Soil and Waste Resources: Soil Science and Land Management Option, BS

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This major is administered by the Soil and Waste Resources Discipline.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, as a major in Soil and Waste Resources at UWSP, you will be able to:

Describe how soil and waste resources interact with the environment.
Identify the significant physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and waste resources.
Evaluate different uses and management options for soil and waste resources.
Demonstrate technical skills necessary for soil and waste resource professions.
Demonstrate the ability to communicate technical soil and waste resource information.

Consists of 95-108 credits.

Note: Required courses marked below have Math prerequisites. Depending on your placement score, additional courses may be required.**

Soil and Waste Resources Core

Required, 14 credits

NRES 150 - People, Resources and the Biosphere Credits: 3
NRES 151 - Ecological Basis for Natural Resource Management Credits: 3
NRES 250 - Introduction to Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Credits: 4
NRES 251 - Introduction to Soil and Water Resources Credits: 4 **

Collateral courses, 20-26 credits

CHEM 105 - Fundamental Chemistry Credits: 5 ** and
CHEM 106 - Fundamental Chemistry Credits: 5 **
OR
CHEM 117 - General Chemistry Principles Credits: 5 **
GEOG 341 - Geographic Information Systems I Credits: 3
GEOL 104 - Physical Geology Credits: 4
MATH 111 - Applied Calculus Credits: 4 ** or
MATH 225 - Calculus I Credits: 5 **
MATH 255 - Elementary Statistical Methods Credits: 4 ** or
FOR 321 - Natural Resources Data Analysis Credits: 4 **

Soil Science and Land Management Option

Required, 36 credits

ENGL 254 - Introduction to Technical Writing Credits: 3 or
ENGL 347 - Grant and Proposal Writing Credits: 3 or
ENGL 354 - Advanced Scientific and Technical Writing Credits: 3 or
NRES 320 - Natural Resources Communication and Public Relations Credits: 3
NRES 372 - Resource Economics Credits: 3
NRES 373 - Agronomy, Agriculture and Environment Credits: 4
NRES 365 - Environmental Policy Credits: 3 or
NRES 473 - Resource Policy and Law Credits: 3 or
NRES 474 - Integrated Resource Management Credits: 3 or
NRES 478 - Environmental Issues Investigation and Action Credits: 3 or
NRES 484 - Natural Resources Planning Credits: 3 or
POLI 338 - Environmental Law and Regulation Credits: 3
SOIL 362 - Soil Genesis, Morphology, and Classification Credits: 3
SOIL 363 - Soil Profile Description Writing Credits: 1
SOIL 364 - Soil and Plant Analysis Credits: 3
SOIL 365 - Soil Quality Assessment and Soil Survey Interpretation Credits: 3
SOIL 381 - Internship in Soils Credits: 1-6 (for 3 credits)
SOIL 461 - Soil Management for Resource Sustainability Credits: 3
SOIL 465 - Soil Physics Credits: 3
SOIL 484 - Environmental Microbiology Credits: 4 or
WSTE 484 - Environmental Microbiology Credits: 4

Collateral courses, 9-15 credits

BIOL 110 - Principles of Biology I Credits: 5 and
BIOL 111 - Principles of Biology II Credits: 5 or
BIOL 130 - Introduction to Plant Biology Credits: 5
PHYS 101 - General Physics Credits: 5 or
PHYS 201 - Applied Principles of Physics I Credits: 4

Electives, 9 credits

Choose from:

BIOL 351 - Plant Physiology Credits: 4
CHEM 220 - Survey of Organic Chemistry Credits: 4
CHEM 248 - Quantitative Analysis Credits: 4
SOIL 350 - Selected Topics in Soil and Waste Resources Credits: 1-3
SOIL 361 - Forest Soils Credits: 3
SOIL 366 - Wetland Soils and Wetland Delineation Credits: 3 or
WATR 366 - Wetland Soils and Wetland Delineation Credits: 3
SOIL 368 - Urban Soils Credits: 2
SOIL 387 - On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems Credits: 1 or
WSTE 387 - On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems Credits: 1
SOIL 479 - Environmental Fate of Organic Chemicals Credits: 3 or
WSTE 479 - Environmental Fate of Organic Chemicals Credits: 3
SOIL 482 - Nutrient Management: Land Application and Planning Credits: 3 or
WSTE 482 - Nutrient Management: Land Application and Planning Credits: 3
SOIL 486 - Composting Credits: 1 or
WSTE 486 - Composting Credits: 1
SOIL 499 - Special Work Credits: 1-3
WATR 360 - Wetlands Ecology and Management Credits: 3 or
WLDL 360 - Wetlands Ecology and Management Credits: 3
WATR 389 - Hydrology Credits: 3
WATR 454 - Design of Constructed Wetlands Credits: 1
WSTE 350 - Selected Topics in Soil and Waste Resources Credits: 1-3
WSTE 380 - Solid Waste Management Credits: 3
WSTE 476 - Hazardous Waste Management Credits: 3

Field Techniques in Natural Resources, 7 credits

FOR 319 - Land Surveying Credits: 1
FOR 320 - Field Experience in Forest Measurement Credits: 1
SOIL 359 - Soil Conservation and Watershed Inventory Techniques Credits: 1
SOIL 360 - Field Experience in Soil Inventory Methods Credits: 1
NRES 405 - Selected Topics in Natural Resources Credits: 1-3
WATR 380 - Field Experience in Aquatic Ecosystem Evaluation Credits: 1
WLDL 340 - Field Experience in Wildlife Management Techniques Credits: 1

Or 8 credits of

NRES 475 - International Field Experiences in Natural Resources Management Credits: 1-8

Note

Whether you are a major or minor, check with a Soils and Waste Resources adviser to determine the minimum core course requirements you need to be eligible for professional certification, exams, and/or licenses.