Program overview
The Soil Science concentration within the Integrative Plant Science MPS focuses on a range of topics such as soil as a medium for crop production; soil, carbon and nutrient interactions; soil ecology; soil contaminants and remediation; soil and water cycles; and overall soil health.
Soil science brings together the basic disciplines of biology, physics and chemistry to discover fundamental principles and put them in the service of management solutions. Soil is a foundational resource that sustains all terrestrial life and contributes to food production, climate change and water resources. Soil sustainability is essential to human civilization and soil management decisions cause major changes to our biosphere.
Students learn about both agricultural and environmental challenges, and their work may include field and laboratory activities, as well as data analytics and digital solutions.
CALS MPS program details
Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Master of Professional Studies (MPS) program is an accredited, course-based, one-year master’s degree program that emphasizes professional development and intellectual investigation in the areas of agriculture, life sciences and global development. (The Integrative Plant Science MPS program is STEM-designated degree program.)
Though similar to a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in its academic rigor, the MPS degree differs from a traditional M.S. degree in its structure and focus. An M.S. is research-based, with students building a thesis over the course of two or three years. In contrast, the MPS degree is a one-year, course-based program where students study the intricacies and in-depth questions of their field of study. Instead of a thesis or research project, MPS students complete a capstone project during their final semester. To understand this difference in greater detail, please visit our FAQ page.
MPS students are part of a community of diverse students and faculty who share common goals, connecting research and practice to solve complex problems.
The Integrative Plant Science Master of Professional Studies program is a STEM-designated degree with coursework requirements that differ slightly from other MPS programs at Cornell.
Field of Integrative Plant Science MPS Degree Requirements:
Students earning the MPS in Integrative Plant Science complete 30 credits of graduate level courses (5000+), with at least 20 of these credits earned through the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, and at least 18 of these credits taken for letter grade. (Note that physical education courses and language courses do not count towards degree.)
Specific course requirements of the Integrative Plant Science MPS Degree are as follows:
- Core Courses (13 credits required):
- Professional Development (5 – 9 credits)
- Quantitative Literacy (2 – 6 credits)
- Capstone Project (2 – 6 credits)
- Concentration Courses (12 credits required):
- Courses specific to your concentration
- Elective Courses (5 credits required)
This project may be an action program, the development of a plan to address a pertinent problem, the development of materials or methodology suited to the student's situation, or the development and execution of research appropriate to the profession. A formal project report must be submitted to and approved by the candidate's faculty advisor.
Next steps
Deadline to apply: February 15*
- Request more information
- How to apply
- Apply now
- calsprofprograms [at] cornell.edu (subject: More%20information%20about%20MPS%20CEA%20admissions) (Email us with questions)
*For regular Fall Semester start. Late applications may be accepted under exceptional circumstances. Contact Tara Reed for more information: tln2 [at] cornell.edu (tln2[at]cornell[dot]edu).
Meet some of our Soil Science faculty
Faculty spotlight
Jonathan Russell-Anelli
Jonathan studies the spatial distribution and variability of urban soil characteristics including investigations of the scale and distribution of contaminants in relation to soil forming factors and processes. He works in partnership with the USDA/National Resource Conservation Service’s National Cooperative Soil Survey program in New York State to map and interpret soil properties for multiple uses and users.
Professor, Director of Graduate Studies
School of Integrative Plant Science
Horticulture Section
- (607) 254-4867
- tlb33 [at] cornell.edu
Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
Professor
Microbiology
- (607) 255-1716
- dhb28 [at] cornell.edu
Professor and Section Head
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- (607) 254-4702
- ad97 [at] cornell.edu
Senior Extension Associate and Director Northeastern IPM Center
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- (607) 255-8879
- dgg3 [at] cornell.edu
Adjunct Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- (607) 255-1904
- ph14 [at] cornell.edu
Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
Professor
Department of Global Development
- (607) 254-1236
- cl273 [at] cornell.edu
Assistant Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- ll928 [at] cornell.edu
Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- (607) 255-0895
- cem20 [at] cornell.edu
Associate Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Horticulture Section
- (607) 255-7122
- gmp32 [at] cornell.edu
Senior Lecturer / Senior Extension Associate
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- (607) 255-2485
- jmr5 [at] cornell.edu
Associate Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- (607) 255-5099
- jet25 [at] cornell.edu
Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- (607) 255-5629
- hmv1 [at] cornell.edu
Senior Research Associate
School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
- dw433 [at] cornell.edu
More information
Application fee waivers - International applicants, as well as U.S. applicants, may be eligible for an application fee waiver for financial hardship and other reasons. More information.
Questions about Integrative Plant Science MPS? Contact us:
Dan Buckley
Director of Graduate Studies
Graduate Field of Integrative Plant Science (IPS)
Phone: (607) 255-1716
Email: dhb28 [at] cornell.edu (dhb28[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Tara Reed
Program Coordinator
Graduate Field of Integrative Plant Science (IPS)
Phone: (607) 255-2131
Email: tln2 [at] cornell.edu (tln2[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Marvin Pritts
Student Experience Coordinator
Graduate Field of Integrative Plant Science (IPS)
Phone: (607) 255-1778
Email: mpp3 [at] cornell.edu (mpp3[at]cornell[dot]edu)