Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation
The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation provides students with the theoretical and applied knowledge and skills in ecology, conservation biology, and natural resources they need to address natural resource management and conservation issues. Required courses provide knowledge in ecology, conservation biology, statistics, and natural resource management and provide students with a solid background in both quantitative and qualitative problem-solving techniques. Students choose additional coursework in ecology, biodiversity studies, applied methods, and management of specific resources.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of the relationships between social justice and environmental problems in local, national, and global contexts.
- Demonstrate understanding of chemical, biological, and social processes related to environmental problems and the ability to integrate these with the understandings and critical evaluations of descriptive statistics commonly used in environmental literature.
- Communicate clearly and accurately both orally and in writing and be able to conduct research appropriate to the area of emphasis.
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of civic activities and processes, and of methods of engagement in those processes.
- Demonstrate readiness to enter the professional job market by preparing/training students in developing appropriate job market skills (e.g., resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, writing well and engagingly, acquiring professional experience via internship).
- Demonstrate understanding of ecological and conservation biology theories and how they relate to natural resource management and conservation decisions.
- Demonstrate understanding of natural resource management techniques and approaches.
Environmental Studies (B.S.): Concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation — 58 units minimum
Required Courses (34-38 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 3-5 |
| or CHEM 180 | Chemistry for Energy and the Environment | |
| BIOL 230 | Introductory Biology I | 5 |
| BIOL 240 | Introductory Biology II | 5 |
| BIOL 530 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| ENVS 130 | Environmental Studies | 3 |
| ENVS 224 | Research Methods for Environmental Studies | 4 |
| ENVS 450GW | Environmental Law and Policy - GWAR | 3 |
| ENVS 680 | Environmental Studies Internship | 1 |
| ENVS 690 | Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies | 3 |
| GEOG/ENVS 657 | Natural Resource Management: Biotic Resources | 4 |
Elective Courses (24–32 units)
Students must consult with a faculty advisor prior to selection of elective courses to determine which courses are most appropriate for the student's particular interests and/or career path. Choose one course from each category:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Environment | ||
| ERTH 230 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| GEOG 101 | Our Physical Environment | 3 |
| Sustainability and Social Justice | ||
| ENVS 460 | Energy, Justice, and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 570 | Applied Local Sustainability | 3 |
| PHIL 470 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| USP 514 | Sustainable Development in Cities | 4 |
| USP 515/GEOG 667 | Environmental Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Environment | 4 |
| Global/International | ||
| ENVS/I R 331 | Global Environmental Crisis | 4 |
| ENVS 470 | Climate Politics and Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| I R/GEOG 428 | International Political Economy of Food and Hunger | 4 |
| Tools/Techniques | ||
| GEOG 603 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| GEOG/USP 652 | Environmental Impact Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG/USP 658 | Land-Use Planning | 4 |
| Ecology | ||
| BIOL 482 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 529GW | Plant Ecology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 532 | Restoration Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 534 | Wetland Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 582 | Biological Oceanography & Limnology | 4 |
| BIOL 585 | Marine Ecology | 3 |
| Biodiversity | ||
| BIOL 470 | Natural History of Vertebrates | 4 |
| BIOL 475GW | Herpetology - GWAR | 3 |
| BIOL 478GW | Ornithology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 502 | Biology of the Algae | 3 |
| BIOL 504 | Biology of the Fungi | 4 |
| BIOL 514 | Plant Biodiversity and California Field Botany | 5 |
| BIOL 570GW | Biology of Fishes - GWAR | 4 |
| Or a second course chosen from the Ecology section | ||
| Resources | ||
| CHEM 380 | Chemistry Behind Environmental Pollution | 3 |
| ENVS 460 | Energy, Justice, and Sustainability | 3 |
| ERTH 330 | California Water | 3 |
| ERTH 335 | Global Warming | 3 |
| GEOG 317 | Geography of Soils | 4 |
| GEOG 427 | Agriculture and Food Supply | 4 |
| GEOG 646 | The Geography of Marine Resources | 4 |
| GEOG 647 | Geography of Water Resources | 4 |
| GEOG 666 | Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction | 3 |
| LS 430 | Future of the Forests | 3 |
| RPT 440 | Urban Recreation and Parks | 3 |
| RPT/ENVS 640 | Recreational Use of National Parks and Protected Areas | 3 |
| Resource Policy and Techniques | ||
| ENVS 470 | Climate Politics and Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 530 | Environmental Leadership and Organizing | 3 |
| ENVS 570 | Applied Local Sustainability | 3 |
| GEOG/USP 652 | Environmental Impact Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG/USP 658 | Land-Use Planning | 4 |
| RRS/SOC 410 | Grassroots Organizing for Change in Communities of Color | 3 |
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
- The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
- In order to choose your English Composition A2 course and your QR/Math B4 course, please complete the online advising activities at writingadvising.sfsu.edu and mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)
For students with an AS-T in Biology.
BIOL ADT Roadmap
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.