Major

Minor

Soil science concentration in bus. admin.

Soil courses

Waste Mgmt. courses


SOIL AND WASTE RESOURCES
Ron Hensler, Coordinator
Room 274, Natural Resources Building
Phone: 715-346-4180
E-mail:
rhensler@uwsp.edu or cnr@uwsp.edu
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/soil&waste.htm

Faculty: B Browne, R Hensler, S Levine, A Razvi, E Tubbs.
Definition: Soil and waste resources trains students in the inventory, scientific principles, and management of these resources. It includes soil conservation, soil mapping and classification, nutrient management in agriculture, wastewater treatment, solid waste and hazardous waste management and recycling, septic systems, and wetlands.

Academic Standards
To graduate with a major or minor in soil and waste resources you must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.25.

Soil and Waste Resources Major
Consists of 133 credits.

  1. Required, 22 credits: NRES 150, 151, 250, 251, 490; Soils 364, 365.
  2. Collateral courses, 17 credits: Chemistry 105 and 106 (or 115 and 116); Geology 104; Math 100.

  3. Complete ONE option below:
  1. Soil and Land Management
    1)
    Required, 38 credits: Soils 362, 363, 366, 367, 381, 461, 465; NRES 320 or English 254 or 354; NRES 336, 372, 373, 473 or 474 or 478 or 484; Water 389; Wste Mgmt 380 or 488; 4 credits from Soils 350, Water 350, 450-458 or Wildlife 360, or Wste Mgmt 350.
    2) Collateral courses, 15 credits: Biology 130, 160; Geography 279, 377 or 379 or 476
    3) Summer Camp, 7 credits: Forestry 319, 320; Soils 359, 360; NRES 405; Water 380; Wildlife 340; or 8 credits of NRES 475
  2. Soil Science Option
    1) Required, 18 credits:
    Soils 362, 363, 366, 367, 461, 465; NRES 372, and Wste Mgmt 380 or 488.
    2)
    Collateral courses, 43 credits: Biology 130, 160, 351; Chemistry 220, 248; one addl 300-400 level geology or physical geography course or NRES 377; Math 111 or 120, 355 or Forestry 321 or NRES 373; Math 112 or 119; CIS 102 or 373 or Geography 279; Physics 201 and 202.
    3) Summer Camp, 7 credits: Forestry 319, 320; Soils 359, 360; NRES 405; Water 380; Wildlife 340; or 8 credits of NRES 475.

  3. Waste Management
    1) Required, 24 credits: Soils 461 or 465; Wste Mmgt 380, 381, 476, 488; Water 383; 6 credits from Soils 350, or Water 350, or Wste Mmgt 350, or Wste Mmgt 487.
    2)
    Collateral courses, 22-25 credits: Biology 101, and 305 or 333; Chemistry 220; Math 111 or 120; Physics 101, or 201 and 202; CIS 102.
    3) Two credits of NRES 385.
    4) Com
    plete ONE track below: 
        A) Communication, Business, Political Science track: 12 credits. (a) Comm 230 or NRES 320; (b) English 354; (c)
    3 credits from CIS 365 or 372, Geography 476; (d) 3 credits from Poli Sci 242, 250, 304, 356, 358, Business 380, 384, Econ 311, NRES 372 or Econ 210, Philosophy 380, NRES 474 or 484 or 495.
        B) Technical track: 12 credits from Water 389, 475, 480, 481, 482, 494, NRES 357, 474, 484, 495, Soils 362, 363, 461, 465.

5) We strongly recommend that you complete a minor in business or communication or water resources.

Whether you are a major or minor, check with a soils adviser to determine the minimum core course requirements you need for certification as a professional and/or to take state or national exams or to obtain licenses.

Soil Science Minor
Consists of 22 credits with at least 15 credits of soils courses:

  1. Required: NRES 251; Soils 362 and at least two of the following: Soils 364, 365, 465 (Forestry majors may substitute Soils 361 for one of these).
  2. Select the remaining credits from: Soils 359, 360, 361, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 461, 465; Forestry 325, 332; Geography 279, 352, 377 (or NRES 377), 379, 476; Geology 200, 370; NRES 335, 336, 373, 444, 484; Wste Mgmt 380, 476; Water 383 (or Geology 383), 487 (or Geology 487), 493; Wildlife 451. Other courses approved by assoc dean for academic affairs.

The soil science minor satisfies the minimum civil service requirements for soil scientist positions (classification and mapping) in federal agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service. For a soil conservationist position, Natural Resources 373 is recommended.

Courses in Soils
SOIL 350/550. Selected Topics in Soil and Waste Resources. 1-3 cr. Selected principles, practices, issues in soil and waste resources. May repeat under different subtitles. May apply 3 cr max to major. (I, II)

SOIL 359. Soil Conservation and Watershed Inventory Techniques. 1 cr. Field techniques of land surface relief inventory, soil percolation, watershed interpretive systems for runoff prediction, and groundwater characteristics investigation for integrated resource mngt. Prereq: NRES 251, 2.00 GPA in major, CNR major or written cons instr. (SS)

SOIL 360. Field Experience in Soil Inventory Methods. 1 cr. Techniques in describing, mapping, classifying, and interpreting soils for integrated resource mngt. Prereq: NRES 251, 2.00 GPA in major, CNR major or written cons instr. (SS)

SOIL 361/561. Forest Soils. 3 cr. Characteristics of and processes in soils under forest cover; relationships of these to forest growth, productivity, and management practices; human impacts. 2 hrs lec, 3 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: NRES 251, Summer Camp, CNR major or written cons instr. (II)

SOIL 362/562. Soil Genesis and Morphology. 3 cr. Geologic origin, characteristics, and taxonomic grouping of soils; survey methods and mapping procedures. 2 hrs lab, 2 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Summer Camp, CNR major or written cons instr. (II)

SOIL 363/563. Soil Profile Description Writing. 1 cr. Field identification of soil layers and the preparation of official morphological descriptions of soil profiles and associated site factors. 1 hr lec and 2 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Summer Camp or cons instr. (I)

SOIL 364/564. Soil and Plant Analysis. 3 cr. Sample, prepare, and analyze soil and plants. Interpret chemical results for environmental quality and soil fertility management. Choose analytical methods and maintain laboratory quality control. 2 hrs lec, 3 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Chemistry 116 or 106, CIS 102-spreadsheet or equiv, Summer Camp, CNR major or written cons instr. (I, II)

SOIL 365/565. Soil Survey Interpretations for Land Use Planning. 3 cr. Apply soil survey information to make interpretations for various land uses such as agriculture, sanitary facilities, building sites, woodland, construction materials; identify the limitations and suitability of soils for specific planning purposes. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Summer Camp, CNR major or written cons instr. (I)

SOIL 366/566. Wetland Soils. 1 cr. Characteristics of hydric soils including chemistry, morphology, genesis and classification; hydrology of wetlands; field observation and application of federal and regional guidelines to identify hydric soils. Prereq: NRES 251. May not earn credit in both WATR 366/566 and SOIL 366/566.

SOIL 367/567. Wetland Delineation. 1 cr. Review procedures required for identifying and delineating wetlands for permit review. Prereq: NRES 251. May not earn credit in both WATR 367/567 and SOIL 367/567.

SOIL 381/581. Internship in Soils. 1-12 cr. Supervised training program in soils management in cooperation with private or public resource agencies. One credit for 2-4 wks (40 hrs per wk) of work. Credits and/or addl requirements determined before registration. May repeat once for 12 cr max. Prereq: Forestry 319, 320, Soils 359, 360, Wildlife 340, and Water 380; or NRES 475; 2.00 GPA in major; and/or cons intern director; CNR major or written cons instr. (I, II, SS)

SOIL 455/655. Sediment Control and Site Restoration at Water Crossing Facilities. 1 cr. Designing and installing sediment control techniques at culverts, bridges, and other water-crossing structures to protect fish and other aquatic biota. Prereq: 461 or con reg, admission to CNR, cons instr.

SOIL 456/656. Erosion Control and Slip Stabilization in Construction Activities. 1 cr. Natural and technical approaches to retaining soil on site in construction activities. Includes considerations in hydraulic mulching, erosion control materials, fertilizers and species selection for revegetation. Prereq: 461 or con reg, admission to CNR, cons instr.

SOIL 457/657. Bio-engineering in Streambank and Channel Restoration. 1 cr. Design, installation and construction of bank reinforcement techniques using vegetation and associated structural materials. Prereq: 461 or con reg, admission to CNR, cons instr.

SOIL 458/658. Design and Construction of Sediment Control Structures. 1 cr. Design and construction of sediment basins, and design and installation of sediment control structures such as silt fences, berms, and buffer strips. Prereq: 461 or con reg, admission to CNR, cons instr.

SOIL 461/661. Soil Management for Resource Sustainability. 3 cr. Use soil fertility, plant nutrition, wind and water erosion, and surface and groundwater contamination abatement principles in solving soil and crop management problems. 2 hrs lec, 3 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Summer Camp, CNR major or written cons instr. (II)

SOIL 465/665. Soil Physics. 3 cr. Basic concepts and principles related to the state and transport of matter (especially water) and energy in the soil. Physical measurement and mathematical quantification of soil physical properties and processes. 2 hrs lec, 3 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Math 111 or 120, Physics 201, CIS 102 (spreadsheet or equiv), Summer Camp, CNR major or written cons instr. (I)

SOIL 499. Special Work. Upperclass soil science students may arrange for independent study with cons assoc dean. Credit based on scope of project. Prereq: Summer Camp or cons instr. (I, II)

SOIL 760. Advanced Forest Soils. 3 cr. Advanced topics on relation-ships between soil properties and silviculture, forest hydrology, and nursery management. Prereq: 361/561 or cons instr. (On demand)

SOIL 761. Advanced Soil Management. 1-3 cr. Advanced topics in principles of soil, water, plant relationships. Prereq: 461/661 or cons instr. (On demand)

SOIL 763. Soil Resource Issues. 1-3 cr. Investigate issues such as food production vs. population growth, soil quality, soil erosion, point and nonpoint pollution; identify policies and agencies that are involved. Prereq: Certified elementary/secondary teachers only.

Soils Latent Course:  Not offered recently. For a full course description, see the printed version of the catalog listed behind the course number (xx-xx).

  • 260                Introduction to Soil Resources, 4 cr, (97-99)

  • 496                Computer Software Application for Soils, 1 cr. (03-05)

  • 762                Advanced Soil Genesis, Mineralogy, Classif, 3 cr. (03-05)

Courses in Waste Management
WSTE 350/550. Selected Topics in Soil and Waste Management. 1-3 cr. Selected principles, practices, and issues in soil and water resources. May repeat under different subtitles. May apply 3 cr max to major. (I, II)

WSTE 380/580. Solid Waste Management. 3 cr. Characterization, collection, recycling/disposal of municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastes, with emphasis on environmental effects related to disposal. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: CNR major or written cons instr. (I)

WSTE 381/581. Internship in Waste Resources. 1-12 cr. Supervised training program in waste resources mngt in cooperation with private or public resource agencies.  1 cr for 2-4 wks (40 hrs/wk) of work. Credits and/or addl requirements determined before registration. May repeat once for 12 cr max. Prereq: Waste 380 or 476 or 488; CNR major or written cons instr. (I, II, SS)

WSTE 476/676. Hazardous Waste Management. 3 cr. Chemical, biological, and technical aspects of hazardous waste management; regulations concerning the classification, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste; environmental health and safety issues. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk.  Prereq: 380 or cons instr; Chemistry 116 or 106; Biology 101 or 130; CNR major or written cons instr. (II)

WSTE 487. Senior Thesis. 3 cr. Conduct independent research under direction of faculty member. Present research results at CNR undergraduate research symposium or a professional conference. Prereq: Sr st and overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

WSTE 488/688. Water and Wastewater Treatment. 3 cr. Nonengineering approach to methods of water treatment, routine lab testing, and protection of systems; domestic waste disposal by water carriage and nonwater carriage methods; small unit and municipal disposal methods. Prereq: CNR/biology major or written cons instr. (II)

WSTE 489. Industrial Environmental Management. 3 cr. Regulations, economic, and technical aspects of industrial waste (air, water, solid, and hazardous) generation, alternative methods of treatment, and release of treated materials to the environment. Does not count toward waste major. Prereq: Math 120, Chemistry 106.

WSTE 763. Waste Resource Issues. 1 cr. Investigate solid and liquid waste issues such as: composting, recycling, landfills, on-site wastewater treatment systems, industrial/municipal wastewater treatment systems. 

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