BASc Golf Course Management

“The program is structured differently so that students work through the entire golf season; this is a benefit to both the student and the golf courses. The students will now be working and learning in October when the courses are put to bed. We are happy to be student mentors. There is a shortage of skilled professionals in our industry and golf courses scramble to grab graduates from Olds College. The programs are filled with options and will definitely help propel a student’s career.”

Dustin Zdan – Superintendent, Connaught Golf Club

Student on Golf Course

What can you expect from our program?

The Bachelor of Applied Science - Golf Course Management is the prestigious credential that today’s golf course industry professionals are looking for. Within Canada this degree is the highest level of education you can achieve in the turfgrass management profession. To enter into the Bachelor of Applied Science - Golf Course Management you must first complete the Turfgrass Management Diploma.

FOR FALL 2021: the 3rd year of the Bachelor of Applied Science - Golf Course Management will now be delivered completely online! This new online delivery does allow for some flexibility for students. See the Admitted Student Information section at the bottom of this page for more details regarding the online delivery.

What will you learn?

Based on the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association’s National Occupational Standards profile, and the advice of industry experts, you will learn the skills and techniques needed for managing a golf course’s complex ecosystem. The program provides business, applied science and advanced technical training.

If you are interested in learning environmental and operational management on the job, this is the program for you. You will learn from professionals that have worked as course superintendents and are still active in the industry.

View Program Outline

Credential: Applied Degree

Length of Program: 2 Years

Method of Delivery: Online (classes delivered synchronously or “live”)

Directed Field Study/Work Term/Practicum: Yes, an 8-month Directed Field Study is completed at the end of the program.

Program Intakes: Fall Intake (November start)

Program Dates: Please visit our Dates & Schedules page to confirm start and end dates of your desired program and confirm campus closures.

Applications Open: October 1 for the Fall Intake

Selection Process for Admission: First Qualified, First Accepted

Tuition, Mandatory Fees, Books, and Supplies: Please refer to the current Fee Schedule for details

Year 3: Tuition: $5,020 / Fees: $1,025 / Books & Supplies: $500
Year 4: Tuition: $4,010 / Fees: $675 / Books & Supplies: $0

* Please note that international students pay 3.5 times the domestic tuition amount. These fees are provided as estimates only for the purposes of budgeting. All students should refer to the Fee Schedule for the most accurate information and all fees are subject to change.*

Admitted Student Information

Program Dates: Find out when you term start and end dates are, so that you know when you are expected to be in attendance. For more information, please review the Program Dates & Fee Schedule.

Class Registration: You will be registered into your classes automatically. This will happen approximately 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. You will be notified once you have been timetabled into your courses. You will be able to see your class schedule in your My Olds College account. If you need to make any changes to your class registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

Technology Recommendation: It is strongly recommended that you come to Olds College with the following technology:

A laptop is recommended

As part of your student accounts, all students have access to Office 365 for the duration of their time with Olds College. To access this you just need to follow these steps:

Go to portal.office.com
Enter your Olds College email address and password
Once logged in there is a button on the right that says "Install Office Apps"

This will give you access to the full Office suite on your computer, for both Windows and Mac based platforms.

Materials & Supplies:

Information on other required textbooks and any further supplies will be provided as you attend each class. All books and supplies will be available during the first few weeks of classes in the College Campus Store.

Other Important Information:

Online Program Delivery for Fall 2021: Although the style of delivery is online, this program remains a full time program and the expectations for this program remain the same. When preparing for this fall (November) and designing the online delivery, faculty and staff have tried to keep within the original structure of the program. This program will continue to be delivered in a block format, with each course being 2.5 weeks in duration. The courses will be delivered online approximately 3.5 hours per day. Classes will be “synchronous”, with students expected to be online at designated times. In addition to online classes, students will have group projects and assignments to complete outside of scheduled lectures. Scheduled lecture classes will be delivered live as this will allow students the opportunity to participate in group discussions and engage with their classmates and instructors. Students will be expected to be online as per their schedule, and complete extra work outside of regular class hours. We encourage students to treat this program the same as they would if they were on-campus. Should a student wish to maintain part-time employment while completing this program, we suggest they make arrangements with their employer to work outside of the required school hours.
Part-Time Studies: The online format for Fall 2021 allows for flexibility in terms of how many courses you take each term, so if you would like to talk to an Academic Advisor about how that might work for you, please contact them at advising@oldscollege.ca. Please note, if you choose to take fewer courses per term than what is outlined in the Program of Study, this will increase the length of time it takes to complete the program. Students must complete BHO 3999 and at least 15 other credits from the 3rd year in order to be eligible to begin their Directed Field Study (BHO 4999).
Student Clubs: It is recommended to join the Turf Club and become a CGSA member (if you have not already done so). There are also a number of college sports teams, some of which participate at the inter-collegiate level while others are purely recreational.
Additional Skills: Basic computer skills are recommended for all and it is certainly beneficial to have some prior experience with computers before you arrive at the College. A familiarity and comfort in use of Google Docs, word processing, spreadsheet and e-mailing software will be a definite asset.
Lockers: All you need to do during your first few days at Olds is to select one without a lock and it’s yours for the duration. It is strongly recommend that you select a locker in the first week of classes because of high demand. You are required to provide your own lock.