Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Environmental and Soil Sciences Major, BS in Environmental and Soil Sciences – Conservation Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability Concentration


Advisors
Burk, Eash

Many human activities adversely impact soil, water, and environmental quality; and there is a constant need for experts in the technologies required to collect sound information and to provide food, fiber, and shelter in an environmentally-sound manner. The Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Soil Sciences provides students with a strong grounding in basic sciences to prepare them for a broad range of possible careers.

This program provides three concentrations: Soil Science, Environmental Science, and Conservation Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability. All provide a very strong basis in the natural sciences, as well as applied areas such as ecology, soil sciences, and natural resource policy. Students also build expertise with modern technologies such as geographical information systems, global positioning systems, and computer applications in natural resource management. Graduates are prepared to work in a wide variety of interesting and challenging career paths and to work with a broad variety of other professionals to solve complex problems. Examples of potential careers include soil and environmental specialists and scientists; state and federal regulatory agency work; private consulting in environmental and agricultural areas; and working with non-governmental organizations with interests in agriculture, environment, and natural resources. Students receiving this degree are also very competitive for placement in graduate programs in environmental and agricultural sciences and technology, as well as law school.

The conservation agriculture and environmental sustainability concentration is a multidisciplinary program for students interested in conservation of natural resources and sustainability of agricultural systems. This degree provides students with a wide array of skills and scientific training in identifying and understanding important issues in environmental sustainability. The focus will be on both the micro-scale and macro-scale of food production, as well as providing a solid introduction to technical skills such as surveying and machinery operations needed to fulfill current and future food demands. An undergraduate degree in this field is also a first step towards certification as a Professional Soil Scientist.

uTrack Requirements

Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester, known as milestones. Milestones include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students who first entered Fall 2013 or later. uTrack does not apply to transfer students who entered prior to Fall 2015.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Soil Sciences – Environmental and Soil Sciences Major – Conservation Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability Concentration


Term 1 Hours Milestone Notes
BIOL 101 * or BIOL 113  3-4 2.0 cumulative GPA
CHEM 102 * and CHEM 103  4  
ENGL 101 * or ENGL 118  3  
Quantitative Reasoning Elective * 3  
Term 2
BIOL 102 * or BIOL 114 *-BIOL 115  4-5 ENGL 101 
CHEM 112 * and CHEM 113  4  
ENGL 102  3  
ESS 120  3  
MATH 115  3  
Term 3
AGNR 180  3 Quantitative Reasoning Elective* or MATH 115 
AREC 201 * or ECON 201 * or ECON 207 * or ECON 211 * 3-4  
AREC 212   3  
ESS 220  3  
1Arts and Humanities Elective * 3  
Term 4
3Unrestricted Elective 2 CHEM 102 * and CHEM 103 
ANSC 150   2  
ESS 210   4  
PLSC 275   3  
EEB 304  or EEB 330  or PLSC 250  3  
Term 5
ACCT 200  or ACCT 207  or BUAD 202   3 ESS 210  
AREC 313   2  
EPP 313  or EPP 321   3  
ESS 334   3  
2Technical Electives 6  
Term 6
ALEC 340  or AREC 350   3 No milestones
AREC 314   2  
ESS 301  1  
1Arts and Humanities Elective * 3  
Communicating through Writing Elective* 3  
Term 7
CSAS 432  or CSAS 434  or CSAS 452  or CSAS 462  or CSAS 474  or ESS 326   3 Apply to graduate
ESS 424 , ESS 462   6  
PLSC 415  or PLSC 434  or PLSC 435  or PLSC 457   3  
2Technical Elective 3  
Term 8
AREC 332  or AREC 350  or AREC 470   3 No milestones
CSAS 432  or CSAS 434  or CSAS 452  or CSAS 462  or CSAS 474  or ESS 326   3  
ESS 454   3  
EPP 410  or EPP 411   3  
ESS 492  or ESS 499   2  
PLSC 415  or PLSC 434  or PLSC 435  or PLSC 457   3  
TOTAL 120  
1 Chosen from the University General Education list .
2 Note that some electives have required prerequisites. See individual course descriptions in the catalog for specific information. ACCT 200 ; AGNR 491 , AGNR 497 , AGNR 498 ; ALEC 440 *; Animal Science (any course 200 or above); ANTH 415 ; Agriculture and Resource Economics (any course 200 or above); Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (any course 200 or above); Biology (any course 200 or above); Biosystems Engineering (any course above 201); Business Analytics and Statistics (any course 200 or above); Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (any course 200 or above); Civil Engineering (any course 200 or above); Chemistry (any course 200 or above); Computer Science (any course 200 or above); Construction Science and Agricultural Systems (any course 200 or above not required for the major); Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (any course 200 or above); ECON 362 ; Electrical and Computer Engineering (any course 200 or above); Engineering Fundamentals (any course); Entomology and Plant Pathology (any course); Entrepreneurship (any course); Environmental and Soil Sciences (any course not required for the major, with a limit of 3 hours of ESS 242 ); Food Science (any course above 201); Forestry (any course 200 or above); Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries (any course 200 or above); Geography (any course 131 or above); Geology (any course); Industrial Engineering (any course); Information Management (any course); Information Sciences (any course 200 or above); JREM 451 *; Mathematics (any course 200 or above); Mechanical Engineering (any course 200 or above); Microbiology (any course 200 or above); Materials Science and Engineering (any course 200 or above); Nuclear Engineering (any course 200 or above); Physics (any course 200 or above); Plant Sciences (any course 200 or above); PUBH 420 ; SOCI 360 , SOCI 363 , SOCI 465 ; Wildlife and Fisheries Science (any course 200 or above).

* Meets University General Education Requirement .