College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department of Plants, Soils and Climate

Navigation Help:

The blue highlighted text  indicates additional details are available. Simply click on it to view details such as course name, description, prerequisites, or to be linked to another website with additional information. The back arrow button may be used to return to this page if you leave it through a link.

• 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 Environmental Soil Science .

 

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 MATH 1050: College Algebra (QL) .

 

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:
CHEM 1110: General Chemistry I (BPS)	4			PHIL 1120: Social Ethics (BHU)	3	Recommended BHU
MATH 1050: College Algebra (QL)	4			APEC 1600: Natural Resources and American Economic Institutions (BAI)	3	Recommended BAI
USU 1330: Civilization: Creative Arts (BCA)	3	Recommended BCA		ASTE 2900: Food Matters: Ethics, Economics, and the Environment (BSS)	3	Strongly recommended BSS
ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)	3			ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)	3
Elective	1			Agricultural Coursework	3
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:
APEC 2010: Introduction to Microeconomics (BSS)	3	Recommended BSS		BIOL 1620: Biology II (BLS)	3
BIOL 1610: Biology I	3			BIOL 1625: Biology II Laboratory	1
BIOL 1615: Biology I Laboratory	1			WILD 2200: Ecology of Our Changing World (BLS)	3	Recommended course
PSC 2000: The Atmosphere and Weather (BPS)	3	Recommended BPS		Agricultural Coursework	3
Elective	1			Human Systems Coursework	3
Agricultural Coursework	3
Total Recommended Credits:	14			Total Recommended Credits:	13
Comments				Comments

Third Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
PSC 3000: Fundamentals of Soil Science	4			PSC 3600: An Introduction to Plant Breeding and Heredity	2	Only taught even years
PSC 4900: Special Problems : Student Organic Farm	1-4	Enroll in 1 credit		PSC 4810: Climate and Climate Change (DSC/QI)	3
PSC 5550: Fundamentals of Integrated Weed Management	4			PSC 3800: Fundamentals of Organic Agriculture	3
Agricultural Coursework	3			Agricultural Coursework	3
Depth Humanities (DHA) Course /Communications Intensive (CI) Course	3			Human Systems Coursework	3
Elective	1			Communications Intensive (CI) Course	3
Total Recommended Credits:	16			Total Recommended Credits:	17
Comments				Comments

Fourth Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
BIOL 4430: Introduction to Plant Pathology	4			PSC 4900: Special Problems : Challenges in Sustainable LPCS	2
Agricultural Coursework	3			PSC 4070: Agroecology	3	Taught spring even years
Human Systems Coursework	3			BIOL 4500: Applied Entomology	3
PSC 4250: Internship in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate	1-4	Enroll in 1 credit		PSC 5530: Soil Health and Fertility (QI)  or PSC 4900: Special Problems	3  or 1-4
Depth Social Sciences (DSS) Course	3			Human Systems Coursework	3
				PSC 3500: Structure and Function of Plants	3
Total Recommended Credits:	14			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.