Graduate programs

Soil Science has a strong graduate student program for both MSc and PhD degrees. Our topic areas are diverse, embracing all aspects of soil science related to agricultural and other ecosystems.

  • Teaching and research is focused on the sustainability and productivity of the land base, enhancement of crop and livestock production, and maintenance of soil, water and food quality as affected by agriculture and other human activities.

    Broad research categories include agrometeorology, landscape dynamics, pesticide science, soil chemistry and minerology, soil ecology, soil fertility and nutrient management, soil physics, and land remediation.

    Current research includes studies on remediation of contaminated land, utilization of fertilizers and manures, production of potatoes, nitrate accumulation and fate in soils, fate of pesticides in soil and aquatic environments, production of greenhouse gases by agricultural systems, soil organic matter, fate and bioavailability of heavy metals, and landscape based farming.

    The department provides funding for research assistantships and also encourages students with scholarships to apply.

Graduate program courses

  • SOIL 7100 - Soil Physical Chemistry
  • SOIL 7110 - Soil Physics General
  • SOIL 7130 - Soil Chemistry
  • SOIL 7140 - Soil Nitrogen
  • SOIL 7170 - Agricultural Micrometeorology
  • SOIL 7180 - Environmental Chemistry of Pesticides and Related Compounds
  • SOIL 7210 - Topics in Soil Fertility
  • SOIL 7220 - Principles of Scientific Research and Communication
  • SOIL 7230 - Topics in Landscape and Processes 1
  • SOIL 7240 - Topics in Landscape and Processes 2
  • SOIL 7250 - Non-traditional Quantitative Techniques in Soil Science Research
  • SOIL 7270 - Advanced Soil Ecology

Course outlines

MSc program information is available in the Academic Calendar

PhD program information is available in the Academic Calendar

Graduate student opportunities

Current Soil Science opportunities

Graduate Student Position Available in Soil Science/Agronomy

A graduate student position (MSc) is available for a motivated candidate to work in the area of soil fertility, agronomy and nutrient dynamics. The student will work on a project assessing the effect of amending soils with struvite, a recovered magnesium ammonium phosphate precipitate from wastewater that can be used as a source of nutrients for crop production. It is also pending approval for use in organic agricultural production systems as a source of phosphorus and is recognized for helping to recycle waste phosphorus, working towards more sustainable nutrient management. Specifically, the graduate student will focus on assessing the ability of three different green manure crops to access phosphorus from struvite and make it available to a subsequent wheat crop. The opportunity to be involved in assessments of the effect of struvite application on water quality implications also exists. The student will have the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary work with partners at the University of Manitoba, the University of Guelph, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Brandon Research and Development Centre), and industry partners. The work will involve conducting field and laboratory work. Candidates should have an interest in soil science and nutrient dynamics and have completed a bachelor’s degree in soil science, environmental science, agronomy or a related discipline. Laboratory and or field experience is an asset.

The position will be based in the Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba with an anticipated start date of January 2021. Applications will begin to be reviewed in mid-July 2020. Interested candidates should contact Dr. Francis Zvomuya and Kim Schneider for more information. To apply, send a statement of your research interests and related past experience, as well as a copy of your current CV and academic transcripts.

Before submitting a formal application through the Faculty of Graduate Studies, potential graduate students are requested to take the following steps:

Choose a current graduate student opportunity or identify a professor who is working in an area of your interest. Contact the professor directly to discuss the possibility of joining our graduate program. Please provide your Curriculum Vitae, copies of your transcripts and a statement of research interests. Your referees may be contacted by the professor.

Once the professor agrees and you have secured two years of stipend funding either from a scholarship or from the professor's research grants, apply formally through the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Please keep the professor informed, especially regarding possible start dates, visa requirements, or any logistical issues.

The Soil Science Graduate Students' Association (SSGSA)

  • A group shot of the Soil Science graduate students' association.

  • The SSGSA acts on behalf of soil science graduate students at the Soil Science Departmental Council, the University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association (GSA), and the Manitoba Soil Science Society (MSSS). The SSGSA promotes education in soil science by supporting the MSSS summer tours which enable participants to attend and learn about the various soils in Manitoba. The SSGSA also provides the department with a canteen and lunchroom where staff and students can meet and eat together.  Additionally, the association coordinates several social activities throughout the year for members of the department and the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences. SSGSA representatives are elected annually by their fellow graduate students.

Graduate student resources

Contact Us

Department of Soil Science general office
Room 362 Ellis Building
13 Freedman Crescent
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

soilsci@umanitoba.ca
204-474-8153
204-474-7642