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Symposium--What’s in a Name? Majors, Courses and Careers for the Undergraduate Turfgrass Management Student

Oral Session

C05 Turfgrass Science

As ‘traditional’ Agronomy and Soil/Crop Science departments often merge into departments with titles such as Plant Science, Plant and Environmental Science, or Landscape Horticulture, the requirements for a degree in turfgrass management have begun to shift. Additionally, many of our turf programs are no longer (or they never were) housed in a crop-based department – they are part of a Horticulture Department, or everyone in Plant Sciences is housed in one department. As a result, the course requirements for turfgrass students varies widely, with some programs requiring intensive scientific work (multiple chemistry courses, calculus) while others have significant specialty course requirements for turfgrass students (equipment maintenance courses, athletic field maintenance). While these differences in course requirements might be greatest in turfgrass programs, they are also an issue in agronomy, especially when an agronomy program is part of a larger plant science program. There is no recent literature which examines the ‘typical’ agronomy or turfgrass management major across the United States, and little collected knowledge of the typical course requirements to get a BS in agronomy, crop science and/or soil science.

Cosponsor(s):

Education & Extension
Wednesday, November 6, 2013: 12:55 PM-2:35 PM
Tampa Convention Center, Room 24
Organizers:
Elizabeth A. Guertal and Cale A. Bigelow
Presider:
Cale A. Bigelow
12:55 PM
Introductory Remarks
1:00 PM
What's In a Name: The State Of Turf Science and Management Plans Of Study.
Cale A. Bigelow, Purdue University; Elizabeth A. Guertal, Auburn University
1:15 PM
Turfgrass Curriculum – Perspective From a Dean.
Marcos Fernandez, Purdue University
1:30 PM
Industry Expectations for Turfgrass Graduates.
Robert C. Golembiewski, Bayer Crop Science AG
1:45 PM
Recruiting and Building a Turfgrass Program - Faculty Perspectives.
Christian M. Baldwin, Mississippi State University
2:15 PM
Discussion - What has Worked with your Turfgrass Curriculum?
2:30 PM
Concluding Remarks
2:35 PM
Adjourn