Soil and land resources
Doctor of Philosophy
Unearth soil solutions
Advance sustainable solutions for today’s critical environmental and agricultural challenges. The Ph.D. in soil and land resources prepares you for leadership in soil science, environmental quality and land management.
This research-intensive program offers the flexibility to tailor your coursework and research to areas like soil fertility, soil biology, environmental chemistry, water quality and soil genesis. Working closely with expert faculty, you’ll conduct original research addressing local, regional and global issues related to soil and environmental sustainability — positioning you for careers in academia, government agencies, industry and nonprofit organizations.
Highlights from the Ph.D. in soil and land resources:
- Enjoy access to our collection of more than 240 soil monoliths, the largest in the Western U.S.
- Conduct a wide variety of soil analysis in our Soil Sciences Laboratory
- Work with our scientists who have unlocked secrets of Brassica plants
- Work on cutting-edge research projects funded through the USDA, NSF, DOE, NASA and other agencies
- Participate in interdisciplinary programs such as environmental science and water resources
Overview
Related Topics
Uncover soil ecosystems
Application information
Applicants for the Ph.D. in soil and land resources program must meet the following degree-specific admission requirements:
- Education level: Bachelor's
- Undergraduate GPA: 3.0
- GRE: No
- TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo: 79/6.5/115 (for applicants whose education was completed in countries where English is not an official language)
- Number of references: Three
- Other requirements: Students are encouraged to secure a commitment from a faculty for admission to the program.
Program availability:
Semester intake: Fall and Spring
- Eligible for international admission
Deadlines: general application deadlines
Visit Graduate Admissions to learn more and start your application.
Contact information
Soil and water systems contact: Daniel Strawn (dgstrawn@uidaho.edu)
Graduate Admissions contact: graduateadmissions@uidaho.edu, 208-885-4001
Find Department of Soil and Water Systems faculty advisor contacts
Costs, funding and research
To learn how you can fund your graduate degree, check out the Graduate Funding page.
Visit Financial Aid to find detailed information about the cost of attendance.
Degree fit
This program could be a good fit if you:
- Hold a science-related undergraduate degree
- Can think critically about complex problems
- Are interested in sustainable agriculture and the environment
- Want to conduct independent research in the field
- Have strong computer and communication skills
Hands on learning
- Soil monolith collection
- Soil Sciences Laboratory
- Plant Science farm
- Research and Extension centers
- Inland Northwest Research Alliance, Idaho National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratories
Clubs
- Soil Stewards Club
Career outcomes
Current job openings
2,209 in ID, WA, OR, MT and HIPotential careers and mid-career salaries
- Soil and Plant Scientists
$79,666 - Conservation Scientists • Park Naturalists • Range Managers
$76,552 - Environmental Compliance Inspectors
$81,914 - Environmental Economists
$109,305 - Environmental Restoration Planners • Environmental Scientists and Specialists
$85,591
* Career data provided by Lightcast.