Natural Resource Management

Why study Natural Resource Management?

The Natural Resource Management track has a strong social science focus. It assumes that most environmental problems are caused by mistakes in human behavior, and that better scientific information is but one of many factors affecting our ability to solve environmental problems. This track is geared towards those who are interested in working in policy-oriented roles in environmental affairs. Typical career tracks include working for federal, state or local natural resources agencies, environmental consulting firms, governmental liaison offices of private corporations, or non-profit organizations addressing environmental issues.

Preparatory Subject Matter Requirements
Course IDs Course Title Quarters Offered Units Notes
Written and Oral Expression
UWP 101 or any course from the UWP 102 or 104 series Upper Division Writing I, II, III, IV 4 May test out of requirement
CMN 1, 3V, 3Y, or DRA 10 Communication 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 5  
CHE 2B or 2BH General Chemistry II, III, IV 5  
CHE 2C or 2CH General Chemistry I, III, IV 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, 1AV, or 1AY Principles of Microeconomics I, II, III, IV 4  
Mathematics
MAT 16A and 16B Short Calculus I, II, III, IV 3, 3 Being phased out as of 23-24
MAT 17A and 17B Calculus for Biology & Medicine I, II, III, IV 4, 4 MAT 17AB recommended
MAT 19A and 19B and 19C Calculus for Data-Driven Applications I, II, III, IV 4, 4, 4 Mast take A, B, and C
MAT 21A and 21B Calculus I, II, III, IV 4, 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 or ECN 1AV or ECN 1AY 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 with a C- or better I, II, III, IV 4
Environmental Monitoring
(Choose one of the following)
ATM 124 Meteorological Instruments & Observations ATM 60 I 3
ESM 108 Environmental Monitoring ESP 100 or EVE 101 or SSC 100 or WFC 100 or the equivalent III 3
ESP 151L Limnology Laboratory ESP 151 (may be concurrent) III 3
ESP 179 Environmental Impact Assessment ESP 1 or the equivalent II, IV 4
Environmental Data Science
(Choose one of the following)
ABT/LDA 150 Introduction to GIS None I, II, III 4
ESP 106 Environmental Data Science STA 13 or 32 or 100 (can be concurrent) II 4
Internship
ESM/ESP 92 or 192 Internship Upper division standing, permission of instructor

Variable unit – must take at least 3 units of internship
May complete internship in a different area with prior approval
(e.g.: PLS, SSC, ATM)

 I, II, III, IV 3
Capstone
ESM 195 Integrating Env Science & Management Senior standing in ESM III 2
Honors Thesis (Optional)
ESM 194H Senior Honors Thesis Senior standing, Overall GPA of 3.50 or higher

Consent of the lead faculty advisor

   2-6

 

I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session

Track 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 Units
Select three environmental policy courses
ESP 160 The Policy Process POL 1; ECN 1A and STA 13 recommended III 4
ESP 165 Climate Policy ECN 1A or 1AV or 1AY or ESP 1, or consent of instructor I 3
ESP 166 Ocean & Coastal Policy ESP 1 or consent of instructor I 3
ESP 167** Energy Policy ECN 1A; MAT 16B, 17B, or 21B; or consent of instructor II 4
ESP 168A Methods of Env Policy Analysis ESP 1 or 10; STA 13 or 100; ECN 1A; ECN 100A recommended I 5
ESP 169** Water Policy & Politics POL 1 or ECN 1A recommended III 3
ESP 171 Urban & Regional Planning ESP 1 or ESP 161 or ESP 179 recommended III, IV 4
ESP 172 Public Lands Management ECN 1A and POL 1 recommended I 4
ESP 174 Environmental Justice Policy & Practice ESP 1 or equivalent recommended III 4
ESP 179 Environmental Impact Assessment ESP 1 or the equivalent II, IV 4
HYD 150 Water Law Consent of instructor or upper division standing II 3
SOC 160 Sociology of the Environment SOC 1 or 2 or 3 recommended Varies 4
Select one environmental law course
ESP 161 Environmental Law Upper division standing;one course in environmental science; POL 1 and UWP 1 recommended I, III 4
HYD 150 Water Law Consent of instructor or upper division standing II 3
Select one statistics course
ECN 102 Analysis of Economic Data ECN 1A and 1B; STA 13 or 32; MAT 16B or 17B or 21B with a C- or better I, II, III, IV 4
STA 101 Advanced Statistics for Bio Science STA 100 with a C- or better III 4
STA 103 Applied Stats for Business & Economics STA 13 or 32 or 100; MAT 16B or 17B or 21B all with a C- or better I, II, III, IV 4
STA 106 Analysis of Variance STA 13 or 32 or 100 with a C- or better I, II, III, IV 4
STA 108 Regression Analysis STA 13 or 32 or 100 with a C- or better I, II, III, IV 4
STA 130A Mathematical Statistics: A Brief Course MAT 16C or 17C or 21C; STA 13 or 32 or 100; all with a C- or better I 4
STA 131A Probability Theory MAT 21C; MAT 22A or 27A or 67, all with a C- or better I, III 4
Select two biological processes courses
ENT 104 Behavioral Ecology of Insects Introductory biology or zoology II 3
ESM 141** Fire Ecology BIS 2A or PLS 2; BIS 2B or 2C II 4
ESM/PLS 144 Trees & Forests PLS 2 or BIS 2C I 4
ESP 151 Limnology BIS 2A and 2B; BIS 2C and ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended III 4
ESP 155 Wetland Ecology BIS 2A or equivalent; ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended   4
EVE 115* Marine Ecology ESP 100 or EVE 101 or BIS 2B, or consent of instructor II 4
PLB/EVE 117 Plant Ecology BIS 2A-C; PLB 111 recommended I 4
PLS 130 Grassland Ecology PLS 2 or BIS 2B or BIS 2C or consent of instructor II 3
WFC 110 Biology & Conservation of Wild Mammals BIS 2A-C; EVE 101 or ESP 100 or equivalent (can be concurrent) III 3
WFC 111 Biology & Conservation of Wild Birds BIS 2A-C; upper division ecology course recommended I 3
WFC 120 Biology & Conservation of Fishes BIS 2A-C; upper division ecology course recommended I 3
WFC 134 Herpetology BIS 2A-C; upper division ecology course recommended II 3
Select two physical processes courses
ATM 116 Modern Climate Change None I 3
ATM 133 Biometeorology  MAT 16B; one course in a biological discipline II 4
ESM 121 Water Science & Management PHY 10 or GEL 1 III 3
ESM 131 Air as a Resource CHE 2A or 10; CHE 2B II 3
ESP 116N Oceanography GEL 1 or 2 or 16 or 50 II 3
ESP 152 Coastal Oceanography Offered at the Bodega Marine Lab IV 3
HYD 143** Ecohydrology 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 4
SSC 100 Principles of Soil Science College-level course in each of CHE, PHY, BIS, and GEL recommended I 5
Select one remote sensing course
ESM 185 Aerial Photo Interpretation & Remote Sensing Upper division standing I 4
ESM 186 Environmental Remote Sensing MAT 16B; PHY 7C or 9B; ABT 150 rec.; upper division standing II 5

I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session
*Course is offered in odd years only (2023, 2025, etc.)
**Course is offered in even years only (2024, 2026, etc.)

Attachments
Natural Resource Management track requirements