Climate and Environmental Change B.S.

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Minimum Requirements for Climate and Environmental Change B.S.: 120 credits

Concentrations: Ecological ProcessesEnvironmental Earth SciencePhysical ProcessesSustainability

Students must earn a C- grade or better in each course.

General University Requirements
Complete the general university requirements.
General Education Requirements
Complete the general education requirements.35-40
As part of the general education requirements, complete the following: 1,2
Introduction to Natural Resource Economics
Calculus I
Essential Calculus with Applications in the Life Sciences
Introduction to Sustainability Science
Introduction to American Government and Politics
B.S. Degree Requirements
Complete the B.S. degree requirements.15
As part of the B.S. requirements, complete the following: 3
Environmental Ethics and Actions
Elementary Statistics 4
Statistics
Climate and Environmental Change Program Requirements
Complete the following:
ATM/GEOS F480Climate Change Processes: Past, Present, Future4
BIOL F115XFundamentals of Biology I 44
or BIOL F103X Biology and Society
or BIOL F104X Natural History of Alaska
CHEM F105XGeneral Chemistry I4
CLIM F400Climate and Environmental Change Capstone ePortfolio 51
GEOS F101XThe Dynamic Earth4
GEOS F483Research Design, Writing and Presentation Methods3
or STO F401 Communicating Science
or ENGL F314 Technical Writing
or ENGL F414 Research Writing
NRM F125Our Changing Climate: Past, Present, Future3
NRM F338Introduction to Geographic Information Systems3
PHYS F123XCollege Physics I4
or PHYS F211X General Physics I
PS F447U.S. Environmental Politics3
Concentration
Complete one of the following:35-36
Ecological Processes
Environmental Earth Science
Physical Processes
Sustainability
Electives
General Electives0-2
Total Credits120-124
1

Students in the Environmental Earth Science and Physical Processes concentrations must take MATH F251X to meet this requirement.

2

WRTG F213X is recommended.

3

Quantitatively-inclined students are encouraged to take STAT F300.

4

Students in the Ecological Processes and Sustainability Concentrations must take BIOL F115X

5

Fulfills the baccalaureate capstone requirement.

Concentrations

Ecological Processes

Ecological Processes Concentration Requirements
As part of the general education requirements, complete the following:
Essential Calculus with Applications in the Life Sciences
Calculus I
As part of the B.S. requirements, complete the following:
Fundamentals of Biology I
Fundamentals of Biology II
Complete the following:
BIOL F371Principles of Ecology4
BIOL F385Global Change Biology3
BIOL F476Ecosystem Ecology4
CHEM F106XGeneral Chemistry II4
GEOS F112XThe History of Earth and Life4
STAT F401Regression and Analysis of Variance4
Complete two courses from the Policy, Society and Humanities course list 66
Complete one course from the Physical Processes Course List 63
Complete one course from the Biotic Processes or Technical & Data Skills lists 63
Total Credits35
6

When choosing electives, students should consider the requirement for 39 credits of upper division coursework prior to graduation.

Environmental Earth Science

Environmental Earth Science Concentration Requirements
As part of the general education requirements, complete the following:
Calculus I
As part of the B.S. requirements, complete the following:
The History of Earth and Life
Complete the following:
ATM F456Climate and Climate Change3
or OCN F481 The Ocean and Global Change
GEOS F213Mineralogy4
GEOS F304Geomorphology3
GEOS F315Paleobiology and Paleontology4
or GEOS F322 Stratigraphy and Sedimentation
GEOS F422Geoscience Applications of Remote Sensing3
NRM F370Introduction to Watershed Management3
NRM F380Soils and the Environment3
Complete two courses from the Policy, Society and Humanities course list 66
Complete one additional course from the Physical Processes course list 63
Complete one additional course from the Biotic Processes or Technical & Data Skills course lists 63
Total Credits35
6

When choosing electives, students should consider the requirement for 39 credits of upper-division coursework prior to graduation.

Physical Processes

Physical Processes Concentration Requirements
As part of the general education requirements, complete the following:
Calculus I
As part of the B.S. requirements, complete the following:
General Physics I
General Physics II
Complete the following:
ATM F401Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences3
ATM F456Climate and Climate Change3
or OCN F481 The Ocean and Global Change
GEOS F304Geomorphology3
GEOS F422Geoscience Applications of Remote Sensing3
or NRM F435 GIS Analysis
GEOS F477Ice in the Climate System3
or GEOS F481 Snow in the Environment
MATH F252XCalculus II4
MATH F253XCalculus III4
Complete two courses from the Policy, Society, and Humanities course list 66
Complete two additional courses from the Physical Processes or Technical & Data Skills course lists 66
Total Credits35
6

When choosing electives, students should consider the requirement for 39 credits of upper-division coursework prior to graduation.

Sustainability

Sustainability Concentration Requirements
As part of the general education requirements, complete the following:
Essential Calculus with Applications in the Life Sciences
Calculus I
As part of the B.S. requirements, complete the following:
Fundamentals of Biology I
Fundamentals of Biology II
Complete the following:
ANS F461Native Ways of Knowing 73
or ANS F347 Voices of Native American Peoples
ATM F101XWeather and Climate of Alaska4
or BIOL F104X Natural History of Alaska
or ECON F111X The Economy of Rural Alaska
BIOL F371Principles of Ecology4
NRM F101Natural Resources Conservation and Policy3
or FISH F110 Fish and Fisheries in a Changing World
or WLF F101 Survey of Wildlife Science
NRM F210Principles of Sustainable Agriculture3
NRM F277Introduction to Conservation Biology3
NRM F380Soils and the Environment3
or NRM F370 Introduction to Watershed Management
NRM F430Resource Management Planning3
or NRM F407 Environmental Law
STAT F401Regression and Analysis of Variance4
Complete one course from the Biotic or Physical Processes course list 63
Complete one course from the Technical & Data Skills course list 63
Total Credits36
6

When choosing electives, students should consider the requirement for 39 credits of upper-division coursework prior to graduation.

7

ANS F461 fulfills the Alaska Native-themed requirement.

Course Lists

Physical Processes

ATM F401Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences3
ATM F456Climate and Climate Change3
CHEM F321Organic Chemistry I4
CHEM F325Organic Chemistry II4
CHEM F331Physical Chemistry I4
CHEM F332Physical Chemistry II4
GEOS F304Geomorphology3
GEOS F380Geological Hazards3
GEOS F460The Dynamic Alaska Coastline3
GEOS F477Ice in the Climate System3
OCN F419Concepts in Physical Oceanography3
OCN F481The Ocean and Global Change3
PHYS F413Atmospheric Radiation3
or ATM F413 Atmospheric Radiation

Biotic Processes

BIOL F371Principles of Ecology4
BIOL F418Biogeography3
BIOL F457Environmental Microbiology3
BIOL F476Ecosystem Ecology4
GEOS F315Paleobiology and Paleontology4
GEOS F453Palynology and Paleopalynology4
GEOS F485Mass Extinctions, Neocatastrophism and the History of Life3
MBI F482Human Impacts to the Marine Biosphere3
NRM F370Introduction to Watershed Management3
NRM F380Soils and the Environment3
NRM F466Environmental Soil Chemistry3

Policy, Society and Culture

ACNS F449Northern and Environmental Literature3
ACNS F453Fire, Ice, and the Fate of Humanity: A History of Energy and Climate Change3
ANS F242XIndigenous Cultures of Alaska 83
ANS F347Voices of Native American Peoples3
ANS F350Cross-cultural Communication: Alaska Perspectives 83
ANS F365Alaska Native Art History 83
ANS F461Native Ways of Knowing 83
HIST F48320th-century Circumpolar History3
HSEM F461Human Security in Alaska 83
NRM F204Public Lands Law and Policy3
NRM F407Environmental Law3
NRM F430Resource Management Planning3
PS F403Public Policy3
8

Fulfills the Alaska Native-themed requirement.

Technical and Data Skills

ATM F473Micrometeorology with Focus on Subarctic and Arctic Ecosystems3
CS F201Computer Science I3
GEOS F422Geoscience Applications of Remote Sensing3
MATH F302Differential Equations3
MATH F314Linear Algebra3
NRM F240Natural Resources Measurement and Inventory3
NRM F435GIS Analysis4
STAT F401Regression and Analysis of Variance4
STAT F402Scientific Sampling3
STAT F461Applied Multivariate Statistics3

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Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes are measurable statements that describe knowledge or skills achieved by students upon completion of the program.

Students graduating from this program will be able to:

  • Apply scientific knowledge and concepts gained in foundational courses to the practice of scientific inquiry, with appropriate communication of the outcome
  • Demonstrate mastery of advanced scientific knowledge in at least one specific discipline related to climate and environmental change
  • Demonstrate effective communication both in writing and orally in accordance with professional norms on issues relevant to environmental change
  • Apply technical or data skills to analyzing and solving problems related to environmental change
  • Demonstrate skills for civic engagement by bridging science and policy, integrating an awareness of social, cultural, and scientific issues relevant to human decision-making about the environment
  • Synthesize and reflect on knowledge and skills learned about climate and environmental change across courses