Environmental Science Major: Environmental Biology Track - Bachelor of Science (BS)
(All colleges)
60-68 credits
Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 105 | General Biology | 4 |
| CHM 103 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| ENV 101 | Introduction to Sustainability and Environmental Studies | 3 |
| GEO 101 | Earth Environments | 4 |
| GEO 221 | Weather and Climate | 4 |
| or GEO 222 | Earth Surface Processes and Landforms | |
| GEO 305 | Geographic Information Systems and Science I | 3 |
| GEO 401 | Capstone Seminar in Geography and Environmental Science | 1 |
| MIC 230 | Fundamentals of Microbiology | 4 |
| STAT 145 | Elementary Statistics | 4 |
| Humans and the environment electives | ||
| Select two courses from the following. At least one course must be from GEO. | 6 | |
| Food, Culture, and the Environment | ||
| The Mississippi River: Mighty and Managed | ||
| Woodlands of the Driftless: History, Ecology, and Management | ||
| Sustainability: Principles and Practices | ||
| Occupying the Driftless: Culture, Place, and Environment | ||
| Justice, Injustice, and Activism | ||
| Feeding the Planet: Environmental Justice of our Food Systems | ||
| Americans, Global Parks, and Wilderness | ||
| Rural Livelihoods: Sustainability and the Environment in the Upper Midwest | ||
| Cities: Past, Present, and Future | ||
| Transportation Equity and Sustainable Communities | ||
| Energy, the Environment, and Sustainability | ||
| Sustainable Development and Conservation | ||
| Polar Environments | ||
| Sustainable Water Resource Management | ||
| Earth's environmental systems electives | ||
| Select two courses from the following: | 6-7 | |
| Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 1 | ||
or GEO 221 | Weather and Climate | |
| Meteorology | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Past Environmental Change | ||
| River Systems | ||
| Environmental Hazards | ||
| Quantitative analysis electives | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 2-5 | |
| Introduction to Biological Data Analysis and Interpretation | ||
| Quantitative Methods in Ecology | ||
| Analytical Chemistry | ||
| Quantitative Methods in Geography | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Mathematical Models in Biology | ||
| Statistical Methods | ||
| Environmental science field experience electives | ||
| Select three credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Geospatial Field Methods | ||
| Geospatial Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems | ||
| Internship in Geography and Environmental Science | ||
| Research in Geography and Environmental Science | ||
| Limnology 2 | ||
| Standard Methods/Quality Assurance Water Analyses 2 | ||
| Independent Research | ||
| Environmental Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Field Research Station Experience | ||
| Research | ||
| Independent Research in Microbiology | ||
| Total Credits | 49-53 | |
- 1
GEO 221 or GEO 222 may apply to "Earth's Environmental Systems" electives if not used in the core.
- 2
BIO 341 and BIO 447 can only apply to either the "Environmental Science Field Experience" electives or the environmental biology track requirements.
Environmental biology track requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 203 | Organismal Biology | 4 |
| BIO 307 | Ecology | 3 |
| Select two courses from the following: | 4-8 | |
| Introductory Plant Identification | ||
| Plant Biology | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Limnology | ||
| Plant Systematics and Evolution | ||
| Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Mycology | ||
| Freshwater Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Ichthyology | ||
| Aquatic Toxicology | ||
| Plant Microbe Interactions | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Standard Methods/Quality Assurance Water Analyses | ||
| Plant Ecology | ||
| Stream and Watershed Ecology | ||
| Ecosystem Ecology | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Total Credits | 11-15 | |
Exit survey requirement
During the student's last semester of enrollment, completion of the Department of Geography and Environmental Science exit survey is required in order to graduate.
Minor recommendation
It is recommended that environmental science majors complete a minor in earth science, human and environmental geography, geographic information science, geoarchaeology, environmental studies, biology, chemistry, and/or microbiology. Selection of a minor should be done in consultation with your academic advisor.
All students must complete the general education, college core, major/minor, and university degree requirements to qualify for a degree. All enrolled students have access to a degree audit to track all of these requirements.
College of Science and Health (CSH) Bachelor of Science core requirements
B.S. students graduating from the College of Science & Health are required to take:
- Two MTH/STAT courses or one MTH/STAT course and one CS course
Course List Code Title Credits Introduction to Computing 1 Introduction to Python Programming 1 Software Design I 1 Introduction to Computational Thinking 1 Mathematics for Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers I 1 Mathematics for Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers II 1 Mathematics for Decision Making 1 College Algebra 1 Precalculus 1 Mathematics for Business 1 Applied Calculus 1 Calculus I 1 Calculus II 1 Mathematics for Middle School Teachers I 1 Mathematics for Middle School Teachers II 1 Mathematical Models in Biology 1 Elementary Statistics 1
- 1
Course may also satisfy a Core General Education Requirement.
- Two laboratory science courses, one of the two courses must be from a department outside of the student's major department:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Biological Anthropology 1 | ||
| Biology for the Informed Citizen 1 | ||
| General Biology 1 | ||
| Organismal Biology | ||
| Animal Biology | ||
| Plant Biology | ||
| General Chemistry I 1 | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology for Exercise and Sport Science I | ||
| Earth Environments 1 | ||
| Weather and Climate | ||
| Earth Surface Processes and Landforms | ||
| Microbes and Society 1 | ||
| Fundamental Physics I 1 | ||
| Fundamental Physics II | ||
| Physical Science for Educators 1 | ||
| Solar System Astronomy 1 | ||
| Stars, Galaxies and the Universe 1 | ||
| General Physics I 1 | ||
| General Physics II |
Notes: Mathematics courses can be pairs, i.e. MTH 150 and MTH 151.
- In addition to all other College of Science and Health core requirements, students from non-exempted programs2 must complete one of the following options. It is recommended that courses are selected in consultation with students’ academic advisor.
- Complete a second major; or
- Complete a minor outside the major; or
- Complete two certificates outside the major with at least 12 combined credits at the 300/400 level; or
- Complete an individualized option, consisting of 18 credits
- At least 12 credits must be earned at the 300/400 level outside the major department.
- The remaining six credits should come from
- 100 level or higher courses outside the major (all courses used to meet these requirements must be in addition to the minimum credits required in the Core General Education Requirements); or
- 300/400 level courses inside major not being used to fulfill major requirements.
- Internship credits may not count toward the individualized option.
- 2
The list of exempted CSH programs is on the CSH catalog page.
Baccalaureate degree requirements
Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:
- Fulfill the Core General Education Requirements (CGER).
- Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college.
- Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.1, 2
- At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
- Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA1, 2 in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
- A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
- Submit an application for graduation via the "Submit Intent to Graduate" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.
- 1
Grade point average requirements for some programs will be considerably higher than 2.00. Re-entering students may be required to earn credits in excess of the 120 needed for graduation in any curriculum to replace credits earned in courses in which the content has changed substantially in recent years. Each case will be judged on its own merit.
- 2
The grade point average recorded at the time the degree is awarded will not be affected by future enrollment.
No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.
Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.
The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use their degree audit and work closely with their advisor(s) and college dean's office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.
Core General Education Program
The Core General Education Requirement (CGER) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include CGER placeholders to ensure completion of the core general education requirements. The CGER category listed in parentheses indicated the recommended course to help complete CGER and the program requirements. Transferred courses may alter the plan. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. CGER courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the Core General Education Requirements for more specific details.
At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level.
Note: New students and transfer students with less than 12 credits earned are required to take The Eagle Advantage for College Success (UWL 100, 2 cr.) or FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.
This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BIO 105 (CGER NSWL-ES Natural Science & Wellness: Experiential Science) | 4 | CHM 103 (CSH Core - Lab Science) | 5 |
| ENG 110 (CGER CL-WL Communication & Literacy: Written Literacy) | 3 | CST 110 (CGER CL-SL Communication & Literacy: Spoken Literacy) | 3 |
| UWL 100 or FYS 100 (CGER SBS-FS Social & Behavioral Science: Social Foundation for Success) | 2 | GEO 101 | 4 |
| MTH 150 or 151 (CGER MQR-QR Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning: Quantitative Reasoning) | 4 | CGER HA-PDU Humanities & Arts: Pasts that Define Us | 3 |
| 13 | 15 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENV 101 (CGER NSW-MBP Natural Science & Wellness: Mind, Body, & Planet) | 3 | BIO 307 | 3 |
| BIO 203 | 4 | MIC 230 | 4 |
| STAT 145 (CSH Core) | 4 | Earth's Climate and Landforms (see list) | 3 |
| CGER HA-AA Humanities & Arts: Arts & Aesthetics | 3 | CGER SBS-BS Social & Behavioral Science: Social & Behavioral Studies | 3 |
| University Elective | 2 | University Elective | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GEO 305 | 3 | Earth's Environmental Systems (see list) | 3 |
| Earth's Environmental Systems (see list) | 3-4 | Quantitiative Analysis (see list) | 3-4 |
| Humans and the Environment (GEO prefix see list) | 3 | Humans and the Environment (see list) | 3 |
| CGER CP-CU Civics & Perspective: Communities of the United States | 3 | CGER CP-CW Civics & Perspective: Cultures of Our World | 3 |
| CSH Core or Minor1 | 3 | CSH Core (300/400 not GEO) or minor | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Environmental Science Field Experience (see list) | 3 | GEO 401 | 1 |
| Biology Track (see list) | 3-4 | Biology Track (see list) | 3 |
| CGER CL-SWT Communication & Literacy: Stories We Tell | 3 | CSH Core (300/400 not GEO) or minor | 3 |
| CSH Core or Minor1 | 3 | CSH Core (300/400 not GEO) or minor | 3 |
| CSH Core (300/400 not GEO) or minor | 3 | University Elective | 3 |
| Exit Survey Requirement2 | |||
| 16 | 13 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||
- 1
See CSH BS Core Requirements for information on completing the individualized option. 300/400 requirements for graduation may be impacted.
- 2
During the student's last semester of enrollment, completion of the Department of Geography and Environmental Science exit survey is required in order to graduate.