Fisheries and Water Resources: Water Resources Option, B.S.

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This major is administered by the Fisheries and Water Resources Discipline.

The fisheries and water resources bachelor of science degree prepares you for a career or graduate study in fishery science or management, aquatic biology, hydrology, hydrogeology (groundwater), laboratory analysis of water and environmental samples, aquatic toxicology, and the assessment and management of water resources. You must select one of three options: Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ; Hydrology ; or Water Resources .

In the water resources option you develop a flexible program of courses with your adviser to prepare you for one or more career paths. You can emphasize the physical, chemical or biological aspects of water resource management or combinations thereof. The breadth of electives allows you to complete a minor in such areas as chemistry, soil science, geographic information systems and spatial analysis that will enhance and focus your career opportunities. Graduates are normally employed by environmental consulting firms, or by county, state, tribal or federal resource management agencies that are involved in protecting and managing the quality and quantity of water resources.

Consists of 96-103 credits.

Water resources, 17 credits

Natural resources, 23 credits

Chemical sciences, 8-13 credits

CHEM 105 - Fundamental Chemistry 5 cr. and
CHEM 106 - Fundamental Chemistry 5 cr.
or
CHEM 117 - General Chemistry Principles 5 cr.
SOIL 479 - Environmental Fate of Organic Chemicals 3 cr.

Biological sciences, 5 credits

BIOL 101 - General Biology 5 cr. or
BIOL 130 - Introduction to Plant Biology 5 cr. or
BIOL 160 - Introduction to Animal Biology 5 cr.

Physical sciences, 4 credits

GEOL 104 - Physical Geology 4 cr.

Mathematics and statistics, 8-9 credits

MATH 111 - Applied Calculus 4 cr. or
MATH 225 - Calculus I 5 cr.
and
MATH 255 - Elementary Statistical Methods 4 cr.

Science electives, 12 credits

Choose from:

MATH 226 - Calculus II 5 cr.
PHYS 101 - General Physics 5 cr.
PHYS 201 - Applied Principles of Physics I 4 cr.
PHYS 202 - Applied Principles of Physics II 3 cr.
any biology, chemistry, geology or soils courses that are not taken to satisfy other requirements.

Water electives, 12 credits

Select from any water courses numbered 300 or above that are not taken to satisfy other requirements. No more than 6 credits of WATR 381 may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Professional Field Experience, 7-8 credits

Choose Option A or B:

A. Field techniques in Natural Resources, 7 credits

FOR 319 - Land Surveying 1 cr.
FOR 320 - Field Experience in Forest Measurement 1 cr.
NRES 405 - Selected Topics in Natural Resources 1-3 cr. (Take 1 credit)
SOIL 359 - Soil Conservation and Watershed Inventory Techniques 1 cr.
SOIL 360 - Field Experience in Soil Inventory Methods 1 cr.
WLDL 340 - Field Experience in Wildlife Management Techniques 1 cr.
WATR 380 - Field Experience in Aquatic Ecosystem Evaluation 1 cr.

B. European summer program, 8 credits

NRES 475 - International Field Experiences in Natural Resources Management 1-8 cr.

Note

The Field Techniques in Natural Resources satisfies the Experiential Learning GEP requirement. For more information, see the GEP section of the Catalog.

Communication in the Major

WATR 390 - Water Chemistry and Analysis 4 cr.
and
WATR 482 - Biological Assessment of Water Quality 3 cr.

Capstone Experience

WATR 482 - Biological Assessment of Water Quality 3 cr.