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Environmental Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara

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Environmental Studies Major

Hydrological Sciences Major

Major Requirement Worksheets

How to Declare the ES/Hydro Major

ES Sponsored Research Projects





The Hydrologic Sciences and Policy Major

Hydrology is a science dealing with the occurrence, circulation, distribution, and properties of the waters of the earth and its atmosphere. Many of the significant environmental problems that society is facing today are related to hydrologic or water issues. These include the hydrologic impact of climate change; the transportation of hazardous materials in both ground and surface water; the maintenance of high quality water for human consumption, industry, irrigation, recreation, energy generation, and agriculture; the understanding of geological hazards; and the management of important aquatic environments. Because water is important to and affected by physical, chemical, and biological principles, the curriculum of the B.S. degree in hydrologic sciences is multidisciplinary.

The main focus of the hydrologic sciences program and major is to provide students with the scientific training needed to understand and solve complex hydrologic problems at local, regional, and global levels. The goal of the hydrologic sciences curriculum is to provide a rigorous framework for students to examine the hydrologic process in our environment. Although the program is housed within the Environmental Studies Program, the curriculum for this degree is offered cooperatively by the departments of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology; Chemistry; Geography; and Geological Sciences. Lower-division courses concentrate on the physical and natural sciences. In the upper-division, students complete a core group of hydrology courses and then select one of the following four science concentrations to complement their hydrology emphasis: biology, chemistry, geography, or geology.

Students who graduate with a B.S. degree in hydrologic sciences are prepared to do graduate work in such fields as environmental science, biology, ecology, chemistry, geography, geology, environmental engineering, and a variety of specialty programs in hydrology.

Hydrologic sciences students are also often qualified for positions in environmental consulting and planning, water quality analysis, aquatic resource management, waste water treatment, as well as a variety of jobs with state and federal agencies. Students who are interested in pursuing a career in the hydrologic sciences are encouraged to visit the environmental studies peer advisor's office for additional information pertaining to jobs and careers in the hydrology field.

Students in hydrologic sciences have the opportunity to conduct academic internships. Through the Environmental Studies Internship Program, a student majoring in hydrologic sciences can obtain valuable hands-on experience while earning academic credit towards major requirements. Students majoring in hydrologic sciences may also conduct independent research or serve as a research assistant with faculty members (Environmental Studies 199 or 199RA). In addition, the Environmental Studies Program offers a senior honors program for all qualified hydrologic sciences majors in which a student can receive a "Distinction in the Major" award upon successful completion of the program. The hydrologic sciences program is also affiliated with numerous study abroad programs and schools which provide students the opportunity to receive academic credit while conducting hydrological research around the world.

Additional information about these opportunities and affiliated environmental field studies programs and study abroad programs is available from the Student Info page of this website.



The Hydrologic Sciences (B.S.) major is divided into four parts: preparation for the major, upper-division required courses (Area A), concentration section (Area B), and electives (Area C).

1) Preparation for the Major (1st and 2nd years):

Requirement: UCSB Courses:
1 course Physical Geology Geology 2
2 courses in Physical Geography: Geography 3A and 3B
4 courses of Science Calculus: Mathematics 3A-B-C and 5A
1 course of Intro Statistics: PSTAT 5A or EEMB 30
1 year of Intro Chemistry w/labs: Chemistry 1A-AL-1B-BL-1C-CL
1 year Science Biology: MCDB 1A-AL and 1B, EEMB 2 and 3-3L, and either MCDB 1BL or EEMB 2L
1 course in Geological Field Methods (only for students pursuing geology concentration) Geology 14

2) Upper-division Units (3rd and 4th years):

All Hydrologic Sciences majors must complete 21 required units, 14 to 20 units in one of four concentrations, and 13 to 24 units of electives for a total of 57 upper-division units.

Area A. Required Courses (21 total units):

Geography 112, Geography 116/116L, Geology or Environmental Studies 168 and 169, and Geography or Environmental Studies 144.

Area B. Environmental Studies Electives (32 total units):

Complete all courses listed in one of the four following concentrations (14 to 20 units)

1. Biological Sciences: EEMB 142B-BL, 142C, 153 (plus 21 units from the elective list)

2. Chemistry: Chemistry 109A-B, 113A, 116AL, 150, and Geology 124A (plus 15 units from the elective list)

3. Geography: Geography 110, 114A, 162A, (plus 21 units from the elective list)

4. Geological Sciences: Geology 102B-BL, 103, 104A, 113, 117, (plus 15 units from the elective list)


Area C. Electives: 14-21 units from the list of courses below (chosen from those not used in the concentration), to bring total units for the upper-division major to 56

Chemistry 109A-B-C, 113A, 113C, 116AL, 123, 136, 136L, 150, 173A-B;
EEMB 111, 120, 120AL-BL, 140, 142A-AL-B-BL-C-CL, 148, 148L, 153, 171;
Environmental Studies 134, 176A-B, 192*, 197*, 199*, 199RA*;
Geography 104, 110, 114A, 114B, 118, 119, 120, 123, 128, 133, 134, 138, 151, 162A, 165, 166, 172-172L, 176A-B-BL-C-CL;
Geology 102A-AL-B-BL-C-CL, 103, 104A, 113, 117, 122, 124AA-ZZ, 173-173L

* These courses must be selected in consultation with the department undergraduate advisor; course material must relate to your concentration

Only up to 4 units of the ES 192, 199, 199RA courses and no more than 8 units combined, can be applied to this area.

See the UCSB General Catalog for descriptions and prerequisites of these courses.

MAJOR REGULATIONS:

P/NP GRADING OPTION ............. Up to 4 units of Env St 192 may be taken P/NP for major credit. All other courses, including those applied to the major from other departments must be taken for letter grades.

SUBSTITUTIONS ............... In the major requirements permissible only by petition to the department.

RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS .......... At least 18 UD units in major while in residence at UCSB.

G.P.A. REQUIREMENTS .............. At least 2.0 overall average in a) all UD major courses; and b) all major courses (Prep and UD) while in UC.



1. High School Preparation

Recommended (but not absolutely required) as part of or in addition to the UC admissions requirements:

  • English composition
  • Mathematics through pre-calculus or higher (AP Calculus)
  • Economics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Statistics

A number of Academic Placement (AP) courses may be useful in helping satisfy one or more Preparation for the Major courses within the B.A. major.

AP Statistics: A score of 3 or higher on this exam will satisfy the PSTAT 5A / EEMB 30 requirement for the B.A. or B.S. major.

AP Math: A student may receive credit for specific UCSB mathematics courses by taking the CEEB Advanced Placement Examination during high school.

AB Test and AB subscore:
Score of 3 = 4 units of credit (=Math 3A) placement into Math 3B
Score of 4 or 5 = 4 units of credit applied to Math 3A, subject matter credit for Math 3B by petition with major department; placement into Math 3B or 3C by petition

BC Test:
Score of 2 = No unit credit; placement into Math 3A without taking ADT
Score of 3, 4 or 5 = 8 units of credit applied to Math 3AB; indicates placement into Math 3C

2. Transfer Student Preparation

To make normal progress in the major, complete as many of the following courses as you can prior to transferring:

  • One course of general geology
  • Two courses in physical geography
  • One course of introductory statistics
  • One year of "science" calculus, and one course of differential equations
  • One year of "science" biology
  • One year of introductory "science" chemistry with labs
  • One year of introductory physics with labs

For additional information about specific articulation agreements between California Community Colleges and UCSB, visit ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Inter institutional Student Transfer). It is California's official statewide repository of transfer information, offering easy access to a single database. ASSIST can help you determine if you will receive credit for courses you've already taken or plan to take, and how those courses will apply to specific academic requirements within the Environmental Studies major.

 Bren Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106-4160
 (805) 893-2968, Email: esprogram@es.ucsb.edu
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