Turfgrass Management

Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences

Contact: Scott Ebdon, Program Coordinator
Office: 12F Stockbridge
Phone: (413) 545-2506
Email: sebdon@pssci.umass.edu

Grassed areas for home lawns, parks, and golf courses are becoming more important every day as people and companies are spending more money to create an attractive environment using turfgrass as a major component of the plan. Students learn about turfgrass identification, culture, weed identification and treatment, sod production, and the business management skills required to run a successful operation.

Course of Study

First Semester
ENGLISH 120 English Composition
Math by placement exam (2-3 cr)
PLSOILIN 102 Introductory Botany (4 cr)
PLSOILIN 105 Soils (4 cr)
*PLSOILIN 230 Introductory Turfgrass Management

Second Semester (1st seven wks)
PLSOILIN 101 Insects and Related Forms (2 cr)
PLSOILIN 103 Plant Science (1.5 cr)
PLSOILIN 104 Plant Nutrients (1.5 cr)

(2nd seven wks)
*PLSOILIN 107 Turfgrass Insects (2 cr)
PLSOILIN 232 Turf Machinery (1 cr)

(full semester)
*PLSOILIN 240 Applied Calculations in Turf Management (2 cr)
*PLSOILIN 275 Turfgrass Physiology and Ecology
*STOCKSCH 187 Internship(June-August)

Third Semester
ENVIRDES 335 Plants in Landscape (4 cr)
FOREST 332 Principles of Arboriculture
PLSOILIN 111 Horticulture Plant Pathology
*PLSOILIN 112 Turf Diseases Laboratory(1 cr)
PLSOILIN 310 Principles of Weed Management

Fourth Semester
PLSOILIN 182 Principles of Pesticide Management (2 cr)
PLSOILIN 234 Irrigation and Drainage (2 cr)
*PLSOILIN 340 Advanced Turfgrass Management
RES-ECON 142 People in Organizations
ELECTIVE

* A grade of C or better must be earned in these courses.