University General Course Catalog 2022-2023 
    
    Jun 17, 2024  
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University General Course Catalog 2022-2023 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

8. Course Descriptions

Note: Sequencing rules in effect for many Math courses prohibit students from earning credit for a lower numbered Math course after receiving credit for a higher numbered Math course. Sequencing rules are included in the course descriptions of applicable courses.
 

Music: Ensemble
  

  • MUSE 614 - Wind Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of representative literature for chamber winds.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 615 - Marching Band

    (1 unit)
    Marching techniques and performances; performance of concert literature (after marching season).

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 621 - Symphony Orchestra

    (1 unit)
    One or more concerts of representative orchestra literature are given each semester.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 631 - Jazz Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performing ensemble specializing in traditional and contemporary big band jazz literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 633 - Jazz Combo

    (1 unit)
    Performing ensemble emphasizing improvisation in a small group context.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 8

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 635 - Jazz Vocal Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 642 - Woodwind Quintet

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 643 - Flute Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 644 - Clarinet Choir

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 645 - Saxophone Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 646 - Brass Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    A performance organization specializing in brass ensemble literature from the renaissance to the present.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 647 - Brass Quintet

    (1 unit)
    Performing ensemble specializing in brass quintet literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 648 - Trumpet Choir

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 649 - Trombone Choir

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 651 - String Chamber Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 652 - String Quartet

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 653 - Guitar Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 661 - Percussion Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 671 - Piano Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 672 - Advanced Accompaniment

    (1 unit)
    Practicum in accompaniment, to be selected from choral, vocal, instrumental, or dance.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 4

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 690 - Special Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 692 - Special Instrumental Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • MUSE 693 - Special Vocal Ensemble

    (1 unit)
    Performance of chamber music literature.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate leadership through prompt and accurate preparation of assigned repertoire at a professional level.
    2. demonstrate professional-level technical competency as ensemble and solo performers through the performance of accurate notes and rhythms, and skills such as listening, tuning, blending and balancing, and playing/singing together.
    3. demonstrate expressive competency at a professional level through skills such as appropriate articulation/style, phrasing, and pacing of musical energy.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information

Natural Resources and Environmental Science
  

  • NRES 100 - Principles of Natural Resources and Environmental Science

    (3 units)
    General introduction to issues and topics related to natural resources, environmental sciences, conservation biology and hydrology.

    Prerequisite(s): Major in Ecohydrology or Environmental Science or Nevada Teach Secondary Education/Environmental Science or Forest Management & Ecology or Wildlife Ecology & Conservation or Rangeland Ecology & Management.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe the flow of energy and matter through ecosystems; population and community ecology; and the biogeochemical cycles that connect air, water, soil and living organisms.
    2. distinguish the basic tenets of environmental ethics and economics; and identify key U.S. environmental policies.
    3. explain key components of fisheries, range, forestry and wildlife management.
    4. demonstrate basic skills in map interpretation, spreadsheets, graphing and scientific references.
    5. list and describe key features of the Truckee River watershed and the Great Basin ecosystem.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 210 - Environmental Pollution

    (3 units) CO9
    Application of physical sciences to address local, regional and global environmental issues associated with anthropogenic interactions with the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere.

    Prerequisite(s): MATH 126  or higher; NRES 100  or Environmental Science minor. Corequisite(s): CHEM 121A  and CHEM 121L .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. discuss the meaning of sustainability as it pertains to society and the environment.
    2. identify and describe factors that influence human population growth and use this information to evaluate how world population has changed over time and is predicted to change in the future.
    3. explain the challenges of feeding a growing human population and the impacts of agricultural practices (past, present, and future), on the environment.
    4. identify major air, water, and soil pollutants/contaminants and the major sources, impacts, and possible methods of reduction of each.
    5. summarize trends in the production and management of municipal and hazardous waste.
    6. describe past, present, and future impacts of global climate change including the influence of human activity on the Earth’s climate systems.
    7. compare different energy sources utilized by societies, identifying the potential benefits and drawbacks associated with each and taking into account our future energy needs.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 211 - Conservation, Humans and Biodiversity

    (3 units)
    An examination of the impacts of cultures on biodiversity. Topics include the evolution of biodiversity, human populations, and associated cultural and technological impacts on biodiversity.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate understanding of the origins, processes and dynamics that shape biodiversity: evolution, ecology, climate and human Influence.
    2. demonstrate understanding of human relationships with the environment and biodiversity: conservation science, climate change, invasive species, and restoration ecology.
    3. demonstrate understanding of practical issues related to conservation of biodiversity: management, politics, and economics.
    4. demonstrate critical thinking and communication skills in project presentations.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 212 - A Primer in Environmental Ethics

    (1 unit) CO12
    Provide a comprehensive introduction to environmental ethics and controversies along with the basic philosophical issues underlying the issues.

    Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing; Major in Ecohydrology or Environmental Science or Nevada Teach Secondary Education/Environmental Science or Forest Management & Ecology or Wildlife Ecology & Conservation or Rangeland Ecology & Management.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. discuss and analyze the multifaceted philosophical issues associated with environmental decisions and actions.
    2. critique and assess environmental decisions from a philosophical and ethical point of view.
    3. organize, analyze, and debate issues regarding environmental ethics, and place details within a broader context.
    4. judge their individual environmental ethics as a human being.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 214 - Culture and the Use and Management of Natural Resources

    (1 unit) CO10
    Examination of cultural differences in environmental worldviews, attitudes, values, and beliefs toward natural resources with emphasis on their influence on resource use and management in the U.S.

    Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing; Major in Ecohydrology or Environmental Science or Nevada Teach Secondary Education/Environmental Science or Forest Management & Ecology or Wildlife Ecology & Conservation or Rangeland Ecology & Management.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe how cultural differences in environmental worldviews, attitudes, beliefs and values can impact how ethnic and racial groups use and manage natural resources.
    2. identify cultural, historical, socioeconomic and political factors that have contributed to differences in worldviews, attitudes, beliefs and values as well as deterred, inhibited, or made more difficult the participation of racial and ethnic minorities in the use, conservation and management of natural resources.
    3. discuss how “traditional” or local ecological knowledge and perspectives of indigenous peoples can complement scientific knowledge and positively contribute to the conservation and management of natural resources.
    4. detail strategies that can be used to increase the participation of previously underrepresented groups in the conservation and management of natural resources.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 217 - Natural Resource Ecology

    (3 units)
    Applied ecology oriented towards practical problems in natural resources and environment science. Practical applications will be examined in topics such as conservation, climate change, invasive species, and restoration.

    Corequisite(s): BIOL 190A  or CHEM 122A .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe the origins, processes and dynamics that shape ecosystems: Ecology of Individuals and Populations; Ecology of Communities and Ecosystems; Biogeography; Human Influence.
    2. articulate human relationships with and impacts on natural resources: Conservation science; Climate change; Invasive species; Restoration ecology.
    3. demonstrate critical thinking and communication skills.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 295 - Wildlands Hydrology

    (3 units)
    Most water managed by humans is derived from wildlands that are not fit for cultivation, such as the vast basins and ranges of Nevada. This course teaches students the fundamentals of wildlands hydrology in the context of current and future natural resource challenges.

    Prerequisite(s): MATH 127  or higher. Corequisite(s): NRES 217  or BIOL 314 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. interpret complex scientific information and figures from both technical and lay literature.
    2. analyze ecohydrological datasets in order to critique previous resource management decisions.
    3. employ concepts of wildlands hydrology to assess alternative scenarios and make management decisions.
    4. apply visual and oral communication skills to effectively convey their decision making process.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 307 - Forest Measurements

    (3 units)
    Forest measurement techniques commonly used in forest ecology, management and resource use.  Sampling strategies and field interpretations are emphasized, along with statistical analysis and data interpretation.

    Prerequisite(s): APST 270  or STAT 152 ; NRES 217  or BIOL 314 . 

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. select and demonstrate a range of individual tree measurements and plot types for research objectives or forest inventories. 
    2. interpret stand structure, composition and condition through statistical analysis of tree measurements collected from plots.  
    3. determine slope, aspect, forest types, and identify relevant landscape features such as riparian areas and watershed boundaries.
    4. select and implement a sampling strategy to meet ecological research objectives or forest inventory analysis, including statistical data analysis and interpretation.  


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 310 - Wildlife Ecology and Management

    (3 units)
    Application of ecological principles and knowledge of wildlife behavior and population dynamics to effective conservation and management. Mandatory field trips.

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 191A ; NRES 217  or BIOL 314 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe the ecological principles and management considerations pertaining to wildlife ecology.
    2. interpret and communicate research findings to peers and lay audiences in a written report.
    3. demonstrate critical thinking and communication skills through written reports and oral presentations.
    4. follow scientific protocols for wildlife lab field notes.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 322 - Soils

    (3 units)
    Physical, chemical and biological properties of soils, soil genesis and classification, plant-soil-water relations. Practical applications through laboratory and field exercises.

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 122A  and CHEM 122L  or CHEM 202 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe in writing and when called upon, verbally, the nature of soils as complex ecosystems, consisting of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases that influence physical, chemical, and biological interactions and properties.
    2. explain in writing and verbally, and apply the quantitative mass/volume relationships in soils, solids/liquid phase interactions, ion exchange, and the energy thresholds as the driving force for water flow.
    3. describe in writing and when called upon, verbally, the fundamental properties of soils and plant-soil-water systems, the composition of soil air and soils solution, the implications of dissolution and solute concentration and transport, the quantitative reclamation management of acid and salt affected soils.
    4. explain in writing and verbally, and identify the major groups of soil organisms in terms of the rhizosphere, general microbial communities, and scale, and the physical and chemical constraints relative to their contribution to nutrient cycling and soil fertility.
    5. explain in writing and verbally, and apply the concepts of soil formation and morphology, the pertinence to both natural and technical soil classification, and the relevance to land use capability.
    6. describe in the writing and when called upon, verbally, essential plant nutrients, mechanisms of retention, release, transport, and uptake, and the advantages, constraints, and hazards of fertilizers.
    7. describe in writing and when called upon, verbally the concepts of water management in agriculture, hydrology, remediation and sustainability, and potential for environmental contamination and degradation.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 340 - Field Dendrology

    (3 units)
    The identification, classification, silvics, and ecological characteristics of trees and other woody plants found in North American forests and woodlands, with a special geographical emphasis on the western United States.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 3

    Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing; BIOL 191A ; NRES 217  or BIOL 314 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify >120 important North American tree and shrub species at all seasons of the year, in the field as well as from samples of twigs and fruit.
    2. demonstrate proficiency in use and construction of dichotomous keys.
    3. recall and operationalize key tree identification characteristics (of leaves, bark, fruit, buds, twigs, form) and botanical terminology such that other species can be learned independently and unknown specimens can be identified.
    4. describe how morphological traits vary among and within species, and will comprehend species taxonomic relationships based on morphology and phylogeny.
    5. describe the ecology of the studied tree species, including their distribution, natural history, silvics, ecosystem service values, susceptibility to pests and pathogens, and wildlife-habitat relationships.
    6. describe the economic value of the studied tree species and their importance to commercial forestry.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 345 - Range and Forest Plants

    (3 units)
    Identification, distribution, and management of the major range plants and forest trees occurring in the western U.S.

    Prerequisite(s): Junior or Senior standing.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify, through field trips and lab studies, dominant plants in three major ecosystems in our region (montane, sagebrush/foothills, salt desert), and demonstrate familiarity with plants that grow in riparian areas.
    2. sight identify about 70 important species from these ecosystems.
    3. describe major characteristics of about 50 plant families and recognize major families by sight.
    4. demonstrate skills needed to key unknown plants to family.
    5. demonstrate understanding of the basics of plant naming conventions, plant evolution, and systematics.
    6. show familiarity with practical issues surrounding plants, including toxins and poisonous plants, edible plants, rare plant conservation, and native plant horticulture and restoration.


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  • NRES 355 - Mountain Ecoclimatology

    (3 units)
    Introduction to basic principles of mountain meteorology and climatology in connection with ecological patterns and processes, especially of tree-dominated ecosystems, together with some of their applications to natural resources and environmental science at local, regional, and global scales.

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 217  or BIOL 314 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. differentiate between weather and climate, both in principle and in terms of their applications to ecological patterns and processes related to natural resources and environmental science.
    2. evaluate eco-climatic changes in mountain environments at multiple time scales, from daily and seasonal to interannual and interdecadal.
    3. evaluate eco-climatic changes in mountain environments at multiple spatial scales, from a site and watershed to a region, continent, and the whole globe.


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  • NRES 400 - International Issues for Water Development

    (3 units) CO11, CO13
    Evaluates the integration of science, technology, culture, policy, and economics in international issues of water use and development. (GEOG 400 and NRES 400 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the two.)

    Prerequisite(s): General Education courses (CO1-CO3) completed; at least 3 courses from CO4-CO8 completed; Junior or Senior standing.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. apply (in writing) the appropriate metrics and language as well as evaluate the context of several different water-related situations common throughout the world.
    2. compare (through discussion) how water use and management around the world are influenced by cultural dynamics, economic systems, political organization, technological changes, and scientific understandings.
    3. synthesize materials and construct a persuasive argument (in writing, through discussion, and in an oral conference-style presentation) about a contemporary water issue of international importance.
    4. explain (in writing and through discussion), the history, parties, uncertainties, strategies, mechanisms, and future prospects for a current international water treaty.
    5. examine and assess information (in writing) about how social equity, cultural norms, security considerations, and/or the time scale of problem evolution influence decision-making about water in various parts of the world.


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  • NRES 405 - Silviculture

    (4 units) CO14
    Theory and methods of controlling establishment, composition, growth and quality of forest stands. Application of silvicultural practices to important species and forest types of the U.S. Mandatory field trips.

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 217 ; NRES 307 ; NRES 345 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify, sample, and assess forest tree species and stands.
    2. match management objectives to appropriate silvicultural tools.
    3. identify species’ ecological and physiological requirements for survival and stand dynamics as growth and development proceed.
    4. describe how changes in forest composition and structure influence timber production, forest health, biodiversity, soil quality, wildlife habitat, & recreation.
    5. evaluate stand conditions and write a silvicultural prescription to match species, site conditions, and management.


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  • NRES 406 - Ecophysiology of Forest & Range Plants

    (4 units)
    Environmental control of tree, shrub and grass physiology. Functional responses to abiotic and biotic stress in their environment and how these responses impact management practices.

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 191A .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 4
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. evaluate the basic ecophysiological functions of plants that occur in forest and rangeland ecosystems, with emphasis at the tissue and whole plant levels and with emphasis on arid ecosystems in the western US.
    2. assess issues of form and function in plants and patterns of plant growth and development, with emphasis on how that may affect ecophysiological processes.
    3. apply knowledge about basic ecophysiological functions and growth patterns to explore how plants modify these functions to tolerate abiotic and biotic stress in their environment, how these functions may vary among and within species, and how these functions may impact management practices.


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  • NRES 409 - Forest Management and Restoration

    (4 units) CO13
    Interdisciplinary capstone integrating: forest management, ecology, and restoration; planning and policy related to production forestry, ecosystem services, and wildland-urban interface management; forest stand dynamics modeling; and development of an interdisciplinary forest management plan.

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 217  or BIOL 314 ;  NRES 345 ; General Education courses (CO1-CO3) completed; at least 3 courses from CO4-CO8 completed; Junior or Senior standing. Recommended preparation: NRES 307 ; NRES 405 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. assess the planning process used by a wide range of forest land owners, managers, and stakeholders.
    2. find, evaluate, and synthesize information from diverse sources.
    3. synthesize and integrate knowledge gained in other NRES courses to support a multi-disciplinary approach to forest management and restoration.
    4. develop and compose a forest management and restoration plan appropriate for the forest management community.


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  • NRES 410 - Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act

    (3 units)
    Provides essentials of NEPA, how to work on interdisciplinary teams to prepare NEPA documents (Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements), and how to review these documents.

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 412 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate what NEPA does and how the NEPA process works with emphasis on how to identify significant impacts, how to develop appropriate alternatives, effective public involvement strategies, NEPA’s relationship to other environmental regulation and planning processes.
    2. complete the EA process, keeping documents concise while fulfilling the legal and ethical requirements.
    3. complete the EIS process, keeping documents concise while fulfilling the legal and ethical requirements.
    4. crucially evaluate and review NEPA documents and communicate those comments in appropriate written submittals.


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  • NRES 411 - Remote Sensing: Principles and Applications

    (3 units)
    Advanced introduction covering physical basis of remote sensing: tools and techniques to process and interpret imagery; relevant applications in terrestrial, human-dominated, and aquatic environments. (GEOG 411 and NRES 411 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the two.)

    Prerequisite(s): GEOG 205  or GEOG 210 ; Completion of Core Math Requirement or SAT of 610 or ACT of 27 or Corequisite: MATH 127  or higher.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. recognize and explain fundamental physical and analytic principles of remote sensing image acquisition, processing, interpretation, and analysis.
    2. identify, evaluate and apply methods and tools for analysis and interpretation of remote sensing data.
    3. communicate the results and findings of remote sensing analyses in written, verbal, or graphical formats.


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  • NRES 412 - Environmental Law

    (3 units)
    Examination of current federal laws, rules and regulations concerning the environment. Emphasis on court decisions and interpretations of the law. (CEE 411, NRES 412, and PSC 403E are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the three.)

    Prerequisite(s): Junior or Senior standing.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. understand professional and ethical responsibility.
    2. communicate effectively.
    3. Students will have the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.
    4. Students will have a knowledge of contemporary issues.


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  • NRES 416 - Internship

    (1 to 3 units)
    Coordinated work study programs in industry or government under the direction of a faculty advisor. Written progress reports are prepared periodically and at the conclusion of the internship.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
    Offered: Every Fall, Spring, and Summer

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate a plan for an internship with a faculty mentor and peers.
    2. identify and use the basic materials and resources needed to carry out an internship.


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  • NRES 421 - Conservation Biology

    (3 units)
    Theory and application of scientific principles to the preservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. Local and global issues are addressed. (BIOL 421 and NRES 421 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the two.)

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 217  or BIOL 314 ; Junior or Senior standing. 

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. explain the threats to biological diversity and consequences of biodiversity loss.
    2. demonstrate how ecological, evolutionary, and ethical principles apply to conservation problems.
    3. discuss relevant policy and law as it relates to the conservation of biological diversity.
    4. demonstrate critical thinking skills in assessment, analysis, and synthesis of conservation issues through effective written and verbal communication.


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  • NRES 422 - Soil Physics

    (3 units)
    Soil physical properties as related to water and solute flow; texture, structure, specific surface, soil-water interaction, colloidal behavior.

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 121A  and CHEM 121L ; MATH 127  or MATH 128 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate, in writing or verbally, an understanding of basic soil physical properties and processes related to water, gas, solute, and heat transport.
    2. measure, calculate, and interpret soil physical processes using laboratory and field techniques, including texture, soil water retention, infiltration, and evaporation.
    3. communicate, in writing or verbally, the ways that disturbances impact soil physical properties, and how these disturbances affect natural resources.
    4. compare and contrast how changes in soil physical properties change as a result of soil morphological properties, such as horizons and orders.


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  • NRES 432 - Advanced Environmental Toxicology

    (3 units)
    Chemistry and toxicology of toxicants in the environment, particularly pesticides. Other topics include metals, food additives and hazardous wastes.

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 122A  and CHEM 122L  or CHEM 202 ; CHEM 220A  or CHEM 341 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate understanding of the concepts of toxicology of organic and inorganic chemicals, and have a basic understanding of the risk of these substances to humans and other organisms.
    2. demonstrate understanding of the mechanisms of exposure of humans and other living systems to those chemicals and ultimately to understand how we can estimate risks associated with that exposure.
    3. demonstrate understanding of the quantitative natures in these assessments and be able to make independent assessments of relative risk to the different chemical threats in the environment.


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  • NRES 433 - Environmental Chemicals: Exposure, Transport and Fate

    (3 units)
    Physical, chemical, and biological properties governing exposures to chemicals in the environment, modeling of transport and fate processes, and contaminant remediation.

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 122A ; CHEM 122L ; MATH 181 ; Junior or Senior standing. Recommended preparation: CHEM 341 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. evaluate the fate of organic chemicals in the environment, based on an understanding of environmental processes and chemical reactivity.
    2. demonstrate understanding of the major processes affecting organic chemicals in the environment.
    3. evaluate why certain chemicals have been banned due to adverse effects.


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  • NRES 440 - Wetland Ecology and Management

    (4 units)
    Marsh, swamp, and riparian ecosystems. Geomorphology, hydrology, classification, soils, biogeochemical cycles, physiology, wildlife ecology, mitigation, delineation, policy.

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 191A ; CHEM 122A  and CHEM 122L ; NRES 217  OR BIOL 314 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate a conceptual understanding of wetland ecosystem functions & processes such as hydrology, production, and biogeochemical cycling.
    2. demonstrate the ability to analyze resource management problems in wetland ecosystems, demonstrate the scientific background for jobs involving delineation, mitigation, and regulation of wetland resources.
    3. perform an in-depth analysis about a current wetland problem or topic.


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  • NRES 445 - GIS Programming

    (3 units)
    This course will focus on teaching basic and advanced programming skills, and use these skills to expand geospatial analyses programmatically including techniques to import, manipulate, analyze, and export geospatial data. This course will cover such topics as Basic Programming, Debugging, Code Performance, Parallel Processing, Raster and Vector Processing, Spatial Modeling, Geostatistics, and Remote Sensing.

    Prerequisite(s): GEOG 210  or GEOL 210 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate the basics of programming.
    2. expand GIS capabilities programmatically, including advanced techniques to import, manipulate, analyze, and export geospatial data.
    3. develop and debug code for their own applications.


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  • NRES 447 - Plant Ecology

    (3 units)
    A comprehensive overview of plant ecology at the individual, population, community, ecosystem and landscape levels, with emphasis on the basic and applied aspects of this field. 

    Maximum units a student may earn: 3

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 191A ; NRES 217  or BIOL 314 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe and discuss central concepts relating to the ecology of plants at the individual, population, community, ecosystem and landscape levels.
    2. articulate the many ways that plants are influenced by human activities, including those relating the disturbance, habitat alteration, invasive species and climate change.
    3. demonstrate critical thinking skills when addressing questions relating to the ecology of plants.
    4. read and interpret articles about plants published in ecology journals.


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  • NRES 455 - Soil Genesis and Morphology

    (3 units)
    Advanced insights into soil forming processes, soil morphology and soil classification. The course will consist of lectures, lab activities and field trips.

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 322 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe and explain fundamental concepts of soil genesis.
    2. describe a soil profile using basic morphological characteristics.
    3. evaluate relationships between soil properties and landscape position.
    4. classify soils using the USDA Soil Taxonomy system.


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  • NRES 460 - Principles of Restoration Ecology

    (3 units) CO14
    Humans have altered the structure and function of ecosystems worldwide. This course covers the ecological principles and processes critical to restoring degraded ecosystems and their relevance for the practice of ecological restoration. Lecture examples will draw from global forest, grassland, desert, coastal, and riverine case studies. Labs will include hands on computer simulations in web apps and R and fieldtrips to degraded and restored ecosystems in the Reno area.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 3

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 345 ; NRES 447 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe human impacts on ecosystems and their consequences for global ecosystem services and biodiversity.
    2. articulate the purposes and goals of ecological restoration.
    3. describe the connection between ecological restoration and conservation.
    4. articulate the relevance of theories and concepts from evolutionary biology and ecology for the practice of restoration in diverse ecosystem types.
    5. identify important biophysical and economic considerations and barriers for implementing restoration.
    6. Summarize, critique, and synthesize the questions, methods, and primary conclusions of restoration ecology research through the primary literature.
    7. synthesize and apply learning outcomes 1-5 by evaluating restoration case studies and field visits.


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  • NRES 465 - Earth Systems and Global Change

    (3 units) CO11, CO13
    Fundamental concepts relating to Earth System Science, including interactions among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, pedosphere, and biosphere. Methods to examine how Earth System is changing in response to human activities.

    Prerequisite(s): General Education courses (CO1-CO3) completed; at least 3 courses from CO4-CO8 completed; Junior or Senior standing; NRES 295 ; NRES 322 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. discuss key processes that govern and connect the different spheres of the Earth system at scales ranging from ecosystems to biomes.
    2. investigate how Earth system processes are influenced by global change.
    3. predict the ways in which human activities can influence processes at local, regional, and global scales.
    4. critically evaluate global change issues that influence interactions among soil, hydrological, and ecological processes, synthesized from previous coursework.


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  • NRES 467 - Regional and Global Issues in Environmental Sciences

    (3 units) CO11, CO13
    Scientific principles underlying large-scale environmental problems linking the atmosphere, biosphere and geosphere. Empirical and modeling techniques for studying global issues. Analysis of specific global and regional environmental issues. (ENV 467 and NRES 467 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the two.)

    Prerequisite(s): General Education courses (CO1-CO3) completed; at least 3 courses from CO4-CO8 completed; Junior or Senior standing; CHEM 121A  and CHEM 121L ; NRES 210 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate improvement in their writing and speaking ability through assigned debates and reports.
    2. demonstrate improvement in their quantitative reasoning by use of figures and tables to base their arguments and written assignments.
    3. analyze and determine the validity of positions taken on a variety of environmental issues.
    4. demonstrate their understanding of why regional and global decisions need to be based on real data.
    5. exhibit their understanding of how values judgments pervade environmental issues both regionally and globally.
    6. evaluate how politics and public policy invade the realm of environmental decision making.


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  • NRES 470 - Applied Population Ecology

    (3 units)
    This class will explore how concepts of population ecology can be used to inform the conservation and management of natural populations and ecosystems.

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 314  or NRES 217 ; NRES 310 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify the major classes of models used by ecologists (e.g., statistical vs mechanistic, quantitative vs heuristic, stochastic vs deterministic) and explain how and why ecologists use these models.
    2. apply tools such as population viability analysis (PVA), site-occupancy models, and metapopulation models to address the conservation and management of natural populations.
    3. perform basic statistics, data visualization, simulation modeling and model validation with Excel and the statistical computing language “R”.
    4. critically evaluate the strength of inferences drawn from ecological simulation models using tools such as cross-validation and sensitivity analysis.
    5. explain how species interactions can influence predictions of species range shifts and the biodiversity response to global change, and formulate strategies for accounting for species interactions in ecological models.
    6. communicate original research in applied population and community ecology via a professional oral presentation.


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  • NRES 475 - Landscape Ecology

    (3 units) CO11, CO13
    Principles and procedures of landscape ecology and application to contemporary ecological and natural resource management issues. Reciprocal interactions between landscape pattern and ecological process.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 3

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 310  or NRES 345  or NRES 447 . Recommended Preparation: GIS and experience with Excel and R.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. articulate connections between ecosystems examined at local to global scales.
    2. integrate knowledge from all aspects of landscape ecology into their understanding of other branches of ecology.
    3. apply the tools of geographic and spatial analysis, GIS, and spatially-explicit simulation modeling to problems in natural resource management, conservation biology, and landscape planning.
    4. demonstrate methods to solve ecological problems in a spatial context.
    5. model approaches to forecast the ecological effects of changes in landscape pattern.
    6. demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of landscape ecological topics and methods.


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  • NRES 480A - Independent Study

    (1 to 3 units)
    Intensive study of topics in Natural resources management.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate a plan for independent study with a faculty mentor and peers.
    2. identify and use the basic materials and resources needed to carry out an independent study project.


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  • NRES 480B - Independent Study

    (1 to 3 units)
    Intensive study of topics in Conservation biology.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate a plan for independent study with a faculty mentor and peers.
    2. identify and use the basic materials and resources needed to carry out an independent study project.


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  • NRES 480C - Independent Study

    (1 to 3 units)
    Intensive study of topics in Environmental chemistry.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate a plan for independent study with a faculty mentor and peers.
    2. identify and use the basic materials and resources needed to carry out an independent study project.


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  • NRES 480D - Independent Study

    (1 to 3 units)
    Intensive study of topics in Hydrology/hydrogeology.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate a plan for independent study with a faculty mentor and peers.
    2. identify and use the basic materials and resources needed to carry out an independent study project.


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  • NRES 482 - Small Watershed Hydrology

    (4 units) CO14
    Approaches for dealing with problems of applied hydrology with emphasis on the small watershed, limited data, and land management situations.

    Prerequisite(s): GEOL 100  or GEOL 101 ; MATH 181 ; NRES 295 ; NRES 322 ; STAT 152  or STAT 152E  or STAT 352  or APST 270 ; Junior or Senior standing.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe important hydrological processes and their variability in space and time at the watershed scale by answering integrative questions on the mid-term and final exam.
    2. incorporate measurements and external datasets into hydrological investigations in areas with limited data by collecting and analyzing data during laboratory assignments and the course project.
    3. explain how hydrological and hydrochemical functioning of small watersheds can be altered by human and natural disturbance through comprehensive test questions and in-depth investigation of watershed response during the class project.
    4. differentiate types of hydrological models and their advantages and limitations through laboratory investigations and answering integrative questions on the final exam.
    5. apply the scientific method to study hydrological response to disturbance by quantifying water, solute, and energy fluxes using analytical methods and communicating those results effectively through written and verbal parts of the class project.


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  • NRES 485 - Special Topics

    (1 to 3 units)
    Presentation and review of recent research, innovations and developments related to natural resources management, hydrology, conservation biology, and environmental chemistry.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 9

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify and use the basic materials and resources needed to demonstrate competency in the specific topic area.


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  • NRES 488 - Dynamics and Management of Wildlife Populations

    (3 units) CO14
    Estimation of parameters, modeling and inference about population dynamics in the face of uncertainty. Management decisions.

    Prerequisite(s): APST 270  or STAT 152 ; NRES 470 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate critical thinking skills by being able to use analysis of data and modeling to make decisions about management actions.
    2. demonstrate they can analyze data collected from wildlife populations using modern analytical approaches.
    3. demonstrate they can express themselves verbally and in writing by: (1) preparing a professional paper describing their approach to a management problem and their conclusions; and (2) preparing and presenting a powerpoint describing their work.


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  • NRES 493 - Forest Ecology

    (3 units)
    Students will learn how environmental factors and biotic interactions influence structure and function of forest ecosystems. Emphasis is placed on a synthetic understanding of ecological relationships in the context of sustainable forest management. Field trips required.

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 314  or NRES 217  or an equivalent ecology course; Junior or Senior standing.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate understanding of ecology and how ecological theory relates to management of forest and rangeland resources.
    2. develop a holistic understanding of forest and rangeland ecosystem structure and function.
    3. demonstrate improved quantitative skills, including data manipulation, analysis and graphing using Excel spreadsheet software.
    4. demonstrate improved ability to make natural history observations and to assess ecosystem properties and health from field visits.
    5. demonstrate improved scientific writing skills.


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  • NRES 495 - Fire Ecology and Management

    (3 units)
    Fire impacts, both beneficial and detrimental on rangelands, forest lands and wildlife habitats. Pre and post-fire land management. Fire suppression, management and prescribed burning techniques. The influence of fire on natural ecosystems.

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 314  or NRES 217  or an equivalent ecology course; Junior or Senior standing.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. develop an understanding of the fundamentals of fire ecology, such as fire’s ecological role, fire regime concepts, fire adaptations, and fire fundamentals including both physical and biological processes.
    2. develop an understanding of fire effects on air, water, soils, plants, and wildlife.
    3. apply academic knowledge of fire ecology to applications relevant for natural resource management and planning, including forest restoration practices from stand to landscape scales.
    4. develop an international perspective concerning fire ecology and management issues globally.
    5. demonstrate improved quantitative skills, including data manipulation, analysis, graphing, and use of existing decision support systems for fire and fuel modeling.
    6. demonstrate improved technical writing skills.


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  • NRES 497 - Forest and Range Soils

    (3 units)
    Forest and range soil characterization, physical properties, and biogeochemistry as affected by management, pollutants, and disturbances. Field trips required.

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 322 . Recommended Preparation: CHEM 122A  and CHEM 122L .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate, in writing or verbally, an understanding of important forest and range soil properties and processes relating to the biology, physics, and chemistry of soils.
    2. identify and characterize forest and range soils in the field.
    3. demonstrate, in writing, an understanding of plant-soil feedbacks, aboveground and belowground interactions, and the relationship between forest and range management and soils.
    4. communicate, in writing or verbally, the ways that disturbances, including human-induced global change, impact forest and range soils as a natural resource.
    5. use the scientific method to propose and test a research question pertaining to forest and range soils, specifically how forest or range vegetation properties are associated with soil characteristics.
    6. analyze and interpret data collected in lab exercises, articulate the analysis in an oral presentation, and write the results in a format appropriate for an academic journal.


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  • NRES 600 - International Issues for Water Development

    (3 units)
    Evaluates the integration of science, technology, culture, policy and economics in international water issues for large and small-scale project implementation. (GEOG 600 and NRES 600 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the two.)

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. apply (in writing) the appropriate metrics and language as well as evaluate the context of several different water-related situations common throughout the world.
    2. compare (through discussion) how water use and management around the world are influenced by cultural dynamics, economic systems, political organization, technological changes, and scientific understandings.
    3. synthesize materials and construct a persuasive argument (in writing, through discussion, and in an oral conference-style presentation) about a contemporary water issue of international importance.
    4. explain (in writing and through discussion), the history, parties, uncertainties, strategies, mechanisms, and future prospects for a current international water treaty.
    5. examine and assess information (in writing) about how social equity, cultural norms, security considerations, and/or the time scale of problem evolution influence decision-making about water in various parts of the world.


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  • NRES 605 - Silviculture

    (4 units)
    Theory and methods of controlling establishment, composition, growth and quality of forest stands. Application of silvicultural practices to important species and forest types of the U.S. Mandatory field trips.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify, sample, and assess forest tree species and stands.
    2. match management objectives to appropriate silvicultural tools.
    3. identify species’ ecological and physiological requirements for survival and stand dynamics as growth and development proceed.
    4. describe how changes in forest composition and structure influence timber production, forest health, biodiversity, soil quality, wildlife habitat, & recreation.
    5. evaluate stand conditions and write a silvicultural prescription to match species, site conditions, and management.


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  • NRES 606 - Ecophysiology of Forest & Range Plants

    (4 units)
    Environmental control of tree, shrub and grass physiology. Functional responses to abiotic and biotic stress in their environment and how these responses impact management practices.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 4
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. evaluate the basic ecophysiological functions of plants that occur in forest and rangeland ecosystems, with emphasis at the tissue and whole plant levels and with emphasis on arid ecosystems in the western US.
    2. assess issues of form and function in plants and patterns of plant growth and development, with emphasis on how that may affect ecophysiological processes.
    3. apply knowledge about basic ecophysiological functions and growth patterns to explore how plants modify these functions to tolerate abiotic and biotic stress in their environment, how these functions may vary among and within species, and how these functions may impact management practices.
    4. summarize in writing current research and literature about plant ecophysiology of at least one plant species that summarizes: (1) what is the range of variation that exists within that species; (2) to what extent can the species modify their plant functions to tolerate stress; and (3) how these functions and their stress responses may impact forest or rangeland management practices.


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  • NRES 607 - Forest and Range Measurements

    (5 units)
    Forest mensuration techniques and range methods commonly used in quantifying natural resources. Statistical analyses and interpretation are stressed.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 4
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall - Odd Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. conduct forest stand inventories founded on fixed plot measurements including instrumentation, design and layout, data analysis, and statistical interpretation elements.
    2. conduct forest stand inventories founded on variable plot measurements including instrumentation, design and layout, data analysis, and statistical interpretation elements.
    3. conduct forest stand inventories founded on sample tree measurements including instrumentation, design and layout, data analysis, and statistical interpretation elements.
    4. conduct a basic stream channel survey including channel cross-section, gradient and sinuosity measurements for the purpose of channel classification.
    5. design and implement a riparian area monitoring protocol developed from current published methods, conduct methods of vegetation and channel stability measurement, data analysis, utilize software designed for data analysis, and interpret and present results in a professional report.
    6. conduct vegetation inventories for monitoring the long-term ecological health of rangelands. These include methods associated with plant composition, plant density, biomass production, soil stability, and invasive weed quantification.
    7. design and implement statistically valid monitoring plans, collect, and analyze the data.


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  • NRES 609 - Forest Management and Restoration

    (4 units)
    Interdisciplinary capstone integrating: forest management, ecology, and restoration; planning and policy related to production forestry, ecosystem services, and wildland-urban interface management; forest stand dynamics modeling; and development of an interdisciplinary forest management plan.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. assess the planning process used by a wide range of forest land owners, managers, and stakeholders.
    2. find, evaluate, and synthesize information from diverse sources.
    3. synthesize and integrate knowledge gained in other NRES courses to support a multi-disciplinary approach to forest management and restoration.
    4. develop and compose a forest management and restoration plan appropriate for the forest management community.


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  • NRES 610 - Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act

    (3 units)
    Provides essentials of NEPA, how to work on interdisciplinary teams to prepare NEPA documents (Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements), and how to review these documents.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate what NEPA does and how the NEPA process works with emphasis on how to identify significant impacts, how to develop appropriate alternatives, effective public involvement strategies, NEPA’s relationship to other environmental regulation and planning processes.
    2. complete the EA process, keeping documents concise while fulfilling the legal and ethical requirements.
    3. complete the EIS process, keeping documents concise while fulfilling the legal and ethical requirements.
    4. crucially evaluate and review NEPA documents and communicate those comments in appropriate written submittals.
    5. research and present advanced understanding of a specific area of NEPA in addition to the four objectives above.


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  • NRES 611 - Remote Sensing: Principles and Applications

    (3 units)
    Advanced introduction covering physical basis of remote sensing: tools and techniques to process and interpret imagery; relevant applications in terrestrial, human-dominated, and aquatic environments. (GEOG 611 and NRES 611 are cross-listed; credits may be earned in one of the two.)

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. recognize and explain fundamental physical and analytic principles of remote sensing image acquisition, processing, interpretation, and analysis.
    2. identify, evaluate and apply methods and tools for analysis and interpretation of remote sensing data.
    3. communicate the results and findings of remote sensing analyses in written, verbal, or graphical formats.
    4. execute a remote sensing application project and describe their project and interpret findings in an oral and/or written report.


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  • NRES 612 - Environmental Law

    (3 units)
    Examination of current federal laws, rules and regulations concerning the environment. Emphasis on court decisions and interpretations of the law. (CEE 611, NRES 612 and PSC 603E are cross-listed; credits may be earned in one of the three.)

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. explain the fundamentals of major environmental laws.
    2. communicate the principals of policy formulation, rulemaking, and the role of the courts in interpreting and enforcing these statutes.
    3. interpret the history of environmental law in the U.S.
    4. evaluate the problems which gave rise to each statute, the structure and enforcement provisions established by Congress, the role of agencies in defining and implementing the statute, and the impact of judicial decisions on the statute and its regulations.
    5. assess the efficacy of the respective statutes by integrating knowledge from the assigned reading and information from the internet.
    6. apply the knowledge gained of these environmental laws to the current discussion of climate change and how future environmental law may need to be modified to combat climate change.


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  • NRES 621 - Conservation Biology

    (3 units)
    Theory and application of scientific principles to the preservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. Local and global issues are addressed. (BIOL 621 and NRES 621 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the two.)

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. explain the threats to biological diversity and consequences of biodiversity loss.
    2. demonstrate how ecological, evolutionary, and ethical principles apply to conservation problems.
    3. discuss relevant policy and law as it relates to the conservation of biological diversity.
    4. demonstrate critical thinking skills in assessment, analysis, and synthesis of conservation issues through effective written and verbal communication.


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  • NRES 622 - Soil Physics

    (3 units)
    Soil physical properties as related to water and solute flow; texture, structure, specific surface, soil-water interaction, colloidal behavior.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate, in writing or verbally, an understanding of basic soil physical properties and processes related to water, gas, solute, and heat transport.
    2. measure, calculate, and interpret soil physical processes using laboratory and field techniques, including texture, soil water retention, infiltration, and evaporation.
    3. communicate, in writing or verbally, the ways that disturbances impact soil physical properties, and how these disturbances affect natural resources.
    4. compare and contrast how changes in soil physical properties change as a result of soil morphological properties, such as horizons and orders.
    5. demonstrate, in writing and orally, an advanced understanding of the topics and will be able to relate soil physical properties or processes to their research area of interest.


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  • NRES 632 - Advanced Environmental Toxicology

    (3 units)
    Chemistry and toxicology of toxicants in the environment, particularly pesticides. Other topics include metals, food additives and hazardous wastes.

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 122A  and CHEM 122L  or CHEM 202 ; CHEM 220A  or CHEM 341 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate understanding of the concepts of toxicology of organic and inorganic chemicals, and have a basic understanding of the risk of these substances to humans and other organisms.
    2. demonstrate understanding of the mechanisms of exposure of humans and other living systems to those chemicals and ultimately to understand how we can estimate risks associated with that exposure.
    3. demonstrate understanding of the quantitative natures in these assessments and be able to make independent assessments of relative risk to the different chemical threats in the environment.


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  • NRES 633 - Environmental Chemicals: Exposure, Transport and Fate

    (3 units)
    Physical, chemical, and biological properties governing exposures to chemicals in the environment, modeling of transport and fate processes, and contaminant remediation.

    Prerequisite(s): CHEM 220A  or CHEM 241  or CHEM 341 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. evaluate the fate of organic chemicals in the environment, based on an understanding of environmental processes and chemical reactivity.
    2. demonstrate understanding of the major processes affecting organic chemicals in the environment.
    3. evaluate why certain chemicals have been banned due to adverse effects.


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  • NRES 640 - Wetland Ecology and Management

    (4 units)
    Marsh, swamp, and riparian ecosystems. Geomorphology, hydrology, classification, soils, biogeochemical cycles, physiology, wildlife ecology, mitigation, delineation, policy.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate a conceptual understanding of wetland ecosystem functions & processes such as hydrology, production, and biogeochemical cycling.
    2. demonstrate the ability to analyze resource management problems in wetland ecosystems, demonstrate the scientific background for jobs involving delineation, mitigation, and regulation of wetland resources.
    3. perform an in-depth analysis about a current wetland problem or topic.


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  • NRES 647 - Plant Ecology

    (3 units)
    A comprehensive overview of plant ecology at the individual, population, community, ecosystem and landscape levels, with emphasis on the basic and applied aspects of this field.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 3

    Prerequisite(s): BIOL 191A ; NRES 217  or BIOL 314 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe and discuss central concepts relating to the ecology of plants at the individual, population, community, ecosystem and landscape levels.
    2. articulate the many ways that plants are influenced by human activities, including those relating the disturbance, habitat alteration, invasive species and climate change.
    3. demonstrate critical thinking skills when addressing questions relating to the ecology of plants.
    4. read and interpret articles about plants published in ecology journals.
    5. interpret and explain advanced topics in plant ecology through writing a detailed, referenced research paper.


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  • NRES 660 - Principles of Restoration Ecology

    (3 units)
    Humans have altered the structure and function of ecosystems worldwide. This course covers the ecological principles and processes critical to restoring degraded ecosystems and their relevance for the practice of ecological restoration. Lecture examples will draw from global forest, grassland, desert, coastal, and riverine case studies. Labs will include hands on computer simulations in web apps and R and fieldtrips to degraded and restored ecosystems in the Reno area.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 3

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe human impacts on ecosystems and their consequences for global ecosystem services and biodiversity.
    2. articulate the purposes and goals of ecological restoration.
    3. describe the connection between ecological restoration and conservation.
    4. articulate the relevance of theories and concepts from evolutionary biology and ecology for the practice of restoration in diverse ecosystem types.
    5. identify important biophysical and economic considerations and barriers for implementing restoration.
    6. Summarize, critique, and synthesize the questions, methods, and primary conclusions of restoration ecology research through the primary literature.
    7. synthesize and apply learning outcomes 1-5 by evaluating restoration case studies and field visits.
    8. summarize, synthesize, and critique the primary literature in Restoration Ecology.


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  • NRES 670 - Applied Population Ecology

    (3 units)
    This class will explore how concepts of population ecology can be used to inform the conservation and management of natural populations and ecosystems.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify the major classes of models used by ecologists (e.g., statistical vs mechanistic, quantitative vs heuristic, stochastic vs deterministic) and explain how and why ecologists use these models.
    2. apply tools such as population viability analysis (PVA), site-occupancy models, and metapopulation models to address the conservation and management of natural populations.
    3. perform basic statistics, data visualization, simulation modeling and model validation with Excel and the statistical computing language “R”.
    4. critically evaluate the strength of inferences drawn from ecological simulation models using tools such as cross-validation and sensitivity analysis.
    5. explain how species interactions can influence predictions of species range shifts and the biodiversity response to global change, and formulate strategies for accounting for species interactions in ecological models.
    6. communicate original research in applied population and community ecology via a professional oral presentation.


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  • NRES 675 - Landscape Ecology

    (3 units)
    Principles and procedures of landscape ecology and application to contemporary ecological and natural resource management issues. Reciprocal interactions between landscape pattern and ecological process.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 3

    Recommended Preparation: GIS and experience with Excel and R.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. articulate connections between ecosystems examined at local to global scales.
    2. integrate knowledge from all aspects of landscape ecology into their understanding of other branches of ecology.
    3. apply the tools of geographic and spatial analysis, GIS, and spatially-explicit simulation modeling to problems in natural resource management, conservation biology, and landscape planning.
    4. demonstrate methods to solve ecological problems in a spatial context.
    5. model approaches to forecast the ecological effects of changes in landscape pattern.
    6. demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of landscape ecological topics and methods.
    7. synthesize the diverse application of landscape ecological principles with other branches of ecology.


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  • NRES 682 - Small Watershed Hydrology

    (4 units)
    Approaches for dealing with problems of applied hydrology with emphasis on the small watershed, limited data, and land management situations.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. describe important hydrological processes and their variability in space and time at the watershed scale by answering integrative questions on the mid-term and final exam.
    2. incorporate measurements and external datasets into hydrological investigations in areas with limited data by collecting and analyzing data during laboratory assignments and the course project.
    3. explain how hydrological and hydrochemical functioning of small watersheds can be altered by human and natural disturbance through comprehensive test questions and in-depth investigation of watershed response during the class project.
    4. differentiate types of hydrological models and their advantages and limitations through laboratory investigations and answering integrative questions on the final exam.
    5. apply the scientific method to study hydrological response to disturbance by quantifying water, solute, and energy fluxes using analytical methods and communicating those results effectively through written and verbal parts of the class project.


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  • NRES 685 - Special Topics

    (1 to 3 units)
    Presentation and review of recent research, innovations and developments related to natural resources management, hydrology, conservation biology, and environmental chemistry.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 9

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify and use the basic materials and resources needed to demonstrate competency in the specific topic area.


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  • NRES 693 - Forest Ecology

    (3 units)
    Students will learn how environmental factors and biotic interactions influence structure and function of forest ecosystems. Emphasis is placed on a synthetic understanding of ecological relationships in the context of sustainable forest management. Field trips required.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate understanding of ecology and how ecological theory relates to management of forest and rangeland resources.
    2. develop a holistic understanding of forest and rangeland ecosystem structure and function.
    3. demonstrate improved quantitative skills, including data manipulation, analysis and graphing using Excel spreadsheet software.
    4. demonstrate improved ability to make natural history observations and to assess ecosystem properties and health from field visits.
    5. demonstrate improved scientific writing skills.
    6. work in an interdisciplinary team to develop a scientific review paper of topical scope and general format appropriate for an academic journal.


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  • NRES 695 - Fire Ecology and Management

    (3 units)
    Fire impacts, both beneficial and detrimental on rangelands, forest lands and wildlife habitats. Pre and post-fire land management. Fire suppression, management and prescribed burning techniques. The influence of fire on natural ecosystems.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. develop an understanding of the fundamentals of fire ecology, such as fire’s ecological role, fire regime concepts, fire adaptations, and fire fundamentals including both physical and biological processes.
    2. develop an understanding of fire effects on air, water, soils, plants, and wildlife.
    3. apply academic knowledge of fire ecology to applications relevant for natural resource management and planning, including forest restoration practices from stand to landscape scales.
    4. develop an international perspective concerning fire ecology and management issues globally.
    5. demonstrate improved quantitative skills, including data manipulation, analysis, graphing, and use of existing decision support systems for fire and fuel modeling.
    6. demonstrate improved technical writing skills.


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  • NRES 697 - Forest and Range Soils

    (3 units)
    Forest and range soil characterization, physical properties, and biogeochemistry as affected by management, pollutants, and disturbances. Field trips required.

    Prerequisite(s): NRES 322 . Recommended Preparation: CHEM 122A  and CHEM 122L .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate, in writing or verbally, an understanding of important forest and range soil properties and processes relating to the biology, physics, and chemistry of soils.
    2. identify and characterize forest and range soils in the field.
    3. demonstrate, in writing, an understanding of plant-soil feedbacks, above-ground and below-ground interactions, and the relationship between forest and range management and soils.
    4. communicate, in writing or verbally, the ways that disturbances, including human-induced global change, impact forest and range soils as a natural resource.


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  • NRES 701A - Advanced Resource Management

    (1 to 3 units)
    Lectures, supervised reading, laboratory or field work in: Forest/range management.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 9

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate an advanced level of competency in the specific topic area.


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  • NRES 701B - Advanced Resource Management

    (1 to 3 units)
    Lectures, supervised reading, laboratory or field work in: Wildlife/conservation biology.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 9

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate an advanced level of competency in the specific topic area.


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  • NRES 701C - Advanced Resource Management

    (1 to 3 units)
    Lectures, supervised reading, laboratory or field work in: Environmental science.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 9

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate an advanced level of competency in the specific topic area.


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  • NRES 701D - Hydrology

    (1 to 3 units)
    Lectures, supervised reading, laboratory or field work in: Hydrology.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 9

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. demonstrate an advanced level of competency in the specific topic area.


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  • NRES 702 - Soil Biogeochemistry

    (3 units)
    Soil chemical properties; soil solution, chemical equilibria, liquid/solid interaction, exchange, adsorption, methods and new developments in soil biogeochemistry.

    Recommended Preparation: CHEM 122A  and CHEM 122L ; MATH 182 ; PHYS 151 .

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Spring - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. recall fundamental concepts of soil biogeochemistry through lectures, in-depth class discussion of relevant peer-reviewed literature, lab and field exercises, homework, and exams.
    2. utilize fundamental knowledge about soils by applying methods to assess physical, chemical and biological aspects of soils in laboratory and field settings.
    3. summarize current research and critically review the literature pertaining to a research project to be conducted as part of the laboratory component.
    4. develop and execute a research project as well as present the results of the project both through an in-class presentation and a written report.
    5. demonstrate enhanced critical thinking skills within the interdisciplinary setting of mixed student backgrounds.


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  • NRES 710 - Graduate Environmental Statistics

    (3 units)
    Statistics are fundamental to addressing environmental questions. In this course, students will learn principles that underlie parametric statistics and the use of R software.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Fall

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. communicate, in writing or verbally, the assumptions associated with parametric statistical models.
    2. calculate, by hand, statistical tests such as T-test, ANOVAs, and regression.
    3. identify and perform appropriate statistical tests on their own data collected during their graduate program.
    4. compare and contrast statistical tools.
    5. import data into the software, visualize patterns, interpret plots, and perform statistical tests using R code.


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  • NRES 720 - Survivor Skills for Graduate Students in the Sciences

    (3 units)
    Refine skills in scientific writing, oral presentation, peer review, grantsmanship, and awareness of academic ethics.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 3
    Offered: Every Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. succinctly describe their research through writing abstracts, news briefs and doing sound bites.
    2. develop scientific writing skills for multiple audiences (i.e. peer-reviewed journals, agency reports, and general public).
    3. refine oral and poster presentation skills through practice and example.
    4. develop the tools needed to generate research support through increased experience with scientific paper and proposal writing.
    5. develop an understanding of how to construct an objective research paper.
    6. critically review manuscript submissions and research grant proposals.
    7. develop an improved understanding of the peer review process.
    8. recognize ethical issues connected with scientific conduct and research.
    9. demonstrate preparedness for future employment.


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  • NRES 721 - Molecular Ecology I: Theory and Applications

    (2 units)
    Reading and discussion of primary literature in molecular genetic methods and their application to studies in ecology and evolution. (ANSC 721, BIOL 721 and NRES 721 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the three.)

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Offered: Every Fall - Odd Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. discuss the underlying theory and application of various molecular techniques and analyses commonly used in ecological and evolutionary research.
    2. conduct basic computational analyses of genetic data.
    3. write a research grant that proposes the use of a genetic approach to address a question in ecology, evolution or conservation biology.


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  • NRES 722 - Molecular Ecology II: Techniques and Analyses

    (2 units)
    Use and interpretation of molecular genetic methods and their application to studies in ecology and evolution. (ANSC 722, BIOL 722 and NRES 722 are cross-listed; credit may be earned in one of the three.)

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 1
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall - Odd Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. discuss the underlying theory and application of various molecular techniques and analyses commonly used in ecological and evolutionary research.
    2. conduct basic computational analyses of genetic data.
    3. write a research grant that proposes the use of a genetic approach to address a question in ecology, evolution or conservation biology.


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  • NRES 735 - Plant Ecology Seminar

    (1 unit)
    Presentation and discussion of topics and research in plant ecology and in natural resources ecology and management by graduate students, faculty, and visiting scientists. Maximum of 3 credits applicable to MS; 6 credits to PhD.

    Maximum units a student may earn: 6

    Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
    Units of Discussion/Recitation: 1
    Offered: Every Fall and Spring

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. articulate verbally data and results from studies conducted by the student or in the literature.
    2. articulate verbally controversial theories and hypotheses that the student has or are in the literature.
    3. critically discuss new ideas and concepts that the student has or are in the literature.
    4. demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate a peer’s research proposal or results.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
  

  • NRES 746 - Advanced Analysis Methods in Natural Resources

    (3 units)
    Applied use and interpretation of multivariate and modeling techniques for natural resources and biological studies.

    Grading Basis: Graded
    Units of Lecture: 2
    Units of Laboratory/Studio: 1
    Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

    Student Learning Outcomes
    Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1. identify and contrast the major classes of statistical models used by ecologists (e.g., Bayesian vs frequentist, likelihood-based, machine learning) and explain how and why ecologists use these models.
    2. apply analysis tools such as Generalized Linear Models (GLM), Bayesian inference, and Random Forest (RF) on diverse data sets representative of those commonly considered in observational studies in ecology.
    3. explore data sets quantitatively and graphically and to prepare data appropriately for analysis.
    4. perform statistical analysis, data visualization, simulation modeling, model validation and programming with the statistical computing language R.
    5. critically evaluate the strength of inferences drawn from statistical models by understanding and testing major assumptions and using tools such as cross-validation.
    6. communicate statistical and computational concepts by leading lectures and discussion on advanced topics in data analysis.


    Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information
 

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