College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department of Plants, Soils and Climate

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• For more information about Soils and Sustainable Land Systems, see the website.
• Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that student-specific plans may differ.
• Admitted students must meet with an advisor. Current students should also meet with an advisor and log on to Degree Works  to check student-specific program progress.
• Can also have an emphasis in Sustainable Food Production .

 

Minimum University Requirements
Total Credits	120			Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)	2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better	100			Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above)	40
Total USU Credits	30			Upper-division USU Credits	20
USU Credits within the Major	10			Credits in Minor (if required)	12
Credits in Major	see below			Credits in American Institutions	3
General Education Requirements	see link			University Studies Depth Requirements	see link
NOTES: The highest math requirement for this degree is STAT 2000: Statistical Methods (QI)  or STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI) .

 

Admissions Requirements for this Program
New freshmen	Admitted to USU in Good Standing			Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU	2.5 GPA

First Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
BIOL 1610: Biology I	3			Breadth Social Sciences (BSS) Course	3
BIOL 1615: Biology I Laboratory	1			CHEM 1110: General Chemistry I (BPS)	4
ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)	3			ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)	3
GEO 1110: Physical Geology (BPS)	3			MATH 1060: Trigonometry	2
GEO 1115: Physical Geology Laboratory	1			WILD 2200: Ecology of Our Changing World (BLS)	3
MATH 1050: College Algebra (QL)	4
Total Recommended Credits:	15			Total Recommended Credits:	15
Comments				Comments

Second Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL)	4			CHEM 1120: General Chemistry II (BPS)	4
PSC 2000: The Atmosphere and Weather (BPS)	3			CHEM 1125: General Chemistry II Laboratory	1
PSC 3000: Fundamentals of Soil Science	4			LAEP 1030: Introduction to Landscape Architecture (BCA)	3	Recommended BCA
USU 1300: U.S. Institutions (BAI)	3	Recommended BAI		PSC 3500: Structure and Function of Plants	3
Elective	1			PSC 4810: Climate and Climate Change (DSC/QI)	3
				Elective	1
Total Recommended Credits:	15			Total Recommended Credits:	15
Comments				Comments

Third Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
PHYS 2110: General Physics - Life Sciences I	4			PSC 5530: Soil Health and Fertility (QI)	3
PSC 5130: Soil Genesis, Morphology, and Classification	4			PHYS 2120: General Physics - Life Sciences II (BPS)	4
STAT 2000: Statistical Methods (QI)  or STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI)	4  or 3			Discipline Courses	3
Discipline Courses	3			PSC 5050: Principles of Environmental Soil Chemistry	3	Taught odd years only
Elective	1			PSC 5560: Analytical Techniques for the Soil Environment	3	Taught odd years only
Total Recommended Credits:	15-16			Total Recommended Credits:	16
Comments				Comments

Fourth Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
PSC 5670: Environmental Soil Physics	4	Taught even years only (fall semester)		Depth Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA) Course /Communications Intensive (CI) Course	3
Communications Intensive (CI) Course	3			Discipline Courses	6
Discipline Courses	3			Elective	6
APEC 3012: Introduction to Natural Resource and Regional Economics (DSS)	3			PSC 5740: Environmental Quality: Soil and Water (CI)	2
Breadth Humanities (BHU) Course	3
Total Recommended Credits:	16			Total Recommended Credits:	17
Comments				Comments

Contact Lisa Allen, lisa.allen@usu.edu, 435-797-0454 for advising.
 

This major requires a minimum GPA of 2.5 in program coursework. Courses for the program may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.