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Turf Management

College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences


 

QUICK JUMP
  Turf Management
  Requirements and Core Courses
  Careers in Turf Management
  Salaries
  Scholarships and Financial Aid
  Related Fields of Study That May Interest You
  Contact Information

Turf Management

Turf Management, an option within the Crop Sciences major, prepares students who wish to specialize in golf course supervision, grounds maintenance, sod production and similar recreation positions involving turfgrass management techniques and personnel relations.

• Offered at WSU: Bachelor of Science in Crop Science with an option in Turf Management, minor (in Crop Science)
• Available at: Pullman

Requirements and Core Courses

—Bachelor of Science in Crop Science with an option in Turf Management
Students in this program take a minimum of 120 credits in courses to meet University general education requirements, departmental core requirements, requirements specific to the Turf Management option, and electives. Students should consult the General Catalog for course planning, and must meet course requirements as outlined in the General Catalog in order to graduate.

DEPARTMENTAL CORE REQUIREMENTS
Bot 320—Introductory Plant Physiology
Chem 106—Principles of Chemistry II
     or Chem 102—Chemistry Related to Life Sciences
Chem 240—Elementary Organic Chemistry
CropS 101—Introductory Field Crop Science
CropS 201—Growth & Development of World Crops
CropS 305—Ecology and Management of Weeds
CropS 411—Crop Environment Interactions
CropS 412—Seminar
CropS 498—Professional Internship
     or CropS 499—Special Problems
     or UH 450—Honors Thesis
Math 107—Elementary Functions
Pl P 429—General Plant Pathology
SoilS 201—Soil: A Living System

OPTION REQUIREMENTS
CropS 301—Turfgrass Culture
CropS 317—Golf Course Management
CropS 318—Athletic Field Management
Hort 231—Landscape Plant Materials I
     or Crops 302—Forage Crops
One of the following:
     Hort 232—Landscape Plant Materials II
     Hort 331—Landscape Plant Installation and Mgmt
     AgTM 315—Irrigation Systems and Water Mgmt
     SoilS 467—Regional Landscape Inventory and Analysis
     Entom 340—Agricultural Entomology
     SoilS 441—Soil Fertility
     SoilS 442—Soil Analysis for Environmental and Crop Mgmt
     AgTM 312—Engines and Tractors
     AgTM 346—Landscape Irrigation Systems
One of the following:
     Acctg 230—Intro to Financial Accounting
     Ag Ec 340—Farm and Ranch Management
     Ag Ec 360—Intro to Agribusiness Management
     Mgt 301—Principles of Management and Organization

Careers in Turf Management

Turf management opportunities include golf course management, recreational facilities management, and lawn care. Graduates also qualify for careers in agribusiness, corporate and technical farm management, professional consulting, research, sales, plant biotechnology, and service positions.

Crop scientists (or agronomists) are involved in improving food, feed, and fiber production. They study metabolic and developmental processes of crop plants and seeds, develop improved crop varieties through plant breeding and biotechnology, design sustainable crop production and management systems that conserve natural resources while enhancing crop yields, and investigate the impact of cropping systems on agricultural and nonagricultural ecosystems.

Employment is available in government and commercial agencies such as the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Cooperative Extension; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Washington State Department of Ecology, Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources; as well as in food processing companies, insurance agencies, and commercial concerns dealing with farm products, fertilizers and agricultural chemicals and seeds.

Opportunities also exist for further study and employment in international agriculture such as through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and The World Bank, international research institutes, church run agricultural development organizations, and the U.S. Peace Corps. Teaching, research, and extension careers are available in community colleges and universities for graduates with advanced degrees.

Salaries

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, beginning salary offers in 2005 for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in plant sciences averaged $31,226 a year; and in other agricultural sciences, $33,850 a year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Standards reports that the median annual earnings of agricultural scientists and food scientists were $48,670 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $35,770 and $65,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,750, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $85,460.

Washington state agricultural technician positions have a salary range between $26,600 and $42,900 in 2005.

The average salary for federal employees in agronomy in 2003 was $68,846.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Turf management students may be eligible for scholarships from the Department of Crop and Soil Science, as well as scholarships from the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

Students may also qualify for state, federal, and University-level scholarships and financial assistance. For more information contact the WSU Office of Scholarship Services.

Related Fields of Study That May Interest You

• Crop Science/Biotechnology
• Crop Science Business and Industry
• Cropping Systems
• Environmental Soil Science
• Precision Farming
• Soil Management
• Sustainable Agriculture

Contact Information
Turf Management Program
Crop and Soil Sciences
College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
Washington State University
201 Johnson Hall
PO Box 646420
Pullman, WA 99164-6420
Fax: 509-335-8674
hillary@cahnrs.wsu.edu
509-335-2615
 

Strengths of the Program

  • WSU provides the state’s only four-year program in crop and soil sciences.
  • Learn skills that can help solve environmental and food problems or create enjoyable living conditions.
  • Study under faculty members who are among the field’s most productive and creative in the nation, several of whom are members of the National Academy of Science.
  • Pursue direct research in such areas as organic crop production systems, plant breeding, biotechnology, groundwater contamination prevention, and turf and golf course management.
  • Work with faculty who obtain research funding from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Agriculture.
  • Gain top-quality classroom, field, and laboratory experiences required for well-paying careers in industry, government, and farms.
Office of Enrollment Management, PO Box 641067, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-1067, 888-GO TO WSU (888-468-6978), Contact Us