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. 

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. 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.