Environment and Sustainability Ecology Emphasis (with a 3+2 Master of Science in Ecology)

The Ecology emphasis allows students to complete the B.A. in Environment and Sustainability (ENVS) and the Master of Science in Ecology (Ecology M.S.) at Western in five years.  To remain qualified for the 3+2, upon earning 66 credits each student must have:

  • maintained a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.25 GPA within the major;
  • completed BIOL 150, BIOL 151, BIOL 301, and MATH 213;
  • 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;
  • confirmed acceptance by an Ecology MS faculty advisor; 
  • written a Statement of Purpose to the Ecology MS program, detailing early career ambitions and ideas and connections for the eventual master’s thesis.

At this point, if any aspect of a student’s performance is found to be insufficient, the Ecology MS Coordinator will recommend denial of acceptance to the Graduate Studies Dean and the School of ENVS Dean, in which case the student will need to find a new emphasis or minor in order to complete the undergraduate degree. Upon meeting the requirements above, after satisfactorily completing the GRE, and after Junior Year (reaching 97 credits in this plan—see “DEGREE PLAN”) holding to the same GPA and general performance standards outlined above, if the student is accepted by a faculty advisor into the program, the School of Graduate Studies will designate the student as an “Ecology MS candidate with provisional acceptance.”  At this point the student must also declare their MS emphasis. Upon completion of Year Four of this plan, the student will receive the BA and the School of Graduate Studies may designate the student as an “Ecology MS degree seeking student.”  After Year Four, students who have completed all other requirements of the 3+2 program and all Western undergraduate requirements (120 total credits, 40 upper-division credits, general education requirements, the ENVS undergraduate courses listed under the Ecology emphasis, and the 18 credits of ENVS Ecology emphasis courses that come from the MS in Year 4), yet choose to leave the Ecology MS program before Year 5, will still have completed the undergraduate ENVS emphasis in Ecology and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree. 

Program Requirements

A minimum of 78 credits is required for the B.A. components of the emphasis. In the fifth year, an additional 21 credits of Ecology MS coursework results in the MS in Ecology degree. For all 3+2 Ecology students, at least 12 credits of biology upper-level and/or graduate electives (BIOL 320-489; 620-689) are required. 

ENVS 100Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2)3
ENVS 200Writing the Environment3
ENVS 250Environmental Justice3
ENVS 301Science of Sustainability and Resilience3
ENVS 350U.S. and Western Environmental Politics3
ENVS 390Environmental Monitoring4
ENVS 400Applied Sustainability3
ENVS 410Environmental Ethics3
ENVS 499Internship in Environmental Studies1-6
Required supporting courses
BIOL 150Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1)4
BIOL 151Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory)4
BIOL 301GENERAL ECOLOGY3
CHEM 111General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)3
CHEM 112General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1)1
CHEM 113General Chemistry II3
CHEM 114General Chemistry Laboratory II1
ECON 215Environmental Economics3
MATH 213Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)3
PHYS 125Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2)3
One of the following:
ENVS 360Global Environmental Policy3
ENVS 370Water Policy and Politics3
GEOG 340INTRO GEOGRAPHIC INFO SYSTEMS3
One of the following:
HWTR 200This Is The Headwaters1
HWTR 398Headwaters Conference1
Select one of the following:3
Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory)
Cultural Ecology
Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Politics of the Environment
Politics of Social Movements
Human Rights
The Global South
Political Economy
Environmental Psychology
Multicultural Psychology
Social Psychology
Environmental Sociology
Social Problems
Social Movements
Social Class, Status, and Power
Core Ecology MS Courses, to be taken in Year 4 of 3+2 (Year 1 of MS):
BIOL 606Ecological Research Methods3
BIOL 613Advanced Ecological Analysis3
BIOL 690Ecology MS Proposal Development3
One or more of the following to be taken in Fall 4 of 3+2 (Fall 1 of MS):
Biology elective (620 or above, excluding 690, 695, 696)3-4
ENVS 608ENVIRONMENTL POLITICS & POLICY3
ENVS 611Integrative Skills for Environmental Management3
ENVS 623Studies in Environmental Management1-6
ENVS 625Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management3
One or more of the following to be taken in Spring 4 of 3+2 (Spring 1 of MS):
Biology elective (620 or above, excluding 690, 695, 696)3-4
ENVS 615From Climate Science to Action3
ENVS 618PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT3
ENVS 623Studies in Environmental Management1-6
ENVS 625Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management3
Total Credits103-120

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.A. (ENVS) or B.S. (BIOL) conferral. Students electing to complete the M.S. in Ecology must follow the balance of their declared emphasis curriculum. 

Upon the acceptance of MS proposals (BIOL 690), MS candidates must be continuously enrolled for at least 1 credit of BIOL 695 or 696 until successful thesis defense. 

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

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
ENVS 100 Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) 3
BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) 4
Elective Elective or minor course 6
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
 Credits17
Spring
ENVS 200 Writing the Environment 3
PHYS 125 Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) 3
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) 4
MATH 141 Precalculus (GT-MA1) 4
 Credits17
Year Two
Fall
ENVS 301 Science of Sustainability and Resilience 3
CHEM 111
CHEM 112
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)
and General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1)
4
Gen Ed General Education Courses 3
HWTR 200
This Is The Headwaters
or Headwaters Conference
1
ENVS 250 Environmental Justice 3
 Credits14
Spring
ENVS 350 U.S. and Western Environmental Politics 3
ECON 215 Environmental Economics 3
MATH 213 Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) 3
BIOL 301 GENERAL ECOLOGY 3
CHEM 113
CHEM 114
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Laboratory II
4
 Credits16
Summer
ENVS 499 Internship in Environmental Studies 3
 Credits3
Year Three
Fall
ENVS 390 Environmental Monitoring 4
GEOG 340
INTRO GEOGRAPHIC INFO SYSTEMS
or Water Policy and Politics
3
ENVS 410 Environmental Ethics 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 3
Elective Elective 3
 Credits16
Spring
ENVS 360 Global Environmental Policy 3
Electivechosen from selection of classes on cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, sex, sexuality, and/or class contexts 3
Elective Electives 9
 Credits15
Summer
Submit 3+2 application materials by July 1 (66 credit mark completed)
 Credits0
Year Four
Fall
BIOL 606 Ecological Research Methods 3
Two of:
BIOL 620-689 3-4
Or
ENVS 608
ENVIRONMENTL POLITICS & POLICY
or Integrative Skills for Environmental Management
or Studies in Environmental Management
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 3-6
 Credits12-16
Spring
BIOL 613 Advanced Ecological Analysis 3
At least one of:
BIOL 620-689 3-4
Or
ENVS 615
From Climate Science to Action
or PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT
or Studies in Environmental Management
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
BIOL 690 Ecology MS Proposal Development 3
ENVS 400 Applied Sustainability 3
 Credits15-16
Summer
BIOL 695
Ecology/ Conservation Thesis Research
or Fisheries/ Wildlife Thesis Research
3
 Credits3
Year Five
Fall
9 credits of the following
BIOL 695
Ecology/ Conservation Thesis Research
or Fisheries/ Wildlife Thesis Research
1-6
And
BIOL 620-689 3-4
Or
ENVS 623
Studies in Environmental Management
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
 Credits7-13
Spring
9 credits of the following:
BIOL 695
Ecology/ Conservation Thesis Research
or Fisheries/ Wildlife Thesis Research
1-6
And
BIOL 620-689 3-4
Or
ENVS 623
Studies in Environmental Management
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
 Credits7-13
 Total Credits142-159