Environmental Biology & Applied Ecology Concentration

Tracking Your Degree Requirements

E&S has prepared a degree requirements tracking tool for you to use: the Degree Progress Checklist. The E&S Core and Concentration requirements are laid out visually, making it easier for you to track the courses you've taken and when. See links below for more information.

The Environmental Biology and Applied Ecology (EBAE) concentration provides students with the scientific basis for understanding the sustainability of various ecological systems. Students will learn advanced principles of biology and ecology, and their application to problems of environmental management. Students with interests in many topics will undertake this concentration, for example, wildlife and fisheries management; forest, wetland and aquatic ecology; environmental microbiology; conservation science; endangered and invasive species management; biological and ecological consequences of pollutants in the environment.

Note: Some courses in the concentration require more than the minimum core curriculum requirements, i.e., biology, math and physics. Always check course prerequisites.

If you are ready to declare your concentration, fill out this form.

Course requirements

Semester Key: F=Fall, S=Spring, Su=Summer

  • Students may not use the same course to fulfill both a core and concentration requirement.
  • Students may not use the same course within a concentration to fulfill more than one requirement.
  • (*) marks courses common to both a core requirement and the EBAE concentration. The same course may not fill both requirements.
  • [ ] denotes course not avaiilable or offered in alternate years. Check the Class Roster for availability.

 

Required Courses from Core Curriculum

  • BIOEE 1610 - Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment (F, S, Su, 3-4 cr)
  • EAS 1600 - Environmental Physics (or Equivalent) (F, S, 3 cr)

Additional Required Courses:

Choose nine courses beyond the E&S core requirements consisting of the following:
 

One biological sciences course:

  • BIOEE 1780/1781 - An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology and Diversity (F, S, Su, 4-5 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • BIOSM 1780 - Evolution and Marine Diversity (Su, 4 cr)

One chemistry course:

RECOMMENDED:

  • CHEM 1560/1561 - Introduction to General Chemistry, lecture/lab (F, Su, 4 cr), Concurrent enrollment in 1560 and 1561 is required to receive credit.

Other chemistry options include:

  • Chem 1570 - Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry (S, Su, 3 cr)
  • Chem 2070/2071 - General Chemistry I, lecture/lab (F, S, Su, 4 cr), Concurrent enrollment in 2070 and 2071 is required to receive credit.
  • Chem 2080/2081 - General Chemistry II, lecture/lab (F, S, Su, 4 cr), Concurrent enrollment in 2080 and 2081 is required to receive credit.
  • AP/IB/CASE exam credit accepted.

One calculus course from the following:

  • Math 1106 - Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences (F, S, 4 cr)
  • Math 1110 - Calculus 1 (F, S, Su, 4 cr)
  • AP/IB/CASE exam credit accepted.
  • Note: It is recommended (but not required) that students take a second semester of calculus, Math 1120.

One quantitative course with approval of advisor:

Choose from any quantitative field that aligns with your career goals. Some fields/courses from which to choose are an additional calculus or statistics beyond the core and concentration requirements, population modeling (BIOEE or NTRES) and/or applied analytical courses, computer programming, or Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Additional courses may be considered with approval from advisor. Some pre-approved options are:

  • AEM 2770 - Excursions in Computational Sustainability (S, 3 cr)
  • [BIOEE 3550 - Data Analysis and Visualization in Ecology and Environmental Science] (S, 3 cr) (Next offered Spring 2027.)
  • BIOEE 3620 - Dynamic Models in Biology (S, 4 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • BTRY 3020 - Biological Statistics II (S, 4 cr)
  • CS 1110 - Introduction to Computing Using Python (F, S, Su, 4 cr)
  • [EAS 2900 - Introduction to Programming for Meteorology and Climate Science] (F, 3 cr)
  • ENTOM 3030 - Applied Statistics: Biological Experiments in Practice (S, 4 cr)
  • GDEV 4295 - Data Science Workshop with R (S, 3 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • MATH 1120 - Calculus II (F, S, 4 cr)
  • NTRES 4100 - Advanced Conservation Biology: Concepts and Techniques (S, 4 cr)
  • NTRES 4120 - Wildlife Population Analysis: Techniques and Models (S, 3 cr)
  • PLSCI 2200 - Introduction to Mapping and Spatial Analysis with GIS (F, 3 cr)
  • STSCI 3110 - Probability Models and Inference for the Social Sciences (F, 4 cr)

One introductory genetics course:

  • NTRES 2830 - DNA, Genes and Genetic Diversity (S, 4 cr, alternate years)
  • BIOMG 2800 and 2801 - Genetics and Genomics, lecture (3 cr) and lab (2 cr) (F, S, Su)

One advanced ecology course:

  • BIOEE 3610 - Advanced Ecology (F, 4 cr)
  • NTRES 3100 - Applied Population Ecology (F, 3 cr)

EBAE electives

Three additional courses from EBAE elective lists:

  • Choose one course from List 1, one course from List 2 and one more course from either list.
  • Of the three courses, one course must be at the 4000-level or above.

EBAE List 1: Ecosystems – The physical and biological environment

  • BIOEE 3610 - Advanced Ecology (F, 4 cr)
  • BIOEE 3690 - Chemical Ecology (S, 3 cr)
  • [BIOEE 4570* - Limnology: Ecology of Lakes, Lectures] (F, 3 cr, alternate years)
  • BIOEE 4690 - Food, Agriculture and Society (S, 3 cr)
  • BIOEE 4780 - Ecosystem Biology and Global Change (S, 4 cr, alternate years)
  • EAS 3030 - Introduction to Biogeochemistry (F, 4 cr)
  • [NTRES 3150 - Introduction to Conservation Bioacoustics] (F, 3 cr) (Not offered Fall 2025.)
  • [NTRES 3220 - Global Biodiversity} (F, 3 cr) No longer offered.
  • NTRES 3240 - Sustainable, Ecologically Based Management of Water Resources (S, 3 cr)
  • NTRES 3250 - Forest Management and Maple Syrup Production (S, 3 cr, alternate even years)
  • [NTRES 4560* - Stream Ecology] (F, 4 cr, alternate years)
  • PLSCI 3210 - Soil and Crop Management for Sustainability (F, 3 cr)
  • PLSCI 4660 - Soil Ecology (S, 3 - 4 cr, Lab optional)
  • PLSCI 4730 - Ecology of Agricultural Systems (F, 4.5 cr)

EBAE List 2: Organisms – plants, animals, microbes

  • BIOEE 2740 - The Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, and Evolution (S, 4 cr)
  • BIOEE 3610 - Advanced Ecology (F, 4 cr)
  • BIOEE 3611 - Field Ecology (F, 3 cr)
  • [BIOEE 3730 - Biodiversity and Biology of the Marine Invertebrates] (F, 3 cr, alternate years) (Next offered Fall 2026.)
  • BIOEE 4460 - Plant Behavior and Biotic Interactions, Lecture (S, 3 cr)
  • [BIOEE 4500 - Mammalogy, Lecture] (F, 3 cr) (Next offered 2027?)
  • BIOEE 4660 - Physiological Ecology, Lectures (S, 3 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • [BIOEE 4700/4701 - Herpetology, Lecture] (S, 3 cr) (optional Laboratory) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • BIOEE 4750 - Ornithology, Lectures (F, 3 cr)
  • [BIOEE 4760 - Ichthyology: Biology of Fishes, alternate years] (F, 3 cr) (Next offered Fall 2026.)
  • BIOEE 4800 - Ecological Genetics (S, 4 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • BIOMI 2900 - General Microbiology Lectures (F, S, Su, 3-4 cr)
  • BIOMI 3500/EAS 3555 - Marine Microbes and Disease in a Changing Ocean (F, 3 cr)
  • BIOMI 6300 - Computational Approaches for Microbial Systems (S, 3 cr)
  • BIOSM 3290 - Field Animal Behavior (Su, 3cr)
  • BIOSM 3330 - Marine Parasitology and Disease (Su, 3cr)
  • BIOSM 3450 - Marine Mammal Biology (Su, 3cr)
  • BIOSM 3740 - Field Ornithology (Su, 3 cr)
  • BIOSM 4650 - Shark Biology and Conservation (Su, 3 cr)
  • ENTOM 2030 - Honey Bees: Their Intriguing Biology and Interactions with Humans and More (F, 3 cr) (No longer accepted for this requirement. Accepted only F23.)
  • ENTOM 2120* - Insect Biology (F, 4 cr)
  • ENTOM 2440 - Integrated Pest Management (S, 4 cr)
  • [ENTOM 3150 - Spider Biology] (F, 3 cr) (Not expected to be offered again.)
  • ENTOM 3440 - Insect Conservation Biology (F, 3 cr)
  • ENTOM 3630 - Bugs in Bugs: The World of Pathogens and Parasites (S, 3 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • ENTOM 3755 - Social Animal Behavior: Arthropods to Apes (F, 3 cr)
  • ENTOM 4000 - Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (S, 4 cr, alternate years)
  • [ENTOM 4550 - Insect Ecology] (F, 4 cr, alternate even years) (Not offered Fall 2025.)
  • NTRES 3100 - Applied Population Ecology (F, 3 cr)
  • NTRES 3110 - Fish Ecology, Conservation and Management (S, 3 cr, alternate even years)
  • NTRES 3150 - Introduction to Conservation Bioacoustics (S, 3 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • NTRES/ENVS 3260 - Applied Conservation Ecology (S, 3 cr)
  • NTRES 3400 - Molecular Tools for Ecology, Conservation, and Natural Resource Management (S, 3 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • NTRES 4100 - Advanced Conservation Biology: Concepts and Techniques (S, 4 cr)
  • NTRES 4120 - Wildlife Population Analysis: Techniques and Models (S, 4 cr)
  • [NTRES 4280 - Principles and Practices of Applied Wildlife Science] (S, 3 cr) (Not offered Spring 2026.)
  • PLSCI 2410 - Introductory Plant Biodiversity and Evolution (F, 4 cr)
  • PLSCI 3010 - Biology and Management of Plant Diseases (F, 4 cr)
  • PLSCI 3150 - Weed Biology and Management (F, 4 cr)
  • PLSCI 3420 - Plant Physiology, Lectures (S, 3 cr)
  • PLSCI 4300 - Mycology (F, 4 cr)

More information

Students who complete the EBAE concentration will:

  1. Gain an in-depth understanding of the biological and ecological dimensions of environmental and sustainability sciences.
  2. Learn methods by which knowledge in this area of scholarship is acquired, analyzed, interpreted, evaluated, and used in natural and human-managed ecosystems.
  3. Be able to apply fundamental current understanding of ecology and environmental biology to complex interdisciplinary environmental issues.