Program Overview

Course Description

The course is essential for understanding the critical role of soil in supporting life, agriculture, and environmental health, directly addressing the global need for sustainable land management. It contributes significantly to a student's disciplinary knowledge by building expertise across the core soil sciences: classification, chemistry, physics, and biology. Key skills and attributes developed include instruction in soil testing, field and laboratory analysis, and data interpretationall vital for effective land-use planning and solving real-world environmental problems.

This knowledge is vital for careers in agronomy, environmental consulting, government agencies (environmental protection, agriculture), research (e.g., CSIRO), and natural resource management. The course content is closely aligned with national professional standards, such as those set by the Australian Soil Science Society, ensuring graduates are well-prepared to meet accreditation requirements for various professional roles.

Topics

• Pedogenesis, soil description and classification (15%)
• Soil components and interactions (25%)
• Soil physical processes (structural stability, soil-water, temperature) (35%)
• Soil fertility and plant nutrition (10%)
• Degradation and management of soils (15%)

Availability

The course is available in two modes:

• Online: Trimester 1
• On Campus (Toowoomba): Trimester 1

Course Contacts

The Course Coordinator is Alla Marchuk.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, graduates will be able to:

1. Describe the processes involved in soil formation and the techniques involved in soil description and classification.
2. Explain the soil components and the nature of the interactions between these components.
3. Discuss the factors and processes influencing structural stability, water availability and movement, and temperature fluctuations in soils.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the factors and processes influencing fertility and nutrient cycling in soils.
5. Analyse the factors and processes that lead to the degradation of soil resources and explain the management practices used to minimise and rehabilitate degraded soils.

Learning Resources

The prescribed textbook for the course is:

• Title: Principles and Practice of Soil Science - the Soil as a Natural Resource
• Author: Robert E. White
• Year: 2013
• Edition: 4th
• Publisher: Wiley

Program Level

The course is at the Undergraduate level.

Course Level

The course is at the 3000 level, which is a Bachelor Degree, Advanced Course and Assessment Level.

Student Contribution Band

The course falls under Band 2.

Fees

Information regarding fees can be found in the Current Course Offer Guide.

Additional Information

The University of Southern Queensland acknowledges the First Nations of southern Queensland and their ongoing connection to Country, lands, and waterways. Further, we recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first educators and researchers of Australia. We pay deep respect to Elders past and present.