Environmental Science and Management, Environmental Education and Interpretation Concentration, B.S.

Our Bachelor of Science degree program explores the interactions between the biological and physical world, human institutions, and human behavior. You’ll choose one of five concentrations that will allow you to discover the intricate balance of people and nature through multiple disciplines.

Graduates should find work with state, federal, and local governments, nonprofit conservation organizations, private sector consulting firms (particularly those dealing with environmental impact analysis, environmental planning, wetlands delineation, environmental restoration, geospatial applications in natural resources, energy technology and planning, and natural resource management), or go on to professional and graduate schools to study ecology, environmental law, environmental planning, human dimensions of natural resources, outdoor recreation management, geospatial science, natural resources management, wilderness management, public administration, or environmental policy.

High school students need strong academic preparation in math, writing, and the sciences.

Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree requires a total of 120 units. Students must fulfill General Education & All-University Requirements , residency, unit, and GPA requirements as outlined in the Bachelor’s Degree Requirements . This major includes a Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) certified course.

Requirements for the Major (79-80 Units)

The Environmental Science and Management major with a concentration in Environmental Education and Interpretation requires 42-43 units of core courses and 37 units of concentration specific coursework. Students must complete all courses in the major with a grade of C- or better. This major has 24 units that may double-count toward GE requirements.

Core Courses (42-43 Units)

BOT 105 - General Botany Units: 4
ESM 105 - Natural Resource Conservation Units: 3
GSP 101 - Geospatial Concepts Units: 3
ESM 200 - Inscape and Landscape Units: 3
or
SCI 100 - Becoming a STEM Professional in the 21st Century Units: 3
MATH 101 - College Algebra Units: 3
or
MATH 101I - College Algebra with Integrated Support Units: 3 and
MATH 1 - Support for College Algebra Units: 1
or
MATH 102 - Algebra and Elementary Functions Units: 4
STAT 109 - Introductory Biostatistics Units: 4
ESM 230 - Environmental Methods Units: 3
ESM 303 - Applied Natural History and Ecology Units: 4
ESM 305 - Environmental Conflict Resolution Units: 3
ESM 309B - Environmental Communication Units: 3
ESM 325 - Environmental Law and Regulation Units: 3
ESM 435 - Grant Proposal Writing Units: 2

Capstone Options

Complete one of the following courses based on declared concentration.

ESM 410 - Geospatial Capstone Units: 4
ESM 411 - Energy and Climate Capstone Units: 4
ESM 453 - Environmental Education and Interpretation Capstone Units: 4
ESM 455 - Ecological Restoration Capstone Units: 4
ESM 475 - Environmental Planning and Policy Capstone Units: 4

Concentration Courses (37 Units)

GEOL 109 - General Geology Units: 4
or
SOIL 260 - Introduction to Soil Science Units: 3
CHEM 107 - Fundamentals of Chemistry Units: 4
or
GEOG 106 - Physical Geography Units: 3
or
PHYX 104 - Descriptive Astronomy Units: 4
ESM 210 - Public Land Use Policies and Management Units: 3
ESM 215 - Natural Resources and Recreation Units: 3
ESM 253 - Interpretive Computer Graphics Units: 3
CD 209 - Middle Childhood Development Units: 3
ESM 350 - Fundamentals of Environmental Education and Interpretation Units: 3
ESM 351 - Environmental Interpretation Field Trip Units: 1
ESM 353 - Environmental Education and Interpretation Graphics Units: 3
ESM 430 - Natural Resource Management in Protected Areas Units: 3
ESM 450 - Applied Environmental Education and Interpretation Units: 3
ESM 482 - Internship Units: 2-3 (Required Units: 2)
or
ESM 499 - Directed Study Units: 1-3 (Required Units: 2)

Science or Natural Resources Depth Electives

Complete one course (3 units) selected in consultation with major advisor.

BIOL 430 - Intertidal Ecology Units: 3
BOT 300 - Plants and Civilization Units: 3
BOT 330 - Plant Ecology Units: 2 and
BOT 330L - Plant Ecology Lab Units: 1
BOT 350 - Plant Taxonomy Units: 4
BOT 354 - Agrostology Units: 4
FISH 260 - Fish Conservation and Management Units: 3
FISH 300 - Introduction to Fishery Biology Units: 3
FISH 320 - Limnology Units: 3
FOR 130 - Dendrology Units: 3
FOR 307 - California’s Forests and Woodlands Units: 3
FOR 315 - Forest Management Units: 3
FOR 374 - Wilderness Area Management Units: 3
HIST 371 - Civil War and Reconstruction Units: 4
HIST 368 - Colonial and Revolutionary America Units: 4
HIST 383 - California History Units: 4
GEOG 352 - Weather, Climate and Natural Hazards Units: 3
GEOL 306 - General Geomorphology Units: 3
GEOL 300 - Geology of California Units: 3 and
GEOL 300L - Geology of California Field Trip Units: 1
GEOL 303 - Earth Resources and Global Environmental Change Units: 3
GEOL 305 - Fossils, Life and Evolution Units: 3
NAS 304 - Native Tribes of California Units: 3
NAS 306 - Indigenous Peoples of the Americas Units: 3
NAS 307 - Nature and Issues of Genocide Units: 3
NAS 331 - Indigenous Natural Resource Management Practices Units: 3
NAS 361 - Tribal Sovereignty, Tribal Citizens Units: 3
OCN 109 - General Oceanography Units: 3
OCN 301 - Marine Ecosystems - Human Impact Units: 3
OCN 310 - Biological Oceanography Units: 4
RRS 306 - Rangeland Management Principles Units: 3
SOIL 360 - Origin and Classification of Soils Units: 3
SOIL 363 - Wetland Soils Units: 3
SOIL 460W - Wildland Soil Management and Erosion Control Units: 3
WLDF 301 - Principles of Wildlife Management Units: 3
WLDF 365 - Ornithology I Units: 3
WSHD 310 - Hydrology and Watershed Management Units: 4
WSHD 458 - Climate Change and Land Use Units: 3
ZOOL 356 - Mammalogy Units: 3
ZOOL 358 - General Entomology Units: 4
ZOOL 314 - Invertebrate Zoology Units: 5
ZOOL 316 - Freshwater Aquatic Invertebrates Units: 3
ZOOL 354 - Herpetology Units: 4

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will:

Apply science to understanding ecosystems and natural resources.
Understand the policy and socio-cultural implications of environmental issues.
Analyze human impacts on the physical, biological, and/or cultural world, and propose appropriate management strategies.
Seek out original and secondary sources of information necessary to understand complex environmental issues.
Communicate with the public and professionals concerning the environmental sciences.
Use critical thinking skills to apply measurable criteria to evaluate contemporary environmental decision-making.