In the Watershed Sustainability concentration, students will focus on how human systems interact with the physical, chemical, and biological processes in watersheds. They will combine foundational science courses with background in sociology and economics, in preparation for upper division courses on water resources, water economics, and sustainability.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Articulate core concepts in watershed science and sustainability including climate processes, surface and subsurface hydrology, water quality, human uses of water, and sustainable water management.
- Describe how social, institutional, governance, and economic factors affect allocation and management of water resources
- Analyze, and interpret meteorological, hydrological, and water quality, water use and management data.
- Analyze watershed problems and sustainability challenges using geospatial data, field observations, sensor data, and watershed models.
- Demonstrate strong critical thinking, writing, and oral communication skills.
Effective Fall 2024
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AUCC | Credits | ||
| CHEM 103 | Chemistry in Context (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 |
| ESS 120 | Intro to Ecosystem and Watershed Sciences | 1 | |
| ESS 129 | Information Management for Sustainability | 1 | |
| GES 120 | Water Sustainability in the Western US | 3 | |
| GR 204/WR 204 | Sustainable Watersheds (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
| Select 4 credits from the following: | 4 | ||
| Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | ||
| Physical Geography | |||
| Introduction to Geology-Parks and Monuments (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Geology and Society (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Geoscience--Climate and Environmental Change (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Earth Resources and Sustainability (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Dynamic Earth (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 1C | 3 | |
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 27-28 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| AREC 342 | Water Law, Policy, and Institutions | 3 | |
| ATS 150 | Science of Global Climate Change (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
| LIFE 320 | Ecology | 3 | |
| PH 110 | Physics of Everyday Phenomena (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
| STAT 158 | Introduction to R Programming | 1 | |
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Agricultural and Resource Economics (GT-SS1) | 3C | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3C | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | ||
| Calculus in Management Sciences (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Introduction to Sociology (GT-SS3) | 3C | ||
| Social Problems (GT-SS3) | 3C | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | |||
| Intro to Theory and Practice of Statistics | |||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 31-32 | ||
| Summer | |||
| NR 220 | Natural Resource Ecology and Measurements | 5 | |
| Total Credits | 5 | ||
| Junior | |||
| ESS 312 | Sustainability Science | 3 | |
| NR 319 | Introduction to Geospatial Science | 4 | |
| WR 416 | Land Use Hydrology | 4B | 3 |
| WR 418 | Land Use and Water Quality | 3 | |
| WR 486 | Watershed Field Practicum | 2 | |
| Select one course from the following: | 2 | 3 | |
| Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||
| Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||
| Specialized Professional Writing | 2 | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being | |||
| Natural Resources History and Policy | |||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |
| Watershed Science Department List (see list below) | 3 | ||
| Electives | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Senior | |||
| WR 440 | Watershed Problem Analysis | 4A,4B,4C | 3 |
| Watershed Science Department List (see list below) | 12 | ||
| Electives1 | 10-12 | ||
| Total Credits | 25-27 | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||
Watershed Science Department List
Select a minimum of 15 credits from courses not taken elsewhere in the program. Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AREC 330 | Data-Driven Ag and Res Econ Decision Making | 3 |
| AREC 335/ECON 335 | Introduction to Econometrics | 3 |
| AREC 340/ECON 340 | Introduction-Economics of Natural Resources | 3 |
| AREC 341 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| AREC 375 | Agricultural Law | 3 |
| AREC 442 | Water Resource Economics | 3 |
| ATS 350 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 2 |
| ATS 351 | Introduction to Weather and Climate Lab | 1 |
| BZ 440 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BZ 441 | Plant Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BZ 450 | Plant Ecology | 4 |
| BZ 471 | Stream Biology and Ecology | 3 |
| BZ 472 | Stream Biology and Ecology Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 334 | Quantitative Analysis Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 335 | Introduction to Analytical Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 338 | Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
| CIVE 322 | Basic Hydrology | 3 |
| CIVE 330 | Ecological Engineering | 3 |
| CIVE 421 | Global Water Challenges | 3 |
| CIVE 423 | Groundwater Engineering | 3 |
| CIVE 440 | Nonpoint Source Pollution | 3 |
| CIVE 515 | River Mechanics | 3 |
| CS 345 | Machine Learning Foundations and Practice | 3 |
| DSCI 320 | Optimization Methods in Data Science | 3 |
| DSCI 335 | Inferential Reasoning in Data Analysis | 3 |
| DSCI 336 | Data Graphics and Visualization | 1 |
| DSCI 445 | Statistical Machine Learning | 3 |
| ERHS 320 | Environmental Health--Water Quality | 3 |
| ERHS 448 | Environmental Contaminants | 3 |
| ESS 311 | Ecosystem Ecology | 3 |
| ESS 312 | Sustainability Science | 3 |
| ESS 353 | Global Change Impacts, Adaptation, Mitigation | 3 |
| ESS 365 | Global Climate Justice | 3 |
| ESS 400 | Global Perspectives on Sustainability | 3 |
| ESS 474 | Limnology | 3 |
| ESS 523A | Environmental Data Science Applications: Introduction | 5 |
| ESS 523C/WR 523C | Environmental Data Science Applications: Water Resources | 2 |
| F 311 | Forest Ecology | 3 |
| F 324 | Fire Effects and Adaptations | 3 |
| FW 300 | Biology and Diversity of Fishes | 2 |
| FW 301 | Ichthyology Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 446 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 452 | Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEOL 454 | Geomorphology | 4 |
| GES 440/ATS 440 | Sea Level Rise and a Sustainable Future | 3 |
| GES 450 | Global Sustainability and Health | 3 |
| GES 460 | Law and Sustainability | 3 |
| GES 470 | Applications of Environmental Sustainability | 3 |
| GR 320 | Cultural Geography | 3 |
| GR 330 | Urban Geography | 3 |
| GR 331 | Geography of Farming Systems | 3 |
| GR 333 | Glaciers and Climate Change | 3 |
| GR 348 | Biogeography | 3 |
| GR 410 | Climate Change: Science, Policy, Implications | 3 |
| GRAD 592 | Water Resources Seminar | 1 |
| HIST 355 | American Environmental History | 3 |
| NR 310 | Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being | 3 |
| NR 320 | Natural Resources History and Policy | 3 |
| NR 323/GR 323 | Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation | 3 |
| NR 330 | Human Dimensions in Natural Resources | 3 |
| NR 375 | Environment and Natural Resources Leadership | 1 |
| NR 400 | Public Communication in Natural Resources | 3 |
| NR 422 | GIS Applications in Natural Resource Management | 4 |
| NR 425 | Natural Resource Policy and Sustainability | 3 |
| NR 450 | Geospatial Project Design and Analysis | 4 |
| NR 453 | Geospatial Field Methods in Natural Resources | 2 |
| NRRT 330 | Social Aspects of Natural Resource Management | 3 |
| NRRT 362 | Environmental Conflict Management | 3 |
| RS 378 | Disturbance Ecology | 2 |
| RS 432 | Rangeland Measurements and Monitoring | 2 |
| RS 478 | Ecological Restoration | 3 |
| SOC 322 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| SOC 323 | Soc. of Environmental Cooperation & Conflict | 3 |
| SOC 362 | Social Change | 3 |
| SOC 461 | Water and Social Justice | 3 |
| SOCR 370 | Climate-Smart Irrigation Principles | 2 |
| SOCR 371 | Climate-Smart Irrigation Management | 1 |
| SOCR 375 | Soil Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| SOCR 425 | Internet of Ag Things--Sensors and Data Lab | 2 |
| SOCR 440 | Pedology | 4 |
| SOCR 442 | Forest and Range Soils | 3 |
| STAT 305 | Sampling Techniques | 3 |
| STAT 342 | Statistical Data Analysis II | 3 |
| WR 406 | Seasonal Snow Environments | 3 |
| WR 575 | Snow Hydrology Field Methods | 1 |
- 1
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).
Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program: This program assumes that students will either test out of or take the prerequisite Mathematics courses (MATH 117, MATH 118, MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126) prior to the courses listed in this plan.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| CHEM 103 | Chemistry in Context (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 3 | |
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | X | 1A | 3 | |
| ESS 120 | Intro to Ecosystem and Watershed Sciences | X | 1 | ||
| ESS 129 | Information Management for Sustainability | X | 1 | ||
| GES 120 | Water Sustainability in the Western US | X | 3 | ||
| GR 204/WR 204 | Sustainable Watersheds (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Select 4 credits from the following: | X | 4 | |||
| Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||||
| Select one course from the following: | X | 3-4 | |||
| Physical Geography | 3B | ||||
| Introduction to Geology-Parks and Monuments (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Geology and Society (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Geoscience--Climate and Environmental Change (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Earth Resources and Sustainability (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Dynamic Earth (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | X | 1C | 3 | ||
| Historical Perspectives | X | 3D | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 13-14 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Semester 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| ATS 150 | Science of Global Climate Change (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 3 | |
| ECON 202 or AREC 202 | Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) Agricultural and Resource Economics (GT-SS1) | X | 3C | 3 | |
| PH 110 | Physics of Everyday Phenomena (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 3 | |
| Select one course from the following: | X | 3-4 | |||
| Calculus in Management Sciences (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | ||||
| Electives | 3 | ||||
| Total Credits | 15-16 | ||||
| Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| AREC 342 | Water Law, Policy, and Institutions | X | 3 | ||
| LIFE 320 | Ecology | X | 3 | ||
| SOC 100 or 105 | Introduction to Sociology (GT-SS3) Social Problems (GT-SS3) | X | 3C | 3 | |
| STAT 158 | Introduction to R Programming | X | 1 | ||
| STAT 301 or 315 | Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods Intro to Theory and Practice of Statistics | X | 3 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | X | 3B | 3 | ||
| WR 204/GR 204 must be completed by the end of Semes | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Semester 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| NR 220 | Natural Resource Ecology and Measurements | X | 5 | ||
| Total Credits | 5 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Semester 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| NR 320 or 310 | Natural Resources History and Policy Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being | 3 | |||
| NR 319 | Introduction to Geospatial Science | 4 | |||
| WR 416 | Land Use Hydrology | X | 4B | 3 | |
| WR 486 | Watershed Field Practicum | X | 2 | ||
| Watershed Science Department List (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) | 3 | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| ESS 312 | Sustainability Science | X | 3 | ||
| WR 418 | Land Use and Water Quality | X | 3 | ||
| Select one course from the following: | X | 3 | |||
| Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||||
| Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||||
| Specialized Professional Writing | 2 | ||||
| Arts and Humanities | X | 3B | 3 | ||
| Electives | X | 3 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Senior | |||||
| Semester 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Watershed Science Department List (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) | X | 9 | |||
| Electives | X | 3 | |||
| Total Credits | 12 | ||||
| Semester 9 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| WR 440 | Watershed Problem Analysis | X | 4A,4B,4C | 3 | |
| Watershed Science Department List (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) | X | 3 | |||
| Electives | X | 7-9 | |||
| The benchmark courses for the 9th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 13-15 | ||||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||||