2013-2014 Graduate Catalog Downloadable PDF (10.71MB)

560 Course Descriptions/Soil and Crop Sciences613. Ethical Aspects of International Agricultural Systems. (3-0). Credit 3. Diverse theories of morality;ethical dimensions of population growth, high yielding crop production systems, genetic engineering,and use of land, soil, and water. Prerequisites: Approval of Instructor.615. Reclamation of Drastically Disturbed Lands. (3-0). Credit 3. Theoretical and practical aspects ofreclamation of lands disturbed during mining of lignite, uranium, phosphorous, oil shale and otherminerals and disturbances due to industrial activities; emphasis on physical and chemical characteristicsof disturbed materials and their impact on establishment of permanent vegetation. Prerequisite:SCSC 301 or approval of instructor.618. Analysis of Environmental Systems. (1-2). Credit 2. Classical and contemporary methods for analyzingchemical components of environmental systems, soil, water, plants and gases; environmentalchemistry coupled with experiential. Prerequisite: Graduate Classification.619. Molecular Methods for Microbial Characterization. (2-2). Credit 3. Underlying principles of molecularmethods for microbial detection and characterization in natural and man-made ecosystems;emphasis on method application and data interpretation; emphasis on microbial pathogens and indicatororganisms in foods and environment; laboratory covers select protocols. Prerequisites: SCSC 405;FSTC 326; POSC 429; approval of instructor. Cross-listed with FSTC 619, POSC 619, VTMI 619.620. Brazilian Agriculture and Food Production Systems. (3-0). Credit 3. Compare Brazilian and U.S.agriculture and culture related to soil, water, and forest conservation and management in Brazil; tourand learn about Amazon River, rain forest, Brasilia, farm, ranch, and floral production systems, agriculturalcooperatives and research, sugar and alcohol production, phosphate mining and production; visitpoints of interest. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.621. International Agricultural Research Centers - MX. (3-0). Credit 3. Introduction to internationalagricultural research, Consultative Group on International Agriculture activity; modern and underdevelopedtropical agricultural systems; introduction to Mexican culture; critical evaluation of complexand international agricultural issues and research programs. Prerequisites: Approval of instructor;graduate classification.623. Natural Resources and Agricultural Sustainability in UK. (3-0). Credit 3. Environmental impactsand sustainability of United Kingdom and U.S. agriculture compared; soil, water, crop, and environmentalmanagement; conservation of watersheds; production of hydropower; sustainable use of waterresources; cultural immersion. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.624. Physical Chemistry of Soils. (3-3). Credit 4. Physical chemistry of clay minerals and inorganic andorganic soil colloids; specific and non-specific absorption; kinetic processes and chemical equilibria insoils. Prerequisites: SCSC 626; CHEM 324 or approval of instructor.625. Biofuels and the Environment. (2-0). Credit 2. Biofuel crop use and disposal; production systems;conversion technologies; impacts of bioenergy production on sustainability, environment, and soil andwater quality; carbon and energy budgets. Prerequisite: SCSC 301 or approval of instructor.626. Soil Mineralogy. (3-4). Credit 5. Crystal structures and properties of important minerals in soils andsediments especially clay minerals and oxides combined with identification techniques involving theoryand practice with x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, infrared and chemical methods.627. Soil Chemistry and Fertility. (3-0). Credit 3. Chemical and biological behavior of nitrogen, phosphorusand potassium in soils; secondary nutrients, micronutrients and soil acidity and liming; interpretationof soil chemical/biochemical research from historical and current literature and relationships withnutrient availability, plant uptake, and environmental quality. Prerequisites: SCSC 422; MEPS 313.629. Laboratory Quality Systems. (3-0). Credit 3. Quality systems and method development used withina laboratory; ensuring the integrity of procedures used in lab processes, chain of custody, informationmanagement, and international laboratory standards; regulatory requirements for laboratory operation;bio-security precautions; laboratory management. Cross-listed with VTMI 629.630. Cereal Grains for Human Food. (3-3). Credit 4. Fundamental concepts of dry milling, wet milling,oil extraction, baking, malting, brewing, storage, sanitation, and quality evaluation and control interrelatedwith physical and biochemical properties of cereals and their products; use of instruments andtechniques to evaluate cereal quality. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor. Cross-listed with FSTC 630.631. Prerequisite Programs for Feed Industry HACCP. (1-0). Credit 1. Development of preliminaryscience-based risk management decision factors in feed industry; understanding and complying withFDA regulatory requirements for animal feed; application of international standards; prerequisite programsfor Feed Industry Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP); module one of three.Prerequisite: Graduate classification.