Soil, Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences Graduate Program
Soil, environmental and atmospheric sciences (SEAS) graduate programs are designed to prepare students for professional careers in research, teaching or application of basic concepts of soil and atmospheric sciences to air-plant-soil-water problems.
Atmospheric science students participate in an area of research such as dynamic and physical meteorology, general circulation, global climate change, severe storms, remote sensing and applied climatology with emphasis on environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The program has a specialized computer data library that includes extensive long-term global and local observational records to support thesis and dissertation research. There are opportunities for joint research programs with the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Soil science students participate in one of the following emphasis areas: environmental quality, pedology, soil chemistry and biochemistry, soil physics and conservation, or soil fertility and soil-plant relationships. Equipment for chemical, microbial and physical analysis of soils is maintained by the School of Natural Resources. Access to additional chemical analysis equipment, computing facilities, digital imaging equipment, field facilities, greenhouse space, radiochemistry and scanning electron microscopes is available within the University.
Master's Degree
Candidates for the M.S. degree must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college. Appropriate undergraduate majors in preparation for graduate studies in soil, environmental and atmospheric sciences include: agronomy, atmospheric science, biochemistry, biology, botany, chemistry, earth science, engineering, environmental science, forestry, geology, mathematics, microbiology, physics and soil science.
Degree Requirements
The degree program must include 30 hours of graduate credit, with at least 15 hours of these being in 8000- or 9000-level courses. Not more than 12 hours of the minimum 30 hours are permitted for research, problems, special investigations and special readings. A minimum of one credit hour of graduate seminar must be included in each student's graduate program.
All students enrolled in graduate programs are required to participate in a supervised teaching activity. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 (A=4.0) in all course work presented for the degree. At least 12 credit hours of soil science courses at the 7000, 8000, and 9000 levels, exclusive of problems and thesis research, must be included in the student's graduate program in soil science.
All M.S. programs in atmospheric science require completion of a thesis. Most M.S. programs in soil science also require completion of a thesis. Under special circumstances, a non-thesis program in soil science may be approved by the student's advisory committee and the director of graduate studies.
Doctoral Degree
Degree Requirements
The curriculum is developed by a doctoral program committee and requires a minimum of 72 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. At least 15 hours of course work in the degree program must be at the 8000 and 9000 levels, exclusive of research, problems and independent study experiences. A minimum of two credit hours of graduate seminar must be included in each student's graduate program.
All students enrolled in graduate programs are required to participate in a supervised teaching activity. After successfully completing the required course work with a GPA of 3.0 (A=4.0) or better, students must pass a comprehensive examination administered by their doctoral program committee. At least 12 credit hours of soil science courses at the 7000, 8000 and 9000 levels, exclusive of problems and thesis research, must be included in the student's graduate program in soil science.
A dissertation, which is a comprehensive report of original research on a specialized soil or atmospheric science problem conducted by the student, must be presented to the committee and successfully defended.
Learn More
For additional information contact Anthony Lupo, SEAS director of graduate studies, 302 ABNR Building, Columbia, MO 65211, 573-882-6301.
Graduate Assistantships
Assistantships which are currently open:
- Ph.D. Assistantship: Bioremediation/Environmental Soil Chemistry (Word)
- Ph.D. Assistantship: Soil Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Word)
