Crop and Soil Sciences (BS): Soil Science
To see more about what you will learn in this program, visit the Learning Outcomes website!
Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Sciences degree is a flexible program that allows students to choose from a wide range of programs, based on their personal interests and career goals. Students can select a concentration from six areas of study including Agroecology, Agronomic Business, Agronomic Science, Crop Biotechnology, Crop Production, and Soil Science. Each concentration provides a strong science-based foundation as well as technical and supporting courses related to each individual discipline.
Plan Requirements
Crop and Soil Sciences (BS): Soil Science: 120 Total Units
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | ||
| ALS 103 | Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | 1 |
| or ALS 303 | Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | |
| Mathematics & Natural Sciences | ||
| MA 121 | Elements of Calculus | 3 |
| ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| MEA 101 | Geology I: Physical | 3 |
| MEA 110 | Geology I Laboratory | 1 |
| PB 321 | Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology | 3 |
| PY 131 | Conceptual Physics | 4 |
| BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| or PB 200 | Plant Life | |
| Communication/Advanced Writing | ||
| COM 110 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| or COM 112 | Interpersonal Communication | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | ||
| Communication for Business and Management | ||
| Communication for Science and Research | ||
| Required Courses within Major | ||
| ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| CS 213 | Crop Science 1 | 3 |
| CS 214 | Crop Science Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| CSSC 290 | Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences | 1 |
| SSC 200 | Soil Science 1 | 3 |
| SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| SSC 332 | Environmental Soil Microbiology | 3 |
| SSC 341 | Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management | 3 |
| SSC 342 | Soil and Plant Nutrient Analysis | 1 |
| SSC 442 | Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| SSC 452 | Soil Classification | 4 |
| SSC 461 | Soil Physical Properties and Plant Growth | 3 |
| CSSC 490 | Senior Seminar in Crop Science and Soil Science | 1 |
| Concentration Electives | ||
| FW 221 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| or SSC 185 | Land and Life | |
| Soil Science Electives | 6 | |
| Economics, Management & Policy Electives | 6 | |
| CSSC 492 | Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences | 3 |
| or CSSC 493 | Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences | |
| Restricted Electives | 12 | |
| GEP Courses | ||
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| GEP Humanities | 6 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | |
| GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 2 | |
| GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement) | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | ||
| Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | ||
| Free Electives | ||
| Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) 2 | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | A grade of C- or higher is required. |
| 2 | Students should consult their academic advisors to determine which courses fill this requirement. |
Soil Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SSC 421 | Role of Soils in Environmental Management | 3 |
| SSC 427 | Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems | 3 |
| SSC 440 | Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Soil Science and Agriculture | 3 |
| SSC 462 | Soil-Crop Management Systems | 3 |
| SSC 470 | Wetland Soils | 3 |
| SSC 540 | Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Soil Science and Agriculture | 3 |
Economics, Management & Policy Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 280 | Survey of Financial and Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ARE 215 | Small Business Accounting | 3 |
| ARE 306 | Agricultural Law | 3 |
| ARE 309 | Environmental Law & Economic Policy | 3 |
| ARE 312 | Agribusiness Marketing | 3 |
| ARE 332 | Human Resource Management for Agribusiness | 3 |
| ARE 336 | Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics | 3 |
| CS 418 | Introduction to Regulatory Science in Agriculture | 3 |
| NR 460 | Renewable Natural Resource Management and Policy | 3 |
| NR 560 | Renewable Natural Resource Management and Policy | 3 |
| PS 201 | American Politics and Government | 3 |
| PS 202 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| PS 320 | U.S. Environmental Law and Politics | 3 |
Restricted Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BAE 325 | Introductory Geomatics | 3 |
| BAET 323 | Water Management | 3 |
| CS 200 | Introduction to Turfgrass Management | 4 |
| CS 211 | Plant Genetics | 3 |
| CS 216 | Southern Row Crop Production - Cotton, Peanuts, and Tobacco | 3 |
| CS 218 | Southern Row Crop Production - Corn, Small Grains and Soybeans | 3 |
| CS 224 | Seeds, Biotechnology and Societies | 3 |
| CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3 |
| CS 312 | Grassland Management for Natural Resources Conservation | 3 |
| CS 410 | Community Food Systems | 3 |
| CS 411 | Crop Ecology | 3 |
| CS 414 | Weed Science | 4 |
| CS 415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 |
| CS 424 | Seed Physiology | 3 |
| CS 430 | Advanced Agroecology | 4 |
| CS 524 | Seed Physiology | 3 |
| ES 100 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 3 |
| ES 150 | Water and the Environment | 3 |
| ET 201 | Environmental Technology Laboratory I | 1 |
| ET 202 | Environmental Technology Laboratory II | 1 |
| ET 203 | Pollution Prevention | 1 |
| FOR 420 | Watershed and Wetlands Hydrology | 4 |
| FOR 520 | Watershed and Wetlands Hydrology | 4 |
| GIS 280 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| MEA 300 | Environmental Geology | 4 |
| NR 300 | Natural Resource Measurements | 4 |
| NR 400 | Natural Resource Management | 4 |
| NR 420 | Watershed and Wetlands Hydrology | 4 |
| NR 421 | Wetland Assessment, Delineation and Regulation | 3 |
| NR 500 | Natural Resource Management | 4 |
| NR 520 | Watershed and Wetlands Hydrology | 4 |
| NR 521 | Wetland Assessment, Delineation and Regulation | 3 |
| SSC 410 | Soil Judging for Land Evaluation | 1 |
| SSC 428 | Service-Learning in Urban Agriculture Systems | 1 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ALS 103 or ALS 303 |
Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences or Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences |
1 |
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| MA 121 | Elements of Calculus | 3 |
| FW 221 or SSC 185 |
Conservation of Natural Resources or Land and Life |
3 |
| CSSC 290 | Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO 183 or PB 200 |
Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology or Plant Life |
4 |
| CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| MEA 101 | Geology I: Physical | 3 |
| MEA 110 | Geology I Laboratory | 1 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| SSC 200 | Soil Science | 3 |
| SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory | 1 |
| COM 110 or COM 112 |
Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication |
3 |
| ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CS 213 | Crop Science | 3 |
| CS 214 | Crop Science Laboratory | 1 |
| SSC 332 | Environmental Soil Microbiology | 3 |
| SSC 452 | Soil Classification | 4 |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SSC 461 | Soil Physical Properties and Plant Growth | 3 |
| Soil Science Elective | 3 | |
| Economics, Management and Policy Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Additional Breadth | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | ||
| Communication for Business and Management | ||
| Communication for Science and Research | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SSC 341 | Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management | 3 |
| SSC 442 | Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| PY 131 | Conceptual Physics | 4 |
| Economics, Management and Policy Elective | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SSC 342 | Soil and Plant Nutrient Analysis | 1 |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| Soil Science Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Experimental Learning Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PB 321 | Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology | 3 |
| CSSC 490 | Senior Seminar in Crop Science and Soil Science | 1 |
| Restrictive Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 2 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Career Opportunities
The breadth and depth of education and experiences you will gain from our department will set you on a path toward a rewarding career in one of the following specialties:
- Agronomist
- Agronomy Sales and Management
- Athletic Turf Manager
- Crop Advisor
- Conservationist
- Crops Systems Specialist
- Ecologist
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist
- Extension Agent
- Golf Course Superintendent
- Hydrologist
- Nutrient Management/ Waste Management Specialist
- Plant Breeder
- Precision Agriculture Specialist
- Real Estate Manager
- Research Station Manager
- Restoration Specialist
- Seed Production Agronomist
- Soil Scientist
Learn more about future job prospects, representative salaries, and major employers for each of the above listed careers at go.ncsu.edu/careers