Soil Fungi & Soil Health
The roles of soil fungi in decomposition, nutrient cycling, aggregation and disease suppression, and how to manage soils for them.
Program identification
- 1.1Program name
- Soil Fungi & Soil Health
- 1.2Type of qualification
- Course
- 1.3Provider / endorsing institution
- Fungaris – International Institute of Mycology, School of Fungal Ecology & Regenerative Agriculture. A Fungaris program of its own, not endorsed by a university.
- 1.4Mode of study
- Online, with live sessions in a small group, recordings and a virtual campus.
- 1.5Duration (hours / ECTS credits)
- 3 months (12 weeks) · 72 hours in total · 6 modules of 12 hours · 12 live sessions of 2 hours. ECTS credits: not applicable (Fungaris own program, not an official university degree).
- 1.6Language
- English
- 1.7Start and end dates / intake
- Next intake: January 11, 2027 to April 2, 2027. Enrollment closes on January 4, 2027. Following intake: March 8, 2027. How intakes work →
Overview
2.1Program description
Soil fungi do much of the quiet work behind a productive field: they break down crop residues, recycle nutrients, knit particles into crumbs and, in some soils, keep root diseases in check. This course follows those roles through the soil food web, from saprotrophic decomposers and their enzymes to the hyphae that hold aggregates together, and examines what the fungal-to-bacterial balance can and cannot tell us. A dedicated module looks at disease-suppressive soils and the microbial processes that make them work.
Interest in soil health has moved from niche to mainstream, with growers, advisers and public schemes all asking how to measure and improve it. The course is designed for growers, soil advisers and land managers who want to read soil biology with confidence and avoid oversimplified claims. The final module introduces practical indicators that can be used on the farm and in the lab. In the final project, students select a set of indicators for a real site, record a baseline and propose management changes to support a more active fungal community.
2.2Why it matters / what need it meets
It meets a practical need: applied, up-to-date knowledge in ecology, useful in areas such as farming and horticulture, soil and agronomy consultancy, land and estate management, agri-food sustainability programs.
Mycology is moving fast and good practical training is still scarce. This program gives you a structured path, taught live by people who work in the field, so you can apply what you learn with judgment and safety.
Objectives and competences
3.1General objective
To finish the program able to apply its content professionally and with judgment. In short:
The roles of soil fungi in decomposition, nutrient cycling, aggregation and disease suppression, and how to manage soils for them.
3.2Specific objectives
- Build the foundations: The Soil Food Web and Fungal Roles; Decomposers and Nutrient Cycling.
- Put them into practice: Fungal Hyphae and Soil Aggregation; Fungal-to-Bacterial Balance in Soils.
- Apply everything to a real case: Disease-suppressive Soils; Practical Soil Health Indicators.
- Complete a final project reviewed by your instructor.
3.3Competences you will gain
- Describe the main functional roles of fungi in the soil food web.
- Explain how fungal hyphae contribute to soil aggregate stability.
- Interpret fungal-to-bacterial ratios with appropriate caution.
- Recognize the features and drivers of disease-suppressive soils.
- Choose and record practical soil health indicators for a site.
Student profile
4.1Who it is for (entry profile)
Growers, soil advisers and land managers.
4.2Entry requirements
No previous soil science training is required. Access to a field or garden site is helpful for the indicator exercises.
4.3Career paths (exit profile)
- Soil health adviser for growers
- Land manager integrating soil biology into planning
- Field technician for soil monitoring schemes
- Agronomist in organic or regenerative farming
- Sustainability officer in an agri-food supply chain
Outcomes depend on your experience and on your local market.
Study plan
5.1Overall structure (modules and workload)
| Module | Title | Phase | Topics | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Soil Food Web and Fungal Roles | Foundations | 3 | 12 |
| 02 | Decomposers and Nutrient Cycling | Foundations | 3 | 12 |
| 03 | Fungal Hyphae and Soil Aggregation | Practice | 3 | 12 |
| 04 | Fungal-to-Bacterial Balance in Soils | Practice | 3 | 12 |
| 05 | Disease-suppressive Soils | Application & project | 3 | 12 |
| 06 | Practical Soil Health Indicators | Application & project | 3 | 12 |
| Total | 72 |
6 modules × 12 hours = 72 hours: 24 hours of live sessions, and the rest for campus study, exercises and the final project.
5.2Content by module
Hover or tap a module to follow the path from the first session to the final project. Open a module to see the topics it covers.
- Trophic levels below ground
- Fungal functional groups
- Interactions between fungi, bacteria and soil fauna
- Litter quality and decomposition rates
- Fungal enzymes for cellulose and lignin
- Nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization
- How soil aggregates form
- Hyphal enmeshment and binding agents
- Aggregate stability and water movement
- Measuring the fungal-to-bacterial ratio
- What shifts the balance
- Limits of the ratio as a management target
- General and specific suppression
- Microbial mechanisms of suppression
- Building suppressiveness through management
- Field tests: slaking, infiltration and earthworms
- Laboratory biological indicators
- Choosing and tracking indicators over time
5.3Company placement
This program does not include a company placement. Practice is built into every module through exercises, case studies and the final project.
5.4Final project
A soil health baseline for a real site using selected biological indicators, with recommendations to support soil fungi.
Methodology
6.1How it is taught
- Live online sessions, usually weekly, with a working professional and a small group.
- Recordings of every session, so you can catch up if work or time zones get in the way.
- Exercises and real case studies in every module.
- Tutoring: your instructor answers questions and gives feedback on your exercises and project.
6.2Platform and resources
A Moodle virtual campus with session recordings, readings, exercises and forums for each module. You need a computer, an up-to-date browser and a stable connection; a webcam and microphone are recommended.
Technical requirements →6.3Estimated weekly workload
About 6 hours a week for 12 weeks: one 2-hour live session on a weekday evening, plus study and exercises on the campus at your own pace.
Assessment
7.1Assessment system and weighting
Students are assessed on active participation in live sessions, practical exercises for each module and a final project reviewed by the instructor.
7.2Requirements to pass
- Complete every module, by attending the live sessions or watching the recordings.
- Hand in the module exercises.
- Have your final project approved by your instructor.
Teaching team
8.1Academic direction
At Fungaris, the Ecology school coordinates the content and quality of this program. The academic director of each intake is named in the intake guide.
8.2Faculty
Taught by professionals who work in the field. The instructor for each intake is confirmed before the start.
Meet our faculty →Certificate
9.1Certificate awarded
Course Certificate
On completing the program and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Fungaris certificates are the institute's own. Whether an employer, school or authority recognizes them depends on that organization and on local rules in each country.
9.2Issuing body / recognition
Issued by Fungaris (operated by Nexora Generation, S.L.) as a digital certificate. It is a Fungaris certificate of its own: it is not an official university degree and does not award ECTS credits.
About our certificates →Admission and enrollment
10.1Admission process (steps)
- Send your request through the form or write to admissions.
- Admissions reviews your profile and confirms the start date, the session schedule and the fee.
- You secure your place with full payment or a 40% reservation.
- You receive your campus access and welcome guide before the first session.
10.2Documents required
- A valid identity document.
- Contact and billing details (personal or company).
10.3Deadlines
Enrollment for the intake starting on January 11, 2027 is open until January 4, 2027, or until the group is full (maximum 20 students).
10.4Fee and payment options
Fee: $450
- Full payment before the start: $360 (20% reduction).
- 40% reservation ($180) and 3 monthly installments of $90.
10.5Grants, discounts and funding
Discounts: 10% for Fungaris alumni and 15% for groups of three or more people from the same organization. Discounts cannot be combined with each other or with the full-payment reduction.
Your employer can pay for the program and receive the invoice in the company name. Whether a public or employer training budget can cover the fee depends on your country, so check with them.
10.6Cancellation policy
The conditions for canceling, withdrawing or moving to a later intake are explained in our cancellation policy and in your enrollment confirmation. Nothing there limits your rights under the consumer law that applies to you.
Cancellation and refunds →Additional information
11.1Frequently asked questions
Do I need experience to study Soil Fungi & Soil Health?
No previous soil science training is required. Access to a field or garden site is helpful for the indicator exercises.
How is Soil Fungi & Soil Health taught?
Live online, in 6 modules with a working professional, a small group and a final project.
How am I assessed?
Students are assessed on active participation in live sessions, practical exercises for each module and a final project reviewed by the instructor.
What is the final project?
A soil health baseline for a real site using selected biological indicators, with recommendations to support soil fungi.
What certificate do I get?
On completing the program and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Fungaris certificates are the institute's own. Whether an employer, school or authority recognizes them depends on that organization and on local rules in each country.
What can I study after Soil Fungi & Soil Health?
The natural next step is Diploma in Mycorrhizal Agriculture.
11.2Alumni testimonials
We only publish verified testimonials from real students. This program does not have any published yet; they will appear here once its first intakes finish.
11.3Admissions contact
Write to info@fungaris.institute or use the contact form. Admissions answers in your language.
Read before you start.
Keep branching.
Join the next intake.
Pay in full with a 20% reduction, or reserve your place with 40% and pay the rest in monthly installments. All prices are stated in US dollars (USD).