Program Overview

Major in Watershed Science and Sustainability, Watershed Data Concentration

The Watershed Data concentration focuses on fusing data science skills and techniques with deep knowledge of the physical, chemical, social, and biological factors that affect the quantity and quality of water as it moves through ecosystems. Students will engage in field, laboratory, and classroom research in both watershed and data science courses, and graduate with a Minor in Applied Data Science in addition to their major.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

1. Articulate core concepts in watershed science and sustainability including climate processes, surface and subsurface hydrology, water quality, human uses of water, and sustainable water management.
2. Apply data science techniques to spatial and temporal datasets to address watershed and water resource problems.
3. Collect, analyze, and interpret meteorological, hydrological, and water quality, water use and management data.
4. Analyze watershed problems and sustainability challenges using geospatial data, field observations, sensor data, and watershed models.
5. Demonstrate strong critical thinking, writing, and oral communication skills.

Program Requirements

The program starts with students taking core foundational physical and mathematical courses that build towards an understanding of how to use watershed data to better understand watershed function and management. Core classes emphasize watershed science, data analysis, data science techniques, and combining these skills for dynamic research and reporting.

• Freshman:
  • CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
  • CS 152: Python for STEM
  • STAT 158: Introduction to R Programming
  • WR 204/GR 204: Sustainable Watersheds (GT-SC2)
  • Select 4 credits from the following: BZ 110 & BZ 111, BZ 120
  • Select one course from the following: CHEM 107, CHEM 111
  • Select one course from the following: ESS 210/GR 210, GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, GEOL 150
  • Select one course from the following: MATH 155, MATH 160
  • 1C: 1C
  • Arts and Humanities: 3B
• Sophomore:
  • CS 220: Discrete Structures and the Applications
  • DSCI 369: Linear Algebra for Data Science
  • NR 319: Introduction to Geospatial Science
  • SOCR 240: Introductory Soil Science
  • Select one course from the following: PH 121, PH 141
  • Select one course from the following: STAT 301, STAT 315
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3C
  • Electives: 3
• Summer:
  • NR 220: Natural Resource Ecology and Measurements
• Junior:
  • AREC 342: Water Law, Policy, and Institutions
  • DSCI 335: Inferential Reasoning in Data Analysis
  • STAT 341: Statistical Data Analysis I
  • WR 416: Land Use Hydrology
  • WR 418: Land Use and Water Quality
  • WR 474: Snow Hydrology
  • WR 486: Watershed Field Practicum
  • Select one course from the following: CO 301B, JTC 300
  • Watershed Science Department List (see list below): 3
  • Historical Perspectives: 3D
• Senior:
  • WR 417: Watershed Measurements
  • WR 440: Watershed Problem Analysis
  • Watershed Science Department List (see list below): 9
  • Arts and Humanities: 3B
  • Electives: 7-8

Watershed Science Department List

Select a minimum of 12 credits from courses not taken elsewhere in the program. Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.

• AREC 330: Data-Driven Ag and Res Econ Decision Making
• AREC 335/ECON 335: Introduction to Econometrics
• AREC 340/ECON 340: Introduction-Economics of Natural Resources
• AREC 341: Environmental Economics
• AREC 375: Agricultural Law
• AREC 442: Water Resource Economics
• ATS 350: Introduction to Weather and Climate
• ATS 351: Introduction to Weather and Climate Lab
• BZ 440: Plant Physiology
• BZ 441: Plant Physiology Laboratory
• BZ 450: Plant Ecology
• BZ 471: Stream Biology and Ecology
• BZ 472: Stream Biology and Ecology Laboratory
• CHEM 334: Quantitative Analysis Laboratory
• CHEM 335: Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
• CHEM 338: Environmental Chemistry
• CIVE 322: Basic Hydrology
• CIVE 330: Ecological Engineering
• CIVE 421: Global Water Challenges
• CIVE 423: Groundwater Engineering
• CIVE 440: Nonpoint Source Pollution
• CIVE 515: River Mechanics
• CS 345: Machine Learning Foundations and Practice
• DSCI 320/MATH 320: Optimization Methods in Data Science
• DSCI 335: Inferential Reasoning in Data Analysis
• DSCI 336: Data Graphics and Visualization
• DSCI 445: Statistical Machine Learning
• ERHS 320: Environmental Health--Water Quality
• ERHS 448: Environmental Contaminants
• ESS 311: Ecosystem Ecology
• ESS 312: Sustainability Science
• ESS 330: Quantitative Reasoning for Ecosystem Science
• ESS 353: Global Change Impacts, Adaptation, Mitigation
• ESS 365: Global Climate Justice
• ESS 400: Global Perspectives on Sustainability
• ESS 474: Limnology
• ESS 523A: Environmental Data Science Applications: Introduction
• ESS 523C/WR 523C: Environmental Data Science Applications: Water Resources
• F 311: Forest Ecology
• F 324: Fire Effects and Adaptations
• FW 300: Biology and Diversity of Fishes
• FW 301: Ichthyology Laboratory
• GEOL 446: Environmental Geology
• GEOL 452: Hydrogeology
• GEOL 454: Geomorphology
• GES 440/ATS 440: Sea Level Rise and a Sustainable Future
• GES 450: Global Sustainability and Health
• GES 460: Law and Sustainability
• GES 470: Applications of Environmental Sustainability
• GR 320: Cultural Geography
• GR 330: Urban Geography
• GR 331: Geography of Farming Systems
• GR 333: Glaciers and Climate Change
• GR 348: Biogeography
• GR 410: Climate Change: Science, Policy, Implications
• GRAD 592: Water Resources Seminar
• HIST 355: American Environmental History
• NR 310: Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being
• NR 320: Natural Resources History and Policy
• NR 323/GR 323: Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation
• NR 330: Human Dimensions in Natural Resources
• NR 375: Environment and Natural Resources Leadership
• NR 400: Public Communication in Natural Resources
• NR 422: GIS Applications in Natural Resource Management
• NR 425: Natural Resource Policy and Sustainability
• NR 450: Geospatial Project Design and Analysis
• NR 453: Geospatial Field Methods in Natural Resources
• NRRT 330: Social Aspects of Natural Resource Management
• NRRT 362: Environmental Conflict Management
• RS 378: Disturbance Ecology
• RS 432: Rangeland Measurements and Monitoring
• RS 478: Ecological Restoration
• SOCR 370: Climate-Smart Irrigation Principles
• SOCR 371: Climate-Smart Irrigation Management
• SOCR 375: Soil Biogeochemistry
• SOCR 425: Internet of Ag Things--Sensors and Data Lab
• SOCR 440: Pedology
• SOCR 442: Forest and Range Soils
• STAT 305: Sampling Techniques
• STAT 342: Statistical Data Analysis II
• WR 406: Seasonal Snow Environments
• WR 575: Snow Hydrology Field Methods

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program

This program assumes that students will either test out of or take the prerequisite Mathematics courses (MATH 117, MATH 118, MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126) prior to the courses listed in this plan.