ESF Academic Catalog
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Education and Interpretation

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Environmental Education teaches people of all ages about the natural environment, so that they can make informed decisions on how to care for it.

Interpretation is a communications process that reveals meanings and relationships about natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources. Interpretation and environmental education work hand-in-hand to help make connections between the world of science and the public. Through the art of interpretation, students will learn how to help people make connections with the natural world and science through educational programs and materials.

Students may enter the Bachelor of Science program as first-year students or as transfer students. In the first two years of the program, students develop a foundation in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences as they relate to environmental affairs. During that time, students also fulfill SUNY general education requirements and take some open elective courses.

Required Courses

Course Number Course Codes * Credits
APM 104
OR
APM 105 		College Algebra & PreCalculus

Survey Of Calc & Appl I 		G 3

4
APM 210 Intro/Probability&Stats G 3
EFB 101 Gen Bio I:Organismal Bio&Ecol G 3
EFB 102 General Biology I Laboratory G 1
EFB 103 Gen Bio II:Cell Bio & Genetics G 3
EFB 104 General Biology II Laboratory G 1
EFB 120 The Global Envirnmnt & Society G 3
EFB 210 Diversity of Life I 3
EFB 211 Diversity of Life II 3
EFB 320 General Ecology 4
EST 132 Orientation Seminar:EST 1
EST 133 Intro to Environmental Studies 3
EST 361 DivrseHstries of Amer EnvMvmnt G 3
EST 370 Intro/Pers Env Interp Methods 3
EST 407 Assessment for Env Programs 3
EST 415 Environmental Justice 3
EST 444 Creative Responses to the Env 3
EST 471 Non-Personal Envrn Interp Meth 3
EST 494 Sr. Seminar in Envrn Studies 1
EST 499 Envrn Studies Internship 3
EWP 190 Writing And The Envrnment G 3
EWP 290 Research Writing & Humanities G 3
FCH 150 General Chemistry I G 3
FCH 151 General Chemistry I Lab G 1
FOR 372 Fund/Outdoor Recreation 3

Electives

Course Codes* Credits
General Education Course in one of the following categories:The Arts, Western Civilization, Other World Civilizations, Foreign Language G 3
Directed Electives   30
Open Electives   24

 

Directed Electives: Environmental Education & Interpretation

  1. Conservation Biology and Resource Management
    At least 6 credits hours must be in the subject area of advanced conservation biology and Management. Allowable courses are listed below. The list may vary slightly from year to year.
    • EFB 370 Population Ecology and Management
    • EFB 390 Wildlife Ecology & Management (4 cr.) F
    • EFB 413 Introduction to Conservation Biology (4 cr.) S
    • EFB 423 Marine Biology (4 cr.) S even years
    • EFB 487 Fisheries Science and Management (3 cr.) F
    • EST 220 Urban Ecology (3 cr.) F
    • FOR 332 Forest Ecology (4 cr.) F
    • FOR 404 Ecotourism Abroad (3 cr.) S
    • FOR 475 Recreation Behavior and Management (3 cr.) F
    • FOR 476 Ecotourism and Nature Tourism (3 cr.) F
  2. Advanced Communication
    At least 6 credit hours must be in the subject area of advanced communication. Allowable courses are listed below. The list may vary slightly from year to year.
    • EST 395 Public Communication of Science and Technology (3 cr.) S
    • EST 493 Environmental Communication Workshop (3 cr.) S
    • EWP 390 Literature of Nature (3 cr.) F, S
    • EWP 394 The Art of Storytelling (3 cr.) F
    • EWP 407 Writing for Environmental and Science Professionals (3 cr.) F, S
    • EWP 420 Public Presentation Skills (3 cr.) F, S
    • EWP 450 Digital Storytelling (3 cr.) F, S
    • EWP 494 Creative Non-fiction in the Sciences (3 cr.) S
    • LSA 300 Digital Methods and Graphics I (3 cr.) F
  3. Advanced Environmental Education and Interpretation
    At least 3 credit hours must be in the subject area of advanced interpretation. Allowable courses are listed below. The list may vary slightly from year to year.
    • EST 333 Inquiry-Based Science Education (3 cr.) S
    • EST 472 Natural History Museums and Modern Science (3 cr.) Maymester
    • EST 474 Advanced Interpretation and Environmental Education (3 cr.) S
  4. Organismal Diversity
    To encourage breadth in organism-level biology, students must complete 12 credit hours in any combination from this list.
    • Environmental Biology
      • EFB 202 Ecological Monitoring & Bio Assess (3 cr.) CLBS Summer
    • Earth Sciences
      • EST 231 Environmental Geology (3 cr.) S
      • FOR 338 Meteorology (3 cr.) S
      • FOR 340 Watershed Hydrology (3 cr.) S
      • FOR 345 Introduction to Soils (3 cr.) F
      • FOR 442 Watershed Ecology and Management (3 cr.) F
      • Diversity of Microorganisms
      • EFB 303 Introductory Environmental Microbiology (4 cr.) F
      • EFB 340 Forest and Shade Tree Pathology (3 cr.) S
      • EFB 342 Fungal Diversity and Ecology (3 cr.) CLBS
      • EFB 428 Mycorrhizal Ecology (3cr.) F, even years
      • EFB 440 Mycology (3 cr.) F
    • Diversity of Plants
      • EFB 326 Plant Evolution, Diversification and Conservation (3 cr.) S
      • EFB 327 Adirondack Flora (3 cr.) CLBS
      • EFB 336 Dendrology (3 cr.) F
      • EFB 337 Field Ethnobotany (3 cr.) CLBS
      • EFB 435 Flowering Plants: Diversity, Evolution, and Systematics (3 cr.) F
      • EFB 446 Ecology of Mosses (3 cr.) S
      • EFB 496 Flora of Central NY (3 cr.) Maymester
      • EFB 496 Wetland Plants & Communities of Adirondacks (3 cr.) CLBS
    • Diversity of Invertebrate Animals
      • EFB 351 Principles of Forest Entomology (3 cr.) S
      • EFB 352 Elements of Entomology (3 cr.) F
      • EFB 355 Invertebrate Zoology (4 cr.) S
      • EFB 453 Parasitology (3 cr.) F
      • EFB 554 Aquatic Entomology (3 cr.) F
    • Diversity of Vertebrate Animals
      • EFB 388 Ecology of Adirondack Fishes (3 cr.) CLBS
      • EFB 482 Ornithology (4 cr.) S
      • EFB 483 Mammal Diversity (4 cr.) F
      • EFB 484 Winter Mammalian Ecology (3 cr.) S
      • EFB 485 Herpetology (3 cr.) S
      • EFB 486 Ichthyology (3 cr.) S

  5. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice
    At least 3 credit hours are required in this subject area related to the inclusion of diverse perspectives in Environmental Education and Interpretation.

    • Refer to general education list for DEISJ approved courses

Total Minimum Credits For Degree: 123