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Soil Science, BS

University of Wisconsin
Madison , United States
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Degree
Bachelors
Major
Agronomy | Environmental Sciences | Soil Science
Area of study
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries | Natural Science
Course Language
English
About Program

Program Overview

Soil Science, BS

The Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences provides undergraduate and graduate education in the environmental, agricultural, and natural resource aspects of soils. Areas of emphasis include soil ecology, soil erosion management, soil fertility and plant nutrition, soil physical and chemical characterization, biogeochemistry, urban soils, soil carbon, soil health, soil contaminants, waste management, pedology, and land use analysis.


Admissions

Admissions to the Soil Science, BS were suspended as of summer 2025 and will be discontinued as of fall 2029.


How to Get in

  • No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare.
  • Courses required to get in: None
  • GPA requirements to get in: None
  • Credits required to get in: Must have fewer than 86 credits.
  • Other: Students who do not meet the requirements above or are not in good academic standing should schedule a meeting with CALS Dean on Call to discuss exceptions.

University General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education.


  • BreadthHumanities/Literature/Arts: 6 credits
  • BreadthNatural Science: 4 to 6 credits, consisting of one 4- or 5-credit course with a laboratory component; or two courses providing a total of 6 credits
  • BreadthSocial Studies: 3 credits
  • Communication Part A & Part B
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Quantitative Reasoning Part A & Part B

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Requirements

In addition to the University General Education Requirements, all undergraduate students in CALS must satisfy a set of college and major requirements.


  • Quality of Work: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 to remain in good standing and be eligible for graduation.
  • Residency: Students must complete 30 degree credits in residence at UWMadison after earning 86 credits toward their undergraduate degree.
  • First-year seminar: 1 credit
  • International studies: 3 credits
  • Physical science fundamentals: 4-5 credits
  • Biological science: 5 credits
  • Additional science (biological, physical, or natural): 3 credits
  • Science breadth (biological, physical, natural, or social): 3 credits
  • CALS Capstone Learning Experience: included in the requirements for each CALS major

Major Requirements

Courses may not double count within the major (unless specifically noted otherwise), but courses counted toward the major requirements may also be used to satisfy a university requirement and/or a college requirement. A minimum of 15 credits must be completed in the major that are not used elsewhere.


  • Mathematics and Statistics:
    • Select one of the following courses: 3-5 credits
      • MATH 112: College Algebra
      • MATH 114: Precalculus
      • MATH 171: Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry I
    • Select one of the following courses: 3-4 credits
      • STAT 371: Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences (recommended)
      • STAT/F&W ECOL 571: Statistical Methods for Bioscience I
  • Chemistry:
    • Select one of the following options: 5-9 credits
      • Option 1:
        • CHEM 103: General Chemistry I
        • CHEM 104: General Chemistry II
      • Option 2:
        • CHEM 109: Advanced General Chemistry
  • Biology:
    • Select one of the following options: 10 credits
      • Option 1 (recommended):
        • BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130: General Botany
        • ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 101: Animal Biology
        • ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 102: Animal Biology Laboratory
      • Option 2:
        • BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151: Introductory Biology
        • BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152: Introductory Biology
      • Option 3:
        • BIOCORE 381: Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics
        • BIOCORE 382: Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics Laboratory
        • BIOCORE 383: Cellular Biology
        • BIOCORE 384: Cellular Biology Laboratory
  • Core:
    • SOIL SCI 301: General Soil Science
    • SOIL SCI 302: Meet Your Soil: Soil Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory
    • Select one of the following courses: 3 credits
      • SOIL SCI 621: Soil and Environmental Chemistry
      • SOIL SCI 326: Plant Nutrition Management
    • Select one of the following courses: 3 credits
      • SOIL SCI 327: Environmental Monitoring and Soil Characterization
      • SOIL SCI 622: Soil Physics
    • Select one of the following courses: 3 credits
      • SOIL SCI 323: Soil Biology
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 425: Environmental Microbiology
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 523: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry
  • Focus Areas:
    • Students must complete 1 of 3 focus areas:
      1. Environmental Soil Science
      2. Soil and Food Systems
      3. Turf and Grounds
    • Total Credits: 29-44
  • Capstone:
    • Select one of the following courses: 3-4 credits
      • SOIL SCI 499: Soil Management
      • ENVIR ST/SOIL SCI 575: Assessment of Environmental Impact
      • F&W ECOL/A A E 430: Decision Methods for Natural Resource Managers
  • Total Credits: 66-89

Focus Areas within the Major

Environmental Soil Science

  • Mathematics:
    • Select one of the following courses: 5 credits
      • MATH 211: Survey of Calculus
      • MATH 221: Calculus and Analytic Geometry
      • MATH 217: Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry II
  • Physics:
    • Select one of the following courses: 4-5 credits
      • PHYSICS 103: General Physics (recommended)
      • PHYSICS 104: General Physics
      • PHYSICS 207: General Physics
      • PHYSICS 208: General Physics
  • Chemistry:
    • Select one of the following options: 4-8 credits
      • Option 1:
        • CHEM 311: Chemistry Across the Periodic Table
        • CHEM 327: Fundamentals of Analytical Science
        • or CHEM 329: Fundamentals of Analytical Science
      • Option 2:
        • CHEM 341: Elementary Organic Chemistry
        • CHEM 342: Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory
      • Option 3:
        • CHEM 343: Organic Chemistry I
        • CHEM 344: Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory
        • CHEM 345: Organic Chemistry II
  • Physical Environment: 6 credits
    • Select one course from the following:
      • ATM OCN 100: Weather and Climate
      • ATM OCN 101: Weather and Climate
      • ATM OCN/SOIL SCI 132: Water and People
      • GEOG/ENVIR ST 120: Introduction to the Earth System
      • GEOG/ENVIR ST 127: Physical Systems of the Environment
      • GEOSCI/ENVIR ST 106: Environmental Geology
      • GEOSCI 202: Introduction to Geologic Structures
      • SOIL SCI 131: Earth's Soil: Natural Science and Human Use
      • SOIL SCI 326: Plant Nutrition Management
    • Select at least one course from the following:
      • GEOG/CIV ENGR 320: Geomorphology
      • SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST 324: Soils and Environmental Quality
      • SOIL SCI 621: Soil and Environmental Chemistry
      • SOIL SCI 622: Soil Physics
      • PLANTSCI/ATM OCN 532: Environmental Biophysics
      • F&W ECOL/LAND ARC/ZOOLOGY 565: Principles of Landscape Ecology
      • GEOG 578: GIS Applications
  • Living Environment: 11 credits
    • Select one course from the following:
      • PLANTSCI 300: Cropping Systems
      • PLANTSCI 110: Introduction to Plant Science and Technology
      • GEOG/ENVIR ST 309: People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems
      • ZOOLOGY/ENVIR ST 315: Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources
      • PLANTSCI 370: World Vegetable Crops
      • AGROECOL 400: Study Abroad in Agroecology
      • AGROECOL 370: Grassland Ecology
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 425: Environmental Microbiology
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 523: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry
    • Select one course from the following:
      • BOTANY/F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 460: General Ecology
      • F&W ECOL 550: Forest Ecology
      • F&W ECOL 551: Forest Ecology Lab
      • GENETICS 466: Principles of Genetics
      • BOTANY 500: Plant Physiology
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 523: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry
      • GENETICS 545: Genetics Laboratory
      • BOTANY/PL PATH 563: Phylogenetic Analysis of Molecular Data
      • SOIL SCI/CIV ENGR/M&ENVTOX 631: Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects
    • Select one of the following options:
      • Option 1:
        • MICROBIO 101: General Microbiology
        • MICROBIO 102: General Microbiology Laboratory
      • Option 2:
        • MICROBIO 303: Biology of Microorganisms
        • MICROBIO 304: Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory
      • Option 3:
        • BOTANY 330: Algae
        • BOTANY/PL PATH 332: Fungi
  • Environmental Policy, Management, and Analysis: 9 credits
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST 101: Forum on the Environment
      • ENVIR ST 112: Environmental Studies: Social Science Perspectives
      • ENVIR ST 113: Environmental Studies: Environmental Humanities
      • ENVIR ST/ILS 126: Principles of Environmental Science
      • ENVIR ST/GEOG 127: Physical Systems of the Environment
      • SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST 575: Assessment of Environmental Impact
      • F&W ECOL/A A E 430: Decision Methods for Natural Resource Managers
      • GEOG/SOIL SCI 526: Human Transformations of Earth Surface Processes
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • A A E 101: Introduction to Agricultural and Applied Economics
      • ECON 101: Principles of Microeconomics
      • ECON 111: Principles of Economics-Accelerated Treatment
      • A A E/ENVIR ST 244: The Environment and the Global Economy
      • A A E 319: The International Agricultural Economy
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL/G L E/GEOG/GEOSCI/LAND ARC 371: Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing
      • ENVIR ST/LAND ARC/SOIL SCI 695: Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources
  • Total Credits: 39-44

Soil and Food Systems

  • Physical Environment: 8-10 credits
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • ATM OCN 100: Weather and Climate
      • SOIL SCI/ATM OCN/BSE 132: Water and People
      • ATM OCN 101: Weather and Climate
      • GEOG/ENVIR ST 120: Introduction to the Earth System
      • GEOG/ENVIR ST 127: Physical Systems of the Environment
      • GEOSCI 100: Introductory Geology: How the Earth Works
      • GEOSCI/ENVIR ST 106: Environmental Geology
      • SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST 324: Soils and Environmental Quality
      • SOIL SCI/F&W ECOL 451: Environmental Biogeochemistry
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 565: Principles of Landscape Ecology
      • GEOG/CIV ENGR 320: Geomorphology
      • GEOG 578: GIS Applications
      • GEOG 579: GIS and Spatial Analysis
      • SOIL SCI 131: Earth's Soil: Natural Science and Human Use
      • SOIL SCI/F&W ECOL 451: Environmental Biogeochemistry
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 523: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry
      • SOIL SCI 621: Soil and Environmental Chemistry
      • SOIL SCI 622: Soil Physics
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL/G L E/GEOG/GEOSCI/LAND ARC 371: Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing
      • ENVIR ST/LAND ARC/SOIL SCI 695: Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources
  • Economics and Food Management: 6-8 credits
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • ACCT I S 100: Introductory Financial Accounting
      • ACCT I S 211: Introductory Managerial Accounting
      • ACCT I S 300: Accounting Principles
      • ACCT I S 301: Financial Reporting I
      • ACCT I S 329: Taxation: Concepts for Business and Personal Planning
      • A A E 101: Introduction to Agricultural and Applied Economics
      • A A E 320: Agricultural Systems Management
      • A A E 322: Commodity Markets
      • A A E 323: Cooperatives and Alternative Forms of Enterprise Ownership
      • A A E 419: Agricultural Finance
      • A A E/ECON 421: Economic Decision Analysis
      • A A E/ECON 474: Economic Problems of Developing Areas
      • M H R 305: Human Resource Management
      • M H R 610: Compensation: Theory and Administration
      • M H R 611: Strategic Talent Management
      • M H R 612: Labor-Management Relations
    • Select one of the following courses:
      • ECON 101: Principles of Microeconomics
      • ECON 111: Principles of Economics-Accelerated Treatment
      • ACCT I S 100: Introductory Financial Accounting
      • ACCT I S 211: Introductory Managerial Accounting
      • ACCT I S 300: Accounting Principles
      • ACCT I S 301: Financial Reporting I
      • ACCT I S 329: Taxation: Concepts for Business and Personal Planning
      • A A E 320: Agricultural Systems Management
      • A A E 322: Commodity Markets
      • A A E 323: Cooperatives and Alternative Forms of Enterprise Ownership
      • A A E 419: Agricultural Finance
      • A A E/ECON 421: Economic Decision Analysis
      • A A E/ECON 474: Economic Problems of Developing Areas
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 425: Environmental Microbiology
      • SOIL SCI/MICROBIO 523: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry
      • M H R 305: Human Resource Management
      • M H R 610: Compensation: Theory and Administration
      • M H R 611: Strategic Talent Management
      • M H R 612: Labor-Management Relations
  • Specialized Sciences (complete all):
    • PLANTSCI 300: Cropping Systems (3 credits)
    • or PLANTSCI 302: Forage Management and Utilization
    • PLANTSCI 110: Introduction to Plant Science and Technology (4 credits)
    • PL PATH 300: Introduction to Plant Pathology (3-4 credits)
    • or ENTOM 351: Principles of Economic Entomology
    • SOIL SCI 326: Plant Nutrition Management (3 credits)
    • A A E 101: Introduction to Agricultural and Applied Economics (3-4 credits)
    • or A A E/ENVIR ST 244: The Environment and the Global Economy
    • or A A E 319: The International Agricultural Economy
    • or A A E/NUTR SCI 350: World Hunger and Malnutrition
  • Total Credits: 30-36

Turf and Grounds

  • Physical Environment:
    • Select one of the following courses: 3 credits
      • ATM OCN 100: Weather and Climate
      • ATM OCN 101: Weather and Climate
      • SOIL SCI/ATM OCN/BSE 132: Water and People
      • GEOG/ENVIR ST 120: Introduction to the Earth System
      • GEOG/ENVIR ST 127: Physical Systems of the Environment
      • GEOSCI 100: Introductory Geology: How the Earth Works
      • GEOSCI/ENVIR ST 106: Environmental Geology
  • Core Turf and Grounds Sciences (complete all):
    • ACCT I S 300: Accounting Principles (3 credits)
    • BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130: General Botany (5 credits)
    • PLANTSCI/PL PATH 261: Sustainable Turfgrass Use and Management (2 credits)
    • M H R 305: Human Resource Management (3 credits)
    • PL PATH 300: Introduction to Plant Pathology (4 credits)
    • SOIL SCI 332: (3 credits)
  • Specialized Sciences: 7 credits
    • Select 7 credits from the following courses:
      • BOTANY/F&W ECOL 402: Dendrology: Woody Plant Identification and Ecology
      • PLANTSCI/LAND ARC 263: Woody Landscape Plant Identification, Culture, and Use
      • BSE 301: Land Information Management
      • ENTOM 351: Principles of Economic Entomology
      • PLANTSCI/PL PATH 262: Turfgrass Management Laboratory
      • PLANTSCI 110: Introduction to Plant Science and Technology
  • Total Credits: 30

Honors in the Major

Students admitted to the university and to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences are invited to apply to be considered for admission to the CALS Honors Program.


  • Admission Criteria for New First-Year Students:
    • Complete program application including essay questions
  • Admission Criteria for Transfer and Continuing UW-Madison Students:
    • UW-Madison cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
    • Complete program application including essay questions
  • How to Apply:
    • The application is available on the CALS Honors Program website.
    • Applications are accepted at any time.
  • Requirements:
    • Earn at least a cumulative 3.25 GPA at UW-Madison (some programs have higher requirements)
    • Complete the program-specific requirements listed below
    • Submit completed thesis documentation to CALS Academic Affairs
  • Honors in the Major Requirements:
    • To earn Honors in the Major, students are required to take at least 20 honors credits.
    • In addition, students must take SOIL SCI 681 Senior Honors Thesis and SOIL SCI 682 Senior Honors Thesis when completing their thesis project.

University Degree Requirements

  • Total Degree: To receive a bachelor's degree from UWMadison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits.
  • Residency: Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UWMadison.
  • Quality of Work: Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing.

Learning Outcomes

  1. To instill in our undergraduate majors the knowledge base required for them to intelligently discuss, debate and communicate those aspects of soil science pertinent to their degree, specialization and career goals.
  2. To provide our undergraduates with the skills and experience needed to identify and solve problems and issues of the types they may encounter in their professions.
  3. To ensure that our undergraduates possess an awareness of and an appreciation for the potential impacts of soil, water, crop and waste management practices, and land use on the quality of the environment.

Four-Year Plan

Sample Soil Science Four-Year Plan

First Year


  • Fall:
    • CHEM 103 or 109 (4-5 credits)
    • MATH 114 or 171 (5 credits)
    • FIRST YEAR SEMINAR (1 credit)
    • COMM-A/ELECTIVES (3-4 credits)
  • Spring:
    • CHEM 104 (5 credits)
    • ETHNIC STUDIES (3 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (7-8 credits) Second Year
  • Fall:
    • BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130 or ZOOLOGY 151 (5 credits)
    • SOIL SCI 301 & SOIL SCI 302 (4 credits)
    • INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (3 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 101 & ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 102 (5 credits)
    • COMM-B/ELECTIVES (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSE (4-5 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (3 credits) Third Year
  • Fall:
    • SOIL SCI 621 (3 credits)
    • STATISTICS (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSE/ELECTIVES (6 credits)
  • Spring:
    • SOIL SCI 622 (3 credits)
    • SOIL SCI 323 (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (9-10 credits) Fourth Year
  • Fall:
    • SOIL SCI 499 (Capstone) (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (12 credits)
  • Spring:
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (15-16 credits) Total Credits: 115-121

Sample Soil Science Four-Year Plan: Soil & Food Systems; Turf and Grounds Focus Areas

Freshman


  • Fall:
    • CHEM 103 or 109 (4-5 credits)
    • MATH 114 or 171 (5 credits)
    • FIRST YEAR SEMINAR (1 credit)
    • COMM-A/ELECTIVES (3-4 credits)
  • Spring:
    • CHEM 104 (5 credits)
    • ETHNIC STUDIES (3 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (7-8 credits) Total Credits: 28-31 Sophomore
  • Fall:
    • BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130 or ZOOLOGY 151 (5 credits)
    • SOIL SCI 301 & SOIL SCI 302 (4 credits)
    • INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (3 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 101 & ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 102 (5 credits)
    • COMM-B/ELECTIVES (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSE (4-5 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (3 credits) Total Credits: 30-31 Junior
  • Fall:
    • SOIL SCI 621 (3 credits)
    • STATISTICS (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSE/ELECTIVES (6 credits)
  • Spring:
    • SOIL SCI 622 (3 credits)
    • SOIL SCI 323 (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (9-10 credits) Total Credits: 27-28 Senior
  • Fall:
    • SOIL SCI 499 (Capstone) (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (12 credits)
  • Spring:
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (15-16 credits) Total Credits: 30-31

Sample Soil Science Four-Year PlanEnvironmental Soil Science Focus Area

Freshman


  • Fall:
    • CHEM 103 or 109 (4-5 credits)
    • MATH 114 or 171 (5 credits)
    • FIRST YEAR SEMINAR (1 credit)
    • COMM-A/ELECTIVES (3-4 credits)
  • Spring:
    • CHEM 104 (5 credits)
    • ETHNIC STUDIES (3 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (7-8 credits) Total Credits: 28-31 Sophomore
  • Fall:
    • BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130 or ZOOLOGY 151 (5 credits)
    • SOIL SCI 301 & SOIL SCI 302 (4 credits)
    • INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (3 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 101 & ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 102 (5 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSE (4-5 credits)
    • ELECTIVES (3 credits)
    • COMM-B/ELECTIVES (3 credits) Total Credits: 30-31 Junior
  • Fall:
    • SOIL SCI 621 (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (6 credits)
    • STATISTICS (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • SOIL SCI 622 (3 credits)
    • SOIL SCI 323 (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (9-10 credits) Total Credits: 27-28 Senior
  • Fall:
    • SOIL SCI 499 (Capstone) (3 credits)
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (12 credits)
  • Spring:
    • FOCUS AREA COURSES/ELECTIVES (15-16 credits) Total Credits: 30-31

Advising and Careers

Students are assigned a faculty advisor once they declare the major. Prospective students should contact the undergraduate coordinator with questions. Most of our graduates find employment in a diversity of private and commercial enterprises and governmental agencies. Recent examples of employment include laboratory technician, turf and grounds manager, agrichemical sales representative, environmental scientist, land use planner, land zoning administrator, project manager, wetlands delineator, and hydrogeologist. Approximately 12% of our undergraduates pursue advanced degrees.


Wisconsin Experience

Students majoring in soil science are involved in an array of opportunities across campus. Students are highly encouraged to complement their coursework with out-of-classroom experiences such as research, volunteering, internships, and study abroad.


Resources and Scholarships

Financial support in the form of approximately 15 scholarships, part-time employment, paid internships, and work-study programs is available to qualified undergraduate students. The department also provides opportunities and limited financial support in the form of research assistantships to qualified students seeking MS and/or PhD degrees.


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