Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Soil Science Lab (Face-to-Face)

AGSC 3565-01

Course: AGSC 3565-01
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ASNS
CRN: 30254

Course Description

A general study of soil formation, chemical and physical properties, soil water, soil biology, classification and taxonomy, fertility and soil conservation.

Required Texts

  • Elements of the Nature & Property of Soils (4th) by Brady & Weil (please bring to lab)
  • Lab manual: will be available in bookstore
  • see “Inclusive Access” note on lecture syllabus

Learning Outcomes

  • Students will gain a general knowledge of the science of soils.
  • Students will be able to apply the concepts and principles of soil science to practical situations.
  • Students will gain hands-on experience in determining soil characteristics.

Course Requirements

Grading: (also see lecture syllabus)

  • 75% - 3 tests - tentative dates: (1) Oct. 3; (2) Nov. 12; (Final) Dec. 9 at 7:00am (Tues.)
  • 25% - Other: lab exercises, quizzes, homework assignments and participation

Grades will be calculated as follows:

Your test score(s)/total points possible * 75% = test points
+
Other score(s)/total points possible * 25% =_ other points_
Total score (from 0 - 100)

Then generally the breakdown is: 100 - 90 = A

89 - 80 = B

79 - 70 = C (+ and - will be given where natural

69 - 60 = D breaks occur)

< 60 = F

Course Outline

Tentative Soils Lab Schedule

DateTopic
Aug 27Field trip - local soil problems (Lab 1)
Sept 3Rocks, minerals and parent material (Lab 2)
10Soil profiles (Lab 3)
17Soil temperature (Lab 4)
24Soil texture (Lab 5)
Oct 1Field trip - University ranch (Lab 6)
8Particle & bulk densities (Lab 7a & b)
15Infiltration, Percolation and Stability- University farm (Lab 8)
22Soil pH & salinity (Lab 9 & 10)
29Soil water (Lab 11, 12 & 13)
Nov 5Field trip – University farm
12Soil survey (Lab 15)
19Soil fertility (Lab 16)
26Thanksgiving Break - no lab
Dec 3Soil Conservation (Lab 17)

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

  • Lab assignments will be turned in on Canvas and be due by 5pm the next day (Thursday), unless otherwise notified. Anything later will be penalized up to 50% per day.
  • There will be no lab make-ups. The nature of the labs makes it too difficult to record them on Zoom so they won’t be recorded. If a lab is missed, the questions can be turned in for partial credit.
  • Discussion and participation is encouraged.
  • Disruptive activities will not be tolerated (talking out of turn, cell phone usage, open laptops being used for non-class activities etc.)
  • Lab cleanup will be your responsibility (if not done voluntarily, it will be assigned)
  • You will need to assume responsibility for lab safety. Use caution and be careful. Wear your seat belt on field trips. Handle glassware, equipment and chemicals with caution.

Attendance Policy

  • Regular attendance at labs is expected.
  • Please be on time.
  • Students are responsible for all material discussed in lab, whether in attendance or not. It is your responsibility to obtain notes from missed classes from someone other than the instructor.

Prerequisite

Prerequisite: Introductory college chemistry

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.