Soils feed the world, provide clean water, and represent one of the most important scalable solutions to climate change. Soils are also the most biodiverse habitats on earth, containing a vast array of microbes and a multi-level food web. Soil scientists are on the front-lines of fighting climate change, developing resilient food production systems, and reversing environmental degradation through restoration and regeneration of soils.
The Soil and Crops Sciences major with a concentration in Soil Science and Environmental Solutions applies fundamental principles and techniques in soil science to solving complex, real-world environmental sustainability challenges. Students learn how the interactions of plants, the microbiome, and the soil food web with the soil's physical and chemical environment support life on earth, improve water quality, and impact our climate. Our students receive hands-on interdisciplinary training from world leaders in soil-related research, so they are equipped to be change-makers, applying cutting-edge science to real-world challenges.
Exciting careers await our graduates in rapidly emerging fields including sustainability, AgriTech, consulting in institutions ranging from academia, startups, industry, government, and non-profits.
Effective Fall 2022
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
AUCC | Credits | ||
AGRI 100 | Contemporary Agricultural Systems | 1 | |
CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3A | 4 |
CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) | 3A | 1 |
CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 |
LIFE 102 or BZ 120 | Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | 3A | 4 |
MATH 117 | College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1) | 1B | 1 |
MATH 118 | College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1) | 1B | 1 |
MATH 124 | Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1) | 1B | 1 |
SOCR 100 | General Crops | 4 | |
SOCR 171/HORT 171 | Environmental Issues in Agriculture (GT-SS3) | 1C | 3 |
SOCR 193 | Pathways to Success | 1 | |
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 1C | 3 | |
Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
Total Credits | 30 | ||
Sophomore | |||
CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 | |
GEOL 120 | Exploring Earth - Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
GEOL 121 | Introductory Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 3A | 1 |
LAND 220/LIFE 220 | Fundamentals of Ecology (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
SOCR 210 | Microbiome Roles in a Sustainable Earth (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
SOCR 240 | Introductory Soil Science | 4 | |
SOCR 221 | Cropping Systems Field Experience | 1 | |
Select one course from the following: | 4 | ||
Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources | |||
Intro. to Geographic Information Systems | |||
Arts and Humanities | 3B | 6 | |
Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3C | 3 | |
Total Credits | 31 | ||
Junior | |||
SOCR 440 | Pedology | 4 | |
SOCR 455 | Microbiomes of Soil Systems | 3 | |
SOCR 350 | Soil Fertility Management | 3 | |
SOCR 351 | Soil Fertility Laboratory | 1 | |
SOCR 375 | Soil Biogeochemistry | 3 | |
SOCR 405/ESS 405 | Global Agriculture and Environmental Change | 3 | |
Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
General Statistics (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | |||
Introduction to Biostatistics | |||
Advanced Writing | 2 | 3 | |
Upper-Division Electives | 6 | ||
Total Credits | 29 | ||
Senior | |||
RS 478 | Ecological Restoration | 3 | |
SOCR 400 | Soils and Global Change-Impacts and Solutions | 4A,4B,4C | 3 |
SOCR 441 | Soil Ecology | 3 | |
SOCR 467 | Soil and Environmental Chemistry | 3 | |
SOCR 470 | Soil Physics | 3 | |
SOCR 471 | Soil Physics Laboratory | 1 | |
SOCR 486 | Practicum | 4C | 1 |
SOCR 492 | Preparing for Impact--Your Career Journey | 4A,4C | 1 |
Upper-Division Electives | 12 | ||
Total Credits | 30 | ||
Program Total Credits: | 120 |
- 1
Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).
Freshman | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Semester 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
AGRI 100 | Contemporary Agricultural Systems | X | 1 | ||
CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | X | 1A | 3 | |
MATH 117 | College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 1 | |
MATH 118 | College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 1 | |
MATH 124 | Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 1 | |
SOCR 100 | General Crops | X | 4 | ||
SOCR 171/HORT 171 | Environmental Issues in Agriculture (GT-SS3) | X | 1C | 3 | |
Total Credits | 14 | ||||
Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 4 | |
CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 1 | |
LIFE 102 or BZ 120 | Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 4 | |
SOCR 193 | Pathways to Success | X | 1 | ||
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | X | 1C | 3 | ||
Historical Perspectives | X | 3D | 3 | ||
AUCC 1B (Quantitative Reasoning) must be completed by the end of Semester 2. | X | ||||
Total Credits | 16 | ||||
Sophomore | |||||
Semester 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | X | 3 | ||
LAND 220/LIFE 220 | Fundamentals of Ecology (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 3 | |
SOCR 221 | Cropping Systems Field Experience | X | 1 | ||
Select one course from the following: | X | 4 | |||
Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources | |||||
Intro. to Geographic Information Systems | |||||
Arts and Humanities | X | 3B | 3 | ||
Total Credits | 14 | ||||
Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
GEOL 120 | Exploring Earth - Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 3 | |
GEOL 121 | Introductory Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 1 | |
SOCR 210 | Microbiome Roles in a Sustainable Earth (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 3 | |
SOCR 240 | Introductory Soil Science | X | 4 | ||
Arts and Humanities | X | 3B | 3 | ||
Social and Behavioral Sciences | X | 3C | 3 | ||
Total Credits | 17 | ||||
Junior | |||||
Semester 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
SOCR 440 | Pedology | X | 4 | ||
SOCR 455 | Microbiomes of Soil Systems | X | 3 | ||
Select one course from the following: | X | 3 | |||
General Statistics (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | |||||
Introduction to Biostatistics | |||||
Advanced Writing | X | 2 | 3 | ||
Total Credits | 13 | ||||
Semester 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
SOCR 350 | Soil Fertility Management | X | 3 | ||
SOCR 351 | Soil Fertility Laboratory | X | 1 | ||
SOCR 375 | Soil Biogeochemistry | X | 3 | ||
SOCR 405/ESS 405 | Global Agriculture and Environmental Change | X | 3 | ||
Upper-Division Electives | X | 6 | |||
Total Credits | 16 | ||||
Senior | |||||
Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
SOCR 400 | Soils and Global Change-Impacts and Solutions | X | 4A,4B,4C | 3 | |
SOCR 470 | Soil Physics | X | 3 | ||
SOCR 471 | Soil Physics Laboratory | X | 1 | ||
SOCR 486 | Practicum | X | 4C | 1 | |
SOCR 492 | Preparing for Impact--Your Career Journey | X | 4A,4C | 1 | |
Upper-Division Electives | X | 6 | |||
LAND 220 / LIFE 220 must be completed by the end of Semester 7. | X | ||||
Total Credits | 15 | ||||
Semester 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
RS 478 | Ecological Restoration | X | 3 | ||
SOCR 441 | Soil Ecology | X | 3 | ||
SOCR 467 | Soil and Environmental Chemistry | X | 3 | ||
Upper-Division Electives | X | 6 | |||
The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study | X | ||||
Total Credits | 15 | ||||
Program Total Credits: | 120 |