Program Requirements
The Environmental Science Emphasis requires a minimum of 64 credits:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Introductory Courses | ||
| BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| ESCI 105 | Earth Systems and Resources (with lab) | 4 |
| Required Core Courses | ||
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| CHEM 111 & CHEM 112 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) and General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| CHEM 113 & CHEM 114 | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II | 4 |
| ESCI 300 | Environmental Science Careers | 1 |
| GEOG 340 | Intro Geographic Info Systems | 3 |
| GEOL 362 | Environmental Geochemistry | 3 |
| MATH 151 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) | 4 |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| Either: | 4 | |
| Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | ||
| OR | ||
| Principles of Physics I (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1) | ||
| OR | ||
| General Physics I (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1) | ||
| Required Elective Courses: take at least 14 credits, and must be from at least three different disciplines: | 14 | |
| Biological Anthropology (with laboratory) | ||
| Ecology Laboratory and Recitation | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Genetics (with recitation) | ||
| Ornithology (with laboratory and recitation) | ||
| Mammalogy (with laboratory and recitation) | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology with Laboratory | ||
| Field Entomology (with laboratory) | ||
| Botany (with laboratory) | ||
| Rocky Mountain Flora | ||
| Evolution | ||
| Wildlife Ecology and Management (with laboratory) | ||
| Wildlife Techniques Workshop | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Biology of Fishes | ||
| Ichthyology Laboratory | ||
| Aquatic Ecology (with laboratory) | ||
| Forest Ecology (with laboratory) | ||
| Analytical Chemistry (with laboratory) | ||
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | ||
| Introduction to Soil Science | ||
| Environmental Monitoring | ||
| UAV Imagery Acquisition | ||
| Satellite Remote Sensing | ||
| Geospatial Analysis | ||
| Earth Materials (with laboratory) | ||
| Geomorphology (with laboratory) | ||
| Paleoclimatology | ||
| Hydrogeology (with laboratory) | ||
| Principles of Physics II (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1) | ||
| OR | ||
| General Physics II (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1) | ||
| Required Environmental Policy and Politics Courses (6 credits) | 6 | |
| Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-HI1) | ||
And one of the following: | ||
| Cultural Ecology | ||
| Introduction to Climate Policy | ||
| Environmental Justice (GT-SS3) | ||
| Introduction to Public Lands Management | ||
| U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | ||
| Global Environmental Policy | ||
| Water Policy and Politics | ||
| Politics of the Environment | ||
| Required Capstone Course | ||
| ESCI 450 | Applied Environmental Science | 3 |
| Total Credits | 64 | |
Western Watershed General Education Requirements
Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
Sample Plan
Degree Plans are for planning purposes. They reflect a suggested plan to complete the degree in a projected timeframe per program of study.
“Western Watershed Course(s)” refers to a course from the Tributaries area of the Western Watershed program. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CHEM 111 & CHEM 112 |
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) and General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) |
4 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Writing I) | 3 |
| ESCI 105 | Earth Systems and Resources (with lab) (FALL ONLY) | 4 |
| MATH 151 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Mathematics) | 4 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters (select one) | 2 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| CHEM 113 & CHEM 114 |
General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II |
4 |
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| ENVS 100 | Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-HI1) | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | Intro Geographic Info Systems | 3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| Elective | ESCI Elective | 3 |
| ESCI 300 | Environmental Science Careers Spring Only | 1 |
| GEOL 362 | Environmental Geochemistry Spring Only | 3 |
| Western Watershed Course | 3 | |
| Western Watershed Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | ESCI Elective | 4 |
| Elective | ESCI Elective | 3 |
| Western Watershed Courses | 3 | |
| Western Watershed Courses | 3 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | ESCI Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| WWGE: Delta 301/302/303/304 | 1 | |
| Western Watershed Courses | ||
| Credits | 10 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course (upper division) | 4 |
| ENVS | ENVS Policy course | 3 |
| ESCI 450 | Applied Environmental Science | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 4 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course (upper division) | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Year Five | ||
| Fall | ||
| Western Watershed Course(s) | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| Western Watershed Course(s) | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Total Credits | 114 | |
Western is committed to doing our part to provide each student a clear path to graduation. This four‐year degree plan is a sample map for fulfilling requirements in the major and General Education. The pathway that you take to your degree may differ somewhat from this illustration, depending on where you start and the detours and side trips you may take along the way. You are responsible for ensuring your overall, upper division, and major‐specific credits as well as GPA requirements are fulfilled for graduation.