For experienced professionals looking to brush up on their skills, or aspiring turfgrass managers, the University of Massachusetts Turf Winter School still is accepting applications for its next session.
Scheduled for Jan. 8-Feb. 16 at the main campus in Amherst, the UMass Winter School for Turf Managers is a compressed certificate program that covers all the concepts essential to maintaining high quality turf, with emphasis on environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility. This comprehensive, dynamic short course is ideal for experienced professionals associated with the management of golf courses, athletic fields, parks, municipal and private grounds, fine lawns and landscapes.Winter School is an excellent choice for practitioners who seek to expand their knowledge and practical skills. The program is also uniquely suited for those who want to advance in their career, but cannot schedule a two- or four-year program, as well as career changers who want to enter the field of turf management.
Students are immersed in an intensive, full-time program scheduled Monday through Friday for six weeks. Classes are scheduled: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-noon on Fridays throughout the session. This schedule is designed to accommodate weekend commuters who may want to stay in the Amherst area Monday through Thursday evenings but return home on weekends. Some area hotels offer special accommodation and rate packages for UMass Winter School students.
UMass Amherst faculty and distinguished guests lead a combination of classroom, laboratory, group project and discussion activities. Close-knit classes offer an opportunity to learn from the experiences of fellow students and to form relationships that will last a lifetime.
A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to those who satisfactorily complete the program requirements. A high school diploma or GED is required for admission.
Pesticide recertification contact hours will be offered for all New England states, and 20.4 CEUs are available.