At UWM, students with a passion for nature and the environment can obtain a solid education in the natural sciences that are central to environmental science - biology, geosciences, and chemistry - and the social sciences of geography, economics, and politics which guide the application of conservation and environmental science in the real world.
Students at UWM can focus their conservation and environmental science work around land resources, water resources, biological resources/biodiversity, or environmental analysis. Internships and field work complement classroom learning. These opportunities can be found locally at UWM's own Field Station, on Lake Michigan aboard UWM's R/V Neeskay vessel, and at local agencies, or abroad in places as far flung as Iceland, Africa, Romania and the Caribbean.
An active Conservation Club is another student advantage at UWM. Activities range from on-campus sustainability projects to professional networking and more.
UWM’s CES major builds on students’ passion to solve environmental issues through either a BS or a BA degree. The BS requires more courses in math, biology, chemistry, and science and is suitable for careers in field or laboratory work, while the BA has fewer electives in science for a career in public programming, education, or administration.
Because of the breadth and flexibility of this major, students should consult with the Director and/or Coordinator to plan a course of study, preferably before the start of their sophomore year. It is particularly important to begin the introductory course sequences early, since they are prerequisites for advanced courses.
It is recommended that students obtain at least one semester of practical work or internship experience, either as an employee or as a volunteer, with state or federal resource management agencies, consulting firms, conservation or environmental organizations, or with nature centers or local parks.
Requirements
Course of Study – Bachelor of Arts Degree
Complete 120 credits including 90 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 90 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major. Students are also required to complete University-wide General Education Requirements and the specific L&S requirements listed below.
To complete a major, students must satisfy all the requirements of the major as stated in this catalog. Students who declare their majors within five years of entering the UW System as a degree candidate may satisfy the requirements outlined in any catalog issued since the time they entered. Credits used to satisfy the major also may be used to satisfy other degree requirements.
University General Education Requirements (GER)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Oral and Written Communication | ||
| Part A | ||
| Achieve a grade of C or better in the following course: | ||
| ENGLISH 102 | College Writing and Research (or equivalent) | |
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as OWC-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Quantitative Literacy | ||
| Part A | ||
| Earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course, or achieve a placement code of at least 30 on the mathematics placement test (or other appropriate test, as determined by the Mathematical Sciences Department) | ||
| Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | ||
| Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to College Algebra | ||
| Algebraic Literacy II | ||
| Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning 1 | ||
or PHILOS 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning | |
| College Algebra | ||
Or equivalent course | ||
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as QL-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits (at least two courses including one lab) | 6 | |
| UWM Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| Complete Foreign Language Requirement through: | ||
Two years (high school) of a single foreign language | ||
Two semesters (college) of a single foreign language | ||
Or equivalent | ||
| UWM Cultural Diversity Requirement | ||
| One course from the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences must also satisfy UWM's Cultural Diversity requirement | ||
- 1
Math 111 and Philosophy 111 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.
College of Letters & Science Requirements
I. English Composition Requirement
Students must satisfy the English Composition Requirement with one of the following options:
1) Completing ENGLISH 102 with a grade of C or higher; or
2) by placing beyond ENGLISH 102 on the English Placement Test (EPT) (or other assessment as determined by the English Department); or
3) transferring a course of at least 2.5 equivalent credits from another institution that is equivalent to English 102, or a UWM higher-level expository writing course, with a grade of C or higher.
Note: This requirement is the same as the University General Education Requirement for Oral and Written Communication Part A. The College of Letters & Science does not have a specific requirement for a writing course beyond English 102, but students must complete the university-wide requirement for Oral and Written Communication Part B listed above.
II. Mathematics and Formal Reasoning
To satisfy the Mathematics and Formal Reasoning Requirement, students must satisfy the following two requirements:
1. Achieve a placement code of at least 30 on the mathematics placement test (or other appropriate test, as determined by the Mathematical Sciences Department) or earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 102 | Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | 3 |
| MATH 103 | Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | 3 |
| MATH 105 | Introduction to College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 108 | Algebraic Literacy II | 3 |
| MATH 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning 1 | 3 |
| or PHILOS 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning | |
| MATH 116 | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 175 | Mathematical Explorations for Elementary Teachers I | 3 |
- 1
Math 111 and Philosophy 111 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.
Note: This requirement is the same as the University General Education Requirement for Quantitative Literacy Part A, listed above.
2. Complete one course (at least 3 credits) at the 200 level or above chosen from courses in Mathematics, PHILOS 211, or Letters and Science statistics courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | ||
3 or more credits in any 200-level or above Math course | ||
| Introduction to Statistics in African and African Diaspora Studies | ||
| Introduction to Anthropological Statistics | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Economic Statistics | ||
| Quantitative Analysis in Geography | ||
| The Quantitative Analysis of Historical Data | ||
| Elementary Statistical Analysis | ||
| Elementary Logic | ||
| Political Data Analysis | ||
| Survey Research | ||
| Psychological Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Thinking in Sociology | ||
Note: This requirement is NOT the same as the University General Education Requirement for Quantitative Literacy Part B. To complete the BA, students must take one of the L&S approved courses. Not all of the courses listed here will satisfy the QL-B requirement.
III. Foreign Language Requirement
Placement testing may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. Language courses (including American Sign Language) other than English taken in high school may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. One year of high school language equates to one semester of college work.
Completion of the L&S Language Requirement also satisfies the university-wide Foreign Language GER, but not vice versa.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Completed in one of the following ways: | 0-18 | |
Successful completion of the 4th semester of college work or equivalent in one language other than English (including American Sign Language) | ||
Successful completion of the 3rd semester of college work or equivalent in one language other than English (including American Sign Language) PLUS the 2nd semester of college work or equivalent in another language other than English (including American Sign Language) | ||
IV. International Requirement
See Approved Courses for the L&S International Requirement for course options.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Completed in one of the following ways: | 9 | |
Complete 3 courses (min. 9 cr) in a single foreign language (not including literature-in-translation or American Sign Language) at the 3rd semester level and above | ||
Complete 3 non-language courses (min. 9 credits) with an international content chosen from at least 2 curricular areas. | ||
Complete 9 credits in combination of the two options above. | ||
V. Breadth Requirement
Along with completing the University General Education Requirements of 3 credits in the Arts (A); 6 credits in the Humanities (HU), Social Sciences (SS), and Natural Sciences (NS/NS+); and a course with the Cultural Diversity (CD/+) designation, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S courses with Humanities Breadth designation; no more than 6 credits from a single subject area. * | 12 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S Courses with Social Science Breadth designation; no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area. * | 12 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S Courses with Natural Sciences Breadth designation, including at least one laboratory or field course; no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area. * | 12 | |
| Cultural Diversity | ||
| Complete 3 credits in a course with Cultural Diversity (CD) designation. ** | 3 | |
- *
Students should check their course selections carefully with the list of approved L&S Breadth Courses. Students are advised to select at least 6 credits worth of courses in each of the Humanities, Social Science, and Natural Sciences areas that can satisfy both the campus-wide General Education Requirements and the L&S Breadth requirement.
- **
Students are advised to select a course that satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement as well as a Humanities or Social Science breadth/GER requirement.
VI. The Major
The College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. Individual departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation. Some departmental majors require courses from other departments. Contact your major department for information on whether those credits will count as part of the major GPA. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major.
Research Requirement
Within their majors, students must complete a research experience approved by the L&S faculty. A list of courses satisfying the research requirement in each major can be found here.
VII. The Minor
The College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work.
Conservation and Environmental Science Major Requirements
For those students interested in the Water Track, please see the Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Environmental Science major.
Coursework for the Major (Conservation and Natural Resources Track)
The Conservation and Natural Resources Track requires a minimum of 54 credits, 29 of which are advanced-level. All students in the Conservation and Natural Resources track must fulfill the required 36 credits (25 lower-level core credits, and 11 advanced-level credits) and an additional 18 advanced-level credits from among the approved Conservation and Natural Resources Track electives.
Students must complete the courses listed below, including at least 15 upper-division (numbered 300 and above) credits in the major in residence at UWM. The College of Letters & Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Introductory Core | ||
| BIO SCI 150 | Foundations of Biological Sciences I | 4 |
| BIO SCI 152 | Foundations of Biological Sciences II | 4 |
| CES 210 | Introduction to Conservation and Environmental Science | 3 |
| CHEM 102 | General Chemistry | 5 |
| GEO SCI 100 | Introduction to the Earth | 3 |
| or GEOG 120 | Our Physical Environment | |
| GEO SCI 102 | Principles of Historical Geology | 3 |
| or GEO SCI 150 | Introduction to Ocean Sciences | |
| GEOG 215 | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3 |
| Mid-Level Distributional Requirement | ||
| BIO SCI 310 | General Ecology | 4 |
| GEOG 350 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| Upper-Level Core | ||
| Select 18 upper-level approved CES electives with at least 3 credits taken from each of the following areas | 18 | |
Biological Sciences | ||
Geosciences | ||
Geography | ||
| Research Requirement | ||
| CES 471 | Practicum in Natural Resources Management | 4 |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
List of Approved Electives in the Conservation and Natural Resources Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 103 | Digging Up the Past: Approaches to Archaeology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 289 | Internship in Biological Sciences, Lower Division | 1-6 |
| BIO SCI 315 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 325 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIO SCI 358 | Birds of Wisconsin | 2 |
| BIO SCI 370 | Mammalian Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 383 | General Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO SCI 406 | Marine Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 440 | Ecology and Evolution of Amphibians and Reptiles | 3 |
| BIO SCI 451 | Field Methods in Conservation | 3 |
| BIO SCI 465 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIO SCI 480 | Ecological Genetics | 3 |
| BIO SCI 489 | Internship in Biological Sciences, Upper Division | 1-6 |
| BIO SCI 500 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 501 | Plant and Aquatic Ecophysiology Laboratory | 3 |
| BIO SCI 502 | Introduction to Programming and Modeling in Ecology and Evolution | 3 |
| BIO SCI 505 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 511 | Ichthyology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 512 | Limnology I | 3 |
| BIO SCI 523 | Evolution and Ecology of Birds | 3 |
| BIO SCI 532 | Behavioral Ecology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 540 | Microbial Diversity and Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 562 | Topics in Field Biology: | 1-2 |
| BIO SCI 567 | Fish Health | 3 |
| BIO SCI 575 | Evolutionary Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 611 | Seminar on Recent Advances in Limnology and Oceanography | 2 |
| CES 289 | Internship in Environmental Studies, Lower Division | 1-6 |
| CES 451 | Field Methods in Conservation | 3 |
| CES 461 | The Politics and Policy of Sustainability | 3 |
| CES 489 | Internship in Environmental Studies, Upper Division | 1-6 |
| CES 497 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| CES 499 | Ad Hoc: | 1-6 |
| CES 515 | Environmental Law for Natural Resource Managers | 3 |
| CES 571 | Practical Approaches to a Sustainable Future | 3 |
| CES 651 | Principles of Stream Management and Restoration | 3 |
| CHEM 104 | General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis | 5 |
| CHEM 221 | Elementary Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| CHEM 341 | Introductory Survey of Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 342 | Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 344 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 345 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 524 | Instrumental Analysis | 3 |
| CHEM 560 | Biophysical Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 603 | Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| ECON 328 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| GEOG 215 | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3 |
| GEOG 247 | Quantitative Analysis in Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 304 | Human Impact on the Environment | 3 |
| GEOG 306 | Natural Hazards | 3 |
| GEOG 310 | General Climatology | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | Biogeography | 3 |
| GEOG 403 | Remote Sensing: Environmental and Land Use Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG 405 | Cartography | 4 |
| GEOG 415 | Hydrogeography | 3 |
| GEOG 450 | Climates of the Past and Climate Change | 3 |
| GEOG 464 | Environmental Problems | 3 |
| GEOG 515 | Watershed Analysis and Modeling | 3 |
| GEOG 520 | Physical Geography of the City | 3 |
| GEOG 525 | Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| GEOG 547 | Spatial Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG 564 | Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice | 3 |
| GEOG 625 | Intermediate Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| GEO SCI 301 | Principles of Mineralogy | 4 |
| GEO SCI 400 | Water Quality | 4 |
| GEO SCI 409 | Process Geomorphology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 443 | Glacial and Pleistocene Geology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 463 | Physical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 464 | Chemical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 511 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation | 4 |
| GEO SCI 515 | Physical Sedimentology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 520 | Introduction to Paleontology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 525 | Terroir: Geology in a Glass | 3 |
| GEO SCI 562 | Environmental Surface Hydrology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 563 | Field Methods in Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 696 | Topics in the Geological Sciences: | 1-3 |
| GEO SCI 697 | Seminar in the Geological Sciences: | 1-3 |
| MTHSTAT 215 | Elementary Statistical Analysis | 3 |
Approved CES Course Electives Outside of the College of Letters and Science
Although the following courses may count as credits toward the CES major requirements, they do not count to satisfy the advanced L&S credits requirement for the degree. Consult the program coordinator before enrolling any of these courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 340 | Urban Design | 3 |
| ATM SCI 100 | Survey of Meteorology | 3 |
| ATM SCI 240 | Introduction to Meteorology | 4 |
| ATM SCI 330 | Air-Pollution Meteorology | 3 |
| CIV ENG 492 | Environmental Impact Assessment | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 502 | Aquatic Ecosystem Dynamics | 3 |
| FRSHWTR 504 | Quantitative Freshwater Analysis | 3 |
| PH 375 | Topics in Public Health: | 3 |
| URBPLAN 591 | Introduction to Urban Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Planning | 3 |
Other Potential Courses
Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the Conservation and Environmental Science Program, students are encouraged to work with the program coordinator to identify classes that will enable them best to gain the knowledge to achieve their goals. CES students can petition the Program to accept many classes beyond those listed above, if they are appropriate for the major and the individual student's program of study. For example, the following courses may apply:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 390 | Special Topics: | 1-3 |
| ANTHRO 699 | Independent Work | 1-3 |
| BIO SCI 497 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| BIO SCI 599 | Special Topics in Biological Sciences: | 1-3 |
| BIO SCI 699 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| FRSHWTR 690 | Undergraduate Seminar in Freshwater Sciences: | 1-3 |
| GEOG 698 | GIS/Cartography Internship | 1-6 |
| GEOG 699 | Independent Work | 1-3 |
| GEO SCI 699 | Advanced Independent Reading | 1-3 |
Declaration of Major
Students wishing to declare the major can obtain the necessary information and materials from the Biological Sciences Office (Lapham Hall, Room 181) or the CES Program Coordinator’s office (Lapham Hall, Room 393) or from their College of Letters and Science advisor.
In order to be accepted into the CES program, students should be in their sophomore year and have completed:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CES 210 | Introduction to Conservation and Environmental Science | 3 |
| BIO SCI 150 | Foundations of Biological Sciences I | 4 |
| GEO SCI 100 | Introduction to the Earth | 3 |
| or GEOG 120 | Our Physical Environment | |
In addition to course work in the major, good communication skills are essential; students should take courses in public speaking and technical writing. Computer literacy and knowledge of statistics also are highly desirable. Additionally, introductory courses in economics, ethics, political science, and sociology are recommended. The coordinator or a Letters and Science advisor can provide a current list of recommended courses.
Letters & Science Advising
During your time at UWM, you may have multiple members of your success team, including advisors, peer mentors, and success coaches. Letters and Science students typically work with at least two different types of advisors as they pursue their degrees: professional College Advisors and Faculty Advisors. Departmental Faculty Advisors focus on the major while L&S College Advisors advise across your entire degree program.
College Advisors are located in Holton Hall and serve as your primary advisor. They are your point person for your questions about navigating college and completing your degree. College Advisors will:
- assist you in defining your academic and life goals;
- help you create an educational plan that is consistent with those goals;
- assist you in understanding curriculum, major and degree requirements for graduation, as well as university policies and procedures;
- provide you with information about campus and community resources and refer you to those resources as appropriate; and
- monitor your progress toward graduation and completion of requirements.
Faculty Advisors mentor students in the major and assist them in maximizing their development in the program. You will begin working with a Faculty Advisor when you declare your major. Faculty Advisors are an important partner and will:
- help you understand major requirements and course offerings in the department;
- explain opportunities for internships and undergraduate research and guide you in obtaining those experiences; and
- serve as an excellent resource as you consider potential graduate programs and career paths in your field.
Students are encouraged to meet with both their College Advisor and Faculty Advisor at least once each semester. Appointments are available in-person, by phone or by video.
Currently enrolled students should use the Navigate website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor or call (414) 229-4654 if you do not currently have an assigned Letters & Science advisor. Prospective students who haven't enrolled in classes yet should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
College of Letters and Science Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.