Sportsturf Science

Areas covered will include the following

• Turfgrass science:  soils for sportsurf, drainage  and irrigation for sportsturf, grass morphology  and physiology,  turfgrass pathology  and entomology,  sportsturf weeds and control
• Turfgrass maintenance:  turfgrass mowing,  management  of organic  matter, nutrition of turfgrass, aeration and compaction relief of turfgrass, renovation and repair of turfgrass, topdressing and materials, growth regulation, and other maintenance techniques.
• Construction and maintenance of a range of sportsturf facilities: sports pitches, bowling greens, cricket grounds, lawn tennis courts, equestrian sports and artificial surfaces.

PRIOR QUALIFICATIONS

Students will be required to have formal horticultural education prior to admission.  Evidence of such qualifications will be assessed by SETU Waterford prior to admission. The following table gives a list of horticultural qualifications to gain entry to these awards. Students presenting with suitable qualifications examined in English will be deemed to have demonstrated proficiency in English. 

Title: FETAC Award in Horticulture 5M2586 and level 6 award 6M4334

Duration: 2 years

Programme: Any recognised FETAC provider of horticultural programme

Title: Teagasc – Certificate in Horticulture

Duration: 1 year full-time programme

Programme: Students must have attended a Teagasc Horticultural College – Kildalton College, Warrenstown or National Botanic Gardens. This original Certificate in Horticulture programme was more extensive than the current FETAC Award in horticulture 5M2586.

Title: Teagasc – Advanced Certificate in Hortitculture

Duration: An add on year to the Certificate in Horticulture

Programme: Students must have attended a Teagasc Horticultural College – Kildalton College, Warrenstown or National Botanic Gardens. 6.

Title: ACOT/Teagasc/FETAC Diploma in Horticulture

Duration: 3 year programme

Programme: Students must have attended an ACOT or Teagasc Horticultural programme

Title: Dept of Agriculture/ACOT Senior Certificate in Horticulture

Duration: 2 years

Programme: Department of Agriculture / ACOT Horticulture programme

Other horticultural qualifications, which meet or exceed the above standards e.g. the BSc. in Horticulture will be accepted and others such as those from Greenmount College NI or other UK, European Horticultural colleges, or foreign institutions will be considered and evaluated by SETU Waterford as to their appropriateness.

Progression, Employment, Transfer of Certificate Graduates

Students who subsequently choose to apply and enter into Year 1 of the BSc in Horticulture will receive exemptions for modules they have successfully passed at the appropriate year. 

Students who wish to enter the BSc in Horticulture as transfer students into either Year 2 or Year 3 must meet the entry requirements as set out in the existing established transfer mechanism. Exemptions for modules students have successfully completed will be granted. Students wishing to transfer into Year 3, an award year, will be advised as to the appropriateness of accepting a record of educational achievement rather than a certificate.

These minor awards offer structured continuous professional development opportunities to those already working in the industry.

This minor award offers structured continuous professional development opportunities to those already working in the horticulture industry.  Successfully completing this course will upskills candidates and will allow candidates who may have been out of formal horticulture education for some time to seek work in the sportsturf industry.  In addition, completing this level 7 certificate in Sportsturf Science will allow faster progression to supervisory and management roles in the sportsturf industry.