Track Leader: Erwan Monier, emonier@ucdavis.edu
This track aims to train students in the physical and biological processes associated with global climate change and air quality, and to provide them with the necessary policy background to be able to understand the implications of global warming and climate change. Courses cover foundations of climatology and atmospheric science, air quality, hydrology, interaction between vegetation and the atmosphere, biogeography and evolution, biomes, and environmental policy making. This track would prepare students for a broad range of environmental and policy positions in the public and private sectors, such as the California Air Resource Board, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, various county Air Quality Management Districts, environmental consulting firms, and graduate school in a broad range of environmental topics.
Major Requirements
Preparatory Subject Matter Requirements
| Course IDs | Course Title | Quarters Offered | Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written and Oral Expression | ||||
| UWP 101, 102A-G, 104A-F | Upper Division Writing | I, II, III, IV | 4 | May test out of requirement |
| CMN 1, 3, or DRA 10 | Public Speaking | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Biological Sciences | ||||
| BIS 2A | Essentials of Life on Earth | I, II, III, IV | 5 | |
| BIS 2B | Principles of Ecology and Evolution | I, II, III, IV | 5 | |
| BIS 2C | Biodiversity and the Tree of Life | I, II, III, IV | 5 | |
| Geology (choose one of the following) | ||||
| GEL 1 | The Earth | I, II, III | 4 | |
| GEL 50 | Physical Geology | I, II, III | 3 | (recommended) |
| Chemistry | ||||
| CHE 2A or 2AH | General Chemistry | I, II, IV (2A or 2AH) | 5 | |
| CHE 2B or 2BH | General Chemistry | II, III, IV (2B or 2BH) | 5 | |
| CHE 2C or 2CH | General Chemistry | I, III, IV (2C or 2CH) | 5 | (recommended, not required) |
| Physics (Complete either 1AB or 7ABC) | ||||
| Physics 1A | General Physics | I, II, IV | 3 | |
| Physics 1B | General Physics | II, III | 3 | |
| Physics 7A | General Physics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Physics 7B | General Physics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Physics 7C | General Physics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Economics | ||||
| ECN 1A | Principles of Microeconomics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Mathematics | ||||
| MAT 16A, 17A, or 21A | Calculus | I, II, III, IV | 3-4 | Mat 17AB recommended |
| MAT 16B, 17B, or 21B | Calculus | I, II, III, IV | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Science and Policy | ||||
| ESP 1 | Environmental Analysis | I, IV | 4 | |
I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session
Depth Subject Matter Requirements
NOTE: Students graduating with this major are required to attain at least a C average (2.0 GPA) in all courses taken at the university in Depth Subject Matter and pass all coursework. See requirements of the College of Agriculture & Environmental Science in the UC Davis General Catalog.
| Course IDs | Course Title | Prerequisites | Quarters Offered | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Environment | ||||
| ESM 120 | Global Environmental Interactions | One college-level chemistry and biology course | II | 4 |
| Ecology (Choose one of the following) | ||||
| ESP 100 | General Ecology | BIS 2A-C; MAT 16A-B or 17A-B or 21A-B; STA 13 recommended | I, II, IV | 4 |
| EVE 101 | Introduction to Ecology | BIS 2A-C; MAT 16A-B or 17A-B or 21A-B; or equivalent | I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| Policy | ||||
| ESP 162 | Environmental Policy | ECN 1A | II | 4 |
| Statistics (Choose one of the following - Statistics 100 recommended) | ||||
| STA 13 | Elementary Statistics | Two years of high school algebra or equivalent in college | I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| STA 100 | Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences | MAT 16B or 17B or 21B | I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| Environmental Monitoring (Choose one of the following) | ||||
| ESM 108 | Environmental Monitoring | Entry level course in the environmental sciences | III | 3 |
| ESP 179 | Environmental Impact Assessment | ESP 1 or the equivalent | II, IV | 4 |
| GIS Technology | ||||
| ABT/LDA 150 | Introduction to GIS | None | I, III | 4 |
| Internship | ||||
| ESM/ESP 92 or 192 | Internship | Upper division standing, permission of instructor
Variable unit – must take at least 3 units of internship |
I, II, III, IV | 3 |
| Capstone | ||||
| ESM 195 | Integrating Env Science & Management | Senior standing; Environmental science major (e.g.: ESM, EPAP, ETX, WFC) | III | 2 |
| Honors Thesis (Optional) | ||||
| ESM 194H | Senior Honors Thesis | Senior standing, Overall GPA of 3.50 or higher
Consent of the master adviser |
2-6 | |
I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session
Required Courses
NOTE: Courses taken for the depth subject matter or track cannot be used to fulfill more than one major requirement.
| Course IDs | Course Title | Prerequisites | Quarters Offered | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete | ||||
| ATM 60 | Introduction to Atmospheric Science | MAT 16A or 17A or 21A; PHY 1A or 7A or 9A | I | 4 |
| Select three climate science and meteorology courses | ||||
| ATM 115 | Hydroclimatology | ATM 60 | III | 3 |
| ATM 116 | Climate Change | None | I | 4 |
| ATM 133** | Biometeorology | One biological course; MAT 16B; or consent of instructor | II | 4 |
| ATM 160* | Intro to Atmospheric Chemistry | CHE 2B | II | 4 |
| ESM 131 | Air as a Resource | CHE 10 or CHE 2A | II | 3 |
| GEL 108 | Earth History: Paleoclimates | GEL 1 or 50 or 116N; CHE 2A; consent of instructor | III | 3 |
| Select two water and soil processes courses | ||||
| ESM 100 | Principles of Hydrologic Science | CHE 2B; MAT 16B; PHY 7A, or PHY 9A | I | 4 |
| ESM 121 | Water Science & Management | PHY 10 or GEL 1 | III | 3 |
| ESP/GEL 116N* | Oceanography | GEL 1, 2, 16, or 50 | II | 3 |
| HYD 143** | Hydrological Processes in Ecosystems | HYD 10 or 141 or ESP 1 or ESM 100 or ESM 108 or ESM 120 or GEL 1 or 50 or SSC 100 | II | 3 |
| SSC 100 | Principles of Soil Science | College-level course in each of CHE, PHY, BIS, and GEL recommended | I | 5 |
| Select one biological processes course | ||||
| ESM/PLS 144 | Trees & Forests | PLS 2 or BIS 2C | I | 4 |
| ESP 124 | Marine and Coastal Field Ecology | Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program | IV | 3 |
| ESP 150C | Biological Oceanography | Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program | IV | 4 |
| ESP 151 | Limnology | Upper division standing; BIS 2A | III | 4 |
| ESP 155** | Wetland Ecology | BIS 2A or equivalent; ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended | I | 4 |
| EVE 115* | Marine Ecology | ESP 100 or EVE 101 or BIS 2B, or consent of instructor | II | 4 |
| PLS 130** | Rangelands: Ecology, Cons, & Restoration | PLS 2 or BIS 2B or BIS 2C or consent of instructor, upper div standing | II | 3 |
| Select one biogeography and evolution course | ||||
| EVE 147** | Biogeography | BIS 2B | I | 4 |
| EVE 149* | Evolution of Ecological Systems | ESP 100 or EVE 101 or equivalent; EVE 100 or equivalent | I | 4 |
| Select two environmental policy courses | ||||
| ESP 163** | Energy & Env Aspects of Transportation | ECN 1A or ENG 106 | I | 4 |
| ESP 165 | Climate Policy | ECN 1A, ESP 1, or consent of instructor | III | 3 |
| ESP 167** | Energy Policy | ECN 1A, MAT 16B or 17B or 21B or consent of instructor | III | 4 |
| ESP 171 | Urban & Regional Planning | ESP 1 recommended | III | 4 |
| ESP 172 | Public Lands Management | ECN 1A recommended | I | 4 |
| ESP 179 | Environmental Impact Assessment | ESP 1 or the equivalent | II, IV | 4 |
| SOC 160 | Sociology of the Environment | SOC 1 or 2 or 3 recommended | I | 4 |
†Future availability unknown
I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session
*Course is offered in odd years only (2015, 2017, etc.)
**Course is offered in even years only (2016, 2018, etc.)