I. Training objectives

Cultivate the high-level specialized talents who grasp the basic principles of Marxism and Mao Zedong Thought, love socialism, implement the policies of the party and the country in the new era, have good professional ethics, master basic theories and professional skills in related disciplines such as agricultural resources and their utilization, agricultural environmental protection, and can independently engage in the research, teaching, technical service and management activities in the development and utilization of agricultural resources and agricultural environmental protection. Cultivate high-level professionals with certain organizational and management capabilities in the field of agricultural resource utilization and agricultural environmental protection.

II. Research Direction

1. "Soil quality and soil microorganisms": Soil physical, chemical and biological properties, soil material transformation, migration and circulation, soil improvement and management, soil functional microorganisms and soil microbial molecular ecology.

2. "Plant nutrition physiology and ecology": Plant nutrition physiology and genetic characteristics, the interaction of soil, water and atmosphere and other environmental factors with plant nutrition physiology and ecology, crop fertilization and agricultural product quality.

3. "Agricultural Environmental Protection": non-point source pollution control of farmland, Environmental Contamination and remediation, crop cultivation and environmental safety, treatment and utilization of agricultural waste.

4. "Land Resources": land resource utilization, research and development of quality information management systems for cultivated land, and development and utilization of tidal flats.

5. "Fertilization Principles and New Type Fertilizers": principles and technologies of crop fertilization, production and use of new types of fertilizers, matrix, and soil improvers, integration of water and fertilizer, and water and fertilizer regulation in facility agriculture.

6. "Fishery resources and environment": sustainable use of living marine resources, the innovation of maricultural models and marine environment protection.

III. Years of study

The length of schooling for full-time academic degree postgraduate is generally 3 years.

IV. Cultivation mode

1. Supervisor responsibility system

The training mode of combining the supervisor's responsibility with discipline collective training is implemented. Each postgraduate is assigned a responsibility supervisor within one month after enrolment. A mentor group composed of 2 to 4 internal and external (associate) professors and/or experts with doctorate degrees in related disciplines is responsible for all the training process.

Curriculum study and scientific research are equally distributed. Methods of enlightenment and discussion are adopted in curriculum education to stimulate the initiative and creativity of postgraduates. The scientific research training focuses on improving postgraduates' learning and practice abilities and the integration of theoretical knowledge with practices. The mode train postgraduates to actively participate in political learning and situation education prescribed by schools and disciplines through a combination of self-study and concentrated learning, to build up good scientific ethics, to actively engage in pioneering work, and to cultivate postgraduates to seeks truth from facts by integrating theory with practice.

V. Course setting and credit requirements

Curriculum

Course category

Course No

Course Name

credit

Semester

Notes

Degree Course

Public Basic Course

M999X001

Theory of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Practical Research

2

Autumn

Compulsory

(all 7 credits)

M999X004-1

EnglishI

2

Autumn

M999X004-2

EnglishII

2

Spring

M999X003

Introduction to Dialectics of Nature

1

Spring

Discipline Basic Course

M016X032

Resources, Environment and Sustainable Development

2

Spring

Elective ≥5credits

M016X033

Soil Geographic Information System

2

Autumn

M016X028

Advanced Soil Agrochemical Analysis

2

Spring

M016X026

Molecular Biology

3

Autumn

M016X034

Marine Microbial Resources and Technology

2

Spring

Professional Basic Course

M016X035

Advanced Soil Science

2

Autumn

Elective ≥6credits

M016X036

Advanced Plant Nutrition

2

Autumn

M016X037

Soil Microbiology

2

Autumn

M016X038

Environmental Biology

2

Autumn

M016X039

Marine Environmental Science and Technology

2

Autumn

M016X013

Environmental Pollutant Analysis

2

Autumn

Elective Courses

Electives

M016X040

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

2

Spring

1.Elective courses ≥8credits.

2. "*"is an interdisciplinary course.

M016X041

Soil Pollution and Bioremediation

2

Autumn

M016X042

Molecular Microbial Ecology

2

Autumn

M016X043

Soil Science Research Methods

2

Autumn

M016X044

Soil Chemistry

2

Autumn

M016X045

Soil Geography

2

Spring

M016X046

Land Use Planning

2

Autumn

M016X047

Soil Ecology

2

Spring

M021X022

Advances in Plant Physiology

3

Autumn

M016X048

Advances in Plant Nutrition

2

Spring

M999X005

Second Foreign Language*

2

Spring

M999X012

Modern Analysis and Testing: Technology and InstrumentsA

3

Autumn

M016X025

Advanced Experiment Design and Statistical Analysis

2

Autumn

M999X011

Instrumental Analysis

3

Spring

M016X049

Plant Nutrition Research Method

2

Autumn

M016X050

Advanced Agricultural Chemistry

2

Autumn

M016X051

Plant Nutrition and Agricultural Product Quality

2

Spring

M016X052

Development and Application of New Fertilizer

2

Spring

M016X020

Solid Waste Treatment: Disposal and Recycling

3

Autumn

M016X053

C Programming*

3

Autumn

M016X027

Matlab Application*

2

Spring

M016X054

Experimental Technology of Microbial Molecular Ecology

2

Spring

M016X055

Aquatic Ecology*

2

Spring

M016X056

Biosynthesis of Secondary Metabolites*

2

Spring

M016X011

Aquatic Biology

2

Spring

M016X057

Advances in Bioactive Products

2

Autumn

M016X058

Aquatic Microbial Enzymology*

2

Autumn

Make-up Courses

Make-up

Course

M016X059

Soil Science

Does not count toward total credits

M016X060

Environmental Microbiology

M016X061

Plant Nutrition

M016X062

Agricultural Chemical Analysis

Academic Activities

2

Compulsory

Experiment and Practice Section

4

Award Credits for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

2

Innovation and entrepreneurship education should be combined with the major, the specific assessment methods should be formulated by the college, not included in the total credits.

Award Credits for Exchange and Visiting Study Abroad

2-3

Award credits for exchange and visiting study abroad for 3 months or more are not included in the total credits.

Total credits

≥32credits

VI. Main training links and assessment requirements

1. Course study

Under the guidance of the responsible supervisor, postgraduate students choose courses based on research direction, their knowledge background and professional interests. According to the nature and content of the course, the instructor will use various forms such as theoretical lecture, teacher-student discussion, experimental practice, and reading report to develop the course teaching, aiming to cultivate the ability of postgraduate students to analyze and solve problems independently.

The assessment of degree courses adopts the form of examinations or writing essays, and the scores are evaluated on a 100-point scale, with 60 points or less being unqualified. Academic activities and practical experimental activities are assessed via examination, and the examination results are generally evaluated as excellent, good, qualified and unqualified. Elective courses are assessed in the form of examinations, essay writing, or examinations for assessment based on actual conditions. Those who fail should retake the course. Those who cannot complete the credits within the stipulated time or fail to pass the same course after one retake will be deselected.

2. Academic activities

Postgraduate students should actively participate in academic activities related to the major, and conduct more than one presentation per semester in the form of academic reports, research reports or reading reports. Students are required to attend 10+ academic activities on and off-campus, including hosting one postgraduate student symposium and presenting two academic reports.

3. Experiment and practice section

Postgraduate students should actively participate in social practice and teaching practice and obtain a certain amount of work. The social practice mainly refers to scientific research consulting, technology development and social service activities and teaching practice refers to activities such as conducting trial lectures, tutoring class discussions, guiding experiments and assisting in supervising undergraduates for their thesis. The experiment and practice activities of the postgraduate students are evaluated by the responsible supervisor, among which at least one is to guide the experiment of an undergraduate course.

4. Comprehensive discipline assessment

After the completion of the graduate courses and before the thesis begins, a comprehensive assessment team of no less than 5 persons is organized to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the postgraduate students. The assessment includes completion of credits, participation in professional practice, technological innovation, social services, literature reading, mastery of the research frontier of the subject, and participation in other activities organized by the subject, etc. Only those who pass the assessment can participate in the mid-term assessment. The comprehensive assessment is strict with all the requirements, and those who cannot pass will be deselected.

5. Mid-term assessment

The mid-term assessment is conducted following the requirements of the university within a prescribed period, generally in the fourth semester. Postgraduate students must fill out the "Yangzhou University Graduate Interim Assessment Form", and the party committee of the college organizes relevant personnel to conduct political, ideological, and moral assessments; the discipline is responsible for professional proficiency assessment, mainly checking postgraduate students' course study and capacities in conducting scientific research, literature review, experiments, and analysis and processing of data, etc. Postgraduates with improper learning attitudes and failing to meet the basic requirements of the training plan will be warned and required to submit corrective measures. Postgraduates will be objected to entering the dissertation stage unless the corrective measures are accredited by the discipline.

6. Thesis proposal

The thesis stage begins after the mid-term assessment and completes before the end of the fourth semester. The topic of the thesis is openly selected within the scope of the subject. The subject expert team is composed of 3 to 5 people, and the person in charge of the subject is the team leader. Postgraduates will give detailed reports on the selected topics at the thesis proposal, and assessed by an expert team composed of 3-5 people with the discipline head as the team leader. The expert team focuses on the innovation and feasibility of the topics and puts forward specific comments and suggestions on the proposed research work. About 10% of the thesis proposals will be deselected and given another chance three months later as approved by the supervisor. The expert team would suggest eliminating the postgraduates who fail in the second thesis proposal.

7. Pre-examination of thesis

Before the review of the thesis, a pre-examination is organized by the discipline before the thesis can be dispatched for examination. The elimination rate of the pre-examination is generally around 10. Those who do not pass the pre-examination can apply for a second pre-examination after one month of modification with the consent of the supervisor.

8. Thesis review

After the pre-examination, the theses by the postgraduates will be sent to review by the discipline. Each thesis receives two reviewers, of which one should be off-campus. The postgraduate can enter into the oral defense unless when their theses pass the review process. The degree applicants are not allowed to participate in every single process of the review.

9. Thesis defense

Postgraduates must complete all training steps and meet the requirements of the degree before they can apply for thesis defense. The thesis defense is scheduled to be completed in the sixth semester. The defense committee is composed of 5 experts in the relevant area. The chair of the committee must be an external expert. The specific requirements shall be implemented following the relevant regulations of the nation and the university.

VII. Requirements for academic degree application achievements

The requirements of achievements for applying for degree achievements shall be implemented under the Basic Requirements for Science and Technology Achievements of the College of Environmental Science and Engineering (Revision) (Huanyuan (2017) No. 5).

Appendix 1: Description of Core Courses

1. "Resource, Environment and Sustainable Development"

It takes sustainable development as the mainline to explain issues related to human, environment and ecological system and contemporary resource and environmental issues. It also includes sustainable development theory and implementation, environmental ethics, environmental pollution and mechanisms of change under strong human intervention, main approaches to environmental protection, as well as cleaner production aimed at preventing pollution.

2. " Soil Geographic Information System"

It mainly introduces the contents of foundation in spatial information, spatial data structure, spatial database, collection and processing of spatial data, principles and methods of GIS spatial analysis, GIS product export, design and standardization of GIS, new GIS technology and "Digital Earth", etc.

3. "Advanced Soil Science"

It mainly introduces the geographical distribution of soil, soil morphology, soil organic and inorganic components, soil physical, chemical and biological processes, soil genetics and classification, transformation and bioavailability of main soil nutrients, utilization and management of soil resources, etc.

4. "Advanced Plant Nutrition"

It mainly introduces the knowledge of mineral nutrition of higher plants, the relationship between nutrients and metabolic processes, and research methods in related fields. It includes absorption and transportation of mineral nutrients and metabolism of higher plants, the mechanisms of plant response to overnutrition or undernutrition, and the mechanism of the cooperation and antagonism of mineral elements in the process of plant absorption.

5. "Soil Microbiology"

It mainly introduces the distribution characteristics, community structure and diversity of microorganisms in soils, the relationship between community structure and ecological function, the factors that influence soil microbial community, microbes and plant growth, the function of soil microbes in the removal of pollutants and environmental remediation, the construction of engineering bacteria and their application potential, and soil microbial genetic resources, etc.

Appendix 2: Bibliography and Periodical Catalogue

Serial Number

Name of Work or Journal

Author or Publisher

Notes

1

Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plant

Marschner

book

2

Plant Physiology

Taiz & Zeiger

book

3

Writing successful science proposals

Friedland AJ and Folt CL

book

4

The Nature and Properties of Soils

Nyle C. Brady

book

5

Principles of Plant Nutrition

Mengel K

book

6

Silent Spring

Mariner books, New York

book

7

Resources, Environment and Sustainable development

Wuhan University Press

book

8

Introduction to Molecular Enzymology

Jiang Yongming et al

book

9

Marine Microbiology

Bao Shixiang, Huang Huiqin

book

10

Microbiological methods

Ma Yanhe

book

11

Essentials of Advanced Molecular Biology

(English) RMTwyman, translated by Chen Chun, etc.

book

12

Soil Science Society of America Journal

Soil Science Society of America

Journal

13

Soil Physics

Jury WA, Horton R

Journal

14

European Journal of Soil Science

Black Well Publishing

Journal

15

Pedosphere

Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Journal

16

Water Resources Research

American Geophysical Union

Journal

17

Geoderma

ELSEVIER

Journal

18

Journal of Environmental Quality

American Society of Agronomy

Journal

19

Environmental Science and Technology

American Chemical Society

Journal

20

Soil Use and Management

Soil Association

Journal

21

Marine Biotechnology

Springer

Journal

22

Marine Ecology Progress Series

Inter-Research

Journal

23

Advances in Marine Biology

Elsevier

Journal

24

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Elsevier

Journal

25

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Springer

Journal

26

Applied and Environmental Microbiology

American Society for Microbiology

Journal

27

Soil Fertility and Fertilizer

SLTisdale

Journal

28

Soil Conditions and Plant Growth

EWRussell

Journal

29

Acta Pedologica Sinica

Chinese Soil Society

Journal

30

Journal of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer

Chinese Society of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer

Journal

31

Soil Bulletin

Chinese Soil Society

Journal

32

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

Chinese Soil Society and Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Journal

33

Soils

Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Journal

34

Soil and fertilizer in China

Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Chinese Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer Society

Journal

35

Journal of Ecological Environment

Editorial Department of"Journal of Ecological Environment"

Journal

Appendix III: Writing members

Qian Xiao Qing, Hu Jian, a single Yuhua, Zhou Xiao see, Zhao Haita