Crop Sciences

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Crop Science
Requirements and Core Courses
Careers in Crop Science
Salaries
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Graduate Programs in Crop and Soil Sciences
Contact Information

Crop Science

Crop science is the study of the world's major food, feed, turf and fiber crops, and their environment. It is a broad discipline encompassing breeding, genetics, production, and management. Program emphasis is on developing and applying new technology to ensure a safe and abundant food supply and a sustainable agroecosystem.
• Offered at WSU: Bachelor of science, minor
• Available at: Pullman

Requirements and Core Courses

—Bachelor of Science in Crop Science

DEPARTMENTAL CORE REQUIREMENTS
Bot 320—Introductory Plant Physiology
Chem 106—Principles of Chemistry II or
     Chem 102—Chemistry Related to Life Sciences
Chem 240—Elementary Organic Chemistry
CropS 101—Introductory Field Crop Science
CropS 201—Growth and Development of World Crop Plants
CropS 305—Ecology and Management of Weeds
CropS 411—Crop Environment Interactions
CropS 412—Seminar
CropS 498—Professional Internship or
     CropS 499—Special Problems or
     UH 450—Honors Thesis
Math 107—Elementary Functions
Pl P 429—General Plant Pathology
SoilS 201—Soil: A Living System

OPTIONS
• Cropping Systems
The cropping systems option is for students interested in crop production, plant/soil/pest management, and environmental quality in cropping systems.

• Business and Industry
The business and industry option is for students interested in careers as company managers, loan/finance officers, marketing specialists, farmers, corporate farm managers, production specialists, consultants, international agriculturists, and agribusinesspeople.

• Turf Management
The turf management option prepares students who wish to specialize in golf course supervision, grounds maintenance, sod production, and similar recreation positions involving turfgrass management techniques and personnel relations.

• Crop Science/Biotechnology
The crop science/biotechnology option is for students interested in careers as laboratory or research technicians in plant biotechnology, breeding, genetics, or physiology.

NOTE: Students should consult the General Catalog for option course lists and course planning and must meet course requirements as outlined in the catalog to graduate.

Careers in Crop Science

• Agronomic or environmental consultants
• Biotechnologists
• Crop advisors
• Farm managers
• Corporate or academic researchers
• Turfgrass/golf course managers
• Soil surveyors
• Soil conservationists
• Land-use managers
• Soil fertility specialists
• Research technologists
• Global information systems specialists

Crop scientists (or agronomists) are involved in improving food, feed, and fiber production. They study metabolic and developmental processes of crop plants and seeds, develop improved crop varieties through plant breeding and biotechnology, design sustainable crop production and management systems that conserve natural resources while enhancing crop yields, and investigate the impact of cropping systems on agricultural and nonagricultural ecosystems.

Employment is available in government and commercial agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Cooperative Extension; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Washington State Department of Ecology, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Natural Resources; and in food processing companies, insurance agencies, and commercial concerns dealing with farm products, fertilizers, and agricultural chemicals and seeds.

Opportunities also exist for further study and employment in international agriculture such as through the U.S. Agency for International Development and The World Bank, international research institutes, church-run agricultural development organizations, and the U.S. Peace Corps. Teaching, research, and extension careers are available in community colleges and universities for graduates with advanced degrees.

Salaries

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, beginning salary offers in 2005 for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in plant sciences averaged $31,226 a year; and in other agricultural sciences, $33,850 a year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Standards reports that the median annual earnings of agricultural scientists and food scientists were $48,670 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $35,770 and $65,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,750, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $85,460.

Washington state agricultural technician positions have a salary range between $26,600 and $42,900 in 2005.

The average federal salary for employees in agronomy in 2003 was $68,846.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Crop science students may be eligible for scholarships from the Department of Crop and Soil Science, as well as scholarships from the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

Students may also be eligible for state, federal, and University-level scholarships and financial assistance. For more information, visit the WSU Office of Scholarship Services Web site.

Graduate Programs in Crop and Soil Sciences

For information about requirements, courses, and faculty research, visit the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Web site. Students must meet course requirements outlined in the General Catalog to graduate.

Contact Information

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
Washington State University
201 Johnson Hall
PO Box 646420
Pullman, WA 99164-6420
Fax: 509-335-8674
hillary@cahnrs.wsu.edu
509-335-2615

Visit Department Web Page

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

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