Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Restoration

This is an archived copy of the 2017-2018 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.umt.edu/.

The major in Ecosystem Science and Restoration prepares students to understand how ecosystems work to solve pressing environmental problems or help restore degraded ecosystems. Students can select one of two options:

  • the terrestrial concentration, which focuses on the understanding and repair of terrestrial ecosystems; and
  • the aquatic concentration, which focuses on aquatic ecosystem function and watershed restoration.

Students engage in field-based learning, contribute to cutting-edge restoration or ecosystem science projects, and are challenged to apply ecological theory to restoration practice. The major requires completion of a nine-credit restoration capstone, during which students gain hands-on real-world experience planning and implementing restoration projects in partnership with natural resource management agencies and organizations in western Montana.

A degree in Ecosystem Science and Restoration prepares students for careers as ecologists or restoration practitioners with non-profit, private, or governmental agencies and for graduate school in ecology or natural resource management. Students who graduate with this major may qualify for the following federal civil service jobs:

  • biological technician (Series 0404),
  • ecologist (Series GS-408),
  • forester (Series G-460),
  • hydrologist (Series GS-1315) and
  • soil conservationist (Series GS-457).

More information on federal civil service requirements can be found at : https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Title .

Bachelor of Science - Ecosystem Science & Restoration; Terrestrial Concentration

W.A Franke College of Forestry & Conservation

Degree Specific Credits: 88

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Catalog Year: 2017-2018

General Education Requirements

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the General Education Section of the catalog. 

Summary

Major Required Courses12
Outside Major Required Courses34-35
Major Required Courses19-24
Outside Major Required Courses9
Restoration Terrestrial Electives9
Restoration Social Science Elective Courses3
Writing Required for the Major15
Lower Division Writing
Upper Division Writing
Math Requirement for Major4
Exception to the Modern/Classical Languages Requirement3-4
Expressive Arts Requirement for Major3
Social Sciences3
Ethical & Human Values Elective within Major3
Natural Sciences within Major7
Total Hours124-131

Major Required Courses

Must take all courses
NRSM 121SNature of Montana3
or NRSM 170 International Envir. Change
NRSM 200Nat.Resource Professional Wrtg3
NRSM 210NSoils, Water and Climate3
NRSM 265Elements of Ecological Restora3
Total Hours12

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Outside Major Required Courses

Must take all courses
BIOB 160NPrinciples of Living Systems3
BIOB 161NPrncpls of Living Systems Lab1
BIOB 260Cellular and Molecular Biology4
BIOB 272Genetics and Evolution4
BIOO 105NIntroduction to Botany3
CHMY 121NIntroduction to General Chemistry3
CHMY 123Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry3
COMX 111AIntro to Public Speaking3
or THTR 120A Introduction to Acting I
M 162Applied Calculus4
WRIT 101College Writing I3
Select one of the following:3-4
STAT 216
Introduction to Statistics
FORS 201
Forest Biometrics
WILD 240
Intro to Biostatistics
Total Hours34-35

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Major Required Courses

Must take all courses
NRSM 344Ecosystem Science and Restoration Capstone5
NRSM 385Watershed Hydrology3
NRSM 389EEthics Forestry & Conservation3
or NRSM 449E Climate Change Ethics/Policy
NRSM 422Nat Res Policy/Administration3
NRSM 465Foundations of Restoration Ecology3
or BIOE 447 Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology
NRSM 494Ecosystem Science and Restoration Seminar1
NRSM 495Ecosystem Science and Restoration Practicum1-6
Total Hours19-24

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Outside Major Required Courses

Note: Can take BIOE 448 OR FORS 330 OR NRSM 462

Must take all courses
BIOE 370General Ecology3
BIOO 335Rocky Mountain Flora3
Total Hours6

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Restoration Terrestrial Electives

Note: No Double Dipping with CORE courses

Select at least 9 credits from the following:9
BIOE 342
Field Ecology
BIOE 416
Alpine Ecology
BIOE 447
Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology
BIOE 448
Terrestrial Plant Ecology
BIOE 451
Landscape Ecology
BIOE 458
Forest and Grassland Ecol
BIOO 320
General Botany
BIOO 433
Plant Physiology
FORS 202
Forest Mensuration
FORS 250
Intro to GIS for Forest Mgt
FORS 330
Forest Ecology
FORS 331
Wildland Fuel Management
FORS 333
Fire Ecology
FORS 347
Multiple Resource Silviculture
GEO 318
Climate System Dynamics
NRSM 360
Rangeland Mgt (equiv 260)
NRSM 408
Global Cycles and Climate
NRSM 415
Environmental Soil Science
NRSM 418
Ecosystem Climatology
NRSM 465
Foundations of Restoration Ecology
NRSM 462
Rangeland Ecology
WILD 470
Conserv of Wildlife Populatns
Total Hours9

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Restoration Social Science Elective Courses

Select at least one of the following:3
ECNS 433
Economics of the Environment
FORS 320
Forest Environmental Economics
NRSM 379
Collab in Nat Res Decisions
NRSM 426
Climate and Society
NRSM 475
Environment & Development
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Writing Required for the Major

Rule: Must complete the following subcategories

Lower Division Writing

NRSM 200Nat.Resource Professional Wrtg3
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Upper Division Writing

Select at least three of the following:9
BIOE 428
Freshwater Ecology
FORS 330
Forest Ecology
NRSM 344
Ecosystem Science and Restoration Capstone
NRSM 379
Collab in Nat Res Decisions
NRSM 495
Ecosystem Science and Restoration Practicum
NRSM 499
Senior Thesis
Total Hours9

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Math Requirement for Major

Rule: Must take all courses

M 162Applied Calculus4
Total Hours4

Minimum Required Grade: C- 

Exception to the Modern/Classical Languages Requirement

Rule: The Ecosystem Science and Restoration major has been granted an exception to the Modern/Classical Language Requirement. Must take one of the following courses to will satisfy this requirement. 

Select one of the following:3-4
FORS 201
Forest Biometrics
STAT 216
Introduction to Statistics
WILD 240
Intro to Biostatistics
Total Hours3-4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Expressive Arts Requirement for Major

Rule: must take one of the following courses

COMX 111AIntro to Public Speaking3
or THTR 120A Introduction to Acting I
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Social Sciences

Rule: May take the below course

NRSM 121SNature of Montana3
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Ethical & Human Values Elective within Major

Rule: must take one of the following courses

NRSM 449EClimate Change Ethics/Policy3
or NRSM 389E Ethics Forestry & Conservation
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Natural Sciences within Major

Rule: Must take all courses

BIOB 160NPrinciples of Living Systems3
BIOB 161NPrncpls of Living Systems Lab1
CHMY 121NIntroduction to General Chemistry3
Total Hours7

Minimum Required Grade: C-