April 26, 2001

NDSU May Launch Career Track Programs in Turf Management

North Dakota State University’s Department of Plant Sciences is considering a new course of study in the turfgrass industry. The major emphasis of the program would be on golf course management.

The proposed curriculum would be flexible enough to allow students to enroll in the program as a major or minor course of study or obtain certification in the subject, according to Ron Smith, NDSU horticulure and turf grass specialist.

"The full-blown major would require about 133 semester hours and would include courses in golf course operations, turfgrass science, golf course irrigation management, and actually taking golf as part of the physical education requirement," Smith says.

The certification program would be directed primarily toward people already working in the industry who have no formal education on the subject but would like to pick up the technical aspects of golf course or sports field management without enrolling in a four-year course.

A survey of existing programs at Iowa State University and Kansas State University found that student enrollment has stayed at about 125 to 130 students at ISU, while the newer KSU program went from 40 students the first year to close to 200 the third year.

Before launching such a program at NDSU, the plant sciences department wants to get an idea of the amount of interest among potential students for a full major, a minor or a certification program in turfgrass and golf course management.

Smith would like potential students or parents of potential students to contact him to express interest. He can be reached at:

Ron Smith
Department of Plant Sciences
Box 5051, Loftsgard Hall
Fargo, ND 58105
e-mail: ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Telephone: (701) 231-8161
FAX: (701) 231-8474

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Source: Ron Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Gary Moran, (701) 231-7865, gmoran@ndsuext.nodak.edu