;

Environmental Studies B.A.

Information and Policies

Introduction

The environmental studies major provides an interdisciplinary approach to learning how to move toward a more sustainable future for human and ecological systems. Courses in environmental studies provide training not only in the physical, biological, and social sciences, but also in writing, critical thinking, quantitative analysis, project and team management, and more. Most students extend their learning outside the classroom through the departmental internship program.

The major is available either without a concentration or in conjunction with one of four more specialized concentrations that provide depth in particular areas of expertise. See the Undergraduate Program page for a description of each of the concentrations offered.

Academic Advising for the Program

Advising is one way to make the most of your university experience. The advising system at UC Santa Cruz is amazing, and we encourage you to use it often. Ask questions, seek advice, and make decisions that work best for you.

To receive advising for this major, contact envsadvi@ucsc.edu. Additional information for prospective transfer students can be found in the Transfer Information and Policy section.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a B.A. degree in environmental studies will be able to:

  • Identify the societal (social, political, economic and ethical) agents and structures that contribute to environmental change. (social science competency)
  • Describe the structure and functioning of major physical and ecological components of the earth’s systems. (natural science competency)
  • Access and analyze a complex literature addressing specific topics in environmental studies, and evaluate the usefulness and limitations of individual sources of information. (analytic thinking)
  • Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills. (communication skills).

Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process

Major Qualification

To qualify for the environmental studies major, students must complete the specific courses listed below, or their approved equivalents.

One of the following:
ENVS 23The Physical and Chemical Environment

5

CHEM 1AGeneral Chemistry

5

Plus one of the following:
ENVS 24General Ecology

5

BIOE 20CEcology and Evolution

5

Plus all of the following:
STAT 7Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences

5

STAT 7LStatistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory

2

ENVS 25Environmental Policy and Economics

5

Determining qualification
  • Students who complete all the qualification courses with a grade of P, or letter grade of C or better are qualified to declare the major.

  • Students who have received one grade of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in one of the qualification courses taken at UC Santa Cruz will only be qualified to declare the major after successfully completing the same or an equivalent course with a grade of P, or letter grade of C or better.

  • Students with two or more grades of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in the qualification courses taken at UC Santa Cruz are not qualified to declare the major.

  • Students with AP credit (score of  3 or higher) for any of the qualification course(s) are qualified to declare after successfully completing the remaining qualification courses.

  • Students must attend an Environmental Studies Department declaration workshop when requesting to declare the major.

Appeal Process

Students who are not qualified to declare the major may appeal this decision by submitting an appeal to qualify for the major within 15 days of the denial of the declaration. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student and college of the decision. If a student has questions about the appeals process, they should contact envsadvi@ucsc.edu.

 

How to Declare a Major

All students are required to attend one declaration workshop offered during the first three weeks of the quarter they are eligible to declare. Before students attend declaration workshops, they should check to see if they are eligible to declare using the major qualification page. Students wishing to declare within the Environmental Studies Department should visit the Environmental Studies Department website and follow the steps listed in the "how to declare" tab. Degree requirement sheets may be downloaded from the Environmental Studies Undergraduate Program Requirements page.

Transfer Information and Policy

Transfer Admission Screening Policy

Students who apply for transfer admission to the major are required to have taken the equivalents of the following courses with a C grade (2.0) or better by the end of the spring term for students planning to enter in the fall.

One of the following:

ENVS 23 or a general chemistry course 

Plus one of the following:
ENVS 24General Ecology

5

BIOE 20CEcology and Evolution

5

Plus one of the following:
AM 3Precalculus for the Social Sciences

5

AM 11A
/ECON 11A
Mathematical Methods for Economists I

5

AM 11B
/ECON 11B
Mathematical Methods for Economists II

5

MATH 3Precalculus

5

MATH 11ACalculus with Applications

5

MATH 11BCalculus with Applications

5

MATH 19ACalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 19BCalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 22Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables

5

MATH 23AVector Calculus

5

Plus one of the following options:
Either this course:
ENVS 25Environmental Policy and Economics

5

Or these courses:

ECON 2 and a course in national or international politics

Or these courses:

ECON 1 and a course in national or international politics 

GPA Requirement

To be considered for admission in the environmental studies majors, transfer students must pass the screening policy courses or its equivalents with a C grade (2.0) or better. 

Recommended Courses

In addition, the following courses are recommended prior to transfer to ensure timely graduation. 

SOCY 1Introduction to Sociology

5

SOCY 10Issues and Problems in American Society

5

SOCY 15World Society

5

ANTH 2Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

5

PHIL 22Introduction to Ethical Theory

5

PHIL 24Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues

5

PHIL 28Environmental Ethics

5

BME 80G
/PHIL 80G
Bioethics in the 21st Century: Science, Business, and Society

5

General Education Courses (GEs)

Prospective students are also encouraged to complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or to complete all UC Santa Cruz general education requirements before matriculation.

Getting Started at UCSC as a Transfer Student

Transfer students pursuing environmental studies majors are encouraged to transfer in the fall quarter.

Transfer students should enroll in STAT 7 & STAT 7L during the summer or fall quarter in order to take ENVS 100ENVS 100L in winter or spring quarter of their first year. Transfer students who have completed the screening requirements listed above can formally declare their major once STAT 7 and STAT 7L are completed. Transfer students can formally declare their major once qualification courses are successfully completed, following the steps in How to Declare a Major given above.

ENVS 25 and CHEM 1A are usually offered during Summer Session at UC Santa Cruz, and transfer students are encouraged to take these classes if they have not yet completed a substitute requirement or if they want a better understanding of the relevant material. If you are transferring, compare catalog descriptions, consult your current institution's advisor, and refer to the ASSIST website to determine equivalency. Prospective transfer students should review the transfer information.

Students who are proposed in a different major and have advanced standing when they come to UCSC require permission from the department to change into the major. Contact envsadvi@ucsc.edu to request permission.

Letter Grade Policy

This program does not have a letter grade policy, except that the comprehensive requirement must be taken for a letter grade.

Course Substitution Policy

Single environmental studies students can petition up to two upper-division courses to count toward the single environmental studies major requirements. These two substitutions courses may be the following:

  • Pre-approved substitution courses: You may enroll into this list of courses without petition to substitute for up to two ENVS electives.

  • By petition: You may petition to substitute courses taken outside of ENVS and/or UC Santa Cruz such as: other institutions, other departments, courses not listed on the pre-approved substitution list, other programs including Educational Abroad Program (EAP), Wildlands Studies, or the Sierra Institute. Please review the petitioning process here.

Study Abroad

Students in environmental studies are encouraged to participate in Study Abroad programs and other off-campus programs. Students who are interested in these programs shall note the following policies:

  • Students who are planning to take part in Study Abroad programs must be declared in their major prior to studying abroad.
  • Students must have their courses they plan to take abroad reviewed and approved by Environmental Studies Advising.
  • Single environmental studies majors may petition to substitute up to two courses taken abroad to count toward the environmental studies upper-division electives. Combined environmental studies majors cannot petition for substitution. Please review the petitioning process here prior to your EAP program.
  • For more information on EAP, please visit the UC Education Abroad Program website.

Honors

Departmental Honors. Students must have a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) in all courses used to satisfy the environmental studies upper-division requirements. To be considered for departmental honors, students are limited to no more than one grade of P in those upper-division courses.

Senior Comprehensive Honors. Only applicable to a senior thesis, senior internship, or individual work in a senior seminar. Honors must be awarded by the student’s faculty sponsor, and a second faculty member (chosen by the student’s faculty advisor) must concur.

Highest Departmental Honors. Students must have a 3.75 grade point average (GPA) in in all courses used to satisfy the environmental studies upper-division requirements and must also receive senior comprehensive honors (see above). To be considered for highest departmental honors, students are limited to no more than one grade of P in those upper-division courses.

Major Without a Concentration

Course Requirements

Continuing students must complete all lower-division course requirements before taking ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L.

Lower-Division Courses

One of the following courses
ENVS 23The Physical and Chemical Environment

5

CHEM 1AGeneral Chemistry

5

Plus one of the following courses
ENVS 24General Ecology

5

BIOE 20CEcology and Evolution

5

Plus the following course:
ENVS 25Environmental Policy and Economics

5

Plus one of the following options:
One of the following courses
AM 3Precalculus for the Social Sciences

5

AM 11A
/ECON 11A
Mathematical Methods for Economists I

5

AM 11B
/ECON 11B
Mathematical Methods for Economists II

5

MATH 3Precalculus

5

MATH 11ACalculus with Applications

5

MATH 11BCalculus with Applications

5

MATH 19ACalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 19BCalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 22Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables

5

MATH 23AVector Calculus

5

Or take a placement exam:

Take the Math Placement Exam (MPE) with a score of 300 or higher or take the AP Calculus exam with a score of 3 or higher

Plus all of the following
STAT 7Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences

5

STAT 7LStatistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory

2

Plus one introductory course in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics

Choose one of the following:

ANTH 2Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

5

BME 80G
/PHIL 80G
Bioethics in the 21st Century: Science, Business, and Society

5

PHIL 22Introduction to Ethical Theory

5

PHIL 24Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues

5

PHIL 28Environmental Ethics

5

SOCY 1Introduction to Sociology

5

SOCY 10Issues and Problems in American Society

5

SOCY 15World Society

5

Upper-Division Courses

Students are required to complete the following upper-division courses:

ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Environmental studies core course is offered twice yearly during the winter and spring quarters.

 

Electives

A total of seven upper-division electives (environmental studies courses numbered ENVS 101 through ENVS 179) must be completed. One course must be from the list below of upper-division courses based on natural sciences, and one course must be from the list below of upper-division courses based on the social sciences.

A list of all courses offered by the Environmental Studies Department is available in the courses section of the catalog. A list of which upper-division courses offered in the current year by the Environmental Studies Department are based in the natural sciences and which in the social sciences is available on the department website.

Lecture/lab combinations count as one course.

Courses based on natural sciences
ENVS 104AIntroduction to Environmental Field Methods

5

ENVS 104LField Methods Laboratory

2

ENVS 106ANatural History of Birds

5

ENVS 107ANatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107BNatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107CNatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 108General Entomology

5

ENVS 108LGeneral Entomology Laboratory

3

BIOE 151A
/ENVS 109A
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods

5

BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

BIOE 151C
/ENVS 109C
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Functions and Processes of Terrestrial Ecosystems

5

BIOE 151D
/ENVS 109D
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Conservation in Practice

4

ENVS 120Conservation Biology

5

ENVS 121Landscape Ecology

5

ENVS 122Tropical Ecology and Conservation

5

ENVS 123Animal Ecology and Conservation

5

BIOE 125
/ENVS 125
Ecosystems of California

5

ENVS 129Integrated Pest Management

5

ENVS 129LIntegrated Pest Management Laboratory

2

ENVS 130AAgroecology and Sustainable Agriculture

5

ENVS 130LAgroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Laboratory

2

ENVS 130CField Experiences in Agroecology and Sustainable Food

5

ENVS 131Insect Ecology

5

ENVS 133Agroecology Practicum

5

ENVS 138Field Ethnobotany

5

ENVS 160Restoration Ecology

5

ENVS 161ASoils and Plant Nutrition

5

ENVS 162Plant Physiological Ecology

5

ENVS 162LPlant Physiological Ecology Laboratory

2

ENVS 163Plant Disease Ecology

5

ENVS 163LPlant Disease Ecology Lab

2

ENVS 164Projects and Practices in Soil Ecology

5

ENVS 166Agroecosystem Analysis and Watershed Management

5

ENVS 167Freshwater and Wetland Ecology

5

ENVS 167LFreshwater and Wetland Ecology Lab

2

ENVS 168Biogeochemistry and the Global Environment

5

ENVS 169Climate Change Ecology

5

ENVS 170Agriculture and Climate Change

5

Courses based on the social sciences
ENVS 110Institutions, the Environment, and Economic Systems

5

ENVS 130BJustice and Sustainability in Agriculture

5

ENVS 140National Environmental Policy

5

ENVS 141Ecological Economics

5

ENVS 143Sustainable Development: Economy, Policy, and Environment

5

ENVS 144
/POLI 179
Global Climate Change Politics

5

ENVS 145Green Cities

5

ENVS 146Water Quality: Policy, Regulation, and Management

5

ENVS 147Environmental Inequality/Environmental Justice

5

ENVS 149
/LGST 149
Environmental Law and Policy

5

ENVS 150Coastal and Marine Policy

5

ENVS 151Environmental Assessment

5

ENVS 152
/POLI 170
International Environmental Politics

5

ENVS 153
/POLI 162
Globalization and the Environment: Trade Complements and Conflicts

5

ENVS 154Amazonian Cultures and Conservation

5

ENVS 158Political Ecology and Social Change

5

ENVS 165Sustainable Water Systems

5

ENVS 172Environmental Risks and Public Policy

5

ENVS 173An Introduction to World Environmental History

5

ENVS 176Vulnerability, Complex Systems, and Disasters

5

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. A primary goal of the environmental studies major is to train students who are able to critically analyze interdisciplinary environmental problems, justify their position on an issue, and communicate that position to a range of audiences verbally and in writing.

The DC requirement in environmental studies is satisfied by completing
ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Plus one of the following
BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

ENVS 190Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

ENVS 183B and ENVS 195B are usually taken after successfully completing ENVS 183A and ENVS 195A respectively.

Comprehensive Requirement

The senior comprehensive may be satisfied by completing one of the options listed below. All courses used to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement must be taken for a letter grade.

Before enrolling in the senior thesis or senior internship option, students must formally apply to work with a particular faculty mentor very early in their thesis or project preparation. The senior thesis and senior internship option require careful planning, additional independent research, and at least a two-quarter commitment.

Students with advanced skills in one of the graduate focal areas may also take a graduate seminar by invitation from the instructor.

Either this course

BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

or these courses

ENVS 183ASenior Internship

5

ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

or this course

ENVS 190Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving

5

or these courses

ENVS 195ASenior Research

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

or this course

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

ENVS 190 is offered in the spring and summer.

Planners

The following are two sample academic plans for students pursuing the environmental studies B.A. major without a concentration. Plan One is for incoming frosh and Plan Two is for incoming transfer students.

Plan One for Incoming Frosh

  Fall Winter Spring
1st (frosh) MATH 3 or AM 3 SOC/ANTH/PHIL
course
ENVS 23 or
CHEM 1A
   ENVS 25  
     
2nd (soph) ENVS 24 or BIOE 20C ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* Upper-division ENVS
STAT 7 & STAT 7L    
     
3rd (junior) Upper-division ENVS
(social science)
Upper-division ENVS
(natural science)
Upper-division ENVS
     
     
4th (senior) Upper-division ENVS Upper-division ENVS Upper-division ENVS
    Comprehensive 
requirement
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

Students completing this major will have satisfied the SI, IN, PE-E, IS, and PR-E general education requirements. In addition, they will need to fulfill all remaining university, college, and general education requirements.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

 

Plan Two for Incoming Transfer Students

  Fall Winter Spring
3rd (junior) STAT 7 & STAT 7L ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* Upper-division ENVS
  Upper-division ENVS Upper-division ENVS
(social science)
     
4th (senior) Upper-division ENVS Upper-division ENVS Comprehensive
requirement
Upper-division ENVS Upper-division ENVS
(natural science)
 
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

This planner assumes that a student has completed all required lower-division courses—including UCSC or community college general education requirements—with the exception of STAT 7 and STAT 7L, which is only offered at UC Santa Cruz.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

A transfer student who has completed the requirements for the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) before matriculating at UC Santa Cruz, with at most two course requirements left to complete, is allowed to satisfy IGETC in lieu of the UCSC general education requirements.

Geographic Information Systems Concentration

Course Requirements

Continuing students must complete all lower-division courses before taking ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L.

Lower-Division Courses

One of the following
CHEM 1AGeneral Chemistry

5

ENVS 23The Physical and Chemical Environment

5

Plus one of the following courses
ENVS 24General Ecology

5

BIOE 20CEcology and Evolution

5

Plus the following
ENVS 25Environmental Policy and Economics

5

Plus one of the following
One of the following
AM 3Precalculus for the Social Sciences

5

AM 11A
/ECON 11A
Mathematical Methods for Economists I

5

AM 11B
/ECON 11B
Mathematical Methods for Economists II

5

MATH 3Precalculus

5

MATH 11ACalculus with Applications

5

MATH 11BCalculus with Applications

5

MATH 19ACalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 19BCalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 22Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables

5

MATH 23AVector Calculus

5

Or take a placement exam

Take the Math Placement Exam (MPE) with a score of 300 or higher or take the AP Calculus exam with a score of 3 or higher

Plus all of the following
STAT 7Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences

5

STAT 7LStatistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory

2

Plus one introductory course in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics

Students choose one of the following introductory courses in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics:

ANTH 2Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

5

BME 80G
/PHIL 80G
Bioethics in the 21st Century: Science, Business, and Society

5

PHIL 22Introduction to Ethical Theory

5

PHIL 24Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues

5

PHIL 28Environmental Ethics

5

SOCY 1Introduction to Sociology

5

SOCY 10Issues and Problems in American Society

5

SOCY 15World Society

5

Upper-Division Courses

Students are required to complete the following upper-division courses:

All of the following
ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Environmental studies core course is offered twice yearly during the winter and spring quarters.

Plus all of the following
ENVS 115AGeographic Information Systems and Environmental Applications

5

ENVS 115LExercises in Geographic Information Systems

2

ENVS 115BIntermediate Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

5

ENVS 115CAdvanced Geographic Information Systems

5

Electives

Four upper-division electives (environmental studies courses numbered ENVS 101 through ENVS 179). 

One course must be from the list below of upper-division courses based on natural sciences, and one course must be from the list below of upper-division courses based on the social sciences.

Lecture and lab combinations count as a single course.

A list of all courses offered by the Environmental Studies Department is available in the courses section of the catalog. A list of which upper-division courses offered in the current year by the Environmental Studies Department are based in the natural sciences and which in the social sciences is available on the department website.

In addition to coursework, it is strongly recommended that students complete at least one internship related to GIS applications environmental problem-solving (either upper- or lower-division).

Courses based on natural sciences
ENVS 104AIntroduction to Environmental Field Methods

5

ENVS 104LField Methods Laboratory

2

ENVS 106ANatural History of Birds

5

ENVS 107ANatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107BNatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107CNatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 108General Entomology

5

ENVS 108LGeneral Entomology Laboratory

3

BIOE 151A
/ENVS 109A
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods

5

BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

BIOE 151C
/ENVS 109C
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Functions and Processes of Terrestrial Ecosystems

5

BIOE 151D
/ENVS 109D
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Conservation in Practice

4

ENVS 120Conservation Biology

5

ENVS 121Landscape Ecology

5

ENVS 122Tropical Ecology and Conservation

5

ENVS 123Animal Ecology and Conservation

5

BIOE 125
/ENVS 125
Ecosystems of California

5

ENVS 129Integrated Pest Management

5

ENVS 129LIntegrated Pest Management Laboratory

2

ENVS 130AAgroecology and Sustainable Agriculture

5

ENVS 130LAgroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Laboratory

2

ENVS 130CField Experiences in Agroecology and Sustainable Food

5

ENVS 131Insect Ecology

5

ENVS 133Agroecology Practicum

5

ENVS 138Field Ethnobotany

5

ENVS 160Restoration Ecology

5

ENVS 161ASoils and Plant Nutrition

5

ENVS 162Plant Physiological Ecology

5

ENVS 162LPlant Physiological Ecology Laboratory

2

ENVS 163Plant Disease Ecology

5

ENVS 163LPlant Disease Ecology Lab

2

ENVS 164Projects and Practices in Soil Ecology

5

ENVS 166Agroecosystem Analysis and Watershed Management

5

ENVS 167Freshwater and Wetland Ecology

5

ENVS 167LFreshwater and Wetland Ecology Lab

2

ENVS 168Biogeochemistry and the Global Environment

5

ENVS 169Climate Change Ecology

5

ENVS 170Agriculture and Climate Change

5

Courses based on the social sciences
ENVS 110Institutions, the Environment, and Economic Systems

5

ENVS 130BJustice and Sustainability in Agriculture

5

ENVS 140National Environmental Policy

5

ENVS 141Ecological Economics

5

ENVS 143Sustainable Development: Economy, Policy, and Environment

5

ENVS 144
/POLI 179
Global Climate Change Politics

5

ENVS 145Green Cities

5

ENVS 146Water Quality: Policy, Regulation, and Management

5

ENVS 147Environmental Inequality/Environmental Justice

5

ENVS 149
/LGST 149
Environmental Law and Policy

5

ENVS 150Coastal and Marine Policy

5

ENVS 151Environmental Assessment

5

ENVS 152
/POLI 170
International Environmental Politics

5

ENVS 153
/POLI 162
Globalization and the Environment: Trade Complements and Conflicts

5

ENVS 154Amazonian Cultures and Conservation

5

ENVS 158Political Ecology and Social Change

5

ENVS 165Sustainable Water Systems

5

ENVS 172Environmental Risks and Public Policy

5

ENVS 173An Introduction to World Environmental History

5

ENVS 176Vulnerability, Complex Systems, and Disasters

5

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. A primary goal of the environmental studies major is to train students who are able to critically analyze interdisciplinary environmental problems, justify their position on an issue, and communicate that position to a range of audiences verbally and in writing.

The DC requirement in environmental studies is satisfied by completing
ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Plus one of the following
ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

ENVS 183B and ENVS 195B are usually taken after successfully completing ENVS 183A and ENVS 195A respectively.

Comprehensive Requirement

The senior comprehensive may be satisfied by completing one of the options listed below. All courses used to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement must be taken for a letter grade. The topic engaged in the senior comprehensive courses must be relevant to the field of Geographic Information Systems. The relevance of the topic will be reviewed by the instructor of the senior comprehensive course. 

Before enrolling in the senior thesis or senior internship option, students must formally apply to work with a particular faculty mentor very early in their thesis or project preparation. The senior thesis and senior internship options require careful planning, additional independent research, and at least a two-quarter commitment. The topic must be related to geographic information systems.

Either these courses

ENVS 183ASenior Internship

5

ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

or these courses

ENVS 195ASenior Research

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

or this course

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

ENVS 196 must be a topic related to geographic information systems

Planners

The following are two sample academic plans for students pursuing the environmental studies B.A. major with a concentration in geographic information systems. Plan One is for incoming frosh and Plan Two is for incoming transfer students.

Plan One for Incoming Frosh

  Fall Winter Spring
1st (frosh) MATH 3 or AM 3 ENVS 25 ENVS 23 or CHEM 1A
  SOC/ANTH/PHIL course  
     
2nd (soph) ENVS 24 or BIOE 20C ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* ENVS upper-division
STAT 7 & STAT 7L    
     
3rd (junior) ENVS 115A & ENVS 115L ENVS 115B  ENVS 115C
     
     
4th (senior) ENVS upper-division
(social science)
ENVS upper-division
(natural science) 
ENVS upper-division
    Comprehensive
requirement
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

This planner assumes that a student has placed into MATH 3 or AM 3

Students completing this major will have satisfied SI, IN, PE-E, IS, and PR-E general education requirements. In addition, they will need to fulfill all remaining university, college, and general education requirements.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

 

Plan Two for Incoming Transfer Students

  Fall Winter Spring
1st (junior) STAT 7 & STAT 7L ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* ENVSupper-division
  ENVS upper-division
(social science)
ENVS upper-division
(natural science)
     
 2nd (senior)
 
ENVS 115A & ENVS 115L ENVS 115B ENVS 115C
  ENVS upper-division Comprehensive
requirement
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

This planner assumes that a student has completed all required lower division courses—including UCSC or community college General Education requirements—with the exception of STAT 7 & STAT 7L, which is only offered at UC Santa Cruz.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

A transfer student who has completed the requirements for the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) before matriculating at UC Santa Cruz, with at most two course requirements left to complete, is allowed to satisfy IGETC in lieu of the UCSC general education requirements.

Global Environmental Justice Concentration

Course Requirements

Continuing students must complete all lower-division courses before taking ENVS 100ENVS 100L.

Lower-Division Courses

One of the following
CHEM 1AGeneral Chemistry

5

ENVS 23The Physical and Chemical Environment

5

Plus one of the following courses
ENVS 24General Ecology

5

BIOE 20CEcology and Evolution

5

Plus the following
ENVS 25Environmental Policy and Economics

5

Plus one of the following
One of the following
AM 3Precalculus for the Social Sciences

5

AM 11A
/ECON 11A
Mathematical Methods for Economists I

5

AM 11B
/ECON 11B
Mathematical Methods for Economists II

5

MATH 3Precalculus

5

MATH 11ACalculus with Applications

5

MATH 11BCalculus with Applications

5

MATH 19ACalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 19BCalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 22Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables

5

MATH 23AVector Calculus

5

Or take a placement exam

Take the Math Placement Exam (MPE) with a score of 300 or higher or take the AP Calculus exam with a score of 3 or higher

Plus all of the following
STAT 7Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences

5

STAT 7LStatistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory

2

Plus one introductory course in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics

Students choose one of the following introductory courses in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics:

ANTH 2Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

5

BME 80G
/PHIL 80G
Bioethics in the 21st Century: Science, Business, and Society

5

PHIL 22Introduction to Ethical Theory

5

PHIL 24Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues

5

PHIL 28Environmental Ethics

5

SOCY 1Introduction to Sociology

5

SOCY 10Issues and Problems in American Society

5

SOCY 15World Society

5

Upper-Division Courses

Students are required to complete the following upper-division courses:

All of the following
ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Environmental studies core course is offered twice yearly during the winter and spring quarters.

Plus one of the following
ENVS 147Environmental Inequality/Environmental Justice

5

ENVS 172Environmental Risks and Public Policy

5

Plus one of the following
ENVS 158Political Ecology and Social Change

5

ENVS 173An Introduction to World Environmental History

5

Plus two of the following

No duplicate courses from lists above.

ENVS 130BJustice and Sustainability in Agriculture

5

ENVS 140National Environmental Policy

5

ENVS 143Sustainable Development: Economy, Policy, and Environment

5

ENVS 147Environmental Inequality/Environmental Justice

5

ENVS 154Amazonian Cultures and Conservation

5

ENVS 158Political Ecology and Social Change

5

ENVS 172Environmental Risks and Public Policy

5

ENVS 173An Introduction to World Environmental History

5

ENVS 176Vulnerability, Complex Systems, and Disasters

5

CLTE 135Apprenticeship in Community Engaged Research

5

SOCY 185Environmental Inequality

5

Electives

Three upper-division electives (environmental studies courses numbered ENVS 101 – ENVS 179). 

One course must be from the list below of upper division courses based on natural sciences.

Lecture and lab combinations count as a single course.

A list of all courses offered by the Environmental Studies Department is available in the courses section of the catalog. A list of which upper-division courses offered in the current year by the Environmental Studies Department are based in the natural sciences and which in the social sciences is available on the department website.

Courses based on natural sciences
ENVS 104AIntroduction to Environmental Field Methods

5

ENVS 104LField Methods Laboratory

2

ENVS 106ANatural History of Birds

5

ENVS 107ANatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107BNatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107CNatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 108General Entomology

5

ENVS 108LGeneral Entomology Laboratory

3

BIOE 151A
/ENVS 109A
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods

5

BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

BIOE 151C
/ENVS 109C
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Functions and Processes of Terrestrial Ecosystems

5

BIOE 151D
/ENVS 109D
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Conservation in Practice

4

ENVS 120Conservation Biology

5

ENVS 121Landscape Ecology

5

ENVS 122Tropical Ecology and Conservation

5

ENVS 123Animal Ecology and Conservation

5

BIOE 125
/ENVS 125
Ecosystems of California

5

ENVS 129Integrated Pest Management

5

ENVS 129LIntegrated Pest Management Laboratory

2

ENVS 130AAgroecology and Sustainable Agriculture

5

ENVS 130LAgroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Laboratory

2

ENVS 130CField Experiences in Agroecology and Sustainable Food

5

ENVS 131Insect Ecology

5

ENVS 133Agroecology Practicum

5

ENVS 138Field Ethnobotany

5

ENVS 160Restoration Ecology

5

ENVS 161ASoils and Plant Nutrition

5

ENVS 162Plant Physiological Ecology

5

ENVS 162LPlant Physiological Ecology Laboratory

2

ENVS 163Plant Disease Ecology

5

ENVS 163LPlant Disease Ecology Lab

2

ENVS 164Projects and Practices in Soil Ecology

5

ENVS 166Agroecosystem Analysis and Watershed Management

5

ENVS 167Freshwater and Wetland Ecology

5

ENVS 167LFreshwater and Wetland Ecology Lab

2

ENVS 168Biogeochemistry and the Global Environment

5

ENVS 169Climate Change Ecology

5

ENVS 170Agriculture and Climate Change

5

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. A primary goal of the environmental studies major is to train students who are able to critically analyze interdisciplinary environmental problems, justify their position on an issue, and communicate that position to a range of audiences verbally and in writing.

The DC requirement in environmental studies is satisfied by completing
ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Plus one of the following
ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

ENVS 190Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

ENVS 183B and ENVS 195B are usually taken after successfully completing ENVS 183A and ENVS 195A respectively.

Comprehensive Requirement

The senior comprehensive may be satisfied by completing one of the options listed below. All courses used to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement must be taken for a letter grade. The topic engaged in the senior comprehensive courses must be relevant to the field of global environmental justice. 

Before enrolling in the senior thesis or senior internship option, students must formally apply to work with a particular faculty mentor very early in their thesis or project preparation. The senior thesis and senior internship options require careful planning, additional independent research, and at least a two-quarter commitment. The topic must be related to global environmental justice.

Either these courses

ENVS 183ASenior Internship

5

ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

or this course

ENVS 190Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving

5

or these courses

ENVS 195ASenior Research

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

or this course

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

 

Planners

The following are two sample academic plans for students pursuing the environmental studies B.A. major with a concentration in global environmental justice. Plan One is for incoming frosh and Plan Two is for incoming transfer students.

Plan One for Incoming Frosh

  Fall Winter Spring
1st (frosh) MATH 3
or AM 3
ENVS 25 ENVS 23
or CHEM 1A
  SOC/ANTH/PHIL course  
     
2nd (soph) ENVS 24
or BIOE 20C
ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* ENVS 147
or ENVS 172
STAT 7 & STAT 7L    
     
3rd (junior) ENVS 158
or ENVS 173
ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective) 
ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective)
     
     
4th (senior)  ENVS upper-division
(natural science)
ENVS upper-division ENVS upper-division
    Comprehensive
requirement
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

Students completing this major will have satisfied SI, IN, PE-E, IS, IN, and PR-E general education requirements. In addition, they will need to fulfill all remaining university, college, and general education requirements.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

 

Plan Two for Incoming Transfer Students

  Fall Winter Spring
1st (junior) STAT 7 & STAT 7L ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective)
  ENVS 147
or ENVS 172 
 
     
 2nd (senior)
 
ENVS 158
or ENVS 173
ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective)
ENVS upper-division
ENVS upper-division
(natural science) 
ENVS upper-division Comprehensive
requirement
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

This planner assumes that a student has completed all required lower division courses—including UCSC or community college general education requirements—with the exception of STAT 7 & STAT 7L, which is only offered at UC Santa Cruz.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

A transfer student who has completed the requirements for the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) before matriculating at UC Santa Cruz, with at most two course requirements left to complete, is allowed to satisfy IGETC in lieu of the UCSC general education requirements.

Conservation Science and Policy Concentration

Course Requirements

Continuing students are required to complete all six lower-division courses before taking ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L. Five of the lower-division courses are preset and are listed below. See the course descriptions for more specific information.

Lower-Division Courses

One of the following
CHEM 1AGeneral Chemistry

5

ENVS 23The Physical and Chemical Environment

5

Plus one of the following courses
ENVS 24General Ecology

5

BIOE 20CEcology and Evolution

5

Plus the following
ENVS 25Environmental Policy and Economics

5

Plus one of the following
One of the following
AM 3Precalculus for the Social Sciences

5

AM 11A
/ECON 11A
Mathematical Methods for Economists I

5

AM 11B
/ECON 11B
Mathematical Methods for Economists II

5

MATH 3Precalculus

5

MATH 11ACalculus with Applications

5

MATH 11BCalculus with Applications

5

MATH 19ACalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 19BCalculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

5

MATH 22Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables

5

MATH 23AVector Calculus

5

Or take a placement exam

Take the Math Placement Exam (MPE) with a score of 300 or higher or take the AP Calculus exam with a score of 3 or higher

Plus all of the following
STAT 7Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences

5

STAT 7LStatistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory

2

Plus one introductory course in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics

Students choose one of the following introductory courses in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics:

ANTH 2Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

5

BME 80G
/PHIL 80G
Bioethics in the 21st Century: Science, Business, and Society

5

PHIL 22Introduction to Ethical Theory

5

PHIL 24Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues

5

PHIL 28Environmental Ethics

5

SOCY 1Introduction to Sociology

5

SOCY 10Issues and Problems in American Society

5

SOCY 15World Society

5

Upper-Division Courses

Students are required to complete the following upper-division courses:

All of the following
ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Environmental studies core course is offered twice yearly during the winter and spring quarters.

Plus one of the following
ENVS 120Conservation Biology

5

ENVS 160Restoration Ecology

5

Plus one of the following
ENVS 140National Environmental Policy

5

ENVS 150Coastal and Marine Policy

5

Plus two of the following

No duplicate courses from lists above.

Lecture/lab combinations count as a single course.

ENVS 110Institutions, the Environment, and Economic Systems

5

ENVS 115AGeographic Information Systems and Environmental Applications

5

ENVS 115LExercises in Geographic Information Systems

2

ENVS 120Conservation Biology

5

ENVS 121Landscape Ecology

5

ENVS 122Tropical Ecology and Conservation

5

ENVS 123Animal Ecology and Conservation

5

ENVS 140National Environmental Policy

5

ENVS 141Ecological Economics

5

ENVS 146Water Quality: Policy, Regulation, and Management

5

ENVS 149
/LGST 149
Environmental Law and Policy

5

ENVS 150Coastal and Marine Policy

5

ENVS 151Environmental Assessment

5

ENVS 160Restoration Ecology

5

ENVS 165Sustainable Water Systems

5

ENVS 167Freshwater and Wetland Ecology

5

Field course

One of the following options:

One of the following field courses
ENVS 104AIntroduction to Environmental Field Methods

5

ENVS 104LField Methods Laboratory

2

ENVS 107ANatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107BNatural History Field Quarter

5

ENVS 107CNatural History Field Quarter

5

BIOE 114LField Methods in Herpetological Research

2

BIOE 128LLarge Marine Vertebrates Field Course

5

BIOE 141LBehavioral Ecology Field Course

5

BIOE 145LField Methods in Plant Ecology

5

BIOE 150LEcological Field Methods Laboratory

5

BIOE 151A
/ENVS 109A
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods

5

BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

BIOE 151C
/ENVS 109C
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Functions and Processes of Terrestrial Ecosystems

5

BIOE 151D
/ENVS 109D
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Conservation in Practice

4

BIOE 161LKelp Forest Ecology Laboratory

5

The ENVS 104A & ENVS 104L lecture/lab combination counts as a single course.

Or UCNRS field course

Or a University of California Natural Reserve System (UCNRS) California Ecology and Conservation Field Course

Electives

Two upper-division electives (environmental studies courses numbered ENVS 101 – ENVS 179).

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. A primary goal of the environmental studies major is to train students who are able to critically analyze interdisciplinary environmental problems, justify their position on an issue, and communicate that position to a range of audiences verbally and in writing.

The DC requirement in environmental studies is satisfied by completing
ENVS 100Ecology and Society

3

ENVS 100LEcology and Society Writing Laboratory

5

Plus one of the following
BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

ENVS 190Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

ENVS 183B and ENVS 195B are usually taken after successfully completing ENVS 183A and ENVS 195A respectively.

Comprehensive Requirement

The senior comprehensive may be satisfied by completing one of the options listed below. All courses used to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement must be taken for a letter grade. The topic engaged in senior comprehensive courses must be relevant to the field of conservation science and policy. The relevance of the topic will be reviewed by the instructor of the senior comprehensive course. 

Before enrolling in the senior thesis or senior internship option, students must formally apply to work with a particular faculty mentor very early in their thesis or project preparation. These courses require careful planning, additional independent research, and at least a two-quarter commitment. The topic must be related to conservation science and policy.

Either this course

BIOE 151B
/ENVS 109B
Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

5

or these courses

ENVS 183ASenior Internship

5

ENVS 183BSenior Internship

5

or this course

ENVS 190Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving

5

or these courses

ENVS 195ASenior Research

5

ENVS 195BSenior Thesis Group

5

or this course

ENVS 196Senior Seminar

5

ENVS 196 must be a topic related to conservation science and policy.

Planners

The following are two sample academic plans for students pursuing the environmental studies B.A. major with a concentration in conservation science and policy. Plan One is for incoming frosh and Plan Two is for incoming transfer students.

Plan One for Incoming Frosh

  Fall Winter Spring
1st (frosh) MATH 3 or AM 3 ENVS 25 ENVS 23 or CHEM 1A
  SOC/ANTH/PHIL course  
     
2nd (soph) ENVS 24 or BIOE 20C ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* ENVS 140 or ENVS 150
STAT 7 & STAT 7L    
     
3rd (junior) ENVS 120 or ENVS 160 ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective) 
ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective)
     
     
4th (senior) ENVS upper-division ENVS upper-division
(field course)
ENVS upper-division
    Comprehensive
requirement
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

Students completing this major will have satisfied SI, SR, IN, PE-E, IS, and PR-E general education requirements. In addition, they will need to fulfill all remaining university, college, and general education requirements.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

 

Plan Two for Incoming Transfer Students

  Fall Winter Spring
1st (junior) STAT 7 & STAT 7L ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L* ENVS 140 or ENVS 150
    ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective)
     
 2nd (senior)
 
ENVS 120 or ENVS 160 ENVS upper-division
(concentration elective)
ENVS upper-division
ENVS upper-division
(field course) 
ENVS upper-division Comprehensive
requirement
     

*This course is also offered in the spring term.

This planner assumes that a student has completed all required lower division courses—including UCSC or community college General Education requirements—with the exception of STAT 7 & STAT 7L, which is only offered at UC Santa Cruz.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

A transfer student who has completed the requirements for the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) before matriculating at UC Santa Cruz, with at most two course requirements left to complete, is allowed to satisfy IGETC in lieu of the UCSC general education requirements.