Program: Environmental Systems Science, Ecosystem Science Emphasis, B.S. - University of California Merced

Apr 03, 2025

2024-2025 Catalog

To receive the B.S. in Environmental Systems Sciences students must adhere to General Education Requirements and School of Natural Sciences Requirements . The Environmental Systems Science program consists of 81-92 units with a minimum of 25 courses designed to give all students a common foundation of core knowledge specific to the discipline.

Environmental Systems Science, Ecosystem Science Emphasis, B.S. Four-Year Course Plan

Requirements for the Environmental Systems Science Major

Biological or Environmental Systems Science Requirement [4 units]

Complete one of the following courses:

ESS 001: Introduction to Earth Systems Science Units: 4
ESS 002: Sustainability Science Units: 4
BIO 005: Concepts and Issues in Biology Today Units: 4
BIO 012: Introduction to Organismal Biology Units: 4

Environmental Systems Science Requirement [4 units]

Complete one lower division ESS course from the following, with *indicating courses recommended for the Earth and Climate Science emphasis track and ^indicating courses recommended for the Ecosystem Science emphasis track:

* ESS 010: Earth Resources and Society Units: 4
* ESS 015: Weather, Climate, and the Environment Units: 4
* ESS 020: Fundamentals of Geology Units: 4
*, ^ ESS 034: Introduction to Marine Science Units: 4
ESS 040: Air Quality, Air Resources and Environmental Health Units: 4
^ ESS 043: Biodiversity and Conservation Units: 4
^ ESS 050: Ecosystems of California Units: 4
^ ESS 060: Global Environmental Change Units: 4
^ ESS 065: Natural History of Dinosaurs Units: 4

General Chemistry Requirement [8 units]

Complete the following two chemistry courses:

CHEM 002: General Chemistry I Units: 4 or CHEM 002H
CHEM 010: General Chemistry II Units: 4 or CHEM 010H

Computer Science Requirement [2-4 units]

Complete one of the following computer science courses:

CSE 005: Introduction to Computer Applications Units: 4
CSE 019: Introduction to Computing Units: 4
CSE 022: Introduction to Programming Units: 4
MATH 015: Introduction to Scientific Data Analysis Units: 2

Mathematics Requirement [8 units]

Complete Calculus I and II:

MATH 011: Calculus I Units: 4 or
MATH 021: Calculus I for Physical Sciences and Engineering Units: 4
and
MATH 012: Calculus II Units: 4 or
MATH 022: Calculus II for Physical Sciences and Engineering Units: 4

Probability and Statistics Requirement [4-5 units]

Complete one of the following courses:

BIO 018: Data Science for Life Sciences Units: 4
ECON 010: Statistical Inference Units: 4
MATH 018: Statistics for Scientific Data Analysis Units: 4
MATH 032: Probability and Statistics Units: 4
PSY 010: Analysis of Psychological Data Units: 5

Physics Requirement [10 units]

Complete Introductory Physics I and II:

PHYS 008: Introductory Physics I for Physical Sciences Units: 4 or PHYS 008H
PHYS 008L: Introductory Physics I for Physical Sciences Lab Units: 1
PHYS 009: Introductory Physics II for Physical Sciences Units: 4 or PHYS 009H
PHYS 009L: Introductory Physics II for Physical Sciences Lab Units: 1
or
PHYS 018: Introductory Physics I for Biological Sciences Units: 4
PHYS 018L: Introductory Physics I for Biological Sciences Lab Units: 1
PHYS 019: Introductory Physics II for Biological Sciences Units: 4
PHYS 019L: Introductory Physics II for Biological Sciences Units: 1

Requirements for Ecosystem Science Emphasis

Upper Division Major Core Requirements [13 Units]

Complete all of the following courses:

ESS 120: Introduction to Ecological and Environmental Microbiology Units: 4
ESS 148: Fundamentals of Ecology Units: 4
ESS 170: Fundamentals of Soil Science Units: 3
ESS 170L: Soil Science Laboratory Units: 1
ESS 190: Undergraduate Seminar Units: 1

Upper Division Elective Courses [17-20 Units]

Within Emphasis

Complete four elective courses within the emphasis track from the following list:

ESS 100: Environmental Chemistry in Natural Sciences Units: 4
ESS 110: Hydrology and Climate Units: 4 *
ESS 113: Sustainability in the Anthropocene Units: 4 *
ESS 124: Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology Units: 4 *
ESS 125: Microbial Ecology Units: 4
ESS 129: Paleoecology Units: 3 *
ESS 130: Plant Biology Units: 4 *
ESS 133: Flora of California Units: 4 *
ESS 135: Ocean Science Units: 3
ESS 149: Conservation Biology Units: 4
ESS 155: Microbial Symbiosis Units: 4
ESS 159: Insect Ecology and Evolution Units: 4 *
ESS 172: Sustainability of Agricultural Ecosystems Units: 4 *
ESS 174: Ecosystems Through a Stable Isotope Lens Units: 4 *
*Recommended

Additional Elective Course

Complete one elective course outside the emphasis:

ESS 105: Biogeochemistry Units: 4
ESS 112: Subsurface Hydrology Units: 4
ESS 131: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Units: 4
ESS 132: Applied Climatology Units: 3
ESS 134: Air Pollution and Resources Units: 3
ESS 135: Ocean Science Units: 3
ESS 150: Geomorphology and Surface Processes Units: 4
ESS 172: Sustainability of Agricultural Ecosystems Units: 4
ESS 174: Ecosystems Through a Stable Isotope Lens Units: 4
ESS 179: Critical Zone Science Units: 4
ENVE 118: Climate Change: Science and Solutions Units: 4
MIST 118: Climate Change: Science and Solutions Units: 4

Additional Degree Requirement [11-17 Units]

Undergraduate Research Requirement [2-5 units]

Complete one of the following research courses for a minimum of two units:

ESS 094: Research in Environmental Systems Science Units: 4
ESS 095: Lower Division Undergraduate Research Units:
ESS 195: Upper Division Undergraduate Research Units:
ESS 148F: Ecology Research in the Field and Lab Units: 4
ENGR 097: Engineering Service Learning I Units: 2
ENGR 197: Engineering Service Learning II Units: 3

Natural Sciences or Engineering Course Requirement [9-12 units]

Complete one additional lower-division and two additional upper-division Natural Sciences or Engineering courses. Relevant courses outside of Natural Sciences or Engineering may be allowed with approval.

Transfer Students

To be admitted to the Environmental Systems Science major transfer students must meet the following requirements:

Applicants will, at the time of admission have completed at minimum each of the following courses (or their equivalent) with a “C-” or better:

CHEM 002: General Chemistry I Units: 4
CHEM 010: General Chemistry II Units: 4
MATH 011: Calculus I Units: 4 or
MATH 021: Calculus I for Physical Sciences and Engineering Units: 4
PHYS 018: Introductory Physics I for Biological Sciences Units: 4
PHYS 018L: Introductory Physics I for Biological Sciences Lab Units: 1
or
PHYS 008: Introductory Physics I for Physical Sciences Units: 4
PHYS 008L: Introductory Physics I for Physical Sciences Lab Units: 1

Additional Information

Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.8 in transferable courses. A one-year series of algebra or trigonometry-based physics may also be accepted in place of PHYS 8/8L or PHYS 18/18L. Any outstanding General Education and Major preparation coursework will be completed at UC Merced. Students should also consult the Information for Prospective Students link on the School of Natural Sciences website naturalsciences.ucmerced.edu for more information.

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