Environmental Science and Management, Environmental Planning and Policy, 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 (81-82 Units)

Students must complete all courses in the major with a grade of C- or better.

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 (39 Units)

Lower Division

CHEM 107 - Fundamentals of Chemistry Units: 4 **
ESM 210 - Public Land Use Policies and Management Units: 3
GSP 270 - Geographic Information Science (GIS) Units: 3

Upper Division

ESM 360 - Introduction to Environmental Planning Methods Units: 3
ESM 365 - Local Government Planning Units: 3
ECON 423 - Environmental and Natural Resources Economics Units: 3
ESM 425 - Environmental Impact Assessment Units: 3
ESM 460 - Environmental Planning for Public Lands and Rural Communities Units: 3
ESM 462 - Coastal and Marine Planning Units: 3
ESM 482 - Internship Units: 2-3 (Required Units: 2)
or
ESM 499 - Directed Study Units: 1-3 (Required Units: 2)

Ecology and Management

Complete one course.

ESM 355 - Principles of Ecological Restoration Units: 3
ESM 370 - Energy, Technology and Society Units: 3
ESM 420 - Ecosystem Analysis Units: 3
ESM 430 - Natural Resource Management in Protected Areas Units: 3
FIRE 321 - Fire Ecology Units: 3
FISH 476 - Ecology of Running Waters Units: 3
FOR 374 - Wilderness Area Management Units: 3
NAS 331 - Indigenous Natural Resource Management Practices Units: 3
WLDF 460 - Conservation Biology Units: 3

Natural Resource Science Fundamentals

Complete one natural resource science fundamentals course:

FOR 130 - Dendrology Units: 3
GEOL 109 - General Geology Units: 4
SOIL 260 - Introduction to Soil Science Units: 3
BOT 350 - Plant Taxonomy Units: 4
WSHD 310 - Hydrology and Watershed Management Units: 4

Approved Electives

Complete one course selected in consultation with major advisor.

BOT 354 - Agrostology Units: 4
BOT 358 - Biology of the Microfungi Units: 2
BOT 359 - Biology of the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes Units: 2
BOT 360 - Biology of the Fleshy Fungi Units: 2
BOT 355 - Lichens and Bryophytes Units: 4
ENGL 311 - Creative Writing for Environmental Justice Units: 4
ESM 301 - International Environmental Issues and Globalization Units: 3
ESM 430 - Natural Resource Management in Protected Areas Units: 3
ESM 460 - Environmental Planning for Public Lands and Rural Communities Units: 3
ESM 462 - Coastal and Marine Planning Units: 3
ESM 469 - Field Course in Environmental Science and Management Units: 1-4
FISH 300 - Introduction to Fishery Biology Units: 3
FISH 310 - Ichthyology Units: 4
FISH 320 - Limnology Units: 3
FISH 476 - Ecology of Running Waters Units: 3
FIRE 321 - Fire Ecology Units: 3
FOR 374 - Wilderness Area Management Units: 3
FOR 430 - Forest Ecosystems Units: 3
GEOL 306 - General Geomorphology Units: 3
GSP 370 - Intermediate Geographic Information Science (GIS) Units: 3
NAS 362 - Tribal Governance and Leadership Units: 3
NAS 364 - Federal Indian Law I Units: 4
NAS 365 - Federal Indian Law II Units: 4
NAS 366 - Tribal Water Rights Units: 4
RRS 360 - Rangeland Plant Communities 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
SOIL 468 - Introduction to Agroforestry Units: 3
WLDF 365 - Ornithology I Units: 3
WLDF 430 - Ecology and Management of Wetland Habitats for Wildlife Units: 3
WLDF 431 - Ecology and Management of Upland Habitats for Wildlife Units: 3
WLDF 460 - Conservation Biology Units: 3
WSHD 424 - Watershed Hydrology Units: 3
WSHD 458 - Climate Change and Land Use Units: 3
ZOOL 316 - Freshwater Aquatic Invertebrates Units: 3
ZOOL 354 - Herpetology Units: 4
ZOOL 356 - Mammalogy Units: 3
ZOOL 358 - General Entomology Units: 4

Note:

** CHEM 109 & CHEM 110 may be substituted for CHEM 107 .

Complete two upper division policy and management courses, chosen from a list of approved courses provided by your advisor, from ENGR, FISH, FOR, GEOG, NAS, PHIL, PSCI, RRS, SOIL, WSHD, WLDF. (Prerequisites may be required for some courses, depending on choice.)

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.