from someone with the right expertise. If you would like to be that person then a degree in turf management can help to prepare you for the challenges involved.
Turf Management Degree Information
Associate of Science in Turfgrass Management
The Associate of Science in Turfgrass Management is a two year course that is aimed at students with an interest in finding employment in the turf industry. Course topics may include introductory turfgrass management, plant nutrients, horticulture plant pathology, turfgrass insects, turfgrass physiology and ecology, and principles of weed management.
Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass Science and Management
The Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass Science and Management is a degree aimed at students who are interested in the production and maintenance of grassed areas. It offers a blend of scientific theory, along with practical experience and provides students with the option of focusing on science or business management. In addition to core requirements for this major, ranging from biological science and chemistry to ecosystems studies, required courses also include pest management, plant nutrition, plant physiology, turf and more. Students who choose a business focus might have to take courses such as principles of financial accounting and fundamentals of marketing while those who opt for a science focus can choose from courses such as organic chemistry and general chemistry-science.
Turf Management Degree FAQ
Can I Study Turf Management Online?
While turf management courses are typically found in campus-based formats, there are also online courses available at certificate as well as degree levels. Completing a turf management course online enables you to earn your degree based around your own schedule, making it convenient for those who have other commitments. Online courses also tend to be more affordable than their campus based equivalents while still enabling you to earn the same type of degree.
Who Is An Ideal Candidate For This Type of Degree?
Students who are interested in studying turf management should have a love for the outdoors and also enjoy working with plants. A love for sport may also be beneficial, but is generally not a requirement. However, they should be hard working and serious about their career. It is a good career path for someone who is detail oriented and also requires you to be very reliable as the work you will do is extremely important to those who make use of the turf you manage. Good interpersonal skills are useful as you might have to deal with officials, employees, supervisors as well as the general public.
What Are My Possible Career Options After Studying Turf Management?
There are numerous industries that are involved with lawn management, which can lead to a variety of employment options. Most students with a turf management degree go on to work at golf courses, but others have also found employment at athletic fields or doing park and grounds maintenance. The skills and knowledge obtained by completing a turf management degree can also prepare students to become soil analysts, surface research managers, sports turf consultants or involved with field and pitch infrastructure design. Other possible career paths include agri-business sales, agri-business management, as well as home and industrial lawn businesses.
What Type of Duties Might I Have When Working In This Kind of Field?
When employed as a turf manager, you will be required to know everything there is to know about different types of grass. Seeing as there are thousands of different varieties of grass, all with their own pros and cons, as well as different types of climates in which they thrive, this is not an easy feat. To ensure that the grass stays in top condition you will need to be able to safeguard it from turf diseases, weeds and different types of pests. This can involve weeding and fertilizing the grass on a regular basis along with watering and frequent owing. In addition, grass has to be aerated and sometimes also reseeded.
It is important to know how much water grass needs and to monitor the soil to ensure that all vital nutrients are present. Any mistakes made by a turf manager will immediately be visible in the form of grass that are different in color or the presence of dead patches. The job often involves more than just managing grass, but also working with a budget, managing employees, maintaining equipment as well as working with chemicals.
How Much Can I Potentially Earn When Employed in The Turf Management Industry?
Your income potential after earning a turf management degree and working in the industry will depend on the type of work you do. For example, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, grounds maintenance workers earned median hourly wages of $14.85 during 2019. However, according to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, people employed golf course superintendents earned an average base salary of $89,189.
What Are The Other Benefits To Studying For A Turf Management Degree?
A turf management degree is great if you dread the thought of being stuck in an office cubicle all day and would rather spend your time outdoors. If you are a sports fan, it can also provide you with the opportunity to work in the sports industry without having to be an athlete. It can also be very fulfilling to know that your work behind the scenes has a direct influence on the quality of the grass or field used by athletes.
