It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep graduate students in forage and range science connected to producers and grazingland resources in the USA. Students must take an integrated systems approach to understanding the complexity of our grazinglands and their role in addressing critical issues. This can best be conveyed to the student by bringing together an array of expertise and providing exposure to diverse sites for these learning opportunities. Thus, a multidisciplinary graduate course was developed for students at U.S. universities that transports students to professionals in different ecoregions, and provides a hands-on approach to grazinglands education. In the first 5 years of the course, 59 students from 12 countries have represented 8 universities in the USA and Mexico. Student responses to the course have been positive. We believe this course fills a niche currently lacking in most graduate programs and provides a unique opportunity for students to interact with experts in every aspect of forage and range science. The personal and professional contacts, cross-cultural interactions, photographs, and potential for career direction are tangible items seldom attained in graduate education. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)