About this Program
- College: Agricultural and Life Sciences
- School: Natural Resources and Environment
- Degree: Bachelor of Science
- Credits for Degree: 120
- More Info
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.
Department Information
The Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Department researches and teaches about soil, water, and environmental sciences in urban, agricultural, and natural ecosystems. Since its origins over 100 years ago, the department has made significant contributions to improving the productivity of Florida’s agriculture, helping protect the state's unique ecosystems, and contributing to soil and water science at national and international levels.
Website
CONTACT
Email | 352.294.3`151
P.O. Box 110290
2181 MCCARTY HALL A
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-0290
Map
Curriculum
Environmental Management in Agriculture and Natural Resources prepares students for careers in land management by analyzing and assessing the entire ecosystem, both above and below the land surface. On a global scale, water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, which are the major components that make life possible, move through and are stored in soil. For terrestrial ecosystems, soils support plant growth by storing plant available water and nutrients. For aquatic ecosystems, soil maintains the water quality of downstream streams, lakes, and estuaries by storing, filtering and removing excess nitrogen, phosphorus, and fecal matter as water moves below ground within the landscape. To avoid repeating past mistakes, land managers must have a background in soil & water science. Soil conservation is central to best management practices in agriculture and natural ecosystems.
Our interdisciplinary approach to environmental management is visible throughout the degree program, starting with critical tracking courses in biology, chemistry, math, statistics, & economics, and then with introductory core courses in soil science, water science, hydrology, geology, ecology, and entomology. Using this foundation, students then take courses in Geological Information Systems (GIS), integrated pest management, nutrient management, wetlands, and natural resource policy. Final coursework includes approved electives and an internship or independent study. Students collaborate closely with an academic advisor or faculty member to identify electives that teach the skill sets and provide experiences relevant to the student’s career goals.
Environmental Management alumni and recent graduates have careers in the private sector with consulting companies and agricultural producers and government agencies. Students within our major often stay in Florida to work for a state agency. These state agencies include the Department of Environmental Protection, the Water Management Districts, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the state Forest Service. Students who intern for these state agencies during their degree program often apply for and accept permanent positions within that agency after graduation.
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Semester 1
- Complete 1 of 6 critical-tracking courses, excluding labs: AEC 3030C or SPC 2608, BSC 2005/BSC 2005L or BSC 2010/BSC 2010L, CHM 2045/CHM 2045L, CHM 2046/CHM 2046L, MAC 2233, STA 2023
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 2
- Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses, excluding labs
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 3
- Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses, excluding labs
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 4
- Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 5
- Complete all critical-tracking courses, including labs from semesters 1 – 4
- Complete 1 additional tracking course
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 upper division GPA required
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 6
- Complete 1 additional tracking course
- 2.0 upper division GPA required
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 7
- Complete 2 additional tracking courses
- 2.0 upper division GPA required.
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 8
- Complete all remaining tracking course from semester 5 - 8
- 2.0 upper division GPA required.
- 2.0 UF GPA required
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| Semester One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| MAC 2233 | Survey of Calculus 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Mathematics) | 3 |
| State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Humanities | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Two | ||
| Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) | 3 | |
| Select one: | 3-4 | |
| Current Economic Issues, Food and You (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | ||
| Select one: | 4 | |
| Biological Sciences and Laboratory in Biological Science (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Biological Sciences) |
||
| Integrated Principles of Biology 1 and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Biological Sciences) |
||
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) | 3 |
| Gen Ed Composition (Writing Requirement) | 3 | |
| Credits | 16-17 | |
| Semester Three | ||
| Quest 2 (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | 3 | |
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Effective Oral Communication (Critical Tracking) | ||
| Introduction to Public Speaking (Critical Tracking) | ||
| CHM 2045 & 2045L |
General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry Laboratory (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences) |
4 |
| GLY 2030C | Environmental and Engineering Geology (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) | 3 |
| Gen Ed Humanities | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Four | ||
| ALS 3133 | Agricultural and Environmental Quality (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) | 3 |
| CHM 2046 & 2046L |
General Chemistry 2 and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) |
4 |
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Principles of Physics (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) | ||
| Applied Physics 1 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) | ||
| The World of Water | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Semester Five | ||
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Agricultural Ecology | ||
| Soil Microbial Ecology | ||
| Natural Resource Ecology | ||
| SWS 3022 | Introduction to Soils in the Environment (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) | 3 |
| SWS 4244 | Wetlands | 3 |
| Approved elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Semester Six | ||
| AEB 3133 or MAN 3025 |
Principles of Agribusiness Management or Principles of Management |
3-4 |
| AEC 3033C | Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences (Writing Requirement) | 3 |
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Principles of Entomology and Principles of Entomology Laboratory (Critical Tracking) |
||
| Fundamentals of Pest Management (Critical Tracking) | ||
| Approved elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Summer After Semester Six | ||
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Supervised Extension Experience in Soil and Water Sciences | ||
| Individual Work | ||
| Supervised Research in Soil and Water Science | ||
| Honors Thesis Research in Soil and Water Science | ||
| Full-time Practical Work Experience in Soil and Water Science | ||
| Approved elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Semester Seven | ||
| AOM 4643 | Environmental Hydrology: Principles and Issues | 3 |
| FNR 4660 | Natural Resource Policy and Economics (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| SWS 4720C | GIS in Soil and Water Science (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| Approved elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Eight | ||
| SWS 4116 | Environmental Nutrient Management | 3 |
| SWS 4223 | Environmental Biogeochemistry (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| Approved electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Other electives require advisor approval
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AGG 4502 | Nanotechnology in Food, Agriculture, and Environment | 3 |
| AEB 2014 | Current Economic Issues, Food and You | 3 |
| AEB 3671 | Comparative World Agriculture | 3 |
| ALS 4162 | Consequences of Biological Invasions | 3 |
| BUL 4310 | The Legal Environment of Business | 4 |
| ECO 2013 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 4 |
| ECO 2023 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| ENT 3003 | Principles of Entrepreneurship | 4 |
| ENY 3007C | Life Science | 3 |
| GEB 3373 | International Business | 4 |
| MAR 3023 | Principles of Marketing | 4 |
| SWS 2007 | The World of Water | 3 |
| SWS 4180 | Earth System Analysis | 3 |
| SWS 4204 | Urban Soil and Water Systems | 3 |
| SWS 4207 | Sustainable Agricultural and Urban Land Management | 3 |
| SWS 4233 | Soil and Water Conservation | 3 |
| SWS 4800 | Environmental Soil and Water Monitoring Techniques | 3 |
| SWS 4932 | Special Topics in Soil and Water Science (Math for Environmental Professionals) | 2 |
| SWS 4932 | Special Topics in Soil and Water Science (Wetlands Seminar) | 1 |
| WIS 3404 | Natural Resource Ecology | 3 |
The interdisciplinary major in environmental management in agriculture provides students with the scientific and technical foundation to integrate and communicate the diverse environmental issues associated with agriculture and natural resources. Students will be able to deal in an informed manner with the agricultural regulations and permitting requirements established by various agencies and jurisdictions, and students will achieve an appreciation for the complexities of agricultural practices. Students will learn to integrate, balance and communicate the mix of agricultural and environmental issues that need to be addressed in modern society.
Before Graduating Students Must
- Complete an approved senior-year research project, SWS 4905, related to management and science skills.
- Achieve minimum grades of C in AEC 3030C and AEC 3033C. These courses are graded using rubrics developed by a faculty committee.
- Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.
Students in the Major Will Learn to
Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs
Content
- Appraise similarities between agronomic production and environmental protection issues.
- Describe the processes in the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles, and relate these processes to global patterns of productivity, pollution, and consequences of environmental change.
Critical Thinking
- Critically evaluate natural resource policies using basic economic tools, identify factors that influence the success of resource policy implementation, and apply ecological, social and political criteria.
- Develop a plan for the analysis of an environmental/agricultural study using geographic information systems software.
- Compare the effects of different fertility sources on nutrient cycling, interpret soil tests and quantify crop nutrient requirements, and fertilizer application rates.
Communication
- Create, interpret, and analyze written text, oral messages, and multimedia presentations used in agricultural and life sciences.
Curriculum Map
I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed
| Courses | SLO 1 | SLO 2 | SLO 3 | SLO 4 | SLO 5 | SLO 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEB 3133 | R | |||||
| AEC 3030C | I, R, A | |||||
| AEC 3033C | I, R, A | |||||
| ALS 3133 | I, A | I | I | I | ||
| AOM 4643 | R | R | I | |||
| FNR 4660 | R, A | R | ||||
| SWS 3022 | I | I | ||||
| SWS 4116 | R | R | R, A | R | ||
| SWS 4223 | R | R, A | R | |||
| SWS 4244 | R | R | R | |||
| SWS 4720C | R, A | R |
Assessment Types
- Average of tests in ALS 3133
- Average of problem set and test scores in SWS 4223
- Average test scores in FNR 4660
- Project presentation in SWS 4720C
- Test and problem set scores from SWS 4116
- Course grades in AEC 3033C and AEC 3030C