Program Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills.
- Effectively communicate scientific and technical knowledge in a professional manner.
- Demonstrate the ability to integrate and apply technical knowledge in the following key areas:
- Geology & Climate – rock materials and processes of the lithosphere, plate tectonics; deformational histories, and past climates;
- Soils & Water – morphology, ecology, chemistry, physics, and health;
- Geography & Geospatial Technology – human cultural impacts, resource utilization trends and spatial patterns, geographic information systems and modeling;
- Resource Management – effects of land management activities on, and restoration and rehabilitation of, soil and water resources.
- Demonstrate proficiency in quantitative skills and information management specific to their discipline areas.
- Exhibit an understanding of their professional and ethical responsibilities, including respect for diversity.
- Promote life-long learning habits by exposing students to the discovery process of applied research and demonstration projects conducted by the faculty.
Degree Requirements and Curriculum
In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:
- 60 units of upper-division courses
- Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
- 2.0 GPA
- U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)
Note: No Major, Support or Concentration courses may be selected as credit/no credit.
| MAJOR COURSES | ||
| NR 140 | Careers in Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences | 1 |
| or UNIV 100 | University Studies | |
| ERSC 144 | Introduction to Earth Science | 4 |
| ERSC 223 | Rocks and Minerals | 4 |
| ERSC 303 | Soil Erosion and Water Conservation | 4 |
| ERSC/GEOG 333 | Human Impact on the Earth 1 | 3-4 |
| or BRAE 345 | Aerial Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing | |
| or GEOG 325 | Climate and Humanity | |
| or GEOG 350 | The Global Environment | |
| or MATH 142 | Calculus II | |
| SS 120 | Introductory Soil Science | 4 |
| SS 221 | Soil Health and Plant Nutrition | 4 |
| SS 321 | Soil Morphology | 4 |
| SS 422 | Soil Ecology 2 | 4 |
| or ERSC 423 | Geomorphology | |
| SS 423 | Environmental Soil and Water Chemistry | 5 |
| SS 424 | Environmental Soil Physics - Senior Project | 5 |
| BOT 121 | General Botany (B2 & B3) 3 | 4 |
| CHEM 127 | General Chemistry for Agriculture and Life Science I (B1 & B3) 3 | 4 |
| CHEM 128 | General Chemistry for Agriculture and Life Science II | 4 |
| CHEM 129 | General Chemistry for Agriculture and Life Science III | 4 |
| CHEM 312 | Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications | 5 |
| GEOL 201 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 241 | Physical Geology Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 415 | Structural Geology 2 | 4 |
| or GEOL 330 | Principles of Stratigraphy | |
| MATH 161 | Calculus for the Life Sciences I (B4) 3,4 | 4 |
| or MATH 141 | Calculus I | |
| NR/LA 218 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) | 3 |
| NR 310 | Global Climate Change (Upper-Division B) 3 | 4 |
| NR 363 | Undergraduate Seminar | 2 |
| NR 418 | Applied GIS | 3-4 |
| or NR 355 | Drone Assisted Surveying | |
| or NR 416 | Environmental Impact Analysis and Management | |
| or SS 431 | Digital Soil Mapping | |
| PHYS 121 | College Physics I 5 | 4 |
| or PHYS 141 | General Physics I | |
| STAT 218 | Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences (GE Electives) 3 | 4 |
| or STAT 217 | Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Methods | |
| Concentration (32 units) or Approved Electives (20 units) in combination with Free Electives 6,7,8 | 20-32 | |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) | ||
| (See GE program requirements below.) | 52 | |
| FREE ELECTIVES | ||
| Free Electives | 0-13 | |
| Total units | 180-181 | |
| 1 | Students in the Geology concentration need to take MATH 142 to meet prerequisites for courses in the concentration. Students interested in the Soil Geotechnical Studies are encouraged to take MATH 142 to meet prerequisites for courses in that area. Students interested in taking NR 355 need to take BRAE 345 to meet prerequisites. |
| 2 | Students in the Geology concentration must take ERSC 423 and GEOL 415 to meet requirements for this concentration. |
| 3 | Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. |
| 4 | Students in the Geology concentration need to take MATH 141 to meet prerequisites for courses in the concentration. Students interested in the Soil Geotechnical Studies Approved Electives area must take MATH 141 to meet prerequisites for courses in that area. |
| 5 | Students in the Geology concentration need to take PHYS 141 to meet prerequisites for courses in the concentration. Students interested in the Soil Geotechnical Studies Approved Electives area must take PHYS 141 to meet prerequisites for courses in that area. |
| 6 | Unless a concentration is declared, the default will be a combination of Approved Electives and Free Electives. |
| 7 | Students who do not declare a concentration are encouraged to use Approved Electives and Free Electives to earn a minor. See the below Approved Electives Guide for recommended minors. |
| 8 | If a course is taken to meet a Major or Support requirement, it cannot be double-counted as an Approved Elective. |
Concentrations
Approved Electives Guide
Approved Electives are courses that support the below career areas. Refer to number(s) next to each course to identify which courses align with each of the career areas. Consultation with an advisor is recommended prior to selecting Approved Electives; bear in mind your selections may impact pursuit of post-baccalaureate studies and/or goals.
- Climate Change Science
- Environmental Mitigation Strategies
- Environmental Policy and Management
- Environmental Soil Science
- Forest and Environmental Practices
- Geospatial Technology
- Soil Geotechnical Studies
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Urban Forestry
A student may earn one or more of the minors listed below through the appropriate selection of Approved Electives in combination with Free Electives (refer to advising materials for the minor). However, students in this major may not obtain minors in Environmental Soil Science or Geology as the subject areas in these minors are substantially covered in this major.
- Anthropology and Geography
- Biology
- Geographic Information Systems for Agriculture
- Indigenous Studies in Natural Resources and the Environment
- Sustainable Environments
- Water Science
| Approved Electives | ||
| Select from the following: | ||
At least 8 units must be upper-division (300-400 level) | ||
No more than 6 units of NR 339 may count towards the degree. | ||
Courses used to meet a degree requirement cannot double count as an elective. | ||
| Principles of Organic Crop Production 8 | ||
| Internship in Agriculture 8 | ||
| The Global Environment 1, 8 | ||
| Holistic Management 5, 8 | ||
| Agricultural Economics 8 | ||
| Agricultural Policy 8 | ||
| Agricultural Personnel Management 8 | ||
| Agricultural Communications | ||
| Cultural Anthropology 1 | ||
or ANT 202 | World History Before Writing | |
| Biological Anthropology 1 | ||
| Structures I 7 | ||
or CE 204 | Mechanics of Materials I | |
| Structures II 7 | ||
or ME 211 | Engineering Statics | |
| Mechanics of Structural Members 7 | ||
or CE 207 | Mechanics of Materials II | |
| Foundation Design 7 | ||
| Principles of Animal Science 8 | ||
| Introduction to Beef Production 8 | ||
| Systems of Small Ruminant Management 8 | ||
| Principles of Rangeland Management 1,2,3,8 | ||
| Advanced Beef Cattle System Management 8 | ||
| California Rangeland & Ranch Resource Management 1,2,3,8 | ||
| Applied Practices for Monitoring California Rangelands 1,2,3,8 | ||
| Vertebrate Field Zoology 2 | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 2, 5 | ||
| Wildlife Management 2 | ||
| Plant Physiology 5 | ||
| Plant Pathology 8 | ||
| Plant Ecology 2 | ||
| Spatial Ecology 2,6 | ||
| Agricultural Machinery Safety 8 | ||
| Agricultural Power and Machinery Management 8 | ||
| Design Graphics and CAD for Agricultural Engineering 5, 6 | ||
| Introduction to Engineering Surveying 5 | ||
| Engineering Surveying 5, 6 | ||
| Forest Surveying 5 | ||
| Aquacultural Engineering 1,2,3,8 | ||
| Irrigation Water Management 5, 8 | ||
| Aerial Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 6 | ||
| Energy for a Sustainable Society 1 | ||
| Water for a Sustainable Society 1,2,3,8 | ||
| Advanced Surveying with GIS Applications 6 | ||
| Design Principles in Civil Engineering 6 | ||
| Computer Aided Drafting in Civil Engineering 6 | ||
| Mechanics of Materials I 7 | ||
| Geotechnical Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory 7 | ||
or ARCE 421 | Soil Mechanics | |
| Biochemistry: Fundamentals and Applications 4 | ||
| Quantitative Analysis 4 | ||
| Environmental Chemistry: Water Pollution 4 | ||
| Introduction to Urban Planning 3, 5, 6, 9 | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Planning 5, 6 | ||
| Environmental Law 1 | ||
| Water Resource Law and Policy 2, 3, 5, 8 | ||
| Land Use Law 3, 5 | ||
| Fundamentals of Computer Science 6 | ||
| Microeconomics 3 | ||
| Sustainable Environments 8 | ||
| Writing Arguments about STEM 1, 2, 3 | ||
| Writing Sustainability 1, 2, 3 | ||
| Environmental Fluid Mechanics 7 | ||
| Introduction to Air Pollution 1 | ||
| Environmental Engineering Research | ||
| Physical Geography 1 | ||
| Climate and Humanity 1 | ||
| Global and Regional Climatology 1 | ||
| Applied Meteorology and Climatology 1 | ||
| Geomorphology 4, 6 | ||
| Applied Environmental Groundwater Hydrology 4 | ||
| Applied Environmental Contaminant Transport 4 | ||
| Human Geography 1, 3 | ||
| Global Geography 1 | ||
| Applications in Remote Sensing and GIS 1, 6 | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 1 | ||
| Biodiversity and Biogeography Methods | ||
| Advanced Applications in Geospatial Technologies 1 | ||
| The Geologic Record: Fossils and the History of Life 1 | ||
| Geologic Excursions 7 | ||
| Seismology and Earth Structure 7 | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Applied Geophysics 7 | ||
| News Reporting and Writing 5 | ||
| Calculus II 4 | ||
or MATH 162 | Calculus for the Life Sciences II | |
| Calculus III 7 | ||
| Calculus IV 7 | ||
| Microbiology 5 | ||
| Microbial Ecology 5 | ||
| Introduction to Forest Ecosystem Management 5, 9 | ||
| Environmental Management 8, 9 | ||
| Special Problems for Undergraduates 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 | ||
| Resource Law Enforcement | ||
| Wildland Fire Control 5, 9 | ||
| Dendrology 5, 9 | ||
| Land and Resource Measurements 5 | ||
| Forest Operations 5 | ||
| Natural Resource Ecology and Habitat Management 2, 5, 6, 9 | ||
| Fire and Society 5 | ||
| Technology of Wildland Fire Management 5 | ||
| Forest Mensuration 5 | ||
| Watershed Processes and Management 5 | ||
| Human Dimensions in Natural Resources Management 1, 2, 3 | ||
| Social Dimensions of Sustainable Food and Fiber Systems 8 | ||
| Natural Resources Economics and Valuation 1, 3, 5 | ||
| Internship in Forest and Natural Resources 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 | ||
| Wildland Fire Management 5, 9 | ||
| Urban Forestry 5, 9 | ||
| Drone Assisted Surveying 5,6 | ||
| Ethnicity and the Land 5 | ||
| Silviculture and Fuels Management 5 | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | ||
| Indigenous Peoples and International Law and Policy 9 | ||
| Agricultural Law 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 | ||
| Watershed Assessment and Protection 5 | ||
| Stream Measurements and Water Quality Monitoring 5, 9 | ||
| Wood Properties, Products and Sustainable Uses 5, 9 | ||
| Environmental Policy Analysis 1, 3 | ||
| Systems Thinking in Environmental Management 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | ||
| Wildland-Urban Fire Protection 5, 9 | ||
| Leadership Practice 3, 5 | ||
| Forest Stewardship Practices 3, 5 | ||
| Senior Project - Forest Stewardship 3, 5 | ||
| Environmental Ethics 1, 3 | ||
| College Physics II 4 | ||
or PHYS 142 | General Physics II | |
| General Physics III | ||
| Physics of Solid Earth 7 | ||
| Landscape Installation and Maintenance 5, 9 | ||
| Plant Propagation 5, 9 | ||
| Organic Enterprise Project 8 | ||
| Environmental Horticulture 8, 9 | ||
| Plant Materials I 5, 9 | ||
| Plant Materials II 5, 9 | ||
| Precision Farming 6, 8 | ||
| Agricultural Entomology 8 | ||
| Weed Biology and Management 5, 8 | ||
| Vertebrate Pest Management 5 | ||
| Abiotic Plant Problems 9 | ||
| Native Plants for California Landscapes 8, 9 | ||
| Organic Crop Production Systems 8 | ||
| Arboriculture 5, 9 | ||
| Insect Pest Management 8 | ||
| Biological Control for Pest Management 8 | ||
| Cropping Systems 8 | ||
| Current Issues in the Strawberry Industry 8 | ||
| American and California Government 3 | ||
| Judicial Process 3 | ||
| World Food Systems | ||
| American Constitutional Law 3 | ||
| Civil Rights in America 3 | ||
| Civil Liberties 3 | ||
| Physical Oceanography 1 | ||
| Energy, Society and the Environment 1 | ||
| Introduction to Parks and Outdoor Recreation 3 | ||
| Experience Design 3 | ||
| Leadership and Diverse Groups 2 | ||
| Environmental and Wilderness Education 3 | ||
| Leadership in Outdoor Experiences 3 | ||
| Selected Topics (2) 4 | ||
| Soil Plant Relationships 4, 8 | ||
| Wetlands 2, 4, 5 | ||
| Digital Soil Mapping 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 | ||
| Forest and Range Soils 4, 5, 9 | ||
| Soil Judging 4 | ||
| Selected Advanced Topics 4 | ||
| Selected Advanced Laboratory 4 | ||
| Advanced Soil Fertility 4 | ||
| GIS in Advanced Land Management 4 | ||
| Applied Experimental Design and Regression Models 6 | ||
| Statistical Computing with R 6 | ||
| Appropriate Technology for the World's People: Development 8 | ||
| Basic Viticulture 8 | ||
| Advanced Viticulture - Fall 8 | ||
| Advanced Viticulture - Winter 8 | ||
| Advanced Viticulture - Spring 8 | ||
| Winegrape Vineyard Management 8 | ||
Any SCM course and any upper division AG, ANT, BIO, BOT, BRAE, CHEM, COMS, EDES, ENVE, ERSC, GEOG, GEOL, JOUR, MCRO, PLSC, NR, RPTA, SS, or UNIV courses | ||
General Education (GE) Requirements
- 72 units required, 20 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
- If any of the remaining 52 units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
- See the complete GE course listing.
- A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: A1 (Oral Communication), A2 (Written Communication), A3 (Critical Thinking), and B4 (Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning).
| Area A | English Language Communication and Critical Thinking | |
| A1 | Oral Communication | 4 |
| A2 | Written Communication | 4 |
| A3 | Critical Thinking 2 | 4 |
| Area B | Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning | |
| B1 | Physical Science (4 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| B2 | Life Science (4 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| B3 | One lab taken with either a B1 or B2 course | |
| B4 | Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (4 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| Upper-Division B (4 units in Major) 1 | 0 | |
| Area C | Arts and Humanities | |
| Lower-division courses in Area C must come from three different subject prefixes. | ||
| C1 | Arts: Arts, Cinema, Dance, Music, Theater | 4 |
| C2 | Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English | 4 |
| Lower-Division C Elective - Select a course from either C1 or C2 | 4 | |
| Upper-Division C 3 | 4 | |
| Area D | Social Sciences - Select courses in Area D from at least two different prefixes | |
| D1 | American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement) | 4 |
| D2 | Lower-Division D 4 | 4 |
| Upper-Division D 5 | 4 | |
| Area E | Lifelong Learning and Self-Development | |
| Lower-Division E | 4 | |
| Area F | Ethnic Studies | |
| F | Ethnic Studies | 4 |
| GE Electives in Areas B, C, and D | ||
| Select courses from two different areas; may be lower-division or upper-division courses. | ||
| GE Electives (4 units in Majors plus 4 units in GE) 1 | 4 | |
| Total units | 52 | |
| 1 | Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. |
| 2 | Recommended course to satisfy GE Area A3: ENGL 147. |
| 3 | Recommended courses to satisfy GE Area Upper-division C: NR 360 or ENGL 316. |
| 4 | Recommended course to satisfy GE Area D2: GEOG 150. |
| 5 | Recommended courses to satisfy GE Area Upper-division D: BRAE 349, GEOG 308, or NR 323. |
San Luis Obispo, California 93407