Turfgrass Science and Management: Now What?
Turfgrass Science and Management… Now What?
What Is Turfgrass Science and Management?
Turfgrass Science and Management students have a passion for the outdoors and working on golf courses and other turf surfaces. A Turfgrass Science and Management degree provides invaluable career and technical training that focuses on the production and maintenance of grassed areas, including golf courses, home lawns, parks, and other athletic fields.
The Turfgrass Science and Management major is an applied science program that focuses on the production and maintenance of grassed areas, including home lawns, parks, golf courses and other athletic surfaces. This concentration integrates scientific theory with practical experience and covers such topics as grass and seed identification, turfgrass culture and physiology, pest control, and equipment maintenance. Students in this major have the option of selecting a business management or a science focus. Many graduates find employment in the golf course industry, while others choose to specialize in sports turf management. The lawn care industry also employs many of our graduates in jobs as varied as direct lawn maintenance, research, and sales.
What Can I Do with a Degree in Turfgrass Management?
Agricultural Supplier
Athletic Field Manager
Golf Course Superintendent
Commercial Grounds Manager
Extension Specialist
Irrigation Specialist
Landscape Designer
Landscape Contractor
Park Grounds Manager
Residential Lawn Care
Seed Breeder
Sod Growth Specialist
Turf Equipment Manufacturer
Turf Equipment Sales
Weed Scientist
Golf Course Superintendent
Job Placement Sites for UMass Turfgrass Science graduates (2023-2025)
Bay View Turf Specialists
Boston Red Sox
Cape Cod National Golf Club
The Club at New Seabury
Cold Spring Country Club
The Country Club of Brewster, MA
The Country Club of Brookline, MA
Framingham Country Club
Wianno Club (Osterville, MA)
The Winged Foot Golf Club
Recent Job and Internship Sites for Turfgrass Science majors on Handshake
American Conservation Experience
Burlington Country Club
Charm Sciences
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Country Club/Golf at Chestnut Hill
Eurofins Biopharma
Northeast Scientific
Pace Environmental
Pure Solutions Lawn Care
Teed & Brown
Town of Amherst Conservation Dept.
Town of Barnstable, MA
UMass Extension
Career Planning Resources & Websites
Career Exploration Tools https://www.umass.edu/careers/career-journey/self-discovery
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov/ooh
Massachusetts Career Information System http://masscis.intocareers.org
(Click Mass Resident to login with “Amherst/01003” Then click “Occupations” or “Assessments”)
Job and Internship Search Resources
UMass Amherst Resources
UMass Handshake https://umass.joinhandshake.com/
Stockbridge School of Agriculture Internship Sites https://www.umass.edu/stockbridge/internships
UMass Office of Undergraduate Research & Studies https://www.umass.edu/ours/
Job Search Resources for Turfgrass Science
Agricultural Positions in Massachusetts (Mass.gov) https://massanf.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobsearch.ftl
Earthworks Jobs By Category http://earthworks-jobs.com/
Professional Grounds Management Society https://pgms.org/networking/
TurfNet https://www.turfnet.com/jobs/
General Science Jobs
Science Careers (widely defined) http://jobs.sciencecareers.org
New Scientist Jobs (widely defined) http://jobs.newscientist.com/
USA Jobs (for ALL Federal Govt Jobs) www.usajobs.gov
Professional Organizations
Many websites for professional organizations have career information on them. You can use them to search for networking events, meet a mentor in your field of study, find current research, search for internships or jobs, and gain insight into what direction within the field you may wish to pursue.
Alumni Turf Group Facebook (ATG) https://www.facebook.com/AlumniTurfGroup/
American Hort (ANLA + OFA) http://americanhort.org/
American Phytopathological Society (APS) http://www.apsnet.org/Pages/default.aspx
American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) https://asgca.org/
Cape Cod Landscape Association (CCLA) https://www.capecodlandscapes.org/
CT Association of Golf Course Superintendents (CAGCS) http://cagcs.com/
Ecological Landscape Alliance (ELA) http://www.ecolandscaping.org/
Golf Course Superintendents Assoc of America (GCSAA) https://www.gcsaa.org/
Golf Course Superintendents Assoc Cape Cod (GCSACC) http://www.gcsacc.org/
Golf Course Superintendents Assoc New England (GCSANE) https://gcsane.org/
International Assoc for Plant Protection Sciences (IAPPS) http://www.plantprotection.org/
International Turfgrass Society (ITS) http://turfsociety.com/
ME Golf Course Superintendents Association (MGCSA) http://www.mainegcsa.org/
MA Association of Lawn Care Professionals (MALCP) http://malcp.org/
MA Golf Association (MGA) http://www.mgalinks.org/
MA Recreation and Park Association (MRPA) http://massrpa.org/
National Golf Foundation (NGF) http://www.ngf.org/
National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) http://www.ngcoa.org/
New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation (NERTF) https://www.nertf.org/
NE Sports Turf Managers Association (NESTMA) http://www.nestma.org/
New Hampshire Landscape Association (NHLA) https://nhlaonline.org/
New Jersey Turfgrass Association (NJTA) http://www.njturfgrass.org/
New York State Turfgrass Association (NYSTA) http://www.nysta.org/
Northeastern Weed Science Society (NEWSS) http://www.newss.org/
Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) http://www.pga.com/home
National Association of Landscape Professionals https://www.landscapeprofessionals.org/
RI Golf Course Superintendents Association (RIGCSA) http://www.rigcsa.org/
RI Nursery and Landscape Association (RINLA) http://www.rinla.org/
Sports Field Management Association (STMA) http://www.stma.org/
Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) http://www.turfgrasssod.org/
United States Golf Association (USGA) http://www.usga.org/
VT Golf Course Superintendents Association (VTGCSA) http://www.vtgcsa.com/
Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) http://wssa.net/
What Do Employers Look For? (NACE 2025 Job Outlook for Students)
Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on a Candidate’s Resume:
Problem Solving, Teamwork, Written Communication, Taking Initiative, Strong Work Ethic, Technical Skills, Verbal Communication, Flexibility/Adaptability, Analytical/Quantitative, Detail-Oriented
Factors Considered by Employers When Screening Candidates:
Academic Major, Has completed an internship in the industry, Industry experience, Has demonstrated proficiency in competencies, Has completed an internship with the organization, Has held a leadership position, Has been involved in leadership/extracurricular activities, Has held part-time jobs in college to finance education, Has done volunteer work