SOILS

e Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better LARCH 60 Cultural History of Designed Places 3

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

WFS/FOR 430 Conservation Biology 3 WFS/FOR 465 Restoration Ecology 4 Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

1

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 18 Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

18

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 12 Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

12

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

3 SOILS 412W Soil Ecology 3

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

2

Credits (max)

2

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

This course introduces the student to natural and human-influenced soils. SOILS 404 Urban Soils (3) This course introduces the student to the management of soils in urban and suburban settings via comparisons in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. The soil is also examined as the interface between the biotic and abiotic components of an urban site. Therefore, site management of soil during or following placement is examined in detail. Urban soil physical and chemical properties are discussed in terms of site stability. The interactions between stormwater management, erosion control, soil mechanics, and the soil's ability to support vegetation are examined in the context of sustaining urban environments. The soil design process is presented: site assessment, biophysical analysis, profile construction, specification formulations, and conformance testing and inspection protocols. Professional practical examples such as mine reclamation, brown field restoration, and landscape construction are presented to illustrate the process. The student completes a series of exercises to gain experience in soil examination, soil/land use interpretation, site assessment, soil erosion calculations and a group assignment that evaluates soil issues on a reclamation or construction project. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: SOILS 101

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Soil and water interactions across scales, integrated studies of landscape- soil-water relationships, fundamental processes of water flow and chemical transport. SOILS (GEOSC) 405 Hydropedology (3)Hydropedology is the study of the fluxes, storages, pathways, residence times, and spatio-temporal organization of water in the root and deep vadose zones, and their relations to climate, ecosystem, land use, and contaminant fate. The aim is to characterize integrated physical, chemical, and biological processes of soil-water interactions across scales (including chemicals and energy transported by water flow). This course embraces interdisciplinary and multiscale studies of interactive pedological and hydrological processes in the earth's surface and subsurface environments. The course will address the fundamental issues and practical applications of hydropedology (as a sister discipline of hydrogeology). This course emphasizesin situsoils that have distinct characteristics of pedogenic features, structures, layers, and soil-landscape relationships in the real world. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of soil and water interactions across scales from point observations to watershed phenomena, and will gain skills in predicting flow pathways and water fluxes in the landscape. This course promotes active learning, critical thinking, and hands-on skills. Course format will consist of two lectures and one laboratory/field exercise each week. The course will utilize a network of local watersheds with different land uses for demonstrations and class projects. Grading will be based on weekly lab/field exercise (20%), class research project (40%), homework (10%), one midterm exams (15%), and one final exam

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Students cannot use the same course more than once as an additional course

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

1

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Lecture and laboratory course on the genesis of soils, their classification, mapping, and interpretation for land use. SOILS 416 Soil Genesis and Classification (3) The study of soil genesis, classification, and mapping examines the evolution of soils, their organization into natural units, and their distribution throughout the world. Physical, chemical, and morphological soil characteristics are studied both in the field and classroom and then used to classify soils. These classification units are in turn used to study the processes that influence soil development. Students acquire a detailed knowledge of the technical terminology of soil genesis and develop observational and analysis skills needed to describe and/or interpret soil morphologies in the context of the landscape a profile is found in. Students learn to recognize and explain soil genetic pathways due to current or past soil forming periods (as affected by climate change for example). Students also evaluate the effect of soil genesis on land use and management decisions, learn how to map soils at multiple scales, and deliver soil mapping information. The course is comprised of weekly lectures and a laboratory. Exercises in the field and laboratory are designed to further develop a student's ability to ascertain a natural soil's origin using the five soil forming factors. Field skills that will be refined over the course of the semester include profile description, site description, soil mapping, and measurement and characterization of soil physical and chemical properties. Upon completion of SOILS 416, students will demonstrate: 1) deep understanding of fundamental soil processes that result in the genesis of soils around the world; 2) familiarity with soil analytical and testing protocols for common laboratory and field measurements used in studying the genesis of soils; 3) skills for interpreting soil profiles from the soil orders of the world; 4) accurate prediction of soil genesis pathways for a given landform; 5) the ability to interpret soil profile physical and chemical data, classify a soil according to US Soil Taxonomy, map soils to an order 1 level, and be able to apply soil profile information as gathered from the US Soil Survey program to make land use interpretations. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: SOILS 101 Undergraduate - The Pennsylvania State University 2026-2027 4869

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

4

Credits (max)

4

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Select one of the following: 3-4

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Introduction to chemical constituents and processes occurring in soils. Topics include mineral weathering, soil solution chemistry and adsorption of solutes. GEOSC 418GEOSC 418 (SOILS 419) Soil Environmental Chemistry (3) Upon completion of the course, the students will be able to identify the soil components and properties responsible for the chemical reactivity of soils and will know the fundamental chemical processes that occur in soils. The students will also be able to link theoretical concepts to real life environmental problems. The students will be evaluated on examinations, homework, and class participation. GEOSC 418 (SOILS 419) is offered every Spring semester. Class limit: 25 students. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: CHEM 112 and SOILS 101 Cross-listed with: GEOSC 418

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Basic principles and technical aspects of remediation of contaminated soils. SOILS 420 Remediation of Contaminated Soils (3) Remediation of contaminated soils is an introduction to the basic principles and techniques of remediation. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to determine what type of remediation technology needs to be used in real-world conditions depending upon the chemical nature and extent of contamination and learn about protocols for soil sampling and leach testing. They will learn about regulatory background and many different types of wastes that will be encountered in contaminated soils. Students gain knowledge of various cationic and anionic species of metal contaminants and how best to fix these using chemical fixation and solidification technique, which is an established remediation technology. In addition, they will learn about other established technologies such as on-site and off-site incineration and innovative technologies such as bioremediation, phytoremediation, vacuum extraction, thermal desorption, soil washing, solvent extraction, ex-situ supercritical oxidation, in-situ vitrification etc. They will be able to determine which technology is cost-effective for a particular contaminated soil. Students

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Subject

SOILS

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

This course is designed for junior and senior undergraduates with some previous chemistry background. The course will advance students¿ understanding of chemical concepts and link them to applications in environmental chemistry. The course focuses on topics in environmental soil chemistry such as: soil minerology, mineral weathering, sorption and ion exchange, chelation and complex formation, soil pH and acidic/alkaline soils, oxidation/reduction, soil salinity, soil biochemistry, and the dissolution/precipitation of common metals and compounds. The solid phase is emphasized, but solid/solution equilibria, aquatic chemistry, metals in the aqueous environment, and aquatic pollution will also be covered. The course also covers a detailed overview of stratospheric chemistry, tropospheric chemistry, and climate change. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: (CHEM 110 and CHEM 111 and CHEM 112) or CHEM 202 or CHEM 210 Cross-listed with: ERM 440

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 3 Participate with instructors in teaching an undergraduate soil science course; assist with teaching and evaluation and with development of instrucitonal materials. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: SOILS 101 and approval of instructor

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 6 Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small group basis. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: permission of the SOILS program

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 6 Independent study directed by a faculty supervisor that culminates in the production of a SOILS honors thesis The course involves research and other scholarly activities (such as writing) necessary for completion of an approved SOILS honors thesis. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: Enrollment in the Schreyer Honors College and permission of a SOILS honors adviser

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 18 Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: Prior approval of proposed assignment by instructor

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

18

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 18 Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

18

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 9 Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in-depth, a comparatively narrow subject which may be topical or of special interest.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

9

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 12 Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

12

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Introduction to soil science for graduate students including fundamentals of and applications to plant production and environmental sustainability.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Recommended Preparations: At least one undergraduate course in Mathematics and in Chemistry. GEOSC 452 This course provides the theoretical basis for and mathematical description of the transport of water and chemicals through the unsaturated zone between the soil surface and the regional water table. This zone is frequently referred to as the vadose zone. In particular, the course investigates the solutions to problems involving the transport of water and chemicals through the vadose zone, such as might be the case when attempting to predict direction and rate of a contaminant spill, or to determine the length of time required for contaminant remediation, or to protect buried waste from infiltrating water. Students will recognize parameters required in order to develop solutions to identified problems, will identify means to obtain values of the needed parameters, and will develop model solutions in order to gain insight into expected outcomes of proposed solutions.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 4 Soil physical properties emphasizing water, heat, gas, and ion movement in unsaturated soils. Laboratory included with 4 credits.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

4

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prerequisite

6 credits each of calculus, physics, and soils

Soil data bases, image processing, and geographic information systems will be used to model and understand land and water resources.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prerequisite

GEOG 457

Biology and ecology of microorganisms in terrestrial environments; microbiological and molecular analysis methods; microbial processes in carbon and nitrogen cycling. SOILS 512 Environmental Soil Microbiology (3) Environmental Soil Microbiology (SOILS 512) examines the major groups of microorganisms and their processes and interactions in terrestrial systems, with an emphasis on carbon and nitrogen cycling. Students will obtain an overview of the biology, ecology, and functions of bacteria, archaea, and fungi in soils, rhizospheres, sediments, and organic wastes. This course is intended for students interested in spatial and temporal distribution and activities of microorganisms in the environment, as well as in appropriate methods for analyzing microbes in environmental samples. Course format will consist of two weekly lectures, each followed by a 25 -min discussion period. Class discussions will include exercises and reviews of recent literature on classical and molecular soil/environmental microbiology. Grading will be based on participation in class discussions (20%), two midterm exams (20 % each), one final take-home exam (20%), and a 10-page research proposal to be presented to the class in late April (20%). SOILS 512 will support interdisciplinary training of graduate students in Soil Science as well as Graduate - The Pennsylvania State University 2026-2027 1409 in other disciplines of the College of Agricultural Sciences, especially Plant Pathology, Horticulture, Entomology, and Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Graduate students in the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (IGDPE), College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Eberly College of Science, and College of Engineering also will find this course useful when undertaking research on systems involving microorganisms (e.g., biogeochemistry, plant or animal systems, or environmental engineering). Course will be offered every other spring semester with an anticipated enrollment of 20 students per class. equivalent

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prerequisite

two years of chemistry and B M B401 , A B E308 , or

Chemical constituents and processes occurring in soils. Discussion of soil components, reactions at the solid-solution interface, and soil chemical processes.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prerequisite

CHEM 450

/Maximum of 4 Field trip to study the genesis, classification, and geomorphology of the major soils of the northeastern United States.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

4

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prerequisite

SOILS416 or 6 credits in geology or physical geography

Constituent minerals of soils: modern methods for identification; relations to soil formation and agricultural practices.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 999 This seminar addresses chemical interactions between the biosphere and the physical environment over Earth's history and as impacted by humans. This course will provide a broad survey of biogeochemical principles, and offer a community-building experience for students with biogeochemical interests from diverse departments. Students will complete the course with a synthetic knowledge of the key topics in the field of biogeochemistry. Each week we will focus on a topic within the broad field of biogeochemistry such as: origins of the elements, reactions in the atmosphere, soil development, the distribution of redox reactions and microbial metabolic pathways, and the global cycles of carbon, water, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, mercury, and perhaps other elements. For each topic, we will focus on the questions: What is known or can be observed? How is this information used to understand biogeochemical phenomena and process? How are these processes scaled over time and space? What are emerging and important questions in the subspecialties of biogeochemistry? Cross-listed with: CE 536, GEOSC 536

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

2

Credits (max)

2

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Ecological theory and applications related to water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation cycling in managed and unmanaged terrestrial ecosystems. SOILS 571 Ecosystem Nutrient Cycles (3)This course is designed to benefit basic and applied environmental scientists that want to understand how nutrients cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. Students will develop knowledge of the biologically important nutrient cycles in terrestrial ecosystems, including linkages between nutrient cycling and energy (carbon) and water flow. The material covers the major theoretical advances in ecosystem ecology and applications of ecosystem theory to environmental management and problem solving. The water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and nutrient cation cycles will be covered. For each nutrient, inputs, outputs and internal cycling in plants and soils are discussed. Class time will include a mixture of lectures, discussions of primary literature and case studies, and group projects. Each student will write a paper on a topic related to their research that will be review by student peers. Field and laboratory experiences will expose students to methods used by ecosystem ecologists. Students will complete the class with an understanding of: (1) classic and contemporary theories of nutrient cycling at the ecosystem scale, 2) variability in nutrient cycling among the major unmanaged and managed ecosystem types, 3) ecosystem responses to natural disturbance and human management, and 4) common and cutting-edge methods of ecosystem analysis.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 3 This course will explore the foundations, discoveries, and applications linked to the Critical Zone concept through primary literature, class discussions, and original student projects. We will start by spending one week each on the four foundational science domains that are woven together to make Critical Zone science: hydrology, geoscience, soil science, and ecology. Then we will spend several weeks highlighting key discoveries that arise from the interdisciplinary Critical Zone perspective. The end of the class explores whether the Critical Zone science perspective might have useful applications for land and water management. Throughout the class, students take a co-leadership role with the instructors in terms of selecting readings, lecturing, and designing active learning allied with key concepts. Cross-listed with: CE 589, GEOSC 589

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 3 Continuing seminars which consist of a series of individual lectures by faculty, students, or outside speakers. Cross-listed with: FOR 590, WFS 590

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 9 Creative projects, including nonthesis research, that are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

9

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 9 Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

9

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 999 NO DESCRIPTION.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

15

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

0 Credits/Maximum of 999 NO DESCRIPTION.

Subject

SOILS

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

ed 1-3 Credits/Maximum of 6 GRADUATE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN PREPARATION, PRESENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF COURSE MATERIALS FOR UNDERGRADUATE FORMAL COURSES.

Subject

SOILS

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 999 No description.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

15

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

0 Credits/Maximum of 999 NO DESCRIPTION.

Subject

SOILS

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

SOILS 804 is a three-credit quantitative laboratory instrumentation course that is designed to give students a deeper understanding and application of modern laboratory instrumental techniques for the isolation, identification, detection, and quantitation of soil ecosystem chemical substances. Upon completion of the course, students should be well versed in appropriate techniques used to collect and process a sample and measure the chemical constituents and assess the condition of soil ecosystems: soil gases; soil inorganic and organic solids, and soil solutions/digests/extracts. Instrumental techniques covered in the course include spectroscopic, chromatographic, spectrometric, electrochemical, and thermal methods for soil ecosystem measurements. As such, the course has laboratory and lecture components. In the lectures, students learn good laboratory practices, sampling and sample processing and preparation methods, selection of analytical instruments and the chemical and/or physical principles exploited during the measurement, how the instrument performs the measurement and some of the techniques used to increase accuracy, precision, sensitivity, selectivity, and measurability. In the laboratory, students will put the theory and principles into practice by performing various analytical experiments designed to provide examples of the usefulness of selected instruments or techniques in a way that will enable the student to understand and operate a wide range of other related instruments for soil ecosystem analyses. Thus, while the laboratory experiments and demonstrations will illustrate some of the applications of the

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 9 Creative projects with a professional orientation, including nonthesis research, that are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outsid the scope of formal courses.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

9

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 9 Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject with a professional orientation that may be offered infrequently; several differe topics may be taught in one year or semester.

Subject

SOILS

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

9

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

graduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu