College of Natural Resources / Soil and Waste Resources

Soil Science and Land Management

Major

Learn How to Manage Soil to Maintain Environmental Quality and Human Health

Learn the skills and knowledge to work in all areas of soil and land conservation with a degree in Soil Science and Land Management.

Why study Soil Science and Land Management at UW-Stevens Point?

Soil Science and Land Management graduates have a 90% placement rate and are hired to conduct field sampling programs, improve agriculture efficiency, protect surface waters, map soils, and more.

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Where are they now?

UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources alumni live and work worldwide! Check out our map if you are interested in exploring job or networking opportunities close to home.

If you would like to add your information to our interactive alumni map, please fill out the form below.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Your degree prepares you to become a Certified Professional Soil Scientist, Crop Adviser, or Soil Tester. Soil Science and Land Management graduates find positions in various careers. They may work in the private sector or for county, state, and federal agencies. Their job titles include:

Soil Conservationist
Environmental Consultant
Agricultural or Crop Consultant
Soil Scientist
Wetland Specialist

On-site Evaluator
Horticulturalist
Stormwater Specialist
Land Use Planner
Natural Resource Manager

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

Discover your passions, build your resume, and make friends along the way! Whether it is joining a student organization, working at one of our centers, or participating in research at one of our three field stations, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved.

Join the student chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, the UWSP Soil Judging Team, or any of our other 200+ student organizations housed within Campus Activities and Student Engagement.

The Center for Watershed Science and Education provides opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to work side-by-side with faculty and staff, conducting scientific research and performing laboratory analysis.

Read the CNR Reporter, a weekly newsletter with information on upcoming presentations, student organization meeting times, and other important happenings on and around campus.

Navigate Your Major

Soil and Waste Resources

Major Maps help you map your first day to the first job in your chosen field. While a four-year plan outlines the classes needed to earn a degree, Major Maps help you learn how to build career-ready skills and gain hands-on experience outside the classroom. Each Major Map shows how you can get the most out of your UW-Stevens Point journey from enrollment to graduation and beyond. It’s a roadmap to discovering your purpose!

Major Map

GAIN EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

You will gain additional hands-on experiences in all areas of natural resource management during a required summer field experience generally taken between your sophomore and junior years. Choose between an intensive, six-week, hands-on summer field experience at our Treehaven residential facility or our European Environmental Seminar, where students learn how European natural resource management compares to the United States.

A required internship provides additional real-world experiences ahead of graduation. Faculty members will work closely with you to find the right experience. Students have interned with organizations and companies in the public and private sectors; some examples are listed below.

Public Sector Internships:

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Forest Service
Lake County Stormwater Management Commission

Marathon County Land Conservation District
Ozaukee County Land and Water Management Department
Wood County Land Conservation Dist.
Sawyer County Zoning and Conservation

Private Sector Internships:

Advanced Crop Care, Inc.
Ag Source Cooperative Services
Allied Cooperative: Pest Pros
BKS Environmental Associates
Del-Monte Foods
Faulks Bros. Construction
Golden Sands Resource Conservation and Development Area
Heartland Co-op
Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc.

Lady Bug IPM
Marshfield Soil and Forage Analysis Laboratory
Nature Care Ecological Consulting and Services
Polenske Agronomic Consulting/Tilth Agronomy
Sentry World Golf Course
Stantec Environmental Consulting
Western States Reclamation
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Meet Your Faculty and Staff

The faculty members within the Soil and Waste Resources discipline bring a wide array of knowledge and experience to our indoor and outdoor classrooms at UW-Stevens Point.

View all our faculty and staff.

Soil and Waste Resources

At the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the Soil and Waste Resources program allows you to make a lasting impact on land and resource management. Whether you’re focused on improving crop production, developing sustainable land-use strategies, or managing waste and protecting the environment, our program offers the knowledge and skills to make a difference. You can specialize in soil science and land management, or in waste management and environmental protection, while gaining valuable hands-on experience in labs and field courses. Develop expertise in biology, chemistry, math, and communication, and be ready to take on a variety of environmental challenges.