Plant & Soil Science

Plant & Soil Science
Plant science is the study of plants and how they are involved with other plants, animals and people. Botanists, or plant scientists, perform research on plants in various functions, some by using microscopes to examine the interior structures of plants, some by identifying plants in the field and some in laboratories working with the DNA of plants. Plant science can also delve into the evolution of plants.

Plants are integral to life on earth. They influence the climate, provide our food and energy, and have shaped evolution. Plant Science covers all aspects of plant biology, and addresses questions such as:

  • How will we provide enough food to feed the world’s population?
  • Can plants provide a renewable energy source to replace oil?
  • How will ecosystems respond to climate change?
  • What role can plant biotechnology play in solving environmental problems
What is Soil Science?
Soil science is the science dealing with soils as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including soil formation, classification, and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of the soils.
Soils play multiple roles in the quality of life throughout the world. Soils are not only the resource for food production, but they are the support for our structures, the medium for waste disposal, they maintain our playgrounds, distribute and store water and nutrients, and support our environment. They support more life beneath their surface than exists above. They facilitate the life cycle of growth, sustenance and decay. They influence the worldwide distribution of plants, animals, and people.

Career Opportunities
Some possible avenues for professional activities after graduation in soil science include:

Wetland specialist Watershed technician Hydrologist with Board of Health
Environmental technician State soil and water quality specialist Soil Conservationist
County Agricultural Agent Landscaping business Farming
On-site evaluation Crop consultant Soil scientist, mapping and interpretation, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Research technician Conservation planner District marketing manager for an agricultural firm
County conservationist Crop production specialist Research scientist

Some possible avenues for professional activities after graduation in plant science include:

Agronomist Botanist Forest engineer
Physician Plant Geneticist Community Agency worker
Horticulturist Plant Quarantine Specialist Consumer Advocate
Irrigation engineer Public Health Administrator Cooperative Extension Agent
Journalist Quality Control Specialist Crop Physiologist
Lab Technician Research Assistant Ecologist
Landscape Architect Sales Representative Environmental Health Educator
Natural Resources Manager Scientific Librarian Field Contractor
Naturalist Taxonomist Food and Drug Inspector
Patent Specialist Teacher/Professor Food Buyer
Pest Control Inspector Technical Writer Food Technologist
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Wine Maker (Enologist)

Student Opportunities
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Shotgun Shooting Sports Club

  • The CSC Shotgun Shooting Sports Club is one of the most active clubs on campus, hosting weekly 5-stand or trap and skeet shoots open to all club members and guests. The club includes students, faculty and staff, and is very active in fundraising and FFA/4H shooting events. Participants in the club have an opportunity to learn six separate shooting sports, including: International Skeet and Trap, American Skeet and Trap, Five-Stand, and Sporting Clays.
  • Many four-year schools within the state offer shooting sports clubs for CSC Shotgun Shooting Sports Members to continue their pursuit of competitive shooting as they continue their education. Schools with shooting sports clubs in the state include OSU, OU, and TU.

Shotgun Shooting Sports Team

  • The CSC Shotgun Shooting Sports Team is composed of the best shooters from the Shooting Sports Club. Team members travel to multiple ACUI shooting competitions (listed below) throughout the region each semester.
  • Ten scholarships will be available each semester for those students that qualify.

Degree Plan
[CSCCatalog degree=’AGpss’]