Courses

The online advanced certificate in turfgrass management is a 30-credit program of study that builds on the basic turfgrass management certificate. To earn this certificate, you must successfully complete 30 required turfgrass credits.

Courses in the program cover pest management, turfgrass cultural systems, turfgrass edaphology, and case studies in turfgrass management.

The delivery method for the courses in this program is online group, with a group of students progressing together through each course. The courses are offered in a time frame comparable to a traditional semester schedule, with fixed start and end dates. To earn your certificate in a timely manner, we suggest completing three courses every 12 months.

Course content and activities are available in electronic format, and access to the web is required in order to complete this program.

Course List - Undergraduate Certificate in Turfgrass Management, Advanced

For this program, listed course prerequisites may be waived by the course instructor if you can demonstrate the required level of competency. Contact your adviser at [email protected] for more information.

Note: Due to the requirements of internship providers to adhere to CDC guidelines concerning COVID-19 and Penn State's policy to grant permission to complete on-site internships, the TURF program requests that students register for TURF 295/495 for FA20 by August 7. This will allow enough time for students to complete the necessary forms and for permission to be granted by Penn State for students to complete internships for credit.

Prescribed Courses (8 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Turfgrass Pesticides	TURF 230	Covers chemical toxicity, formulations, environmental fate, labels, MSDS, calibration, IPM, safety, handling, storage, and Pennsylvania certification and regulations. NOTE: Students who have a valid (and verifiable) state pesticide license can request to be exempted from taking TURF 230.	1 credit
The Turfgrass	TURF 235	Characterization of the primary plant species used for sports, lawn and utility turf; includes turfgrass morphology, environmental adaptation, and cultural requirements.	3 credits
Colloquium	TURF 490	Oral presentations developed by students in consultation with the course instructor Prerequisite: seventh semester standing Note: TURF 495 must be taken before scheduling this course.	1 credit
Internship	TURF 495	Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required. Prerequisite: prior approval of proposed assignment by instructor	3 credits

Additional Courses (21–22 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Turf Insect Pest Management	ENT 317	Introduction to entomology and management of insect pests of cool- and warm-season turfgrass. effective spring 21: Prerequisite Concurrent: TURF 235	3 credits
Turfgrass Disease Management	PPEM 412	Introduction to biology of turfgrass pathogens and management of cool- and warm-season turfgrass. Prerequisites: TURF 235	3 credits
Introductory Soil Science	SOILS 101	A study of soil properties and processes and relationships to land use, plant growth, environmental quality, and society.	3 credits
Turf and Ornamental Weed Control	TURF 238	Introduction to the development of integrated weed management strategies utilizing a variety of cultural and chemical methods.	3 credits
Turfgrass Cultural Systems	TURF 425	A study of turfgrass maintenance practices and how their interrelationships can be utilized to develop management systems. effective spring 21: Prerequisite: TURF 235; Recommended Preparation: SOILS 101	3 credits
Turfgrass Edaphology	TURF 434	Characterization of soil's physical and chemical properties for the establishment and maintenance of sports turf; includes root zone construction. effective spring 21: Prerequisite: TURF 235; Recommended Preparation: SOILS 101	3 credits
Turfgrass Nutrition	TURF 435	Study of turfgrass nutrition and growth; emphasizing constructed and mineral soil fertility, nutrient uptake and function, and fertilizer-use efficiency. effective spring 21: Prerequisite: TURF 235; Recommended Preparation: SOILS101	4 credits
Case Studies in Turfgrass Management	TURF 436W	Case study and discussion considering integrated management of selected turfgrass sites; emphasis on problem analysis, principle application, and decision making. effective spring 21: Prerequisite: TURF 235 and (TURF 434 or TURF 435): Recommended Preparation: TURF 238 and TURF 425	3 credits

*While the stated requirement for this certificate is 30 credits, it may be slightly less, depending on the circumstances. For students with valid state pesticide licenses who have exempted from taking TURF 230, or for students who choose courses other than the 4-credit TURF 435, the total requirement is 29 credits. For those students who are both exempt from taking TURF 230 and who choose to take courses other than the 4-credit TURF 435, the requirement for the advanced certificate is only 28 credits.

Note: Students must earn at least a "C" grade in each course to be eligible for the certificate.

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.