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Natural Resources and Environmental Management 

Sherman Lab 101
1910 East West Road
Honolulu HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7530
Fax: (808) 956-6539
E-mail: nrem@ctahr.hawaii.edu
Web: www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu

Faculty

• S. A. El-Swaify, PhD (Chair)--natural resource degradation, erosion, conservation, water quality
• R. L. Bowen, PhD--natural resource policy, economics, sustainable agriculture
• C. Chan-Halbrendt, PhD--community and resource economics
• C. Ching, PhD--policy and production economics
• L. J. Cox, PhD--community economic development
• R. de la Peña, PhD--crop management, root crops
• C. I. Evensen, PhD –natural resource management, environmental quality
• C. A. Ferguson, PhD--natural resource and environmental policy
• J. B. Friday, PhD--tropical forestry/agroforestry extension
• J. H. Fownes, PhD--forest ecology
• P. V. Garrod, PhD--marketing and production economics
• C. Gopalakrishnan, PhD--natural resource and environmental economics and policy
• P. S. Motooka, PhD--weed science, forest/pasture weed control
• S. Y. Nagano, MS--4-H youth program, county extension
• G. R. Vieth, PhD--resource management, nonmarket valuation
• D. Ward, MS--4-H development program
• J. F. Yanagida, PhD--product economics, price analysis, international trade

Graduate Faculty in Agricultural and Resource Economics

• S. A. El-Swaify, PhD(Chair)--natural resource management, conservation and restoration
• R. L. Bowen, PhD--natural resource policy, economics of sustainable agriculture
• C. Chan-Halbrendt--community and resource economics
• C. T. K. Ching, PhD--policy and production economics
• L. J. Cox, PhD--community economic development
• C. A. Ferguson, PhD--natural resource and economic policy
• P. V. Garrod, PhD--marketing and production economics
• C. Gopalakrishnan, PhD--natural resource economics, environmental economics
• P. S. Leung, PhD--production, fisheries, and aquaculture economics
• T. Liang, PhD--systems engineering
• S. T. Nakamoto, PhD--marketing
• G. R. Vieth, PhD--resource management, non-market valuation
• J. K. Wang, PhD--production systems design and aquacultural engineering
• J. F. Yanagida, PhD--production economics, price analysis, international trade and development

Affiliate Graduate Faculty in Agricultural and Resource Economics

• J. P. Dorian, PhD--mineral economics
• S. G. Pooley, PhD--fisheries economics

Graduate Faculty in Agronomy and Soil Science

• M. Habte, PhD(Chair)--soil microbiology--biochemistry
• D. Borthakur, PhD--biotechnology, rhizobium
• J. S. Brewbaker, PhD--crop breeding, tree legumes
• R. S. de la Pena, PhD--crop management, root crops
• S. A. El-Swaify, PhD--soil and water conservation, water quality and salinity
• C. I. Evensen, PhD-- water quality extension, environmental education
• J. H. Fownes, PhD-- forest ecology, agroforestry
• N. V. Hue, PhD--soil chemistry
• H. H. Keyser, PhD--soil microbiology, rhizobium
• S. C. Miyasaka, PhD--alternative crops, nutrition
• J. A. Silva, PhD--soil fertility, statistics
• P. Singleton, PhD--legume BNF
• C. S. Tang, PhD--biochemistry of crops and soils
• G. Uehara, PhD--systems simulation in international agriculture
• R. S. Yost, PhD--expert systems in soil management, fertility

Affiliate Graduate Faculty in Agronomy and Soil Science

• K. C. Ewel, PhD-- wetland ecology
• L. D. Swindale, PhD--international agricultural research and development, soil pedology

Degrees and Certificates Offered: BS in agricultural and resource economics, BS in agronomy and soil science, MS in agricultural and resource economics, MS in agronomy and soil science, PhD in agricultural and resource economics, PhD in agronomy and soil science, Environmental Studies Certificate, Graduate Resource Management Certificate.

Proposed Degrees and Certificates: BS in natural resources and environmental management, MS in natural resources and environmental management, PhD in natural resources and environmental management, Environmental Studies Certificate, Graduate Resource Management Certificate. Currently enrolled students may continue in their existing degree program or they may switch to a new degree program once the program has been approved. 

The Academic Program

Agricultural and resource economics (AREC) deals with the practical application of economic theory and analytic methods to diverse aspects of the commercial food and fiber industries. Analyses of public-sector projects and domestic and international policies in agriculture and resources use are also involved. Students study economic development, trade, and agricultural policy as well as resource use, conservation, and quality. AREC provides undergraduate students with a well-rounded education and the flexibility to tailor programs to match their interests. The graduate programs are rigorous in economic theory, quantitative methods, and the application of learned theory and methods to AREC fields or areas of concentration. AREC graduates find employment in the private sector and in government and academic institutions.

Agronomy and soil science (AGRS/AGRN) is the study of food, fiber, feed, and fuel crops, their physiology, interaction with the environment, and management from a systems perspective. Soil science (SOIL) is the study of natural land and soil resources, and their effective management by applying the principles of basic scientific disciplines such as chemistry, physics, and biology, and technologies derived therefrom. Understanding the soil is required to intelligently manage and preserve this valuable natural resource. The combination of agronomy and soil science is a logical marriage of two interdependent subjects fundamental to implementing land use practices that are highly productive, sustainable, economically viable, and environmentally safe.

Students majoring in agronomy and soil science have the opportunity to be involved in the full spectrum of subjects and activities required to understand and responsibly manage land, water, crops, and climate for the benefit of humankind. Modern scientific approaches and instruments allow agronomists to study soil-plant-atmosphere systems at all scales, from the microscopic level to large land areas. Many find great satisfaction in applying results from the laboratory to large-scale land use problems. In recent years many students trained in agronomy and soil science have embarked on successful careers in ecological and environmental protection, and in international institutions and organizations, as well as in farm-based agricultural industries. The department is one of only a few in the nation which have a special commitment to international linkages with the developing world, and the only department fully dedicated to crops and soils of the tropics.

Undergraduate Study

BS in Agricultural and Resource Economics 

Concentrations available within this curriculum include agribusiness, natural resources, fisheries and aquaculture economics, and general agricultural economics in preparation for graduate work. Students and their advisers will develop appropriate plans of study.

Requirements

• ACC 201
• AREC 210 or MATH 241
• ECON 300 and 301
• ENG 209
• 18 upper division AREC credit hours, including AREC 310 and at least one 400-level AREC course

BS in Agronomy and Soil Science 

Agronomists and soil scientists utilize fundamental knowledge in physics, chemistry, biology, and physiology, genetics, and meteorology to solve basic and applied problems of field crops and soils. Crop and soil scientists work together to investigate problems in plant nutrition, soil fertility, groundwater quality, soil erosion and conservation, agroforestry, and cropping systems. 

Requirements
Prior to entrance into the program, students should have the equivalent of two years of high school algebra.

Students must complete General Education Core requirements including the following:

• AREC 310
• BOT 101/101L or BIOL 171/171L
• CHEM 161/161L and 162/162L
• ECON 130

Required courses for all options:

• AGRN 200
• CHEM 152/152L
• ENG 209
• SOIL 304 and 450
• AGRS 492

Required courses for the agronomy option:

• BOT 470/470L
• 29 additional credit hours approved by the department

Required courses for the crops option:

• AGRN 460
• AGRS 499
• BOT 470/470L
• MATH 140
• PHYS 151/151L
• 25 additional credit hours approved by the department

Required courses for the soils option:

• SOIL 430 and 460 
• AGRS 499
• MATH 140 and 205
• PHYS 151/151L
• 22 additional credit hours approved by the department

Environmental Studies Certificate

For information, see the "Colleges of Arts and Sciences" section within this Catalog.

Graduate Study

Agricultural and resource economics offers MS and PhD degrees in the general areas of resource economics, bioeconomics, international development, and policy. A PhD program in agricultural systems analysis is also offered in cooperation with faculty in the molecular biosciences and the department of molecular biosciences and biosystems engineering.

The program maintains close relationships with the University of Hawai'i Manoa Water Resources Research Center, Sea Grant College Program, and Department of Economics, as well as the East-West Center. Graduate students have considerable latitude for designing programs of study, generally focusing on issues important to Asian and Pacific Basin countries.

Complete details on graduate programs, as well as financial aid available to prospective students, are outlined in a brochure available upon request from the department.

Agronomy and soil science offers MS and PhD degrees in two areas of concentration: tropical agronomy and tropical soil science. The first is designed for candidates whose primary interests lie with crops; the second for students who wish to place greater emphasis on soils. Agronomy students may specialize in tropical crop and pasture production, cropping systems, agrometeorology, agroforestry, crop physiology, plant breeding, or plant-soil relationships. Courses offered in botany, horticulture, plant pathology, and agricultural biochemistry, combined with courses offered in agronomy and soil science, will provide considerable flexibility in the development of a program suited to a student's career objectives. In the soil science concentration, students may specialize in tropical soil genesis and classification, soil chemistry, soil physics, soil mineralogy, soil salinity, soil management, soil and water conservation, soil fertility, and soil microbiology.

The program is offered jointly with the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Science.

Successful graduates have pursued a variety of careers within the industrial, educational, and research sectors. Employment opportunities are promising on the international scene.

MS in Agricultural and Resource Economics

Undergraduate preparation for admission to the MS program includes courses in intermediate micro- and macroeconomics, statistics, and calculus.

Graduates with MS degrees have found employment in government, and international agencies, agricultural extension services, financial organizations, and agribusiness firms. 

Requirements
Prospective MS candidates may select either the Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis) program. The Plan A program requires 25 credit hours of course work and 6 credit hours of thesis. The student must pass an oral exam in defense of the thesis.

Plan B requires 34 credit hours of course work, of which 18 credit hours must be from courses at the 600 level or above. A scholarly paper, a written comprehensive exam, and a subsequent exam are required. The scholarly paper should reflect the candidate's substantive analysis of a subject in the field of agricultural and resource economics. The written exam covers materials from the core courses.

All students pursuing the MS are required to take the following courses: AREC 458, 627 AND 705; ECON 410 (or 627); ECON 425 (or AREC 626); ECON 604 (or 606); and ECON 605 (or 607).

MS in Agronomy and Soil Science

A diagnostic examination is required of all MS students and those PhD students who did not receive their MS from this department. The exam is given during the week preceding the first day of instruction in the first semester of enrollment. The examination consists of six parts: botany, chemistry, mathematics, physics, crop science, and soil science. The results of these tests are used to determine the need for remedial courses in the student's program.

Requirements
Candidates are generally expected to follow the Plan A (thesis) program. Under this plan, 30 credit hours are required including 6 credit hours of thesis and a minimum of 24 course credit hours. A majority of these must be agronomy and soil science courses, with 8 of these credit hours from courses numbered 600 or above. Of the remaining credit hours, 4 credits must be in courses numbered 600 or above. No more than 2 credit hours of directed research (AGRS 699) may be allowed toward the required 600-level credit hours, but 5 credit hours are allowed toward the 24 course credit hours. Mathematical preparation through calculus is required of all MS candidates.

All MS candidates are required to complete a minimum of 2 credit hours of seminar, including 1 credit hour of AGRS 654 Communications in Agriculture and at least 1 credit in AGRS 701 Seminar in Advanced Agronomy and Soil Science.

The Plan B (non-thesis) option is available only to intended PhD candidates as explained under PhD requirements. The requirements for Plan B are explained in the "Graduate Education" section of this Catalog.

The Plan C (examination) option is open to selected students on the recommendation of their graduate program committee. Criteria for selection include previous academic records, interviews, level of performance in the diagnostic examination, and prior research experience. (See the "Graduate Education" section of this Catalog for more information.)

Doctoral Degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics

Applicants with a master's degree in either agricultural economics or a closely related field with no undergraduate deficiencies will be considered for admission to the PhD program. Students currently enrolled in the MS program, upon successful completion of 12 credit hours of graduate course work, may petition for admission to the PhD program. Students with outstanding undergraduate records (minimum GPA of 3.3) in agricultural and resource economics or a closely related field with no undergraduate deficiencies may also gain admission to the PhD program. Applicants for the PhD program must have completed all courses required for admission to the master's program.

Employment opportunities for PhD graduates include private and public research organizations and university positions in research, teaching, and extension.

Requirements
Students in the PhD program must take AREC 610, 626, 629, 634, 638, 705; ECON 606, 607, 608, 609 and 627; and two other approved graduate courses.

PhD students must pass a written comprehensive exam based on core courses (see departmental brochure for details). They must also pass an oral comprehensive exam, write an acceptable dissertation based on original research and defend it in a public examination before being awarded the PhD degree.

Doctoral Degree in Agronomy and Soil Science

The PhD in agronomy and soil science is awarded only for original scholarly achievement. The dissertation, which is a significant original contribution to basic knowledge in the candidate's field, is required. Only students with above average academic records in pre-doctoral programs will be accepted into the program. Mathematical preparation at least to the level of differential and integral calculus is strongly recommended. Students accepted as intended PhD candidates directly from BS programs are required to perform successfully in an MS Plan B program. Upon completion of the MS Plan B, such students will be evaluated for admission to the PhD program in the same manner as other intended candidates who receive MS Plan A or Plan C degrees from this field.

A PhD program will have a major in either agronomy or soil science with a minor area of study which consists of courses principally outside the field as a complement. The minor allows the student to expand areas of proficiency.

Requirements
For all AGRS PhD students, a minimum of 24 credit hours in courses numbered 600 or above is required for the major, not including seminar, directed research, thesis/dissertation research, or courses taken to fulfill the minor requirement. A majority of the 24 credit hours must be taken in agronomy and soil science courses with at least one course in agronomy (not including AGRN 603) for soils majors and at least one course in soils for agronomy majors. The candidate's committee will determine how many credit hours earned previously in the MS program can be applied to the PhD credit requirement. Candidates must register for seminar at least one semester of each year in which they are registered as full-time or equivalent, except the final year, in which the dissertation defense can be substituted for seminar. PhD candidates who have not had AGRS 654, Communications in Agriculture, or its equivalent may take this course during their first year as a substitute for 1 credit hour of AGRS 701. Mathematical preparation at least through calculus is required of all PhD candidates.

The minor for both the agronomy and the soil science concentrations will consist of a total of at least four courses at the 400 level or above outside the concentration area, with at least two courses at the 600 level. Each of these courses should represent a minimum load of 2 credit hours. The minor should complement the concentration area and include related courses which combine logically under the minor name designated by the candidate and approved by the candidate's committee. Minor courses will be predominantly those offered in other fields. Statistics courses, such as ZOOL 631 and AREC 310, which are foundations for other graduate-level courses in statistics, may not be included in the minor as they are fundamental to any well-rounded program in either concentration.

After admission to candidacy, and after most courses in the candidate's program have been taken, the candidate must take written and oral comprehensive examinations covering all subjects considered relevant to the chosen concentration and minor. A final oral examination which includes a public defense of the dissertation is required of all candidates.

Graduate Resource Management Certificate

For information, see the "Interdisciplinary Programs" section within this Catalog.

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