Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
Students completing the minor gain skills in understanding and assessing the science and management of soils. Because soils are necessary for sustaining all living organisms, this minor is relevant to all students. Students will gain practical, meaningful, and hands-on experiences in both environmental and agricultural applications of the world's finite soil resources. This minor allows students the opportunity to relate their interests to the ecology, classification, mineralogy, chemistry, physics, and fertility/health parameters of soils.
Program Learning Objectives
- Relate the fundamentals of soil science – emphasizing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils – to students' daily lives.
- Distinguish and appreciate the integral nature of healthy soils to overall environmental health and sustainability.
- Evaluate how soil forming factors influence the properties and management of a soil.
- Classify and describe soils in the field and relate that information to land management considerations.
Minor Requirements and Curriculum
The minor must be completed prior to, or at the same time as, the requirements for the bachelor's degree. A major and a minor may not be taken in the same degree program, and a minor is not required for a degree. Requirements for the minor include:
- At least half of the units must be from upper-division courses (3000-4000 level).
- At least half of the units must be taken at Cal Poly (in residence).
- No more than one-third of the units will be taken with credit-no credit grading (CR/NC), not counting courses with mandatory CR/NC. Departments may further limit CR/NC grading if desired.
- A minimum 2.0 GPA is required in all units counted for completion of the minor.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| REQUIRED COURSES | ||
| ERSC 3303 | Soil Erosion and Water Conservation | 3 |
| GEOL 2240 | Physical Geology | 3-4 |
| or SS 2221 | Soil Health and Plant Nutrition | |
| SS 1120 | Introductory Soil Science | 4 |
| SS 3321 | Soil Morphology | 4 |
| Approved Electives | ||
| Select from the following: | 9 | |
| Applied Groundwater Hydrology | ||
| Applied Environmental Contaminant Transport | ||
| Geomorphology | ||
| Wetlands | ||
| Soil Ecology | ||
| Environmental Soil and Water Chemistry | ||
| Environmental Soil Physics | ||
| Spatial Data Analysis and Environmental Mapping | ||
| Forest and Range Soils | ||
| Soil Judging | ||
| Advanced Soil Judging | ||
| Total Units | 23 | |