Since this broad subject is now neither organized nor outlined, there is a particular need for a definite outline of material for teaching this course at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The proposed outline, by eliminating overlapping subject matter, and by making use of the great abundance of experimental data and written material, will make it possible to give students a broad understanding of the fundamentals of the course in the short time allotted. This arrangement will also eliminate the necessity for students to purchase text books covering all the divisions, which is undesirable from an economic standpoint even if satisfactory texts were available. For the above reasons there is an urgent need to have in the department an up-to-date outline for the use of any instructor teaching the course. The purpose of this outline is to enable the Agricultural Engineering Department to offer an improved course in soil and water conservation. In order to promote more efficient teaching, it seems desirable to combine the subjects of Soil Erosion, Drainage, Flood Control, and Irrigation in one course. The flexible nature of the outline method of presentation permits the inclusion of up-to-date material and will facilitate future revision. The organization and development of material is, therefore, taken up as a thesis subject in the hope that a real contribution may be made to the work of the department, as well as to any instructor desiring to install a course of this kind. / Master of Science