Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Soil and Water Science is designed to prepare students for career opportunities assoil scientists, ecosystem ecologists, environmental restorationists, watershed managers, and consultants, in private and public businesses, and with government agencies.

Soil and water science involves the application of biological, chemical, and physical science principles to protect soil and water quality as landscapes are used to meet human needs for recreation, waste disposal, food production and others. Protecting and restoring soil and water resources is necessary for building sustainable communities. The major provides students with the opportunity to recognize the challenges and opportunities to integrate scientific innovations in land management. Students take courses in soil science, water resource management, ecology, biology, geology, meteorology, and professional development to prepare for careers where expertise in soil and water science is required. 

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Soil and Water Science

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Soil and Water Science.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Cropping Systems Science major is met by completing CROP 313 and CROP 492. Those courses are referenced in item 3. below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the Environmental Soil and Water Science major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences by completing items 3.a., 3.b., and 3.c. below. The completion of Biological Sciences 171 or 172 and Chemistry 161 satisfies the laboratory requirement. Completion of items 3.a., 3.b., and 3.c below will be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major.
   
   The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirement may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
2. The requirements of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree.
   
   Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	All of the following courses (38 credits):
   	BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology						3
   	BS	162	Organismal and Population Biology						3
   	CEM	141	General Chemistry						4
   	CEM	161	Chemistry Laboratory I						1
   	CROP	110	Computer Applications in Agronomy						2
   	CROP	192	Professional Development Seminar I						1
   	CROP	313	Data Interpretation and Writing in the Agronomic Sciences (W)						2
   	CROP	492	Professional Development Seminar II (W)						1
   	GLG	201	Introduction to Earth and Planetary Sciences						4
   	SOIL	210	Fundamentals of Soil Science						3
   	SOIL	330	Soil Chemistry						2
   	SOIL	340	Applied Soil Physics						2
   	SOIL	360	Soil Biology						3
   	SOIL	470	Soil Resources						3
   	SOIL	480	Soil Fertility and Management						4
   b.	One of the following biology laboratory courses (2 credits)
   	BS	171	Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory						2
   	BS	172	Organismal and Population Biology Laboratory						2
   c.	One of the following organic chemistry courses (4 credits)
   	CEM	143	Survey of Organic Chemistry						4
   	CEM	251	Organic Chemistry I						4
   d.	One of the following plant courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	CROP	101	Introduction to Crop Science						3
   	FOR	202	Introduction to Forestry						3
   	FOR	204	Forest Vegetation						3
   	GEO	201	Introduction to Plant Geography						3
   	HRT	203	Introduction to Horticulture						3
   	PLB	105	Plant Biology						3
   	PLB	203	Biology of Plants						4
   	PLB	218	Plants of Michigan						3
   e.	One of the following ecology courses (3 credits):
   	CROP	326	Weed Science						2
   	and
   	CROP	226L	Weed Science Laboratory						1
   	FOR	340	Forest Ecology						3
   	IBIO	355	Ecology						3
   	PLB	441	Plant Ecology						3
   f.	Two of the following water courses (6 or 7 credits)
   	CSUS	453	Watershed Planning and Management						3
   	GEO	406	Geomorphology of River and Coastal Systems						3
   	GLG	411	Hydrogeology						3
   	GLG	421	Environmental Geochemistry						4
   	SOIL	455	Environmental Pollutants in Soil and Water						3
   g.	One of the following climate or weather courses (3 credits)
   	GEO	103	Introduction to Climate Change Studies						3
   	GEO	203	Introduction to Meteorology						3
   	GEO	402	Agricultural Climatology						3
   	GEO	409	Global Climate Change and Variability						3
   	IBIO	357	Global Change Biology (W)						3
   h.	One of the following math courses (3 credits)
   	MTH	103	College Algebra						3
   	MTH	124	Survey of Calculus I						3
   	MTH	132	Calculus I						3
   i.	One of the following statistics courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	STT	200	Statistical Methods						3
   	STT	201	Statistical Methods						4
   	STT	224	Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Ecologists						3
   	STT	421	Statistics I						3
   j.	One of the following policy courses (3 credits):
   	CSUS	320	Environmental Planning and Management						3
   	CSUS	354	Water Resources Management						3
   	CSUS	464	Environmental and Natural Resource Policy in Michigan						3
   	FOR	466	Natural Resource Policy						3
   	GEO	211	Environmental Policy and Practice						3
   l.	One of the following specialization courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	CROP	460	Plant-Microbe Interactions						3
   	GLG	422	Field Methods in Environmental Science						3
   	GLG	435	Geomicrobiology (W)						4
   	GLG	446	Sustainable Food Systems						3
   	MGI	425	Microbial Ecology						3
   	PLB	443	Restoration Ecology						3
   m.	One of the following experiential courses (3 credits):
   	CROP	493	Professional Internship in Crop and Soil Sciences						3
   	SOIL	499	Undergraduate Research						3
   	Complete 3 credits in an Education Abroad, International Internship, International Research Experience, or Study Away with approval by the advisor for the major.