¸£Àû±ÆÕ¾

Crop and Soil Sciences (BS): Crop Biotechnology

This is an archived copy of the 2022-2023 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit .

To see more about what you will learn in this program, visit the !

The Bachelor of Science in Crop and Soil SciencesÌýwith a concentration in Crop BiotechnologyÌýis a program that trains the next generation of plant scientists primarily focused on crop improvement. Through hands-on classes, students will learn how crops develop and improve as a result of biotechnology through increased food quality and quantity once introduced into agricultural production systems. Plant breeders graduating from this program will develop the seeds used by the next generation of food producers.

Plan Requirements

Orientation
´¡³¢³§Ìý103Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences1
´Ç°ùÌý´¡³¢³§Ìý303 Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences
Mathematics & Natural Sciences
²Ñ´¡Ìý131Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A3
²Ñ´¡Ìý231Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B3
³§°ÕÌý311Introduction to Statistics3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý181Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity4
µþ±õ°¿Ìý183Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology4
°ä±áÌý101Chemistry - A Molecular Science3
°ä±áÌý102General Chemistry Laboratory1
°ä±áÌý221Organic Chemistry I3
°ä±áÌý222Organic Chemistry I Lab1
°ä±áÌý223Organic Chemistry II3
°ä±áÌý224Organic Chemistry II Lab1
±Ê³ÛÌý131Conceptual Physics4
µþ°ä±áÌý351General Biochemistry3
Communication/Advanced Writing
°ä°¿²ÑÌý110Public Speaking3
´Ç°ùÌý°ä°¿²ÑÌý112 Interpersonal Communication
Select one of the following:3
Communication Methods and Media
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Business and Management
Communication for Science and Research
Required Courses within Major
´¡¸é·¡Ìý201Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý410Manipulation of Recombinant DNA4
°ä³§³§°äÌý290Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences1
°ä³§Ìý213Crop Science 13
°ä³§Ìý214Crop Science Laboratory 11
°ä³§Ìý413Plant Breeding3
°ä³§Ìý211Plant Genetics3
±ÊµþÌý421Plant Physiology3
±ÊµþÌý480Introduction to Plant Biotechnology3
³§³§°äÌý200Soil Science 13
³§³§°äÌý201Soil Science Laboratory 11
Concentration Electives
Foundation Elective (select one):3
Technology in Society and Culture
Seeds, Biotechnology and Societies
Technology in Society and Culture
Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values
Biotechnology Elective 4
Experiential Learning (select one):3
Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
Restricted Electives 13
General Education Program (GEP) Courses
·¡±·³ÒÌý101Academic Writing and Research 14
GEP Humanities6
GEP Social Sciences3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts)3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives2
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement)
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Free Electives
Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) 26
Total Hours120

Biotechnology Elective

BEC 463/563Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms2
µþ±õ°¿Ìý572Proteomics3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý100Current Topics in Biotechnology4
µþ±õ°ÕÌý200Early Research in Biotechnology4
µþ±õ°ÕÌý210Phage Hunters3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý211Phage Genomics2
µþ±õ°ÕÌý295Special Topics in Biotechnology1-3
BIT 462/562Gene Expression Analysis: Microarrays2
BIT 463/563Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms2
BIT 464/564Protein Purification2
BIT 465/565Real-time PCR Techniques2
BIT 466/566Animal Cell Culture Techniques2
BIT 467/567PCR and DNA Fingerprinting2
BIT 468/568Genome Mapping2
BIT 471/571RNA Interference and Model Organisms2
BIT 473/573Protein Interactions2
BIT 474/574Plant Genetic Engineering2
µþ±õ°ÕÌý476Applied Bioinformatics2
µþ±õ°ÕÌý477Metagenomics2
BIT 478/578Mapping the Brain2
BIT 479/579High-Throughput Discovery2
BIT 480/580Yeast Metabolic Engineering2
BIT 481/581Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation2
µþ±õ°ÕÌý492External Learning Experience1-6
µþ±õ°ÕÌý493Special Problems in Biotechnology1-6
µþ±õ°ÕÌý495Special Topics in Biotechnology1-3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý501Ethical Issues in Biotechnology1
µþ±õ°ÕÌý502Biotechnology Networking and Professional Development1
µþ±õ°ÕÌý510Core Technologies in Molecular and Cellular Biology4
µþ±õ°ÕÌý5692
µþ±õ°ÕÌý590Independent Study in Biotechnology1-3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý595Special Topics1-6
°ä±áÌý572Proteomics3
°ä±á·¡Ìý463Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms2
°ä±á·¡Ìý563Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms2
²ÑµþÌý210Phage Hunters3
²ÑµþÌý211Phage Genomics2
±ÊµþÌý481Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation2
PO 466/566Animal Cell Culture Techniques2

Restricted Electives

´¡·¡°äÌý360Ecology4
µþ±õ°¿Ìý330Evolutionary Biology3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý414Cell Biology3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý476Applied Bioinformatics2
BIT 481/581Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation2
°ä³§Ìý211Plant Genetics3
°ä³§Ìý216Southern Row Crop Production - Cotton, Peanuts, and Tobacco3
°ä³§Ìý218Southern Row Crop Production - Corn, Small Grains and Soybeans3
°ä³§Ìý224Seeds, Biotechnology and Societies3
°ä³§Ìý230Introduction to Agroecology3
°ä³§Ìý251Production of Forage Crops3
°ä³§Ìý411Crop Ecology3
°ä³§Ìý414Weed Science4
°ä³§Ìý415Integrated Pest Management3
CS 418/518Introduction to Regulatory Science in Agriculture3
CS 428/528Advanced Regulatory Science in Agriculture3
CS 424/524Seed Physiology3
CS 430/530Advanced Agroecology4
°ä³§Ìý480Sustainable Food Production (capstone)1
°ä³§³§°äÌý490Senior Seminar in Crop Science and Soil Science1
°ä³§³§°äÌý495Special Topics in Crop and Soil Sciences1-6
·¡±·°ÕÌý425General Entomology3
³Ò±·Ìý311Principles of Genetics4
³Ò±·Ìý312Elementary Genetics Laboratory1
GN 421/521Molecular Genetics3
³Ò±·Ìý423Population, Quantitative and Evolutionary Genetics3
²ÑµþÌý200The Fourth Horseman: Plagues that Changed the World3
²ÑµþÌý351General Microbiology3
²ÑµþÌý575Introduction to Mycology4
±ÊµþÌý200Plant Life4
±ÊµþÌý250Plant Biology4
±ÊµþÌý295Special Topics in Botany1-4
±ÊµþÌý345Economic Botany3
±ÊµþÌý346Economic Botany Lab1
±ÊµþÌý360Ecology4
±ÊµþÌý400Plant Diversity and Evolution4
±ÊµþÌý403Systematic Botany4
±ÊµþÌý413Plant Anatomy2
±ÊµþÌý481Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation2
±ÊµþÌý495Special Topics in Plant Biology1-6
±ÊµþÌý503Systematic Botany4
±ÊµþÌý513Plant Anatomy2
±ÊµþÌý570Plant Functional Ecology3
±ÊµþÌý575Introduction to Mycology4
±Ê±ÊÌý315Principles of Plant Pathology4
±Ê±ÊÌý495Special Topics in Plant Pathology1-3
±Ê±ÊÌý575Introduction to Mycology4
³§³§°äÌý185Land and Life3
³§³§°äÌý332Environmental Soil Microbiology3
³§³§°äÌý341Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management3
³§³§°äÌý342Soil and Plant Nutrient Analysis1
³§³§°äÌý421Role of Soils in Environmental Management3
³§³§°äÌý427Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems3
SSC 440/540Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Soil Science and Agriculture3
³§³§°äÌý442Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry3
³§³§°äÌý452Soil Classification4
³§³§°äÌý455Soils, Environmental Quality and Global Challenges3
³§³§°äÌý461Soil Physical Properties and Plant Growth3
³§³§°äÌý462Soil-Crop Management Systems3
SSC 470/570Wetland Soils3
³§°ÕÌý371Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory3
³§°Õ³§Ìý302Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values3
³§°Õ³§Ìý323World Population and Food Prospects3

Semester Sequence

This is a sample.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
´¡³¢³§Ìý103
Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences
or Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences
1
µþ±õ°¿Ìý181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 4
·¡±·³ÒÌý101 Academic Writing and Research 4
²Ñ´¡Ìý131 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 3
Foundation Elective 3
°ä³§³§°äÌý290 Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences 1
ÌýHours16
Spring Semester
µþ±õ°¿Ìý183
Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology
or Plant Life
4
°ä±áÌý101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science 3
°ä±áÌý102 General Chemistry Laboratory 1
²Ñ´¡Ìý231 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B 3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
GEP Humanities 3
ÌýHours15
Second Year
Fall Semester
°ä±áÌý221 Organic Chemistry I 3
°ä±áÌý222 Organic Chemistry I Lab 1
°ä³§Ìý213 Crop Science 3
°ä³§Ìý214 Crop Science Laboratory 1
³§³§°äÌý200 Soil Science 3
³§³§°äÌý201 Soil Science Laboratory 1
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
Restrictive Electives 3
ÌýHours16
Spring Semester
°ä±áÌý223 Organic Chemistry II 3
°ä±áÌý224 Organic Chemistry II Lab 1
°ä°¿²ÑÌý110 Public Speaking 3
°ä³§Ìý211 Plant Genetics 3
Restricted Electives 3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives 2
ÌýHours15
Third Year
Fall Semester
´¡¸é·¡Ìý201 Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics 3
±Ê³ÛÌý131 Conceptual Physics 4
±ÊµþÌý421 Plant Physiology 3
³§°ÕÌý311 Introduction to Statistics 3
GEP Social Sciences 3
ÌýHours16
Spring Semester
µþ°ä±áÌý351 General Biochemistry 3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý410 Manipulation of Recombinant DNA 4
GEP Humanities 3
Restrictive Elective 3
ÌýHours13
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
Biotechnology Elective 4
±ÊµþÌý480 Introduction to Plant Biotechnology 3
GEP Additional Breadth 3
Experiential Learning Elective 3
ÌýHours13
Spring Semester
°ä³§Ìý413 Plant Breeding 3
Select one of the following: 3
Communication for Engineering and Technology Ìý
Communication for Business and Management Ìý
Communication for Science and Research Ìý
Restrictive Elective 4
Free Elective 6
ÌýHours16
ÌýTotal Hours120

Career Opportunities

The breadth and depth of education and experiences you will gain from our department will set you on a path toward a rewarding career in one of the following specialties:

  • Crop Geneticist
  • Crops Systems Specialist
  • Plant Breeder
  • Plant Protection Specialist
  • Regulatory Scientist

​Learn more about future job prospects, representative salaries, and major employers for each of the above listed careers at