Soil Science

Graduate Program Fact Sheet
Soil Science

The Department of Crop and Soil Science has a dynamic research community, bolstered by our graduate students, dedicated to using innovative methods to expand our basic and applied knowledge of field crops, cropping systems, soils, agricultural watersheds, and crop-related entomology. Many academic disciplines are represented; crop physiology and metabolism, crop production and management, agro ecology & sustainability, ecophysiology, plant breeding and genetics, small farms, weed science, seed science & technology, soil science, water science, entomology, integrated pest management, biological control, plant nutrition, organic agriculture, and waste management.

Soil Science | M.S., PhD

Graduate Areas of Concentration:

Faculty research specializations in soil science include ecosystem services, forest soils, management of soil nutrients, mineral-organic matter interactions, soil archeology, soil biogeochemistry, soil microbial ecology, sustainable cropping systems, soil geomorphology, soil genesis, and soil hydrology.



Graduate Student Support

  • Assistantships to support new students are typically associated with external grants or contracts to individual faculty.
  • Tuition is provided by the department for certain grants from Oregon commodity groups. Tuition is waived for graduate students employed as teaching assistants.
  • The department and University also award several graduate fellowships and scholarships to outstanding students. For more information see the Graduate School’s Financing Your Education website at https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/finance
  • The Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE) represents the interests and rights of Oregon State University’s graduate employees through the bargaining and maintenance of a fair working contract. CGE strives to create a community of graduate employees empowered to advocate for collective issues.
  • Graduate students in Crop and Soil Science regularly organize social activities and community interactions. The Crop and Soil Science Graduate Student Committee provides support and information to students as needed.

How to Apply

The online application, a downloadable application form, and contact information are available from the Graduate School. You may also write to the Graduate School, Oregon State University, 2900 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97331; telephone them at 541-737-4881, or email at graduate.school@oregonstate.edu.

A student wishing to be admitted to any graduate program at Oregon State University must complete an application form, pay the application fee, and submit photocopies of all official transcripts. International students must also submit recent TOEFL scores and certify sufficient funding to complete the required degree. The Office of Admissions provides a more complete listing of required documents and application steps. Detailed information for both domestic applicants and international applicants is also available.

Program Requirements

  • You can find requirements for Soil Science MS & PhD: https://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/department-of-crop-and-soilscience/ soil-science-graduate-program

Alumni Spotlight

Marco Keiluweit

Dr. Marco Keiluweit, Associate Professor at the Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. His research tries to understand how climate change impacts soils and what we do to manage soils sustainability.