Watershed Science (Fall 2022-Forward)

Why study Watershed Science?

The watershed science track trains students in the principles of hydrology, climate as it relates to water, water law, public policy, and links to ecology and soils. Water is a key resource in the western US and in much of the developed World. Watersheds are the natural geographic unit for water management and science, and encompass issues like water quality, water supply, flood management, biodiversity, and climate change. Students in this track are likely to pursue careers in water and watershed management, environmental consulting, government agencies, and environmental non-profits. The track is also very good preparation for graduate school in ecology, hydrology, environmental policy, or especially interdisciplinary environmental management programs.

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 II 4
Statistics
(Choose one of the following - Statistics 100 recommended, cannot complete this section with STA 13)
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
Geographic Information Systems
ABT/LDA 150 Introduction to GIS None I, II, 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
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 Offered Units
Select one water management course
HYD/SAS 10 Water, Power, Society None III 3
ESM 121 Water Science and Management PHY 10 or GEL 1 III 3
ESM 125 River Conservation ESM 100 or ESM 108 or ESM 120 or ESM 121 or GEL 1 or GEL 50 or HYD 10 or HYD 143 or SSC 100 or EVE 101 or ESP 100 or ESP 1 or ESP 110 or WFC 10 II 4
Complete both hydrologic and soil science courses
ESM 100 Principles of Hydrologic Science CHE 2B; MAT 16B; PHY 7A or 9A I 4
SSC 100 Principles of Soil Science College level course in chem, physics, bio, and geology recommended I 5
Select one additional hydrologic science course
ESM 108 Environmental Monitoring ESP 100 or EVE 101 or SSC 100 or WFC 100 or the equivalent III 3
ESM/HYD 110 Irrigation Systems & Water Management PHY 7A; SSC 100 recommended Varies 4
ESM/HYD 118 Evapotranspiration Principles, Meas, & Modeling HYD 124; consent of instructor III 4
HYD 141 Physical Hydrology PHY 9B; MAT 21B   4
HYD 143** Ecohydrology HYD 10 or 141 or ESP 1 or ESM 100 or ESM 108 or ESM 120 or GEL 1 or SSC 100 II 4
HYD 144 Groundwater Hydrology MAT 12 or 16B or 21A I 4
HYD 145 Water Science and Design HYD 141 or ESM 100; MAT 16B or 21B or consent of instructor II 4
Select one physical environments course
ESP 151L Limnology Lab ESP 151 (can be concurrent) III 3
ESP 152 Coastal Oceanography Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program IV 3
GEL 35 Rivers None III 3
GEL 109 Sediments and Strata GEL 1 or 50 I 3
GEL 136 Ecogeomorphology of Rivers & Streams Enrollment by application only, not offered every year III 5
GEL 140** Intro to Process Geomorphology GEL 1 or 50; MAT 16B or 17B or 21B I 4
Select one spatial data analysis course
ABT 181N* Concepts & Methods in GIS LDA 150 or consent of instructor II 4
ABT/HYD 182** Environmental Analysis with GIS ABT 150 or equiv GIS experience, biology and/or ecology courses rec. II 4
ESM 185 Aerial Photo Interp. & Remote Sensing Upper division standing I 4
ESP 106 Environmental Data Science STA 13 or 32 or 100 (can be concurrent) II 4
Select one evapotranspiration course
ATM 133 Biometeorology MAT 16B; one course in a biological discipline or consent of instructor II 4
ESM/HYD 118 Evapotranspiration Principles, Meas, & Modeling HYD 124; consent of instructor III 4
HYD 124 Plant-Water Relations SSC 100 or SSC 107; PLS 100A or PLB 111; or consent of instructor III 4
Select two environmental policy courses
ESP 166 Ocean and Coastal Policy ESP 1 or consent of instructor I 3
ESP 168A Methods of Env Policy Analysis ESP 1 or 10; STA 13 or 100; ECN 1A or 1AV; ECN 100A recommended I 5
ESP 169** Water Policy and Politics ECN 1A or POL 1 recommended III 3
ESP 172 Public Lands Management ECN 1A and POL 1 recommended I 4
ESP 173 Land Use & Growth Control Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe summer abroad program IV 4
ESP 174 Environmental Justice Policy and 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 soil science course
SSC 105 Field Studies of Soils in CA Ecosystems Summer field course IV 5
SSC 118 Soils in Land Use and the Environment SSC 100 or equivalent recommended III 4
SSC 120 Soil Genesis, Morphology, and Classification SSC 100; GEL 50 recommended III 5
Select one aquatic organisms and habitats course
ESP 151 Limnology BIS 2A and 2B; BIS 2C and ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended III 4
EVE 115* Marine Ecology ESP 100, EVE 101, or BIS 2B, or consent of instructor II 4
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

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
Watershed Science track requirements