UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Degree Requirements

Environmental Science Major

Environmental Science Major

Environmental Science Core 28 cr. hrs.
ENGL 367 Technical Writing 3 cr.
ESM 220 Environmental Sustainability: Theory, Issues, and Management 3 cr.
ESM 305 Environmental Impact Assessment 2 cr.
ESM 360 Applied Hydrology and Water Quality 4 cr.
ESM 412 Chemical Fate and Transport in the Environment 3 cr.
ESM 413 Environmental Analysis 4 cr.
ESM 485 Seminar in Resource Management 1 cr.
GEOL 102 Introductory Geology Lab 1 cr.
Choose one of the following:
ESM 303 Environmental Policies and Administration 3 cr.
BIOL 355 Environmental Law 3 cr.
POLS 355 Environmental Law 3 cr.
Choose one of the following:
MATH 226 Fundamentals of Statistics 3 cr.
MATH 326 Applied Statistics 3 cr.
ANSC 341 Biometrics 3 cr.
GEOG 365 Quantitative Techniques for Geographers 3 cr.
Required Supporting Courses: 34-36 cr. hrs.
MATH 166 Calculus 4 cr.
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I and CHEM 116 Lab I
CHEM 112 General Chemistry II and CHEM 117 Lab II
Choose one of the following two chemistry lecture/lab series:
A. CHEM 231 Organic Chemistry I 3 cr.
CHEM 236 Organic Chemistry Lab I 1 cr.
B. CHEM 250 Analytical Chemistry 4 cr.
Choose one of the following two physics series A. or B.:
A. PHYS 121 Algera-Based Physics 5 cr.
B. PHYS 131 Calculus-Based Physics 5 cr.
Choose one of the following two courses:
BIOL 210 General Botany 3 cr.
BIOL 230 General Zoology 3 cr.
Choose one of the following two courses:
BIOL 240 Cell and Molecular Biology 3 cr.
BIOL 324 Microbiology 3 cr.
Directed Electives: 18 cr. hrs.
A minimum of 6 credits in 400 level or greater. Courses taken as part of the supporting requirement cannot be double counted as directed electives.
SOIL 311, SOIL 325, SOIL 350, SOIL 440, SOIL 460 3-4 cr.
BIOL 210, BIOL 230, BIOL 240, BIOL 310, BIOL 324, BIOL 330, BIOL 344, BIOL 354, BIOL 360, BIOL 434, BIOL 444 3-4 cr.
GEOG 212, GEOG 250, GEOG 255, GEOG 316, GEOG 360, GEOG 368, GEOG 379, GEOG 412, GEOG 455, GEOG 460 3-12 cr.
PHYS 122 Algebra-Based Physics II, PHYS 132 Calculus-Based Physics II
CHEM 231 and CHEM 236, CHEM 232 and CHEM 237, CHEM 250 , CHEM 356 1-3 cr.
AET 325, AGEN 365, AET 425,
GENG 450 3-4 cr.
GEOL 269, GEOL 327, GEOL 330, GEOL 417, GEOL 445 2-4 cr.
ESM 270, ESM 333, ESM 363, ESM 370, ESM 377 2-4 cr.
AGEC 450 3 cr.

The environmental science major is designed to prepare students to face challenges in environmental quality management and sustainable development. Environmental science majors are prepared to monitor, model and manage environmental systems in the areas of environmental quality and risk evaluation, sampling and analysis, remediation and regulatory compliance. Graduates pursue careers in environmental consulting firms, local, state and federal environmental agencies or corporations. Students with environmental research interests are also prepared to pursue advanced degrees.

The major is interdisciplinary within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences, and is administered by the department of plant and earth science. Departments contributing to the major include agricultural engineering technology, biology, chemistry, geography, physics, and plant and earth science. Required foundation courses are in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences or in the College of Arts and Sciences.

 

General Education Requirements

College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science:
As listed with the following exceptions:
Ethical Citizenship: ESM 105 required.
Sciences: GEOL 101 and BIOL 150 required.

College of Arts and Sciences: As listed.

Foundation Courses in Agriculture 9 cr. hrs.
SOIL 120 Introduction to Soil Science 3 cr.
ESM 151 Introduction to Land Use Theory and Practice 3 cr.
Select 1 from:
AET 150 Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Technology 3 cr.
or AGEC 230 Agricultural Economics I 3 cr.
CROP 161 Introduction to Plant Science 3 cr.
or HORT 161 Introduction to Plant Science

OR College of Arts and Sciences Requirements: 9 cr. hrs.
SOCI 245 Environmental Sociology 3 cr.
PHIL 303 Environmental Ethics 3 cr.
ESM 307 Multicultural Perspectives on the Environment 3 cr.