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Dec 03, 2024
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2024-2025 Cal Poly Humboldt Catalog
Applied Fire Science and Management, B.S.
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 Return to: Majors
The primary focus of the program is to provide a better-educated workforce that recognizes the importance of fire as an ecological and cultural process; plans and implements fire and other fuels management treatments; and more effectively manages wildfires to mitigate undesired impacts. A unique feature of this program is the integration of coursework that includes indigenous burning and traditional ecological knowledge. Additionally, the program allows students to expand the breadth of their degree program by selecting an interdisciplinary emphasis in a related topic of study.
This program provides students with sufficient background in the science, management, and policy of fire. Students will gain knowledge on the causes, mechanisms, and impacts of fire across scales and for a range of vegetation types. The program also meets the requirements of a Certified Wildland Fire Academic Program by the Association for Fire Ecology.
Graduates of this program are prepared to apply their fire science and ecology knowledge and skills to various natural resource management problems. Given the on-going trends of increased wildfire frequency, size, and severity in many regions of California and other western states, there is a growing need and demand to increase workforce capacity across the public and private sectors.
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Requirements for the Major
Lower Division Core (31 Units)
Upper Division Core (43 Units)
Interdisciplinary Requirement (20-22 Units)
Complete an advisor-approved cohesive set of courses that complement the major. The 22 units of interdisciplinary coursework must include one ecology course and one dendrology/taxonomy course. The Wildlife Interdisciplinary coursework is 20 units. See examples below:
Botany (21-22 Units)
Meets the requirements for a minor in Botany. Meets federal qualifications for Biological Science Technician Series (0404).
Restricted Electives (Botany)
Complete a minimum of 10 units.
Ecological Restoration (21-22 Units)
Meets requirements for a minor in Ecological Restoration. Meets federal qualifications for Forestry Technician Series (0462)
Restricted Electives (Ecological Restoration)
Complete a minimum of 9 units.
Geospatial Analysis (22-24 Units)
Meets the requirements for a minor in Geospatial Analysis
Ecology
Complete one course.
Dendrology / Taxonomy
Complete one course.
Restricted Electives (Geospatial Analysis)
Complete 9 units.
Native American Studies (21-23 Units)
Meets requirements for a minor in Indigenous Peoples, Natural Resource Use and the Environment
Dendrology / Taxonomy
Complete one course.
Ecology
Complete one of the following:
Rangeland Resources (22 Units)
Meets requirements for a minor in Rangeland Resource Science. Meets federal qualifications for Range Technician Series (0455).
Restricted Electives (Rangeland Resources)
Complete a minimum of 9 units.
Restricted Elective (Wildlife)
Complete a minimum of 3 units.
Individually Designed (Requires Advisor Approval)
Students have the option to complete a minor or certificate program to meet the interdisciplinary requirement with advisor approval. A modified or individually designed pathway is permissible with advisor approval. Sufficient transferable fire governmental coursework or training (e.g., NWCG) may apply toward the interdisciplinary requirement.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate preparedness for an ethical professional life fostering equity and diversity related to the science, application, and management of fire.
- Integrate knowledge of fire science and management from multiple perspectives, with a focus on Indigenous science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and scales across the curriculum.
- Discover, comprehend, and utilize scientific literature and other relevant resources or knowledge systems in the field of fire science and related disciplines.
- Build a comprehensive understanding of history, laws, policies, an d practices that relate to fire management with an emphasis on Indigenous perspectives.
- Communicate about fire science and management effectively in oral and written formats.
- Measure, calculate, analyze, and model fire and associated processes utilizing field skills, mathematics, statistics, and geospatial tools.
- Use critical thinking skills to apply interdisciplinary knowledge of fire to the sustainable management of ecosystems for diverse objectives.
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