Ecology and Environmental Management Emphasis (with a 3+2 Master in Environmental Management)

The Environmental Management emphasis allows students to complete the B.S. in Biology (BIOL) and the Master in Environmental Management (MEM) at Western in five years. To remain qualified for the 3+2, after 67 credits each student must have:

  • maintained a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.25 GPA within the major;
  • earned a B or above in two social science, two natural science (one with lab), and one statistics course;
  • fulfilled the 3-credit Internship requirement with a B or above and positive letter from the project sponsor;
  • provided three letters of recommendation, at least one of which is to be a professional reference and at least one of which is to be an academic reference from the student’s major at Western;
  • written a Statement of Purpose to the MEM program, detailing early career ambitions and ideas and connections for the eventual master’s Project.

At this point, if any aspect of a student’s performance is found to be insufficient, the MEM Director may reject a 3+2 student from the MEM program, in which case the student will need to find a new emphasis or minor in order to complete the undergraduate degree. In addition to meeting the requirements above, and after Junior Year (holding to the same GPA standards as outlined above) and completion of BIOL nucleus plus one systems and application course and one organismal course in the requirements (100 credits in this plan—see “Degree Plan" tab), the School of Graduate Studies will designate students as “MEM candidates with provisional acceptance.” Upon completion of the final 26 credits of the Western B.S. after Year Four of this plan, the School of Graduate Studies will designate students as “MEM degree seeking students.” Students who have completed all other requirements of the 3+2 program and all Western undergraduate requirements, yet choose to leave the MEM program before Year 5, will still have completed the BIOL undergraduate emphasis in Environmental Management and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree.

Program Requirements

The Ecology and Environmental Management Emphasis requires a minimum of 83 credits, including the 26-credit Biology Nucleus, 19 additional credits in Biology, 15 credits of supporting courses, and 23 credits of MEM coursework. In the fifth year, an additional 23 credits of MEM coursework results in the MEM degree.

All Biology majors require the 26-credit Biology Nucleus.

Biology Nucleus
BIOL 150Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1)4
BIOL 151Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory)4
BIOL 301GENERAL ECOLOGY3
BIOL 310Cell Biology3
BIOL 312Genetics (with recitation)4
CHEM 111General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)3
CHEM 112General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1)1
CHEM 113General Chemistry II3
CHEM 114General Chemistry Laboratory II1
Total Credits26
Required Biology Courses
BIOL 302Ecology Laboratory and Recitation2
Select six credits in two or more of the following systems and applications courses:6
EVOLUTION
Wildlife Ecology and Management (with laboratory)
Wildlife Techniques Workshop
Conservation Biology
Colorado Ecoregions
Aquatic Ecology (with laboratory)
Plant Ecology (with laboratory)
Forest Ecology (with laboratory)
Select two of the following organismal courses:6-8
Ornithology (with laboratory and recitation)
Mammalogy (with laboratory and recitation)
Field Entomology (with laboratory)
Botany (with laboratory)
Rocky Mountain Flora
Spring Fungi Rocky Mountains (with laboratory)
Biology of Fishes
Select at least two credits of Capstone Experience courses:2
Senior Seminar (may be repeated)
Senior Thesis
Total Credits16-18
Minimum supporting courses
CHEM 231Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry3
CHEM 234Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory1
GEOL 101Physical Geology (GT-SC2)3
GEOL 105Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1)1
MATH 213Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)3
PHYS 140Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1)4
Total Credits15
Core MEM Courses
ENVS 601Introduction to Environmental Management5
ENVS 605Science for Environmental Management3
ENVS 608ENVIRONMENTL POLITICS & POLICY3
ENVS 611Integrative Skills for Environmental Management3
ENVS 612Introduction to Analysis and Assessment for Environmental Management3
ENVS 615From Climate Science to Action3
One of the following from the MEM emphasis:3
Sustainable and Resilient Communities Emphasis:
Environmental Organization Development and Management
Global Sustainability Emphasis:
Global Sustainability
Integrative and Public Land Management Emphasis:
PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT
Total Credits23

Upon successful completion of the prescribed courses listed above, University defined General Education, and elective requirements totaling 120 credits (with 40 at the 300-level or higher), students are eligible for their B.S. conferral. Students electing to complete MEM must follow the balance of their declared emphasis curriculum.

For a full description of the required Graduate coursework, please see the appropriate MEM program in the Western Graduate Catalog

Capstone Course Requirement

The following courses in the Biology Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BIOL 495 SENIOR SEMINARBIOL 496 , or EDUC 409 SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHING.

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) 4
MATH 140 College Algebra (GT-MA1) 3
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) 3
CHEM 112 General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) 1
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
 Credits15
Spring
BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) 4
MATH 141 Precalculus (GT-MA1) 4
General Education course (Area I) 3
CHEM 113 General Chemistry II 3
CHEM 114 General Chemistry Laboratory II 1
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
 Credits18
Year Two
Fall
BIOL 301 GENERAL ECOLOGY 3
BIOL 302 Ecology Laboratory and Recitation 2
CHEM 231 Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry 3
CHEM 234 Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory 1
GEOL 101 Physical Geology (GT-SC2) 3
GEOL 105 Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) 1
General Education course (Area I) 3
 Credits16
Spring
PHYS 140 Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) 4
MATH 213 Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) 3
General Education courses 6
Elective 3
 Credits16
Summer
SCI 499 Internship in Science 1-5
67 credits completed (Submit 3+2 application materials by July 1)
 Credits1-5
Year Three
Fall
BIOL 310 Cell Biology 3
Biology Elective (Organismal or Systems Biology elective) 4
General Education courses 6
 Credits13
Spring
BIOL 312 Genetics (with recitation) 4
Biology Elective (Organismal or Systems Biology elective) 4
Electives 6
 Credits14
Summer
ENVS 601 Introduction to Environmental Management 5
 Credits5
Year Four
Fall
Biology Elective (Organismal or Systems Biology elective) 3
ENVS 605 Science for Environmental Management 3
ENVS 608 ENVIRONMENTL POLITICS & POLICY 3
ENVS 611 Integrative Skills for Environmental Management 3
BIOL 495 Senior Seminar 1
 Credits13
Spring
ENVS 612 Introduction to Analysis and Assessment for Environmental Management 3
ENVS 615 From Climate Science to Action 3
ENVS 616
Environmental Organization Development and Management
or PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT
3
Biology Elective (Organismal or Systems Biology elective) 3
BIOL 495 Senior Seminar 1
 Credits13
Summer
ENVS 690 MEM Project Development 5
 Credits5
Year Five
Fall
ENVS 620
Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
ENVS 625
Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
or Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
3
ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio 3-6
 Credits9-12
Spring
ENVS 620
Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio 6
 Credits9
 Total Credits147-154