Conservation and Environmental Science Major Requirements
Conservation and Environmental Sciences offers two undergraduate tracks with separate sets of required classes: Conservation and Natural Resources and Water Resources.
The Conservation and Natural Resources Track is the broader of the two tracks, and gives students the widest range of options. Areas of emphasis, or focus areas, within this track include Land Resources, Conservation Biology, GIS Application, Natural Resource Policy, and Environmental Interpretation.
The Water Resources Track provides students with knowledge and skills critical for futures relating to water resources. Within this track, students may choose to focus on Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, Surface and Groundwater Hydrology, or Aquatic Ecology and Limnology. Completion of this track will prepare students for graduate studies in water resources.
Coursework for the Major (Conservation and Natural Resources Track)
The Conservation and Natural Resources Track requires a minimum of 54 credits, 29 of which are advanced-level. All students in the Conservation and Natural Resources track must fulfill the required 36 credits (25 lower-level core credits, and 11 advanced-level credits) and an additional 18 advanced-level credits from among the approved Conservation and Natural Resources Track electives. The College of Letters & Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Introductory Core | ||
| BIO SCI 150 | Foundations of Biological Sciences I | 4 |
| BIO SCI 152 | Foundations of Biological Sciences II | 4 |
| CES 210 | Introduction to Conservation and Environmental Science | 3 |
| CHEM 102 | General Chemistry | 5 |
| GEO SCI 100 | Introduction to the Earth | 3 |
| or GEOG 120 | Our Physical Environment | |
| GEO SCI 102 | Principles of Historical Geology | 3 |
| or GEO SCI 150 | Introduction to Ocean Sciences | |
| GEOG 215 | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3 |
| Mid-Level Distributional Requirement | ||
| BIO SCI 310 | General Ecology | 4 |
| GEOG 350 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| Upper-Level Core | ||
| Select 18 upper-level approved CES electives with at least 3 credits taken from each of the following areas | 18 | |
Biological Sciences | ||
Geosciences | ||
Geography | ||
| Research Requirement | ||
| CES 471 | Practicum in Natural Resources Management | 4 |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
List of Approved Electives in the Conservation and Natural Resources Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 103 | Digging Up the Past: Approaches to Archaeology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 289 | Internship in Biological Sciences, Lower Division | 1-6 |
| BIO SCI 315 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 325 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIO SCI 358 | Birds of Wisconsin | 2 |
| BIO SCI 370 | Mammalian Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 383 | General Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO SCI 406 | Marine Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 440 | Ecology and Evolution of Amphibians and Reptiles | 3 |
| BIO SCI 451 | Field Methods in Conservation | 3 |
| BIO SCI 465 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIO SCI 480 | Ecological Genetics | 3 |
| BIO SCI 489 | Internship in Biological Sciences, Upper Division | 1-6 |
| BIO SCI 500 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 501 | Plant and Aquatic Ecophysiology Laboratory | 3 |
| BIO SCI 502 | Introduction to Programming and Modeling in Ecology and Evolution | 3 |
| BIO SCI 505 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 512 | Limnology I | 3 |
| BIO SCI 523 | Evolution and Ecology of Birds | 3 |
| BIO SCI 532 | Behavioral Ecology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 540 | Microbial Diversity and Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 562 | Topics in Field Biology: | 1-2 |
| BIO SCI 611 | Seminar on Recent Advances in Limnology and Oceanography | 2 |
| BIO SCI 575 | Evolutionary Biology | 3 |
| CES 289 | Internship in Environmental Studies, Lower Division | 1-6 |
| CES 451 | Field Methods in Conservation | 3 |
| CES 461 | The Politics and Policy of Sustainability | 3 |
| CES 489 | Internship in Environmental Studies, Upper Division | 1-6 |
| CES 497 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| CES 499 | Ad Hoc: | 1-6 |
| CES 515 | Environmental Law for Natural Resource Managers | 3 |
| CES 651 | Principles of Stream Management and Restoration | 3 |
| CHEM 104 | General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis | 5 |
| CHEM 221 | Elementary Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| CHEM 341 | Introductory Survey of Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 342 | Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 344 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 345 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 524 | Instrumental Analysis | 3 |
| CHEM 560 | Biophysical Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 603 | Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| ECON 328 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| GEOG 215 | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3 |
| GEOG 247 | Quantitative Analysis in Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 304 | Human Impact on the Environment | 3 |
| GEOG 306 | Natural Hazards | 3 |
| GEOG 310 | General Climatology | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | Biogeography | 3 |
| GEOG 403 | Remote Sensing: Environmental and Land Use Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG 405 | Cartography | 4 |
| GEOG 415 | Hydrogeography | 3 |
| GEOG 450 | Climates of the Past and Climate Change | 3 |
| GEOG 464 | Environmental Problems | 3 |
| GEOG 515 | Watershed Analysis and Modeling | 3 |
| GEOG 520 | Physical Geography of the City | 3 |
| GEOG 525 | Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| GEOG 547 | Spatial Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG 564 | Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice | 3 |
| GEOG 625 | Intermediate Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| GEO SCI 301 | Principles of Mineralogy | 4 |
| GEO SCI 400 | Water Quality | 4 |
| GEO SCI 409 | Process Geomorphology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 443 | Glacial and Pleistocene Geology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 463 | Physical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 464 | Chemical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 511 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation | 4 |
| GEO SCI 515 | Physical Sedimentology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 520 | Introduction to Paleontology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 525 | Terroir: Geology in a Glass | 3 |
| GEO SCI 562 | Environmental Surface Hydrology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 563 | Field Methods in Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 696 | Topics in the Geological Sciences: | 1-3 |
| GEO SCI 697 | Seminar in the Geological Sciences: | 1-3 |
| MTHSTAT 215 | Elementary Statistical Analysis | 3 |
Coursework for the Major (Water Resources Track)
The Water Resources Track requires a minimum of 61 credits, 29 of which are advanced-level. All students in the Water Resources Track must fulfill the required 43 credits (32 lower-level core credits, and 11 advanced-level credits) and an additional 18 advanced-level credits from among the approved Water Resources Track electives.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Introductory Core | ||
| BIO SCI 150 | Foundations of Biological Sciences I | 4 |
| BIO SCI 152 | Foundations of Biological Sciences II | 4 |
| CES 210 | Introduction to Conservation and Environmental Science | 3 |
| CHEM 102 | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 104 | General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis | 5 |
| GEO SCI 100 | Introduction to the Earth | 3 |
| or GEOG 120 | Our Physical Environment | |
| GEOG 215 | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3 |
| PHYSICS 120 | General Physics I (Non-Calculus Treatment) | 4 |
| PHYSICS 121 | General Physics Laboratory I (Non-Calculus Treatment) | 1 |
| Mid-Level Distributional Requirement | ||
| BIO SCI 310 | General Ecology | 4 |
| GEOG 350 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| Upper-Level Core | ||
| Select 18 upper-level approved electives from the Water Resources electives | 18 | |
| Research Requirement | ||
| CES 471 | Practicum in Natural Resources Management | 4 |
| Total Credits | 61 | |
List of Approved Electives for the Water Resources Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO SCI 383 | General Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO SCI 406 | Marine Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 440 | Ecology and Evolution of Amphibians and Reptiles | 3 |
| BIO SCI 465 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIO SCI 500 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 501 | Plant and Aquatic Ecophysiology Laboratory | 3 |
| BIO SCI 502 | Introduction to Programming and Modeling in Ecology and Evolution | 3 |
| BIO SCI 512 | Limnology I | 3 |
| BIO SCI 532 | Behavioral Ecology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 540 | Microbial Diversity and Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 575 | Evolutionary Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 611 | Seminar on Recent Advances in Limnology and Oceanography | 2 |
| CES 461 | The Politics and Policy of Sustainability | 3 |
| CES 651 | Principles of Stream Management and Restoration | 3 |
| CHEM 341 | Introductory Survey of Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 342 | Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 344 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 345 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 560 | Biophysical Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 561 | Physical Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 603 | Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| ECON 328 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| GEOG 247 | Quantitative Analysis in Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 304 | Human Impact on the Environment | 3 |
| GEOG 306 | Natural Hazards | 3 |
| GEOG 310 | General Climatology | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | Biogeography | 3 |
| GEOG 403 | Remote Sensing: Environmental and Land Use Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG 405 | Cartography | 4 |
| GEOG 415 | Hydrogeography | 3 |
| GEOG 515 | Watershed Analysis and Modeling | 3 |
| GEOG 520 | Physical Geography of the City | 3 |
| GEOG 525 | Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| GEOG 625 | Intermediate Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| GEO SCI 400 | Water Quality | 4 |
| GEO SCI 463 | Physical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 464 | Chemical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 511 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation | 4 |
| GEO SCI 515 | Physical Sedimentology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 520 | Introduction to Paleontology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 525 | Terroir: Geology in a Glass | 3 |
| GEO SCI 562 | Environmental Surface Hydrology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 563 | Field Methods in Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 637 | Planetary Geology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 696 | Topics in the Geological Sciences: | 1-3 |
| MTHSTAT 215 | Elementary Statistical Analysis | 3 |
Approved CES Course Electives for both Tracks Outside of the College of Letters and Science
Note: Although the following courses may count as credits toward the CES major requirements, they do not count to satisfy the advanced L&S credits requirement for the degree. Consult the Coordinator before enrolling in any of these courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 340 | Urban Design | 3 |
| ATM SCI 100 | Survey of Meteorology | 3 |
| ATM SCI 240 | Introduction to Meteorology | 4 |
| ATM SCI 330 | Air-Pollution Meteorology | 3 |
| CIV ENG 492 | Environmental Impact Assessment | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 502 | Aquatic Ecosystem Dynamics | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 504 | Quantitative Freshwater Analysis | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 506 | Environmental Health of Freshwater Ecosystems | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 510 | Economics, Policy and Management of Water | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 512 | Freshwater Sciences Practicum: | 2-4 |
| FRSHWTR 563 | Finfish Aquaculture and Nutrition Principles | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 567 | Fish Health | 3 |
| PH 375 | Topics in Public Health: | 3 |
| URBPLAN 591 | Introduction to Urban Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Planning | 3 |