Explain interacting ecological, earth, climate, and human systems
Degree Program
Ecology, Climate & Environmental Systems
Ecology, Climate & Environmental SystemsDegree Program · Life, Earth & Environmental Sciences
Environmental Systems & Earth Observation
Combines ecology, climate, earth science, remote sensing, environmental data, and field monitoring.
Program purpose
Bachelor of Science
Students study environmental systems across organisms, landscapes, atmosphere, water, and human activity while developing practical skills in field observation, sensing, GIS, earth observation, and data interpretation.
Learning outcomes
What graduates are prepared to do
Program outcomes connect disciplinary knowledge to methods, judgment, communication, and independently evaluated work.
Design field and remote-observation studies
Analyze environmental data with spatial and statistical methods
Communicate environmental evidence, uncertainty, and management implications
Curriculum architecture
How the pathway is organized
Coursework progresses from foundations to methods, integration, and a culminating demonstration of capability.
Foundations
Build the knowledge, skills, and mindset for inquiry.
Application
Apply methods and tools to real-world questions.
Integration
Synthesize across disciplines and perspectives.
Demonstration
Produce and present work that creates impact.
- 01
Biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and earth science foundations
- 02
Ecology, climate, geomorphology, and environmental systems
- 03
GIS, remote sensing, sensing, statistics, and research computing
- 04
Field and laboratory electives
- 05
Environmental systems capstone
Course sequence
Selected curriculum
BIO-110
Foundations of Biological Systems
Introduces cellular, organismal, evolutionary, ecological, and systems perspectives on life.
- Requirement
- Core
- Credits
- 3.0
Ecology & Environmental Systems
Introduces ecological relationships, energy and material flows, population and community dynamics, disturbance, resilience, and environmental observation.
- Requirement
- Core
- Credits
- 3.0
Earth Materials & Landscape Processes
Studies minerals, rocks, sediments, soils, geomorphic processes, and the material histories recorded in landscapes.
- Requirement
- Core
- Credits
- 3.0
Climate Systems & Human Adaptation
Connects atmospheric and oceanic processes, climate records, modeling, risk, adaptation, and cultural responses to environmental change.
- Requirement
- Core
- Credits
- 3.0
Spatial Analysis & LiDAR
Uses GIS, terrain models, point clouds, and LiDAR derivatives to investigate landscapes, built environments, archaeology, ecology, and infrastructure.
- Requirement
- Core
- Credits
- 3.0
Electronics, Sensors & Data Acquisition
Builds practical foundations in circuits, analog and digital sensing, embedded systems, signal conditioning, and reliable data acquisition.
- Requirement
- Core
- Credits
- 3.0
Earth-Life Systems Capstone
Guides an integrative biological, earth, environmental, or planetary research project with documented methods and a defensible output.
- Requirement
- Core
- Credits
- 4.0
Learning environments
Field, laboratory & studio work
- Environmental field methods
- GIS and earth observation
- Sensors and data acquisition
- Laboratory and research computing
Professional directions
Where the capability can lead
- Environmental scientist
- Earth-observation analyst
- Field and monitoring specialist
- Climate and resilience analyst
- Graduate study in environmental and earth sciences
Culminating work
Capstone, thesis, dissertation, or professional demonstration
A senior capstone delivers an environmental assessment, monitoring program, earth-observation analysis, or coupled human-natural systems study.
Admissions preparation
Materials and background
Admissions review considers preparation, purpose, prior work, and the fit between the applicant’s goals and the program.
Secondary-school completion or recognized equivalent
Academic records demonstrating preparation for college-level work
Statement connecting the applicant’s interests to the program
Writing or project sample when relevant to the pathway
Faculty & academic leadership
Program relationships
Next step
Connect this pathway to your academic goals.
Request information for a focused conversation or begin an application through the Stella Nova Student Information System.