The Environmental Management emphasis allows students to complete the B.A. in Politics and Government (POLS) and the Master in Environmental Management (MEM) at Western in five years. Students who declare this emphasis must maintain degree progress as suggested in the degree plan and receive approval from the MEM Program Director to apply for provisional admission to the graduate program between August 1st and February 1st.
Provisional Admission Requirements
- Complete a minimum of 66 credits hours;
- Hold a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.25 GPA within the major;
- Earn a B or above in two social science, two natural science, and one statistics course;
- Fulfill the undergraduate internship requirement with a B or above, and provide a positive letter from the project sponsor;
- Three letters of recommendation, including at least one professional reference and at least one academic reference from the student’s major;
- Statement of Purpose to the MEM Application Committee outlining early career goals and potential ideas for the 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. Upon meeting the requirements above, and after Junior Year (reaching 96 credits in this plan—see “MAJOR MAP” at western.edu/3_2) holding to the same GPA and general performance standards outlined above, the School of Graduate Studies will designate students as “MEM candidates with provisional acceptance.” Upon completion of the final 24 credits (18 graduate credits + 6 undergraduate credits) of the Western B.A. in 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 POLS undergraduate emphasis in Environmental Management (with a 3+2 MEM) and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree.
Program Learning Goals:
- Students will engage analytically and critically with issues, problems, and practical dilemmas.
- Students will acquire knowledge of political institutions, processes, and theories in both American and global contexts
- Students will develop their written communication and public speaking abilities.
- Graduates will be prepared to assume constructive roles in the fields of environmental advocacy, management and policy.
A minimum of 69 credits is required for the B.A. The following is required for the Comprehensive Program with Five-Year Master in Environmental Management:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 117 | Democracy, Capitalism, and Their Critics (GT-HI1) | 3 |
| POLS 180 | Power in America (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| POLS 250 | Politics of the Environment | 3 |
| POLS 255 | Inequality and Development (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| POLS 260 | Globalization, Borders and the Human (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| POLS 309 | Political Theory I- Ancient to Early Modern | 3 |
| POLS 310 | Political Theory II-Modern and Contemporary | 3 |
| POLS 499 | Internship in Politics and Government | 3 |
| Select five of the following: | 15 | |
| Issues in State and Local Government | ||
| Constitutional Law I | ||
| Constitutional Law II | ||
| The Politics of the Presidency | ||
| Politics of Social Movements | ||
| Human Rights | ||
| The Global South | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Political Economy | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Model UN | ||
| Select one statistics course: | 3 | |
| Statistics for Business and Economics | ||
| Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | ||
| Statistics and Data Analysis | ||
| Questionnaires and Survey Methods | ||
| Capstone course: | 3 | |
| Senior Seminar | ||
| Select two environmental or social electives from different disciplines | 6 | |
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Introduction to Climate Policy | ||
| Environmental Justice (GT-SS3) | ||
| U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | ||
| Global Environmental Policy | ||
| Water Policy and Politics | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography (GT-SS2) | ||
| Our Digital Earth | ||
| Geography of North America (GT-SS2) | ||
| Intro Geographic Info Systems | ||
| Introduction to Environmental History (GT-HI1) | ||
| Indigenous America | ||
| History of the American West | ||
| Environmental History of the Borderlands | ||
| History of the National Park Service | ||
| History of U.S. Public Lands | ||
| Environmental Psychology | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Total Credits | 51 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core MEM Requirements: | ||
| ENVS 602 | Headwaters Conference | 1 |
| ENVS 605 | The Field of Environmental Management | 2 |
| ENVS 607 | Approaches in Conservation and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 608 | Environmental Politics & Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 611 | Environmental Project Development and Management | 5 |
| ENVS 623 | Studies in Environmental Management | 1 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Quantitative Methods in Environmental Management | ||
| Qualitative Methods in Environmental Management | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
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 Politics and Government Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: POLS 485 Senior Seminar.
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
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Writing I) | 3 |
| POLS 117 | Democracy, Capitalism, and Their Critics (GT-HI1) | 3 |
| POLS 180 | Power in America (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 6 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters (select one) | 2 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Writing I) | 3 |
| POLS 260 | Globalization, Borders and the Human (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| Elective | POLS Elective (1 of 5) | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 7 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| POLS 250 | Politics of the Environment | 3 |
| POLS 255 | Inequality and Development (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| POLS 309 | Political Theory I- Ancient to Early Modern | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| POLS 310 | Political Theory II-Modern and Contemporary | 3 |
| Elective | POLS Elective (2 of 5) | 3 |
| MATH 113 or MATH 213 |
Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Mathematics) or Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) |
3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
**Summer courses count towards a student’s GPA, Academic Standing, and follow summer tuition fee structure. |
||
| POLS 499 | Internship in Politics and Government | 3 |
| 66 credit mark completed | Submit 3+2 application materials by July 1 | |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | POLS Elective (3 of 5) | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Introduction to Climate Policy | ||
| Environmental Justice (GT-SS3) | ||
| U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | ||
| Global Environmental Policy | ||
| Water Policy and Politics | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography (GT-SS2) | ||
| Our Digital Earth | ||
| Geography of North America (GT-SS2) | ||
| Intro Geographic Info Systems | ||
| Introduction to Environmental History (GT-HI1) | ||
| Indigenous America | ||
| History of the American West | ||
| Environmental History of the Borderlands | ||
| History of the National Park Service | ||
| History of U.S. Public Lands | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Environmental Psychology | ||
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | POLS Elective (4 of 5) | 3 |
| Elective | POLS Elective (5 of 5) | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 6 |
| WWGE 301/302/303/304 | Delta (select one) | 1 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENVS 602 | Headwaters Conference | 1 |
| ENVS 605 | The Field of Environmental Management | 2 |
| ENVS 607 | Approaches in Conservation and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 608 | Environmental Politics & Policy | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Introduction to Climate Policy | ||
| Environmental Justice (GT-SS3) | ||
| U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | ||
| Global Environmental Policy | ||
| Water Policy and Politics | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography (GT-SS2) | ||
| Our Digital Earth | ||
| Geography of North America (GT-SS2) | ||
| Intro Geographic Info Systems | ||
| Introduction to Environmental History (GT-HI1) | ||
| Indigenous America | ||
| History of the American West | ||
| Environmental History of the Borderlands | ||
| History of the National Park Service | ||
| History of U.S. Public Lands | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Environmental Psychology | ||
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENVS 611 | Environmental Project Development and Management | 5 |
| ENVS 612 or ENVS 614 |
Quantitative Methods in Environmental Management or Qualitative Methods in Environmental Management |
3 |
| ENVS 623 | Studies in Environmental Management | 1 |
| POLS 485 | Senior Seminar (Capstone course:) | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 121 | |
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.