Enhance Your Professional Value

Principles of Turfgrass Management, a certificate program from the University of Georgia and in partnership with the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), expands your knowledge and professional growth. Whether you are new to the lawn care industry or you have years of experience, this program is for you.

Snapshot

Format: Online / Distance

Hours: 120

Credits: 12.0 CEUs

When: Start Anytime

Cost: $359 - $419

  • Management of turfgrass through heat, cold, and drought stress
  • Maintenance of turf under shade
  • Improvement of turfgrass wear tolerance
  • Treatment of gasoline and oil spills on turf
  • Facts about liquid versus granular fertilizer
  • Truth about growth enhancers
  • Use of water-absorbent polymers for improving soil/water relationships
  • Cause and control of thatch
  • Importance of proper customer communication

Test your current knowledge with our free online diagnostic quiz

There are 14 chapters for Turfgrass Management.

  1. Turfgrass Morphology, Growth, and Physiology
  2. Turfgrass Identification, Adaptation, and Use
  3. Soils
  4. Turfgrass Establishment
  5. Fertilization
  6. Mowing
  7. Irrigation
  8. Weeds
  9. Turfgrass Insects
  10. Turfgrass Diseases
  11. Pesticides
  12. Turfgrass and the Environment
  13. Solutions to Common Turfgrass Problems
  14. Customer Relations and the Importance of Professionalism

Who Should Attend?

The course is designed for all industry professionals, including those affiliated with

  1. Lawn care companies
  2. Golf courses
  3. Public parks and recreation areas
  4. School grounds
  5. Sod production
  6. Landscape management firms
  7. Cemeteries
  8. Athletic fields
  9. Pest control companies
  10. Other public and private turf facilities

Course Information

Course Date Info: 

Online Course – Register Now
Students who register for the online course receive access to the web-based course and materials, which include interactive practice quizzes and exercises. Students have the option of purchasing the printed text for an additional fee. Students registered for the online course must have access to a desktop or laptop computer.
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Distance Course – Register Now
Students who register for the distance learning course receive our renowned textbook, written and updated by master Turfgrass expert Dr. Keith Karnok. For more immediate access to course materials, consider registering for the online course and purchasing the printed text for an additional fee.
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Course Fee(s): 

NALP, GCSAA, STMA Members, US Military* - $389

*To receive the military discount, you must be

  • currently serving in, or retired from, a qualifying branch of the Armed Services and have a valid military ID Card.
  • a veteran who receives VA benefits and has a valid Veteran Identification Card (VIC).
  • a veteran who served honorably and who presents a valid Form DD214 or other proof of service.

Non-Members - $419

2-7 from same organization - $379

8 or more from same organization - $359

*In order to qualify for the group discounts, all participants must enroll at the same time. Please call us at (706) 542-3537 for group registrations.

Additional Fees:
This course includes one attempt at each of two proctored exams. Students are responsible for locating a suitable facility and scheduling the exams. Students are responsible for paying any fees assessed by testing centers/proctors. 

If the student does not successfully complete the exam on the first attempt, he/she may attempt the exam up to two more times. There will be an exam retake fee of $30 for each exam attempt after the first.

Students who select the online version of the course may opt to purchase the print-based text book for an additional fee ($90 for U.S. or $245 for International – includes shipping and handling).

Students who select the print-based version of the course and who live internationally must pay an additional $245 for shipping and handling fees.

If a student is unable to complete the course within the twelve months allotted time, he/she may file for a six-month extension for a fee of $50.

Cancellation/Refund Policy:
If for any reason you need to cancel or reschedule your participation in the Principles of Turfgrass Management course, please contact The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education at student@georgiacenter.uga.edu or 706-542-3537 within thirty days of registration. We will issue a refund (minus a $75 administrative fee) once we receive your returned materials. Please keep in mind that once you have accessed the online course, you are no longer eligible for a refund. To cancel your enrollment, please send an email to: student@georgiacenter.uga.edu.

Keith KarnokKeith Karnok, retired professor of agronomy at The University of Georgia is the course author. Dr. Karnok has more than 40 years experience with both warm- and cool-season turfgrasses, has authored more than 250 publications in turfgrass management, and is a frequent speaker at regional, national, and international turfgrass seminars, workshops, and conferences. He is the recipient of many awards for his teaching, including the Meigs Award for Excellence in Teaching, UGA’s highest teaching honor. He is a member of the International Turfgrass Society, American Society of Agronomy (Fellow), Crop Science Society of America (Fellow), American Association for the Advancement of Science (Fellow) and the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (Fellow).