Forest ecosystems are essential in that they provide wildlife habitat, protect watersheds, offer wilderness recreation opportunities, maintain biodiversity of both plants and animals, and even control global climate. Graduates of the Landscape Architecture program within the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning will use land and natural resources to create accessible outdoor areas that both enhance our cities, parks and open spaces and preserve the natural landscape. They plan sites for housing, commercial centers, industrial parks, college campuses, zoos, arboreta, theme parks, golf courses, and resorts. They design parks, plazas, pedestrian areas, and facilities for state and national parks. Landscape architects are also involved in the preservation of historic sites, the design of highways and transportation corridors, and large-scale landscape planning for communities and regions.
Microbiology is about understanding microorganisms and their activities.
The discipline is broad, consisting of many subdisciplines and specializations. Some of these, like microbial genetics, physiology, and ecology, are concerned with the study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Other subdisciplines deal with the general area of health science, and include medical and clinical microbiology, veterinary microbiology, and public health microbiology. The program offers many opportunities ranging from a specialized, interdisciplinary approach to a more broad and general background in the environmental and natural resource field. The Plant and Soils Sciences progam prepares students for an active role in determining the quality of our lives.