Major in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability 1 MAJOR IN ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY The major in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability provides a strong scientific foundation in ecosystem ecology integrated with a broad knowledge of the cultural, social, economic, and political issues that are shaping the issue of sustainability. Students in the major learn to integrate science into real-world decision making, with the goal of developing sustainable strategies to maintain ecosystem services around the globe. We provide students with a broad base of experiential and collaborative learning opportunities, opportunities for research through our affiliation with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, and the latest scientific knowledge about how organisms interact with their environments to form complex ecosystems. Students begin their program with core courses that build a strong foundation in the physical and natural sciences. Courses in ecosystem science put that core understanding into the context of our natural resources, with coursework in the classroom, laboratory, and field. Capstone courses task groups of students with proposing cutting-edge solutions for sustainability. Learning Outcomes Students in the major are learning: How to help people use natural resources in a sustainable way. About environmental change at local to global scales. The amazing connections between different earth system components. How to conduct research or field work in a variety of settings addressing questions important to sustainability. Potential Occupations Completion of the undergraduate degree qualifies students for a wide variety of careers related to natural resource science. Examples of possible careers include: sustainability coordinator, ecologist, environmental educator, invasive species specialist, biological science technician, climate change scientist, natural resource specialist, or corporate environmental consultant. Students completing the undergraduate degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability will also be well prepared to succeed in graduate education in a variety of disciplines. Requirements Effective Fall 2016 Freshman ANTH 100 Introductory Cultural Anthropology (GT-SS3) 3C AREC 202 Agricultural and Resource Economics (GT-SS1) 3C ECON 202 Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) 3C POLS 103 State and Local Government and Politics (GT-SS1) 3C BUS 150 or CS 110 Business Computing Concepts and Applications Personal Computing Select one group from the following: 4 BZ 110 Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) 3A BZ 111 Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) 3A LIFE 102 Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) 3A Select one group from the following: 5 CHEM 107 Fundamentals of Chemistry (GT-SC2) 3A CHEM 108 Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory (GT-SC1) 3A CHEM 111 General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) 3A CHEM 112 General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) 3A CO 150 College Composition (GT-CO2) 1A 3 ESS 130 System Theory and Information Management 1 GES 101 Foundations of Environmental Sustainability NR 120A Environmental Conservation (GT-SC2) 3A NR 120B Environmental Conservation Select one course from the following: 4 AUCC Credits 3-4
2 Major in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability MATH 155 Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1) 1B MATH 160 Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) 1B Total Credits 29-30 Sophomore AGRI 270/IE 270 World Interdependence-Population and Food (GT-SS3) 3E ANTH 200 Cultures and the Global System (GT-SS3) 3E HORT 171/SOCR 171 Environmental Issues in Agriculture (GT-SS3) 3E POLS 232 International Relations (GT-SS1) 3E BZ 120 or LIFE 103 Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants 3A 4 ESS 210/GR 210 Physical Geography 3 ESS 211 Foundations in Ecosystem Science 3 Select one from the following: 3-4 GEOL 120 Exploring Earth: Physical Geology (GT-SC2) 3A GEOL 122 The Blue Planet: Geology of Our Environment (GT-SC2) 3A GEOL 124 Geology of Natural Resources (GT-SC2) 3A SOCR 240 Introductory Soil Science NRRT 262 Principles of Environmental Communication 3 Select one course from the following: 5 PH 121 General Physics I (GT-SC1) 3A PH 141 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1) 3A STAT 301 Introduction to Statistical Methods STAT 307 Introduction to Biostatistics Summer Total Credits 27-28 NR 220 Natural Resource Ecology and Measurements 5 Junior Total Credits 5 CO 301B Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) 2 CO 301C Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3) 2 JTC 300 Professional and Technical Communication (GT-CO3) 2 LB 300 Specialized Professional Writing 2 ESS 311 Ecosystem Ecology 3 ESS 330 Quantitative Reasoning for Ecosystem Science 3 GR 304/WR 304 Sustainable Watersheds 3A 3 GR 420 or NR 322 Spatial Analysis with GIS Introduction to Geographic Information Systems NRRT 330 Social Aspects of Natural Resource Management 3 Historical Perspectives 3D 3 Electives 6 Senior Total Credits 31 4 ESS 400 Sustainability and Ecosystem Science 4A 3 ESS 411 Earth Systems Ecology 4B 3
Major in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability 3 ESS 440 Practicing Sustainability 4C 4 ESS 486 Ecosystem Practicum 2 GR 323 Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation 3 ESS Electives 1 9 Electives 2 2-4 1 2 Total Credits 26-28 Program Total Credits: 120 Select from department list of courses with approval of advisor. Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level). Major Completion Map Freshman Semester 1 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits Select one course from the following: 3-4 BUS 150 Business Computing Concepts and Applications CS 110 Personal Computing CO 150 College Composition (GT-CO2) 1A 3 Select one group from the following: 4 BZ 110 Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) 3A BZ 111 Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) 3A LIFE 102 Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) 3A NR 120A Environmental Conservation (GT-SC2) 3A NR 120B Environmental Conservation GES 101 Foundations of Environmental Sustainability Total Credits 13-14 Semester 2 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits Select one group from the following: 5 CHEM 107 Fundamentals of Chemistry (GT-SC2) 3A CHEM 108 Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory (GT-SC1) 3A CHEM 111 General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) 3A CHEM 112 General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) 3A ESS 130 System Theory and Information Management 1 MATH 155 Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1) 1B MATH 160 Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) 1B ANTH 100 Introductory Cultural Anthropology (GT-SS3) 3C AREC 202 Agricultural and Resource Economics (GT-SS1) 3C ECON 202 Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) 3C POLS 103 State and Local Government and Politics (GT-SS1) 3C BZ 110 / BZ 111 or LIFE 102, CO 150, and AUCC 1B (MATH) must be completed by the end of Semester 2. Total Credits 16
4 Major in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Sophomore Semester 3 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits BZ 120 Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) 3A LIFE 103 Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants ESS 210/GR 210 Physical Geography 3 NRRT 262 Principles of Environmental Communication 3 AGRI 270/ IE 270 World Interdependence-Population and Food (GT-SS3) 3E ANTH 200 Cultures and the Global System (GT-SS3) 3E HORT 171/ SOCR 171 Environmental Issues in Agriculture (GT-SS3) 3E POLS 232 International Relations (GT-SS1) 3E CHEM 107 and CHEM 108 or CHEM 111 and CHEM 112 must be completed by the end of Semester 3. Total Credits 13 Semester 4 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits ESS 211 Foundations in Ecosystem Science 3 Select one course from the following: 5 PH 121 General Physics I (GT-SC1) 3A PH 141 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1) 3A Select one course from the following: 3 STAT 301 Introduction to Statistical Methods STAT 307 Introduction to Biostatistics -4 GEOL 120 Exploring Earth: Physical Geology (GT-SC2) 3A GEOL 122 The Blue Planet: Geology of Our Environment (GT-SC2) 3A GEOL 124 Geology of Natural Resources (GT-SC2) 3A SOCR 240 Introductory Soil Science Total Credits 14-15 Semester 5 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits NR 220 Natural Resource Ecology and Measurements 5 Junior Total Credits 5 Semester 6 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits ESS 311 Ecosystem Ecology 3 NR 322 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems GR 420 Spatial Analysis with GIS NRRT 330 Social Aspects of Natural Resource Management 3 Historical Perspectives 3D 3 Elective 3 Total Credits 16 Semester 7 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits ESS 330 Quantitative Reasoning for Ecosystem Science 3 GR 304/WR 304 Sustainable Watersheds 3A 3 Select one course from the following: 3 CO 301B Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) 2 CO 301C Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3) 2 JTC 300 Professional and Technical Communication (GT-CO3) 2 LB 300 Specialized Professional Writing 2
Major in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability 5 Elective 3 Senior Total Credits 15 Semester 8 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits ESS 411 Earth Systems Ecology 4B 3 ESS 486 Ecosystem Practicum 2 GR 323/NR 323 Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation 3 Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Elective (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab) Elective 2-4 Total Credits 13-15 Semester 9 Critical Recommended AUCC Credits ESS 400 Sustainability and Ecosystem Science 4A 3 ESS 440 Practicing Sustainability 4C 4 Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Electives (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab) The benchmark courses for the 9th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study. 6 Total Credits 13 Program Total Credits: 120 3