Academic Programs > Undergraduate Programs > Advanced Study Option
Advanced Study Option
This option is specifically designed for those students that plan to attend graduate school. While all of the options in the department prepare students for graduate study, this option requires the completion of advanced levels of math and the basic sciences such as chemistry, physics, and botany. It also requires the completion of original research and presentation of the results in written form and in an oral or poster format.
University and College Requirements (44 credits)
- Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures (WRA) - 4 credits
- WRA 110-150
- Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities (IAH) - 8 credits
- IAH 201-210
- IAH 211-241
- Integrative Studies in Social and Behavioral Sciences (ISS) - 8 credits
- ISS 200-level
- ISS 300-level
- PLB 105 Plant Biology - 3 credits
- PLB 106 Plant Biology Laboratory - 1 credit
- CEM 151 Principles of Chemistry I - 4 credits
- CEM 152 Principles of Chemistry II - 3 credits
- CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I - 1 credit
- CEM 251 Organic Chemistry I - 3 credits
- CEM 252 Organic Chemistry II - 3 credits
- MTH 132 Calculus I - 3 credits
- EC 201 Introduction to Microeconomics - 3 credits
Departmental Requirements (48 credits)
- CSS 101 Introduction to Crop Science - 3 credits
- CSS 110 Computer Applications in Agronomy - 2 credits
- CSS 192 Professional Development Seminar I - 1 credit
- CSS 210 Fundamentals of Soil and Landscape Science - 3 credits
- CSS 302 Principles of Weed Management - 3 credits
- CSS 330 Soil Chemistry - 2 credits
- CSS 340 Applied Soil Physics - 2 credits
- CSS 350 Plant Genetics - 3 credits
- CSS 360 Soil Biology - 3 credits
- CSS 470 Soil Resources - 3 credits
- CSS 480 Soil Fertility and Management - 3 credits
- CSS 488 Agricultural Cropping Systems: Integration and Problem Solving - 3 credits
- CSS 492 Professional Development Seminar II - 1 credit
- CSS 499 Undergraduate Research - 3 credits
- BMB 401 Basic Biochemistry - 4 credits
- ENT 404 Insects: Success in Biodiversity - 3 credits
- PLP 405 Plant Pathology - 4 credits
- STT 421 Statistics I - 3 credits
- One of the following courses (3 credits):
- HRT 361 Applied Plant Physiology - 3 credits
- PLB 301 Introductory Plant Physiology - 3 credits
- One of the following courses (3 credits):
- CSS 441 Plant Breeding and Biotechnology - 3 credits
- CSS 451 Biotechnology Applications for Plant Breeding and Genetics - 3 credits
Electives (22 credits)
Suggested Course Sequence
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| YEAR 1 | |||
| CEM 151 | 4 | CEM 152 | 3 |
| CSS 101 | 3 | CEM 161 | 1 |
| CSS 192 | 1 | CSS 110 | 2 |
| MTH 132 | 3 | ISS 2XX | 4 |
| PLB 105 | 3 | WRA | 4 |
| PLB 106 | 1 | ||
| 15 cr. | 14 cr. | ||
| YEAR 2 | |||
| IAH 201 | 4 | CEM 252 | 3 |
| CEM 251 | 3 | CSS 330 | 2 |
| CSS 210 | 3 | CSS 340 | 2 |
| PLB 301 | 3 | IAH | 4 |
| Elective | 3 | ISS 2xx | 4 |
| 16 cr. | 15 cr. | ||
| YEAR 3 | |||
| BMB 401 | 4 | CSS 350 | 3 |
| CSS 302 | 3 | PLP 405 | 4 |
| CSS 360 | 3 | STT 421 | 3 |
| ISS 3xx | 4 | Elective | 6 |
| 14 cr. | 16 cr. | ||
| YEAR 4 | |||
| CSS 470 | 3 | CSS 441 or CSS 451 | 3 |
| CSS 480 | 3 | CSS 488 | 3 |
| CSS 492 | 1 | Elective | 9 |
| CSS 499 | 3 | ||
| ENT 404 | 4 | ||
| 14 cr. | 15 cr. | ||
Suggested Elective Courses
Fall Semester
CSS 201 Forage Crops - 3 credits
CSS 211 Advanced Crop Production - 2 credits
CSS 406 Seed Production and Technology - 3 credits
CSS 440 Soil Biophysics - 3 credits
CSS 452 Watershed Concepts - 3 credits
CSS 455 Pollutants in the Soil Environment - 3 credits
CSS 499 Undergraduate Research - 3 credits
EEP 260 World Food Population and Poverty - 3 credits
FOR 404 Forest Ecology - 3 credits
FOR 404L Forest Ecology Laboratory - 1 credit
GEO 203 Introduction to Meteorology - 3 credits
GEO 206 Physical Geography - 3 credits
GEO 206L Physical Geography - 1 credit
GEO 306 Environmental Geomorphology - 3 credits
GEO 324 Remote Sensing of the Environment - 4 credits
GEO 325 Geographic Information Systems - 3 credits
GLG 302 Geology of Michigan - 3 credits
HRT 211 Landscape Plants I - 3 credits
HRT 213 Landscape Maintenance - 2 credits
HRT 213L Landscape Maintenance - 1 credit
HRT 486 Biotechnology in Agriculture - 3 credits
RD 430 Law and Resources - 3 credits
RD 320 Resource Management and Planning - 3 credits
RD 415 Environmental Impact Assessment - 4 credits
RD 444 Pesticides, People and Politics - 3 credits
ZOL 446 Environmental Issues and Public Policy - 3 credits
Spring Semester
CSS 135 Crop Scouting and Investigation - 2 credits
CSS 151 Seed and Grain Quality - 2 credits
CSS 431 World Soil and Plant Resources - 3 credits
CSS 494 International Agriculture - 1 credit
CSS 499 Undergraduate Research - 3 credits
EEP 255 Ecological Economics - 3 credits
EEP 255 Environmental Economics - 3 credits
GEO 324 Remote Sensing of the Environment - 4 credits
GEO 405 Weather Analysis and Forecasting - 4 credits
GLG 412 Glacial Geology and the Record of Climate Change - 4 credits
HRT 204 Plant Propagation - 2 credits
HRT 214 Landscape and Turfgrass Operations - 2 credits
HRT 218 Landscape Irrigation - 3 credits
HRT 219 Landscape Computer Aided Design - 2 credits
PLB 335 Plants Through Time - 3 credits
RD 201 Environmental and Natural Resources - 3 credits
RD 324 Water Resource Management - 3 credits
RD 452 Watershed Concepts - 3 credits
Academic Advising
For questions regarding course requirements, substituting or waiving required courses, independent study courses, and planning your semester schedule of courses, contact a Crop and Soil Sciences academic advisor:
Taylor Johnston (johnsto4@msu.edu 
)
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Plant and Soil Sciences Building
1066 Bogue Street, Room 384F
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1325
phone: (517) 355-0271 ext. 1164
Karen Renner (renner@msu.edu )
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Plant and Soil Sciences Building
1066 Bogue Street, Room 482
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1325
phone: (517) 355-0271 ext. 1233
