Graduate Faculty

701-231-8901

F. Adnan Akyüz, Ph.D.
University of Missouri-Columbia, 1994
Research Area/Activity: Applied Climatology and Microclimatology/Climate Based Agricultural Management

Francis X.M. Casey, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 2000
Research Area/Activity:
Field Oriented Soil Physics, Measurement and Prediction of Water Transfer and Chemical Transport Through Soil

Allan W. Cattanach, Ph.D. (adjunct)
University of Minnesota, 1979
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Fertility, Sugarbeet Management

Larry J. Cihacek, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 1979
Research Area/Activity:
Erosion and Productivity Relationships, Conventional and Alternative Crop Management, Carbon Sequestration, Nutrient Management

Thomas M. DeSutter, Ph.D.
Kansas State University, 2004
Research Area/Activity:
Trace Elements, Land Application of Byproducts, Inorganic Soil Chemistry, Soil Environmental Conditions

David W. Franzen, Ph.D.
University of Illinois, 1993
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Fertility/State Soil Specialist

David G. Hopkins, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 1997
Research Area/Activity:
Interactions Among Landscape, Soil Morphology, Soil Properties and Environmental Aspects of Land Use

R. Jay Goos, Ph.D.
Colorado State University, 1980
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Fertility and Management/Fertilizer Management for Small Grains

Dr. Don Kirby, Director,
School of Natural Resource Sciences
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
701.231.8901
donald.kirby@ndsu.edu

Mark Liebig, Ph.D. (adjunct)
University of Nebraska, 1998
USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, ND
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Quality, Soil Carbon Dynamics, Greenhouse Gas Flux, Semiarid Agroecosystems

Stephen D. Merrill, Ph.D. (adjunct)
University of California, Riverside, 1976
USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, N.D.
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Erosion Processes; Crop Root Growth and Soil/Crop Hydrology; Mined Land Reclamation

Kristine Nicholas, Ph.D.(adjunct)
University of Maryland, 2003
USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, ND
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Microbiology and Aggregate Stability

Laura F. Overstreet, Ph.D.
North Carolina State University, 2005
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Conservation and Management, Sugarbeet Research

Lyle D. Prunty, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 1978
Research Area/Activity:
Soil Physics/Nutrient Management and Measurement Under Irrigation, Simulation of Water and Chemical Movement

James A. Staricka, Ph.D. (adjunct)
University of Minnesota, 1990
Williston Research Extension Center, Williston, ND
Research Area/Activity:
Soil and Water Conservation and Nutrient Use Efficiency in Dryland and Irrigated Crop Production

Donald L. Tanaka, Ph.D. (adjunct)
University of Nebraska, 1980
USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, ND
Research Area/Activity:
Dryland Integrated Agricultural Systems, Soil and Crop Ecological Interactions

Program Description

The Soil Science program in the School of Natural Resource Sciences offers graduate study leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The instructional and research programs emphasize an understanding of soil-plant-atmosphere interactions and their application to soil and water resource management. Students may pursue degrees with emphasis in soil chemistry, soil fertility, soil genesis and morphology, soil management, soil physics, environmental modeling, water quality, soil salinity, plant nutrition, soil survey, soil conservation, soil reclamation, soil mineralogy or agricultural climatology and meteorology . M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Natural Resources Management and Environmental and Conservation Science with emphasis in soil science are also available.

A close working relationship exists between the Soil Science and various state and federal agencies. Strong supporting course work is available from other departments at North Dakota State University. Programs of study are designed to meet student interests and needs.

North Dakota's diversity of soils and agricultural practices provides an exceptional field setting in which to study soil science. The program is well equipped for field and laboratory investigations.

Admissions Requirements

The Soil Science graduate program is open to all qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing. To be admitted with full status to the program, the applicant must

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from an educational institution of recognized standing.
2. Have adequate preparation in soil science or related areas, and show potential to undertake advanced study and research as evidenced by academic performance and experience.
3. At the baccalaureate level, have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all courses of at least 3.0 or equivalent.

Preferably, applications should be submitted directly to the Graduate School before March 15 of the upcoming academic year. However, applications will be considered at any time they are submitted.

Official transcripts (transcripts having an appropriate seal or stamp) of all previous undergraduate and graduate records must be received by the Graduate School before the application is complete. When a transcript is submitted in advance of completion of undergraduate or graduate studies, an updated transcript showing all course credits and grades must be provided prior to the initial registration at NDSU.

Three letters of recommendation are required before action is taken on any application. Personal reference report forms are available from the Graduate School.

The TOEFL examination is required of international applicants. A minimum score of 550 must be achieved.

Financial Assistance

Research assistantships are available. Applicants are considered on the basis of scholarship, potential to undertake advanced study and research, and financial need. To be considered for an assistantship, a completed Graduate School application, official transcripts, three letters of reference, and general GRE scores (as well as a TOEFL score for international applicants) must be received by The Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

The M.S. program normally requires 24 months of full-time study and research while the Ph.D. program normally requires a minimum of 36 months. An overall GPA of 3.0 or better must be maintained. An oral defense of thesis and academic subject matter is required of M.S. candidates. Ph.D. candidates are required to take a preliminary written and oral examination of academic subject matter and a final oral defense of a research-based dissertation.

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Courses Offered

610 Soils and Land Use 3

Principles of chemistry, physics and biology will be used to determine the effects of soil management, agrichemical usage, livestock production, and vegetation on the environment using scales ranging from microsite to watershed. Offered spring. Prereq: SOIL 210, CHEM 121,121L.

633 Soil Physics 3

Soil as a three phase system. Application to soil of physical principles and measurements of soil properties, including density, texture, structure, water content, heat capacity, and transport coefficients. Relationship of properties to agricultural and industrial contamination. 2 lectures, 1 lab. Offered fall. Prereq: SOIL 210, PHYS 211, MATH 146.

644 Soil Genesis and Survey 4

Introduction to soil development, morphology, and survey. Soil classification, geography, and their interpretation will be highlighted by evaluating physical and chemical soil properties and their distribution at the landscape scale. 3 lectures, 1 three-hour laboratory (includes several field trips). Offered fall. Prereq: Soil 210.

647 Microclimatology 3

Characteristics and causes of the climate near the ground and its interaction with living organisms. Energy and mass transfer concepts. Lectures, discussions, demonstrations , field trips . Offered odd years; fall . Prereq: Phys 211.

665 Soil and Plant Analysis 3

Laboratory analytical techniques for chemical characterization of soils and determining elemental composition of soils and plant materials for plant nutrition and environmental purposes. 1 lecture, 2 laboratories. Offered odd years; spring. Prereq: Soil 210; Chem 121, 122.

680 Soils and Pollution 3

To provide the basic physical, chemical, and biological fate and transport processes of pollution in soils and to neighboring water bodies. Also, how to model and apply these processes to the landscape scale. Offered spring. Prereq: MATH 146, CHEM 121, 121L.

721 Environmental Field Instrumentation and Sampling 2

To provide an overview of the tools (manual and electronic) concepts and theories used to sample for physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Offered fall semester, odd years. 8-week course. (Two-one hour lectures and one four-hour laboratory per week.)

733 Modeling Environmental Fate and Transport 2

To provide the principles of modeling physical, chemical, and biological fate and transport processes for application in current environmental problems. Emphasis placed on mathematically expressing processes and describing observations. Offered spring semester, even years. Prereq: MATH 146 and CHEM 121 and CHEM 121L.

755 Soil Chemistry 3

Soil chemical reactions and equilibria, solubility relationships, mineral weathering, cation and anion adsorption, redox reactions, metal chelation, and fixation of nutrients in the soil. 3 lectures. Offered fall; odd years. Prereq: SOIL 322, CHEM 122, 122L.

763 Advanced Soil Physics 3

Soil composition, infiltration, retention of water, and chemical absorption. Theory of water, heat chemical, and solute transport processes in soil. Measurement of soil physical properties. 2 lectures, 1 laboratory. Offered even years; spring. Prereq: SOIL 433 or SOIL 633, PHYS 211, MATH 146 or 165.

782 Advanced Soil Fertility 2

Advanced study of soil-plant-nutrient relationships with emphasis on concepts of soil fertility, ion absorption, nutrient transformation, and interpretation of experimental data. 2 lectures. Offered even years; fall. Prereq: SOIL 322.

784 Advanced Soil Genesis, Morphology, and Classification 2

Advanced study of processes of soil development, soil morphology, and principles of soil classification. 2 lectures (field trip and laboratory by arrangement). Offered even years; fall. Prereq: Soil 444/644.

 

The following variable credit courses are also offered:

 

790 Seminar 1

793 Individual Study 1-5

695/795 Field Experience 1-15

696/796 Special Topics 1-5

794 Practicum/Teaching 1

797 Master's Paper 1-3

798 Master's Thesis 1-10

799 Doctoral Dissertation 1-15