Closeup of cupped hands holding soil

Undergraduate Programs

Get Your Hands Dirty

As an undergraduate student in Crop and Soil Sciences, you will take courses specific to your program of study and in the basic sciences. You can tailor your program to your specific interests with elective courses. What’s more, you can strengthen your skills in public speaking, writing, economics, statistics, and computer science. 

Bachelor's Degrees

Bachelor’s Degrees programs offered.

Crop and Soil Sciences

The Crop and Soil Sciences program has three specialty areas from which students can choose. Career opportunities in these areas are plentiful as national demand is far outpacing the number of graduates.

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Agronomy

Students gain understanding of how plants grow, how the environment impacts crop productivity, and how management and marketing decisions affect profits. Graduates of this program will feed and clothe a growing global population.

Crop Biotechnology

Through hands-on classes, students will gain new understanding of how the crops developed and improved through biotechnology react within a farm production environment. Plant breeders graduating from this program will develop the seeds used by the next generation of food producers.

Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems

The Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems major has a strong foundation in the science of sustainable agriculture and food systems. This major integrates agriculture, horticulture, soil science, entomology, and ecology together with social sciences and economics to create a flexible experience for our students.

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Natural Resources - Soil, Water and Land Use

In this degree, students acquire a solid foundation in resource management with a focus on soil properties and surface and groundwater hydrology. Graduates will use their understanding of earth's systems to help policy makers, government agencies, and private land managers make environmentally responsible decisions related to soil, water, and land use.

Minors

Find Your Passion

With four minors to choose from, students can specialize in areas that interest them, including Crop Science, Soil Science, Turfgrass Science, and Agroecology.

Crop Science Minor

Crop Science Minor - Open to all baccalaureate students except those majoring in Plant and Soil Sciences. Students receive a strong background in a variety of disciplines connected to crop production. Classes clarify the role crop species and rotational sequences play in agricultural enterprises. Contact: Undergraduate Programs Office cropsoil-undergraduate-office@ncsu.edu.

Turfgrass Science Minor

Turfgrass Science Minor - Students learn to identify and select turfgrasses for the most appropriate use in various environments. They design management programs that optimize the performance of turfgrass species while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. The minor is open to all baccalaureate students except those majoring in Turfgrass Science. Contact: Dr. Rich Cooper rich_cooper@ncsu.edu.

Soil Science Minor

The Soil Science minor is intended to strengthen understanding of physical, chemical, and microbiological soil properties relevant to a student’s particular land management interest. These interests may include but are not limited to: Forestry, Geology and Natural Resources. Contact: Undergraduate Programs Office cropsoil-undergraduate-office@ncsu.edu.

Agroecology Minor

Agroecology Minor - Students gain an understanding of sustainable agricultural systems and obtain skills in analyzing ag systems from a multi-disciplinary and integrated approach. Designed for students majoring in Biological Sciences, Plant & Soil Sciences, Horticultural Science and Animal Science, but is open to all students. Contact: Dr. Michelle Schroeder-Moreno michelle_schroeder@ncsu.edu.

Undergraduate Certificates

Hops production at NC State field research lab

Enhance Your Career Prospects

Our online non-degree certificate programs offer the same rigorous course of study as our undergraduate programs. Students must complete 15 credit hours to earn an Undergraduate Certificate in Crop Science or Soil Science. This is an online program, and no application for admission is required. 

Undergraduate Certificate in Crop Science

The program courses cover the importance of agronomic crops for the state and national economy; the interaction of agronomic growth, development and yield with environmental factors; sound and sustainable production systems for agronomic crops; scientific and societal issues related to biotechnology applications in crop production; and the marketing and distribution of these crops and their relation to overcoming world hunger. Learn more about the Undergraduate Certificate in Crop Science.

Undergraduate Certificate in Soil Science

Dream of becoming a soil scientist? The Soil Science undergraduate certificate program offers the 15 credit hours necessary for students to become a licensed soil scientist in some states or, nationally, a certified professional soil scientist. Learn more about the Undergraduate Certificate in Soil Science.

Undergraduate Certificate in Regulatory Science in Agriculture

Regulatory Science is a field critical to the advancement of responsible technologies for agriculture from concept, through research and development, to commercialization, and through a technology’s life. The Undergraduate Certificate in Regulatory Science in Agriculture is an interdisciplinary certificate bringing together science and policy. Students will learn the science, techniques, and policies underpinning agriculture regulation as well as risk management, compliance, data assessment, and regulatory communications.
Learn more about the Undergraduate Certificate in Regulatory Science in Agriculture

Associate Degrees

Learn Directly from the Experts

Ready to dive into a career but need some technical skills? Get hands-on training and career-ready knowledge with a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Turfgrass Management or Field Crops Technology.

Turfgrass Management

Turfgrass sod

Well-trained turfgrass managers are in high demand. If you love working outdoors and maintaining beautiful surroundings, a career in turfgrass management may be right for you. Turfgrass managers establish and maintain grasses for functional (erosion control), recreational and ornamental purposes. They manage people and budgets and use their knowledge of plants and soils to produce high-quality, visually appealing turfgrass areas.

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Field Crops Technology

Closeup of corn stalks in field

North Carolina and the world need professionals trained to answer the tough questions of how we are going to feed and clothe everyone and provide enough grain for food, fuel, and feed. The Field Crops Technology program gives students a basic understanding of how field crops grow and management decisions influence yield; how proper soil management enhances farm profits; reducing farm inputs to maximize crop yields while protecting the environment and natural resources.

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