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2007-08 Undergraduate Catalog

Majors

Soil and Water Science
College: Agricultural and Life Sciences
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Hours for the Degree: 120
Minor: Yes
Combined-Degree Program: Yes
Website: soils.ifas.ufl.edu/academics/undergraduate.html

Majors must complete core requirements that stress a balance between the fundamentals of science and a foundation in the humanities, social sciences, business and natural science. A capstone experience through which a student will gain employment skills needed to solve environmental and agricultural problems is required.
Specializations include soil, water and land use (with an accent on natural resources and the environment); environmental soil and water management (with an accent on agricultural and other applied aspects of soil and water science); physical sciences (with an accent on microbiology, botany and/or biological sciences); and business (with accent on economics, business administration or entrepreneurship).

Students may prepare for professional schools by selecting appropriate elective courses.

Critical Tracking and Semester Plan

Semester 1:

  • 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
  • Complete 1 of 5 critical courses, excluding labs: CHM 2045/2045L, CHM 2046/2046L, MAC 2311, BSC 2010/2010L, PHY 2004/2004L

Semester 2:

  • Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses, excluding labs

Semester 3:

  • Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs

Semester 4:

  • Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs

Semester 5:

  • Complete all critical-tracking courses, including labs

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.

Suggested semester-by-semester plan

Semester 1Credits
BSC 2010 and 2010L Integrated Principles of Biology 1 (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-B)4
CHM 2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-P)4
Composition (GE-C, WR)3
Electives4
Total 15
Semester 2Credits
CHM 2046 and 2046L General Chemistry 2 (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-P)4
MCB 2000 and 2000L Microbiology (3) and Laboratory (1)4
Humanities (GE-H)3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
Elective2
Total 16
Semester 3Credits
MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M)4
Humanities (GE-H) or Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S)3
ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (3) (GE-S) or
AEB 3103 Principles of Food and Resource Economics (4) (GE-S)
3-4
AEE 3033C Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences3
Elective2
Total 15-16
Semester 4Credits
Humanities (GE-H)3
PHY 2004 and 2004L Applied Physics 1 (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-P)4
SOS 3022 and 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-P)4
Elective3
Total 14
Semester 5Credits
CHM 3120 and 3120L Introduction to Analytical Chemistry (3) and Laboratory (1)4
SOS 4451 Soil and Water Chemistry3
SOS 4231C Soil, Water and Land Use3
Approved electives (see list)5
Total 15
Semester 6Credits
SOS 4715C Environmental Pedology4
AEE 3030C Effective Oral Communication (or equivalent)3
Approved electives (see list)6
Total 13
SummerCredits
SOS 4905 Individual Work or
SOS 4941 Full-time Practical Work Experience in Soil and Water Science
3
Total 3
Semester 7Credits
SOS 4602C Soil Physics (GE-P)3
SOS 4303C Soil Microbial Ecology3
Approved electives (see list) 10
Total 16
Semester 8Credits
SOS 4244 Wetlands 3
Approved electives (see list) 10-11
Total 13-14

Approved Electives: include at least two of these courses

ALS 3133 Agricultural and Environmental Quality3
SOS 3023L Soil Judging2
SOS 4116 Environmental Nutrient Management3
SOS 4223 Environmental Biochemistry3
SOS 4233 Soil and Water Conservation3
SOS 4245 Water Resource Sustainability3
SOS 4720C GIS in Soil and Water Science3

Electives are chosen with the student's adviser. There are four specific areas of specialization: soil, water and land use, environmental soil and water management, physical sciences and biological sciences. The student is encouraged to take electives from a range of course groupings that include biology, building construction, chemistry, earth science, environmental science, hydrology, mathematics, physics, policy, production systems, programming and statistics.

Areas of specialization in the soil and water science major are not restricted to the four areas above; other specializations can be developed.