Soil Science Graduate Program

Apply to the Graduate Program

We offer graduate programs, with specialization in various fields of soil science, leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Supporting course work is chosen for each student from the basic sciences and other related fields. Original research is an essential part of M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Each program is individually designed by the student and his or her graduate committee. The student chooses a major professor and representatives of the major and two minor fields of study.

Undergraduate Preparation

You can prepare for for a soils graduate program by gaining a solid background in physical, chemical, and biological sciences, college mathematics and writing.

M.S. Degree Requirements

• Forty-five credits of graduate courses, including up to 12 credits for the M.S. thesis, or 6 credits for a project for the non-thesis M.S. degree.
• Seminar presentation for the non-thesis M.S. degree
• Completion of an original research project and presentation of a thesis; or for the non-thesis option, completion of a problem-solving project.
• Comprehensive knowledge of soil science.

M.S. Degree Learning Outcomes

• Conduct research or produce some other form of creative work.
• Demonstrate mastery of subject material.
  • Demonstrate mastery of fundamental and advanced concepts associated with Soil Sciences related to students’ discipline.
• Conduct scholarly or professional activities in an ethical manner.
• Design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research, ethically, addressing problems in the discipline, with PI.
• Create an original and/or significant contribution to the related discipline.
• Utilize research findings to laboratory and/or field settings in actual situations.
• Communicate effectively to a diverse group of people using appropriate traditional and emerging technological media.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

• Completion of a graduate course program and the Ph.D. thesis, requiring about four years of full-time graduate study.
• Comprehensive knowledge of soil science and of minor fields, demonstrated in comprehensive written and oral examinations.
• Completion of an original research project and presentation of a thesis.
• Participation in teaching. Students with no previous teaching experience are required to participate in teaching in the soils program for a minimum of two terms.
• Two seminar presentations.

Ph.D Learning Outcomes

• Produce and defend an original significant contribution to knowledge.
• Demonstrate mastery of subject material.
  • Demonstrate mastery of fundamental and advanced concepts associated with Soil Sciences related to students’ discipline.
• Conduct scholarly activities in an ethical manner.
• Design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research, ethically, addressing problems in the discipline independently.
• Create an original contribution to the related discipline.
• Utilize research findings to laboratory and/or field settings in actual situations.
• Communicate effectively to a diverse group of people using appropriate traditional and emerging technological media.