Department of Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences
Department of Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences

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The Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences Undergraduate Program offers a Major in Plant & Soil Sciences, and three Minor Degree Programs in Plant & Soil Sciences, Entomology, and Plant Pathology. Please look over the information presented, and feel free to contact the Department for updates.

Plant and Soil Sciences l Entomology l Plant Pathology

The Undergraduate Minor In Plant & Soil Sciences

All students planning to minor in Plant and Soil Sciences must have completed PLSOILIN 102 or equivalent, CHEM 110 or 111, and PLSOILIN 105. In addition, a student must successfully complete 15 credits in Plant and Soil Sciences with at least 3 credits at the 500 level and, at most, one 100-level course. Students interested in minoring should plan their courses with a PSIS faculty adviser, prior to commencement of the program. An appropriate adviser can be selected through the Departmental Undergraduate Program Office. Certain course selections within the minor in Plant and Soil Sciences will be suggested to accommodate students specifically interested in Ornamental Horticulture, Sustainable Agriculture, Turf Management, or Soils.

The Undergraduate Minor In Entomology

Entomology is the biological science dealing with insects and allied arthropods, the most abundant and varied group of animals on earth. Insects directly or indirectly affect our health and well-being, as well as our crops, livestock, and property. The food production, distribution, and storage aspects of the nation's agriculture depend upon entomologists to manage insect pests.

Students majoring in various disciplines of the biological sciences may wish to develop entomological strengths useful to their majors. To minor in entomology, a student must take PLSOILIN 326 Insect Biology (3 credits) and Entomology courses offered through the Department of Plant Soil and Insect Sciences for a minimum total of 15 credits (maximum of 3 credits from the optional list).

PLSOILIN 271 Using Insects in the Classroom (1st term)
PLSOILIN 326 Insect Biology (1st term)
PLSOILIN 342 Pesticides, Public Policy & Environment (1st term)
PLSOILIN 397T Molecular Systematics (2nd term, even years) (BIO 101 prereq)
PLSOILIN 385 Intro Biotechnology Lab, 4 cr. (2nd term) (BIO 101, CHEM 112 prereq)

ALL 500-level ENTOMOL:

511 Insect Behavior (Fall, odd years)
523 Biologic Control (Spring in even years)
572 Insects & Diseases of Forest & Shade Tree Insects (Spring in odd years)
574 Medical Entomology (Spring, odd years)
590B Insect Identification (Fall, even years)
597A Insect-Plant Interactions (Fall, even years)
597B Insect Biology (Fall)
683 Insect Ecology (Spring, even years) grad level course
657 Insect Structure & Function (Spring, odd years) grad level course

Optional Courses: PLSOILIN:

101: Insects & Related Forms (Spring, 7 weeks only) 2 cr.
109: Insects of Ornamentals (1st term)
107: Turfgrass Insects (2nd term, last 7 weeks only)
126: Insects & Human Society (both terms) BS
397F: Greenhouse IPM, (spring term, 1st 7 weeks only) 2 cr

The Undergraduate Minor In Plant Pathology

Plant Pathology is the study of plant diseases caused by biological organisms such as insects, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and environmental factors such as lack of water, improper nutrition, and pollution. Plant pathologists diagnose the condition of a plant, and determine the cause of the problem and what can be done to solve it. Requirements of the minor are outlined below, but students interested in minoring in Plant Pathology should contact the Plant, Soil & Insect Undergraduate Program Office for further guidance.

Requirements:

PLNTSOIL 505 General Plant Pathology

AND

A minimum of 12 credits chosen from the following courses:

PLNTSOIL 510 Management & Ecology of Plant Diseases (Spring)
PLNTSOIL 525 Mycology (Fall, odd years)
PLNTSOIL 535 Diagnostic Plant Pathology (Spring, odd years)
PLNTSOIL 397/597 Special Topics courses (up to 4 credits)
PLNTSOIL 496 Independent Study (up to 2 credits)

Interested? Please contact:

Dr. Susan Han
Undergraduate Program Director
Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences
204A French Hall
University of Massachusetts
Amherst MA 01003
Tel. (413) 545-5228
FAX (413) 545-3075
susanh@umext.umass.edu

 

 

 

 

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