BS in Environmental Sciences with Emphasis in Land and Soil

Degree Program Description

The Environmental Science degree with an emphasis in Land and Soil combines interests in monitoring environmental change, conserving and managing soil and biological organisms, sustainably managing soil, improving environmental quality with the shaping of new policies and educating others about the natural environment and environmental issues. Example careers include Environmental Specialist, Environmental Technician, Land Manager, and Soil Scientist. Employment may occur in a variety of sectors, including federal, state, county and city government agencies, non-government agencies (NGOs), and private consulting firms.

Major Program Requirements

The degree combines interests in monitoring environmental change, conserving and managing soil and biological organisms, sustainably managing soil, and improving environmental quality with the shaping of new policies and educating others about the natural environment and environmental issues. Example careers include Environmental Specialist, Environmental Technician, Land Manager, and Soil Scientist. Employment may occur in a variety of sectors, including federal, state, county and city government agencies, non-government agencies (NGOs), and private consulting firms.

Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences are required to complete all University general educationUniversity graduation, and degree requirements, including selected foundational courses, which may fulfill some University general education requirements.

Foundational

MATH 1100College Algebra3-5
or MATH 1160 Precalculus Mathematics
MATH 1400Calculus for Social and Life Sciences I3-5
or MATH 1500 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
CHEM 1400
CHEM 1401
College Chemistry I
and College Chemistry I Laboratory
4
Business Elective (select from ABM, FINPLN, MANGMT, MRKTNG)3
ABM 2123Quantitative Applications in Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences 3
or STAT 1200 Introductory Statistical Reasoning
ENV_SC 1100Introduction to Environmental Science3
AGSC_COM 2220Verbal Communication in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources3
ATM_SC 1050Introductory Meteorology3
NAT_R 2325Introduction to Geographic Information Systems3
or GEOG 3040 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems GIS
ENV_SC 4560Observing the Earth from Space3
or ABM 1200 Applied Computer Applications

Core Emphasis Area

Biological Science
BIO_SC 1200General Botany with Laboratory3
or PLNT_SCI 2110 Who Runs the World? Plants.
BIO_SC 1500Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory5
FOREST 4320Forest Ecology5
or BIO_SC 3650 General Ecology
Chemistry
CHEM 1410
CHEM 1411
College Chemistry II
and College Chemistry II Laboratory
4
Geology
GEOL 1100Introduction to the Earth with Laboratory4
or GEOL 1200 Environmental Geology with Laboratory
GEOL 2400Surficial Earth Processes and Products with Laboratory4
Policy/Regulation
NAT_R 4353Natural Resource Policy/Administration3
or ENV_SC 4400W Environmental Law, Policy, and Justice - Writing Intensive
Soil Science
SOIL 2100Introduction to Soils3
SOIL 2106Soil Science Laboratory2
Physics
SOIL 4305Environmental Soil Physics3
SOIL 4306Environmental Soil Physics Laboratory4
or PHYSCS 1210 College Physics I
Additional Emphasis Area Requirements
FOREST 2151Dendrology4
ENV_SC 2600Sustainability Foundations: An Introduction to Sustainability 3
ENV_SC 3250Pollutant Fate and Transport3
SOIL 4313Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition3-4
or FOREST 4330 Practice of Silviculture
or F_W 4600 Ecosystem Management
ENV_SC 4940Environmental Science Internship3
UpperLevel Disciplinary Electives15
Select from the following courses to achieve an additional 15 credits. Must take at least one Atmospheric, Environmental, or Soil Science course, and one course that involved computer modeling.
ATM_SC 3600Climates of the World3
AG_S_TCH 4360Precision Agriculture Science and Technology3
AG_S_TCH 4420Surface Water Management3
ENV_SC 4305Environmental Soil Physics3
ENV_SC 4306Environmental Soil Physics Laboratory2
ENV_SC 4312Environmental Soil Microbiology3
ENV_SC 4318Environmental Soil Chemistry3
ENV_SC 4320Hydrologic and Water Quality Modeling3
ENV_SC 4450Environmental Hydrology3
F_W 4500Animal Population Dynamics and Management3
ENV_SC 4600WSustainability Science Problem Solving - Writing Intensive3
F_W 4600WEcosystem Management - Writing Intensive3
FOREST 3207Forest Fire Control and Use3
FOREST 4380Forest Resource Management3
FOREST 4390Watershed Management and Water Quality3
GEOG 3610Physical Geography of the United States3
GEOG 3630Earth Surface Systems3
GEOG 3830Remote Sensing3
GEOG 4710Spatial Analysis in Geography3
GEOG 4940Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS II)3
NAT_R 4110Natural Resource Biometrics4
NAT_R 4385Landscape Ecology and GIS Analysis I3
PLNT_SCI 3270Forage Crops3
PLNT_SCI 3275Grain Crops3
SOIL 4313Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition3
Capstone Experience4
SOIL 4320Genesis of Soil Landscapes4
Electives approved by professional advisor to complete 120 total credits.

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Semester Plan

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
HIST 1100 or POL_SC 11003ENGLSH 10003 
ENV_SC 11003MATH 11003 
BIO_SC 12005BIO_SC 15005 
ATM_SC 10503SOIL 21003 
 14 14  
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
CHEM 1400
CHEM 1401
4CHEM 1410
CHEM 1411
4 
AGSC_COM 22203Emphasis Area Elective3 
FOREST 43205GEOL 12004 
ENV_SC 26003SOIL 21062 
 Business Elective3 
 15 16  
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
STAT 12003NAT_R 23253ENV_SC 49403
FOREST 21514ENV_SC 32503 
ABM 12003MATH 14003 
ENV_SC 32903Humanities Elective-Lower Level WI3 
 Emphasis Area Elective4 
 13 16 3
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
SOIL 43204FOREST 43304 
ENV_SC 43053Emphasis Area Elective-Upper Level WI3 
ENV_SC 43062Humanities Elective3 
Emphasis Area Elective3NAT_R 43533 
GEOL 24004  
 16 13  
Total Credits: 120

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Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

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Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.

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