This manual is the result of a curriculum development project undertaken by the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges to align vocational curricula with valid, on-the-job performance requirements. Its four chapters present a competency-based curriculum designed to prepare individuals for careers in recreational grounds management. Chapter I describes curriculum objectives and then briefly discusses faculty selection and certification; requirements in the areas of facilities, equipment, and instructional materials; library support; and liaison activities with professional organizations in the grounds management industry. Chapter II details activities undertaken by an advisory committee during the curriculum development project, including: an examination of curriculum materials available in the area of grounds management; a statewide survey of golf course managers to assess career opportunities; the identification of tasks performed in each occupation; and an analysis of each task to specify requisite competencies. Job descriptions and associated tasks for nine entry- and advanced-level grounds maintenance occupations are outlined in Chapter III, while Chapter IV suggests a sequence of courses leading to the Associate Degree. Brief descriptions are provided of each course. The manual's appendices report survey results and enumerate the competencies associated with identified grounds management tasks. (JP)