Studies & Degrees in Soil Sciences
Soil Sciences Study Programs
Soil science studies soil as a natural resource: how it forms, what it is made of, how it behaves and how it can be used without being degraded. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) gives two definitions of soil. In the traditional sense it is the natural medium for the growth of plants; it has also been defined as a natural body consisting of layers (soil horizons) composed of weathered mineral materials, organic material, air and water. The discipline is also called pedology or, in Spanish, edafología.
Students learn soil physics, soil chemistry and fertility, soil biology, soil formation and classification, and soil survey, which the FAO describes as the systematic study of the soil of an area, including classification and mapping. Programmes add hydrology, plant nutrition, geographic information systems, statistics and field work. Applied topics include erosion control, irrigation and drainage, contaminated land, carbon storage and land-use planning.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree. Soil science is seldom a degree on its own. In the United States it is usually a major or concentration within agronomy, plant and soil science, or environmental science. Texas Tech University, for example, offers a Bachelor of Science in Plant & Soil Science on campus and online, and Colorado State University has a Soil and Crop Sciences major with a concentration in Soil Science and Environmental Solutions. Degree names change: the University of Wisconsin-Madison states that admissions to its Soil Science BS are suspended as of spring 2025 and that the degree will be discontinued as of summer 2029, while its department keeps an Environmental Science BS and a certificate in Environmental Soil Science.
- Spain and Europe. In Spain soil science is taught as a subject area inside degrees such as environmental sciences, agricultural engineering, forestry, geology or biology. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. European master's programmes often place soil inside a wider environmental title: the European Master's in Earth System Sciences at Wageningen University & Research, a two-year double degree taught in English, has a specialisation in Soil Resources and Land Use.
- Master's degree and doctorate. Research, university teaching and many specialist posts require postgraduate study. Texas Tech University lists a Master of Science and a PhD in Plant & Soil Science; the University of Florida's Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences offers fully online programmes at bachelor's, master's and graduate certificate levels.
Where to study it
Our directory lists 16 schools under soil sciences. Eleven are in the United States, and there is one each in Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Ghana, Iraq and Vietnam. The weight of the United States reflects how the subject is organised there: according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, every state has at least one land-grant college that offers agricultural science degrees, and soil science is normally housed in those colleges. Examples in the directory are Purdue University in West Lafayette, whose agronomy department covers soil and water sciences, the University of Florida in Gainesville, Texas Tech University in Lubbock and Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Outside the United States the directory includes Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife (Nigeria), the University of Cape Coast (Ghana), Baku State University (Azerbaijan), the University of Mosul (Iraq) and Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Ask each university under which faculty and degree title soil science is taught and in which language.
When comparing programmes, look at the amount of field and laboratory work, whether the university has its own experimental farm or soil-testing laboratory, and whether the curriculum leans towards agriculture or towards environmental science. If you want to work as a licensed soil scientist in a particular country or US state, check that the degree includes the credit hours in soil science that the licensing body requires.
Careers
Soil scientists work for agricultural advisory services, environmental consultancies, government soil and land agencies, fertiliser and seed companies, laboratories and research institutes. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, plant and soil scientists work to improve crop yields and the productivity of soil through crop breeding, soil management, and controlling pests and weeds, and their work may include soil conservation.
The same source counts 37,400 jobs for agricultural and food scientists as a whole in the United States in 2025 and projects employment to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. It notes that employers may prefer or require a master's or doctoral degree, and that some scientists need a licence, particularly in plant and soil sciences: requirements vary by state but generally include a bachelor's degree with a certain number of credit hours in plant or soil science, supervised work experience and an exam.
Frequently asked questions
Is soil science a degree in its own right?
Sometimes, but more often it is a major, concentration or specialisation inside agronomy, plant and soil science or environmental science. In Spain it is studied as a subject area within degrees such as environmental sciences or agricultural engineering.
Can I study soil science online?
Some universities offer it. The University of Florida's Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences states that it has fully online programmes at bachelor's, master's and graduate certificate levels, and Texas Tech University offers its Bachelor of Science in Plant & Soil Science online.
Do soil scientists need a licence?
In some US states, yes. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, licensing requirements vary by state but generally include a bachelor's degree with enough credit hours in plant or soil science, work under a licensed scientist and an exam.