About the Program
Bachelor of Science (BS)
The environmental sciences (ES) major is designed for students interested in studying environmental problems from a scientific perspective. The ES major prepares students to deal with issues arising from the impact of human interaction on natural systems. To address these problems, all ES students acquire strong backgrounds in math, biological sciences, and physical sciences. Students may choose to specialize further in a biological or physical science field such as ecology, conservation biology, toxicology, geology, hydrology, meteorology, engineering, or a social science field such as planning, policy analysis, economics, environmental justice, or education. Each ES student completes a year-long senior research project with the support of a mentor in a biological, physical, or interdisciplinary research area.
Graduates are well-prepared for careers in fields such as environmental consulting, education, health, or law as well as community, urban, or regional planning and other related areas of environmentalism in public agencies, non-profit conservation organizations, and private companies. Graduates are well-qualified for a variety of graduate programs, including environmental policy and management, law school, medical school (and other pre-health programs), and environmental engineering.
Admission to the Major
Advice on admission for freshmen and transfer students can be found on the CNR Admissions Guide page or the CNR Prospective Student website. Freshman students may apply directly to the major, or they may select the College of Natural Resource's undeclared option and declare the major by the end of their fourth semester. Transfer students may apply directly to the major through the UC application.
Information for current Berkeley students who would like to declare the major after admission, including information on a change of major or change of college, please see chapter 6 of the College of Natural Resources Undergraduate Student Handbook.
Honors Program
Students with a GPA of 3.6 or higher may enroll in the College of Natural Resources honors program once they have reached upper division standing. To fulfill the program requirements, students design, conduct, and report on an individual research project working with a faculty sponsor. Qualified ES students enroll in ESPM H175A and ESPM H175L fall of their senior year, and ESPM H175B and ESPM H175L spring of their senior year. For further information on the CNR Honors Program, please see the College of Natural Resources website.
Minor Program
There is no minor program in environmental sciences.
Other Majors Offered by the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM)
Conservation and Resource Studies (Major and Minor)
Ecosystem Management and Forestry (Major, Forestry Minor)
Molecular Environmental Biology (Major only)
Society and Environment (Major only)
Major Requirements
Students in this major choose a concentration in biological, physical, or social sciences based on their intended research area, or general area of interest. The specific requirements for each concentration are outlined below.
In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.
General Guidelines
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All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
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All courses taken to fulfill major requirements must be passed with a C- or better letter grade.
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A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required.
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A minimum GPA of 2.0 in upper division major requirements is required.
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A minimum of 30 upper division units is required in the Environmental Sciences major. 15 of the required upper division units must be taken in the College of Natural Resources.
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A maximum of 16 units of independent study (courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199) may count toward graduation, with a maximum of 4 units of independent study per semester.
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No more than 1/3 of the total units attempted at UC Berkeley may be taken Pass/No Pass. This includes units in the Education Abroad Program and UC Intercampus Visitor or Exchange Programs.
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A maximum of 4 units of physical education courses will count toward graduation.
For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.
Lower Division Requirements for all ES Majors
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
ESPM Environmental Science Core (select one): | ||
The Biosphere [3] | ||
Environmental Biology [3] | ||
Environmental Issues [4] | ||
Introduction to Environmental Sciences [3] | ||
Climate Change and the Future of California [4] | ||
ESPM Social Science Core (select one): | ||
FROM FARM TO TABLE: FOOD SYSTEMS IN A CHANGING WORLD [4] | ||
Americans and the Global Forest [4] | ||
ESPM C12/ENGLISH C77 | Course Not Available [4] | |
Fire: Past, Present and Future Interactions with the People and Ecosystems of California [4] | ||
Introduction to Culture and Natural Resource Management [4] | ||
Environmental Policy, Administration, and Law [4] | ||
Environmental Economics | ||
Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy [4] | ||
Breadth Requirements (two courses): | ||
Select courses from the Seven Course Breadth listing on the College of Letters & Science website. | ||
1 course from the Arts & Literature, Historical Studies, or Philosophy & Values category (3-4 units) | ||
1 course from the Social & Behavioral Science or International Studies category (3-4 units) | ||
Area of Concentration: Choose a concentration in Biological, Physical, or Social Sciences (see below for requirements for each concentration) |
Lower Division Requirements by Concentration
Biological Science Concentration
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Math (select one calculus sequence): | ||
Analytic Geometry and Calculus and Analytic Geometry and Calculus | ||
Calculus and Calculus | ||
Chemistry (two courses): | ||
General Chemistry and General Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Chemical Structure and Reactivity and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Biology (two courses): | ||
General Biology Lecture and General Biology Laboratory | ||
General Biology Lecture and Laboratory [4] | ||
Physics (one course): | ||
Introductory Physics [4] |
Physical Science Concentration
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Math (two courses): | ||
Calculus and Calculus | ||
Chemistry (two courses): | ||
General Chemistry and General Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Chemical Structure and Reactivity and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Biology (select one biology sequence): | ||
General Biology Lecture and General Biology Laboratory and General Biology Lecture and Laboratory | ||
BIOLOGY 1B, plus one of the following: INTEGBI 153, INTEGBI 154, ESPM C103, ESPM 111, ESPM 113, ESPM 114, ESPM 115B, or ESPM 116B | ||
Physics (2 courses): | ||
Physics for Scientists and Engineers and Physics for Scientists and Engineers Math 53 strongly recommended for Physics 7B |
Social Science Concentration
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Math (select one calculus sequence): | ||
Analytic Geometry and Calculus and Analytic Geometry and Calculus | ||
Calculus and Calculus | ||
Chemistry (two courses): | ||
General Chemistry and General Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Chemical Structure and Reactivity and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
or CHEM 1B | General Chemistry | |
Biology (select one biology sequence): | ||
General Biology Lecture and General Biology Laboratory and General Biology Lecture and Laboratory | ||
BIOLOGY 1B, plus one of the following: INTEGBI 153, INTEGBI 154, ESPM C103, ESPM 111, ESPM 113, ESPM 114, ESPM 115B, ESPM 116B, or ESPM 152 | ||
Physics (one course): | ||
Introductory Physics [4] |
Upper Division Requirements
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Statistics (must be completed before spring semester of student's junior year) 1 | ||
Select one of the following: | ||
Introduction to Ecological Data Analysis [3] | ||
Introduction to Biostatistics [5] | ||
Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Biology and Public Health [4] | ||
Statistical Methods for Data Science [4] | ||
Intro to Methods of Environmental Science 1 | ||
Introduction to the Methods of Environmental Science [4] (must be taken spring of junior year) | ||
Senior Research Seminar: First Half (select one): 1, 2 | ||
Senior Research Seminar in Environmental Sciences and Senior Research Laboratory in Environmental Sciences (must be taken fall of senior year) | ||
Senior Research Seminar in Environmental Sciences and Senior Research Laboratory in Environmental Sciences (must be taken fall of senior year) | ||
Senior Research Seminar: Second Half (select one) 1, 2 | ||
Senior Research Seminar in Environmental Sciences and Senior Research Laboratory in Environmental Sciences (must be taken spring of senior year) | ||
Senior Research Seminar in Environmental Sciences and Senior Research Laboratory in Environmental Sciences (must be taken spring of senior year) | ||
Environmental Modeling (select one): ESPM C183/EEP C183 satisfies the modeling requirement only if taken Spring 2015 or earlier | ||
Quantitative Aspects of Global Environmental Problems [4] | ||
Resource Management [4] Satisfies the modeling requirement if taken Spring 2016 or later. | ||
Modeling and Management of Biological Resources [4] | ||
Data Science in Global Change Ecology [4] | ||
Human Environment Interactions (select one): | ||
Energy, Culture and Social Organization [4] | ||
Climate and Energy Policy [4] | ||
Society, Environment, and Culture [4] | ||
Sociology and Political Ecology of Agro-Food Systems [4] formerly ESPM 155 | ||
American Environmental and Cultural History [4] | ||
Environmental Philosophy and Ethics [4] | ||
Bioethics and Society [4] | ||
Environmental Justice: Race, Class, Equity, and the Environment [4] | ||
ESPM 166 | Course Not Available | |
Environmental Health and Development [4] | ||
Political Ecology [4] | ||
International Environmental Politics [4] | ||
Management and Conservation of Rangeland Ecosystems [4] | ||
Water and Development [4] | ||
Ecological Economics in Historical Context [3] | ||
Environmental Economics [4] | ||
Globalization and the Natural Environment [3] | ||
Economics of Race, Agriculture, and the Environment [3] | ||
Population, Environment, and Development [3] | ||
Economics of Water Resources [3] | ||
Food and the Environment [4] | ||
Global Environmental Politics [4] | ||
Area of Concentration Elective | ||
Select one 3-5 unit elective from area of concentration (see list below) | ||
Additional ES Elective | ||
Select one 2-5 unit elective from any area of concentration (see list below) |
1 | These four courses must be completed in the sequence listed, beginning the fall semester of the student's junior year. Students who plan to study abroad or otherwise not continuously enroll at UC Berkeley for their junior and senior years should meet with the ES adviser. |
2 | The ESPM H175 sequence is for ES students who have an overall 3.6 or above GPA and will enroll in the CNR honors program. |
Upper Division Electives by Concentration
Biological Sciences Concentration Electives
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CHEM 103 | Inorganic Chemistry in Living Systems | 3 |
CHEM 115 | Organic Chemistry--Advanced Laboratory Methods | 4 |
CHEM C130/MCELLBI C100A | Biophysical Chemistry: Physical Principles and the Molecules of Life | 4 |
CIV ENG 101 | Fluid Mechanics of Rivers, Streams, and Wetlands | 3 |
CIV ENG 107 | Climate Change Mitigation | 3 |
CIV ENG 113 | Ecological Engineering for Water Quality Improvement | 3 |
CIV ENG 114 | Environmental Microbiology | 3 |
EPS/INTEGBI C100/GEOG C146 | Communicating Ocean Science | 4 |
ENE,RES 102 | Quantitative Aspects of Global Environmental Problems | 4 |
ESPM 102B & 102BL | Natural Resource Sampling and Laboratory in Natural Resource Sampling | 4 |
ESPM C103/INTEGBI C156 | Principles of Conservation Biology | 4 |
ESPM C104/ENVECON C115 | Modeling and Management of Biological Resources | 4 |
ESPM 105A | Sierra Nevada Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 106 | American Wildlife: Management and Policy in the 21st Century | 3 |
ESPM C107/INTEGBI 158LF | Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Islands | 13 |
ESPM 108A | Trees: Taxonomy, Growth, and Structures | 3 |
ESPM 108B | Environmental Change Genetics | 3 |
ESPM 110 | Primate Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 111 | Ecosystem Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 112 | Microbial Ecology | 3 |
ESPM 113 | Insect Ecology | 3 |
ESPM 114 | Wildlife Ecology | 3 |
ESPM 115B | Biology of Aquatic Insects | 2 |
ESPM C115C/INTEGBI C176L | Fish Ecology | 3 |
ESPM 116B | Grassland and Woodland Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 116C | Tropical Forest Ecology | 3 |
ESPM 117 | Urban Garden Ecosystems | 4 |
ESPM 118 | Agricultural Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 119 | Chemical Ecology | 2 |
ESPM 120 | Science of Soils | 3 |
ESPM 121 | Development and Classification of Soils | 3 |
ESPM C126/INTEGBI C144 | Animal Behavior | 4 |
ESPM/EPS C129 | Biometeorology | 3 |
ESPM 131 | Soil Microbiology and Biogeochemistry | 3 |
ESPM 134 | Fire, Insects, and Diseases in Forest Ecosystems | 3 |
ESPM C138/MCELLBI C114/PLANTBI C114 | Introduction to Comparative Virology | 4 |
ESPM 140 | General Entomology | 4 |
ESPM 144 | Insect Physiology | 3 |
ESPM 146L | Medical and Veterinary Entomology Laboratory | 1 |
ESPM 147 | Field Entomology | 1 |
ESPM C148/NUSCTX C114 | Pesticide Chemistry and Toxicology | 3 |
ESPM/INTEGBI C149 | Molecular Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 152 | Global Change Biology | 3 |
ESPM 157 | Data Science in Global Change Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 158 | Biodiversity Conservation in Working Landscapes | 4 |
ESPM 162 | Bioethics and Society | 4 |
ESPM C170 | Carbon Cycle Dynamics | 3 |
ESPM 172 | Remote Sensing of the Environment | 3 |
ESPM 173 | Introduction to Ecological Data Analysis | 3 |
ESPM 174 | Design and Analysis of Ecological Research | 4 |
ESPM 181A | Fire Ecology | 3 |
ESPM 184 | Agroforestry Systems | 3 |
ESPM 185 | Applied Forest Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 186 | Management and Conservation of Rangeland Ecosystems | 4 |
ESPM 187 | Restoration Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 188 | Case Histories in Wildlife Management | 2 |
GEOG C146 | Communicating Ocean Science | 4 |
GEOG C148 | Biogeography | 4 |
GEOG/LD ARCH C188 | Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
INTEGBI C100 | Communicating Ocean Science | 4 |
INTEGBI 102LF | Introduction to California Plant Life with Laboratory | 4 |
INTEGBI 103LF | Invertebrate Zoology with Laboratory | 5 |
INTEGBI 104LF | Natural History of the Vertebrates with Laboratory | 5 |
INTEGBI 106A | Physical and Chemical Environment of the Ocean | 4 |
INTEGBI 117LF | Medical Ethnobotany Laboratory | 2 |
INTEGBI C144 | Animal Behavior | 4 |
INTEGBI 146LF | Behavioral Ecology with Laboratory | 5 |
INTEGBI C149 | Molecular Ecology | 4 |
INTEGBI 151 & 151L | Plant Physiological Ecology and Plant Physiological Ecology Laboratory | 6 |
INTEGBI 152 | Environmental Toxicology | 4 |
INTEGBI 153 | Ecology | 3 |
INTEGBI 154 & 154L | Plant Ecology and Plant Ecology Laboratory | 5 |
INTEGBI C156 | Principles of Conservation Biology | 4 |
INTEGBI 157LF | Ecosystems of California | 4 |
INTEGBI 158LF | Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Islands | 13 |
INTEGBI 162 | Ecological Genetics | 4 |
INTEGBI 163 | Molecular and Genomic Evolution | 3 |
INTEGBI 168 & 168L | Course Not Available and Systematics of Vascular Plants with Laboratory | 4 |
INTEGBI 173LF | Mammalogy with Laboratory | 5 |
INTEGBI 174LF | Ornithology with Laboratory | 4 |
INTEGBI 175LF | Herpetology with Laboratory | 4 |
LD ARCH 110 | Ecological Analysis | 3 |
LD ARCH C188 | Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
MCELLBI 102 | Survey of the Principles of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 4 |
MCELLBI C112 & C112L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 6 |
MCELLBI C114 | Introduction to Comparative Virology | 4 |
MCELLBI C116 | Microbial Diversity | 3 |
NUSCTX 110 | Toxicology | 4 |
PLANTBI C110L | Biology of Fungi with Laboratory | 4 |
PLANTBI C112 & C112L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 6 |
PLANTBI C114 | Introduction to Comparative Virology | 4 |
PLANTBI/MCELLBI C116 | Microbial Diversity | 3 |
PLANTBI 120 & 120L | Biology of Algae and Laboratory for Biology of Algae | 4 |
PLANTBI 122 | Bioenergy | 2 |
PLANTBI 180 | Environmental Plant Biology | 2 |
PB HLTH 150A | Introduction to Epidemiology and Human Disease | 4 |
PB HLTH 150B | Human Health and the Environment in a Changing World | 3 |
PB HLTH 162A & PB HLTH 162L | Public Health Microbiology and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory | 6 |
Physical Sciences Concentration Electives
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
ARCH 140 | Energy and Environment | 4 |
ARCH 149 | Special Topics in Energy and Environment | 1-4 |
CHM ENG 140 | Introduction to Chemical Process Analysis | 4 |
CHM ENG 141 | Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | 4 |
CHM ENG 142 | Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Engineering | 4 |
CHM ENG 150A | Transport Processes | 4 |
CHM ENG 150B | Transport and Separation Processes | 4 |
CHEM 103 | Inorganic Chemistry in Living Systems | 3 |
CHEM 104A | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
CHEM 104B | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
CHEM 105 | Instrumental Methods in Analytical Chemistry | 4 |
CHEM 120A | Physical Chemistry | 3 |
CHEM 120B | Physical Chemistry | 3 |
CHEM 125 | Physical Chemistry Laboratory | 3 |
CHEM C130/MCELLBI C100A | Biophysical Chemistry: Physical Principles and the Molecules of Life | 4 |
CHEM 130B | Biophysical Chemistry | 3 |
CHEM 135 | Chemical Biology | 3 |
CHEM/EPS C182 | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Laboratory | 3 |
CIV ENG 100 | Elementary Fluid Mechanics | 4 |
CIV ENG 101 | Fluid Mechanics of Rivers, Streams, and Wetlands | 3 |
CIV ENG 103 | Introduction to Hydrology | 3 |
CIV ENG C106 | Air Pollution | 3 |
CIV ENG 107 | Climate Change Mitigation | 3 |
CIV ENG 111 | Environmental Engineering | 3 |
CIV ENG 113 | Ecological Engineering for Water Quality Improvement | 3 |
CIV ENG 115 | Water Chemistry | 3 |
CIV ENG C116 | Chemistry of Soils | 3 |
CIV ENG 171 | Rock Mechanics | 3 |
CIV ENG 173 | Groundwater and Seepage | 3 |
EPS/INTEGBI C100/GEOG C146 | Communicating Ocean Science | 4 |
EPS 100A | Minerals: Their Constitution and Origin | 4 |
EPS 100B | Genesis and Interpretation of Rocks | 4 |
EPS 101 | Field Geology and Digital Mapping | 4 |
EPS 117 | Geomorphology | 4 |
EPS 119 | Geologic Field Studies | 2 |
EPS 131 | Geochemistry | 4 |
EPS C146/GEOG C145 | Geological Oceanography | 4 |
EPS C180 | Air Pollution | 3 |
EPS C181/GEOG C139 | Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics | 3 |
EPS C182 | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Laboratory | 3 |
ENE,RES C100/PUB POL C184 | Energy and Society | 4 |
ENE,RES 102 | Quantitative Aspects of Global Environmental Problems | 4 |
ENGIN 115 | Course Not Available | |
ESPM 102B & 102BL | Natural Resource Sampling and Laboratory in Natural Resource Sampling | 4 |
ESPM 120 | Science of Soils | 3 |
ESPM 121 | Development and Classification of Soils | 3 |
ESPM 122 | Field Study of Soil Development | 1 |
ESPM C128/CIV ENG C116 | Chemistry of Soils | 3 |
ESPM/EPS C129 | Biometeorology | 3 |
ESPM C130/GEOG C136 | Terrestrial Hydrology | 4 |
ESPM 131 | Soil Microbiology and Biogeochemistry | 3 |
ESPM C148/NUSCTX C114 | Pesticide Chemistry and Toxicology | 3 |
ESPM 157 | Data Science in Global Change Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 164 | GIS and Environmental Science | 3 |
ESPM C170 | Carbon Cycle Dynamics | 3 |
ESPM 172 | Remote Sensing of the Environment | 3 |
ESPM 173 | Introduction to Ecological Data Analysis | 3 |
ESPM 174 | Design and Analysis of Ecological Research | 4 |
ESPM/EPS C180/CIV ENG C106 | Air Pollution | 3 |
ESPM 181A | Fire Ecology | 3 |
GEOG C139 | Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics | 3 |
GEOG 140A | Physical Landscapes: Process and Form | 4 |
GEOG 142 | Climate Dynamics | 4 |
GEOG 143 | Global Change Biogeochemistry | 3 |
GEOG 144 | Principles of Meteorology | 3 |
GEOG C145 | Geological Oceanography | 4 |
GEOG C146 | Communicating Ocean Science | 4 |
GEOG 180 | Field Methods for Physical Geography | 5 |
GEOG 183 | Cartographic Representation | 5 |
GEOG/LD ARCH C188 | Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
INTEGBI 106A | Physical and Chemical Environment of the Ocean | 4 |
LD ARCH 120 | Topographic Form and Design Technology | 3 |
LD ARCH C188 | Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
MATH 121A | Mathematical Tools for the Physical Sciences | 4 |
MATH 121B | Mathematical Tools for the Physical Sciences | 4 |
MEC ENG 106 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
Social Sciences Concentration Electives
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CIV ENG 107 | Climate Change Mitigation | 3 |
DEMOG/SOCIOL C126 | Sex, Death, and Data | 4 |
DEMOG/ECON C175 | Economic Demography | 4 |
ECON/ENVECON C102 | Natural Resource Economics | 4 |
ECON C125/ENVECON C101 | Environmental Economics | 4 |
ECON C171/ENVECON C151 | Development Economics | 4 |
ECON/DEMOG C175 | Economic Demography | 4 |
ENE,RES C100 | Energy and Society | 4 |
ENE,RES 101 | Ecology and Society | 3 |
ENE,RES 102 | Quantitative Aspects of Global Environmental Problems | 4 |
ENE,RES 175 | Water and Development | 4 |
ENE,RES 180 | Ecological Economics in Historical Context | 3 |
ENGIN 125 | Ethics, Engineering, and Society | 3 |
ENGIN 157AC | Engineering, The Environment, and Society | 4 |
ENVECON 100 | Microeconomic Theory with Application to Natural Resources | 4 |
ENVECON C101/ECON C125 | Environmental Economics | 4 |
ENVECON/ECON C102 | Natural Resource Economics | 4 |
ENVECON C115/ESPM C104 | Modeling and Management of Biological Resources | 4 |
ENVECON 131 | Globalization and the Natural Environment | 3 |
ENVECON 147 | Regulation of Energy and the Environment | 4 |
ENVECON C151/ECON C171 | Development Economics | 4 |
ENVECON 153 | Population, Environment, and Development | 3 |
ENVECON 161 | Advanced Topics in Environmental and Resource Economics | 4 |
ENVECON 162 | Economics of Water Resources | 3 |
ESPM 102C | Resource Management | 4 |
ESPM 102D | Climate and Energy Policy | 4 |
ESPM C104/ENVECON C115 | Modeling and Management of Biological Resources | 4 |
ESPM 117 | Urban Garden Ecosystems | 4 |
ESPM 151 | Society, Environment, and Culture | 4 |
ESPM 155AC | Sociology and Political Ecology of Agro-Food Systems formerly ESPM 155 | 4 |
ESPM/NUSCTX C159 | Human Diet | 4 |
ESPM 160AC/HISTORY 120AC | American Environmental and Cultural History | 4 |
ESPM 161 | Environmental Philosophy and Ethics | 4 |
ESPM 162 | Bioethics and Society | 4 |
ESPM 163AC/SOCIOL 137AC | Environmental Justice: Race, Class, Equity, and the Environment | 4 |
ESPM 165 | International Rural Development Policy | 4 |
ESPM 166 | Course Not Available | |
ESPM C167/PB HLTH C160 | Environmental Health and Development | 4 |
ESPM 168 | Political Ecology | 4 |
ESPM 169 | International Environmental Politics | 4 |
ESPM 183 | Forest Ecosystem Management and Planning | 4 |
GEOG 130 | Food and the Environment | 4 |
GEOG/LD ARCH C188 | Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
INTEGBI 117 & 117LF | Medical Ethnobotany and Medical Ethnobotany Laboratory | 4 |
LD ARCH 110 | Ecological Analysis | 3 |
LD ARCH 130 | Sustainable Landscapes and Cities | 4 |
LD ARCH C188 | Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
PB HLTH 140 | Course Not Available | |
SOCIOL C126 | Sex, Death, and Data | 4 |
SOCIOL 137AC | Environmental Justice: Race, Class, Equity, and the Environment | 4 |
College Requirements
In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking all majors in the College require two semesters of lower division work in composition. Students must complete a first-level reading and composition course by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.
Foreign Language: EEP Majors only
The Foreign Language requirement is only required by Environmental Economics and Policy (EEP) majors. It may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.
Quantitative Reasoning: EEP Majors only
The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is only required by Environmental Economics and Policy (EEP) majors. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.
Undergraduate Breadth
Undergraduate breadth provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program and many students complete their breadth courses in their first two years. Breadth courses are built into CNR major requirements and each major requires a different number of breath courses and categories. The EEP major is the only CNR major that requires the entire 7 course breadth. Refer to the major snapshots on each CNR major page for for additional information.
High School Exam Credit
CNR students may apply high school exam credit (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, A-Level Exam) towards many College and Major Requirements. See AP Exam Equivalency Chart and Higher Level IB Exam Equivalency Chart in the CNR Student Handbook for more information.
Unit Requirements
Students must complete at least 120 semester units of courses subject to certain guidelines:
- At least 36 units must be upper division courses, including a minimum of 15 units of upper division courses in the College of Natural Resources.
- A maximum of 16 units of Special Studies coursework (courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, or 199) is allowed towards the 120 units; a maximum of four is allowed in a given semester.
- A maximum of 4 units of Physical Education from any school attended will count towards the 120 units.
- Students may receive unit credit for courses graded P (including P/NP units taken through EAP) up to a limit of one-third of the total units taken and passed on the Berkeley campus at the time of graduation.
Semester Unit Minimum
All CNR students must enroll in at least 12 units each fall and spring semester.
Semester Unit Maximum
To request permission to take more than 19.5 units in a semester, please see the major adviser.
Semester Limit
Students admitted as freshmen must graduate within 8 fall/spring semesters at UC Berkeley. Students admitted as transfer students must graduate within 4 fall/spring semesters at UC Berkeley. Students who go on EAP and UCDC can petition for additional semesters. Summer session, UC Extension and non-UC study abroad programs do not count towards this semester limit. Students approved for double majors or simultaneous degrees in two colleges may be granted an additional semester. CNR does not limit the number of total units a student can accrue.
Senior Residence Requirement
After the term in which you achieve and exceed 90 units (senior status), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence at the College of Natural Resources over at least 2 semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units taken while the student is a member of CNR. At least one of the two terms must be a fall or spring semester. Senior residence terms do not need to be completed consecutively. All courses offered on campus for the fall, spring, and summer terms by Berkeley departments and programs and all Berkeley online ('W') courses count. Inter-campus Visitor, Education Abroad Program, UC Berkeley Washington Program, and UC Berkeley Extension units do not count toward this requirement.
Students may use Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence Requirement, provided that four units of coursework are completed.
Modified Senior Residence Requirement
Participants in a fall, spring or summer UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program may meet a modified Senior Residence Requirement by completing 24 of their final 60 semester units in residence (excluding UCEAP). At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after senior status is reached. International travel study programs sponsored by Summer Sessions and education abroad programs offered outside of the UC system do not qualify for modified senior residence.
Most students automatically satisfy the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless students go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through University Extension during their senior year. In these cases, students should make an appointment to see an adviser to determine how they can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.
Grade Requirements
- A 2.0 UC GPA is required for graduation.
- A 2.0 average in all upper division courses required of the major program is required for graduation.
- A grade of at least C- is required in all courses for the major
Student Learning Goals
Learning Goals for the Major
- Develop a broad, interdisciplinary framework for approaching complex, interconnected environmental problems facing our world at multiple scales.
- Develop strong analytic and quantitative skills needed to identify problems, develop a program to address the problem, execute a rigorous analysis of the issue, and reach independent conclusions.
- Develop a rigorous scientific base across multiple disciplines (social, biological, and physical sciences) but with a strong concentration in one area so as to develop depth of expertise in that field.
- Learn how to communicate findings effectively to the scientific community, government agencies, non-government environmental organizations, and the public.
Skills
- Recognition of and knowledge about environmental problems and areas of research.
- Comprehensive training in basic mathematics and the biological and physical sciences (calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics).
- Introduction to the social science concepts and methods (environmental economics, a course in human environment interactions).
- Training in sampling and experimental design, and quantitative methods of data analysis and interpretation (statistics, introduction to estimation and modeling techniques).
- Development of critical thinking and evaluation skills.
- Training in general research methods.
- Training in written communication, especially scientific writing.
- Training in oral and visual communication skills.
- Additional training in specialized research methods in the student’s area of concentration.
Advising
In the College of Natural Resources, we provide holistic, individual advising services to prospective and current students who are pursuing major and minors in our college. We assist with a range of issues including course selection, academic decision-making, achieving personal and academic goals, and maximizing the Berkeley experience.
If you are looking to explore your options, or you are ready to declare a major, double major, or minor, contact the undergraduate adviser for your intended major. Visit our website to explore all of our advising services.
Undergraduate Advisor, Environmental Sciences
Ginnie Sadil
envsci.ugrad@berkeley.edu
260 Mulford Hall
510-642-7895
Contact Ginnie via email or visit 260 Mulford Hall to schedule an appointment.
Advising hours: Monday to Friday, 9 to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Our office is closed from noon to 1 p.m.
Career & Internship Information
Career Services Overview
The UC Berkeley Career Center prepares undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni to make informed decisions about their futures by providing comprehensive resources, programs, and counseling on career development, internships, employment, and graduate school. Whether it be through a resume critique, an alumni networking event, or an interviewing skills workshop, the Career Center is committed to helping all students achieve:
- Career Clarity: Providing students the opportunity to identify their career direction
- Career Competitiveness: Providing students the opportunities to enhance their marketability via real world experiences
- Career Connections: Providing students opportunities to engage with alumni and employers
Common Career Paths for Environmental Sciences Majors
Career Destinations Survey
Every year the Career Center surveys graduating seniors about their post-graduation plans to better understand the career outcomes of our alumni including: career fields, job titles, specific employers, entry-level salaries, and graduate/professional school destinations. The data profiles by major provide an impressive overview of the diverse interests and achievements of recent graduates from UC Berkeley, including specific data for the Environmental Sciences major within the College of Natural Resources. Each annual data set includes the August, December, and May graduating cohorts for that survey year. This data is designed to provide students, alumni, and employers with critical information about where Cal students go after graduation. As expected, college major does not restrict the employment or graduate school options that Cal students pursue. With careful planning, you can develop career-related skills and experiences that can prepare you for almost any job or graduate school field.
Sample Career Pathways
Environmental Sciences majors go on to pursue a wide variety of career options including, but not limited to:
- Federal Government Agencies (e.g. Environmental Protection Agency; Department of Agriculture)/environmental remediation & compliance: soil, water, air & sediments
- Nonprofit Organizations (Environment & Sustainability focused): Administration, management, public relations, fundraising/development, program coordination, grant writing, volunteer management
- Business: Sales (e.g. solar), regulatory/compliance; corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental consulting
- Waste Management: Risk assessment, quality control, logistics, planning, recycling, transportation, public health
- Air & Water Quality Management: Testing/analysis, watershed management, stream restoration, sustainable infrastructure, risk assessment, compliance/permitting
- Soil Science: Waste disposal, environmental compliance, landfill operation and monitoring, fertilizer technology, agricultural production, research, organic farming
- Planning and Conservation: Natural resource management, sustainability programs, water resources, transportation and aviation planning, building/zoning, land use/acquisition, recreation and parks management, mining
- Education/Environmental Education: Teaching (elementary, secondary, post-secondary, research); public/community education, public health, outdoor education
- Communications: Technical writing, editing, illustrating, photography, public relations
- Health/Medical: Physician, allied health professions, nutrition, alternative medicine
- Environmental Law: Political action/lobbying, regulatory affairs, science policy, patent law, public interest, environmental law, mediation
Visit our Connecting Majors to Careers resource to explore additional career paths most commonly associated with over 80 majors, including Environmental Sciences.
Career Services Overview
The UC Berkeley Career Center prepares undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni to make informed decisions about their futures by providing comprehensive resources, programs, and counseling on career development, internships, employment, and graduate school. Whether it be through a resume critique, an alumni networking event, or an interviewing skills workshop, the Career Center is committed to helping all students achieve:
-
Career Clarity: providing students the opportunity to identify their career direction;
-
Career Competitiveness: providing students the opportunity to enhance their marketability via real-world experiences;
-
Career Connections: providing students opportunities to engage with alumni and employers.
Career and Internship Resources
The UC Berkeley Career Center offers a wide variety of programs and resources to support students of all majors and class levels.
- Job Search Tools: Resume and cover letter writing, job search strategies, networking tools, interviewing skills, and more.
- Career Counseling: A wide variety of scheduled and drop-in appointment options based on major and topic.
- Internships: Internship listings, search strategies, FAQs, and more.
- Career Exploration: Resources to explore career options, identify career goals, and develop effective career plans.
- Events and Workshops: Over 70 events each semester including workshops, alumni networking events, career panels, conferences, and on-campus Career Chats.
- Career Fairs and Employer Information Sessions: We offer 14 career fairs each year across a variety of career fields and partner with numerous employers for on-campus information sessions.
- Graduate and Professional School: Counseling and resources to help students research and apply for graduate and professional school including medical school and law school.
Faculty and Instructors
+ Indicates this faculty member is the recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award.
Faculty
Rodrigo P. P. Almeida, Associate Professor. Disease ecology, vector, plant disease, Xylella fastidiosa, emerging.
Research Profile
Miguel A. Altieri, Professor. Agriculture, environmental science, pest management.
Research Profile
Ronald Amundson, Professor. Pedology isotope biogeochemistry, impact of climate and life on earth processes, soils in biogeochemical cycles, human impacts on soils and ecosystems.
Research Profile
Gary Anderson, Adjunct Professor. Microbial ecology, genomics, diversity in extreme environments.
Jodi Axelson, Assistant Cooperative Extention Specialist. Forest Health, insect outbreaks, forest ecology, resource management, Dendrochronology and wood anatomy.
Dennis D. Baldocchi, Professor. Biometeorology, biosphere-atmosphere trace gas fluxes, ecosystem ecology, climate change.
Research Profile
Jillian Banfield, Professor. Nanoscience, Bioremediation, genomics, biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, geomicrobiology, MARS, minerology.
Research Profile
John J. Battles, Professor. Forest Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics.
Research Profile
Steven R. Beissinger, Professor. Conservation, behavioral and population ecology.
Research Profile
Gregory Biging, Professor. Forest Biometrics and Remote Sensing.
Research Profile
Carl Boettiger, Assistant Professor. Theoretical ecology, ecoinformatics, modeling, data science, resilience, early warning signals, decision theory.
Research Profile
Timothy Bowles, Assistant Professor. Agroecology, Sustainable Agriculture.
Justin S. Brashares, Associate Professor. Wildlife, biodiversity, ecology, conservation, human livelihoods.
Research Profile
Eoin Brodie, Assistant Adjunct Professor.
Research Profile
Thomas D. Bruns, Professor. Microbial biology, plant biology, fungi, nucleic acid sequences, basidomycetes, ectomycorrhizal fungi communities.
Research Profile
Stephanie M. Carlson, Associate Professor. Fish ecology, freshwater ecology, evolutionary ecology.
Research Profile
Claudia J. Carr, Associate Professor. International and rural resource development.
Research Profile
Ignacio Chapela, Associate Professor. Agriculture, biotechnology, environmental science, microbial biology, policy and management.
Research Profile
Paolo D'Odorico, Professor. Ecohydrology, surface hydrology, ecosystem ecology, Aeolian processes, desertfication, stohastic, nonlinear environmental dynamics, water and food security.
Research Profile
Todd Dawson, Professor. Physiological plant ecology, evolutionary plant ecology, ecosystem processes, adaptations of plants, carbon, water, nitrogen.
Research Profile
Kathryn De Master, Assistant Professor. Sociology and political ecology of agriculture, agrarian change, rural conservation and development, agri-environmental policy, food justice/sovereignty movements, heritage and terroir, diversified farming systems, participatory mapping.
Research Profile
Perry De Valpine, Associate Professor. Population ecology, mathematical modeling and statistics.
Research Profile
Richard S. Dodd, Professor. Tree genetics and systematics.
Research Profile
Damian O. Elias, Assistant Professor. Neuroethology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary biology of arthropods.
Research Profile
Mary K. Firestone, Professor. Soils, environmental policy, environmental science, policy and management, wildlife, miicrobial biology.
Research Profile
Brian L. Fisher, Associate Adjunct Professor. Entomology, Ants.
Research Profile
Gordon Frankie, Professor. Urban entomology, policy, environmental policy, environmental science, pest management, management.
Research Profile
Inez Fung, Professor. Global change, environmental policy, ecosystem scienes.
Research Profile
Matteo Garbelotto, Adjunct Professor. Forest pathology, forest mycology, forest and tree management.
Research Profile
Wayne Marcus Getz, Professor. Africa, disease ecology, wildlife conservation, resource management.
Research Profile
Rosemary Gillespie, Professor. Evolutionary ecology, systematics, spider biology, conservation.
Research Profile
+ J. Gilless, Professor. Environmental policy, resource economics, forestry, forest economics, wildland fire.
Research Profile
Allen Goldstein, Professor. Global change, air pollution, environmental science, biogeochemistry, atmospheric chemistry.
Research Profile
Charles Griswold, Adjunct Professor. Entomology.
John Harte, Professor. Global change, ecology, sustainability, energy policy, theoretical ecology, biodiversityl.
Research Profile
Susan Hubbard, Adjunct Professor.
Lynn Huntsinger, Professor. Rangeland conservation and management.
Research Profile
Alastair Iles, Associate Professor. Science, technology and environment, green chemistry, sustainability learning, environmental policy.
David Kavanaugh, Adjunct Professor. Systematics, biogeography, evolution, and natural history of carabid beetles.
Research Profile
Maggi Kelly, Professor in Residence. Remote sensing, wetlands, ecosystem sciences, forests, geoinformatics, participatory web, GIS.
Research Profile
Siamak Khorram, Adjunct Professor. Remote sensing, image processing.
Claire Kremen, Professor. Conservation Biology, Pollination, Agroecology, Entomology.
Isao Kubo, Professor. Agriculture, insect biology, pest management.
Research Profile
Laura N. Lammers, Assistant Professor. Environmental geochemistry, crystal growth, mineral-fluid and fluid-fluid interfacial processes, contaminant transport.
Jonas Meckling, Assistant Professor. Climate policy, energy policy, political economy.
Research Profile
Carolyn Merchant, Professor. Environmental history, philosophy and ethics.
Research Profile
Adina M. Merenlender, Adjunct Professor. Conservation biology.
Research Profile
Arthur Middleton, Assistant Professor. Wildlife ecology, management, and policy.
Nicholas J. Mills, Professor. Invasive species, Biological control, Population ecology, Entomology/Insect biology.
Research Profile
Katharine Milton, Professor. Tropical ecology of humans and non-human primates diet parasite-host interactions.
Research Profile
Rachel Morello-Frosch, Professor. Race and class determinants of the distribution of health risks associated with air pollution among diverse communities in the United States .
Research Profile
Patrick M. O'Grady, Assistant Professor. Population genetics and phylogenetics of Drosophila, adaptive radiation, biogeography.
Research Profile
Kevin O'Hara, Professor. Stand dynamics silviculture forest management.
Research Profile
Kate O'Neill, Associate Professor. International environmental politics/ global political economy.
Research Profile
Dara O'Rourke, Associate Professor. Environmental justice, globalization, industrial ecology, labor.
Research Profile
Celine Pallud, Associate Professor. Biogeochemistry, iron reduction, metals and contaminants, soil aggregates, selenium kinetics of organic matter degradation, nitrate reduction, soil and environmental biogeophysics, biogeochemical cycles, fate and transport of nutrients, sulfate reduction, wetland soils, littoral sediments, spatial variation in biogeochemical processes.
Research Profile
Nancy L. Peluso, Professor. Political ecology/resource policy and politics/forests/agrarian change/property and access.
Research Profile
Matthew D. Potts, Associate Professor. Forest management, biofuels, plantation agriculture, land use planning, land use policy, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, tropical ecology, environmental economics.
Research Profile
Robert Rhew, Associate Professor. Geography, terrestrial-atmosphere exchange of trace gases, atmospheric chemistry and composition, halogen biogeochemistry, stratospheric ozone depletion issues, coastal salt marsh, chaparral, desert, tundra, boreal forest, grassland.
Research Profile
George Roderick, Professor. Invasion biology, Biodiversity science, Sustainability and global change, Insects.
Research Profile
Erica B. Rosenblum, Assistant Professor. Evolutionary ecology, speciation and extinction, ecological genomics, herpetology, global change biology.
Research Profile
Whendee SIlver, Professor. Ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry.
Research Profile
Scott L. Stephens, Professor. Wildland fire science, fire ecology, forest ecology, forest policy, forest management.
Research Profile
Mark A. Tanouye, Professor. Genetics, neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, mechanisms of nervous system structure and function, drosophila mutants.
Research Profile
Neil Tsutsui, Professor. Genetics and behavior of social insects.
Research Profile
Ian Wang, Assistant Professor. Landscape genetics, landscape ecology, ecological and conservation genomics.
Kipling Will, Associate Professor. Carabid beetles/ Insect Systematics/ Associate Director,Essig Museum of Entomology.
Research Profile
David E. Winickoff, Associate Professor. Biotechnology, bioethics, environmental regulation, Science and Technology studies, geoengineering, technology transfer.
Research Profile
Robert York, Adjunct Assistant Professor. Forest Ecology, Silviculture, Giant Sequoia restoration and ecology.
Research Profile
Specialists
Van Butsic, Assistant Specialist. Land systems science, conservation, environmental economics and policy, coupled human natural systems, GIS applications.
Research Profile
Kent M. Daane, Specialist. Control of insect pests in agricultural crops.
Christy M. Getz, Associate Specialist. Ethics, history, politics, rural development.
Ted Grantham, Assistant Specialist. Freshwater ecology, stream hydrology, climate risk assessment, California water management and policy.
Vernard Lewis, Specialist. Biology and management of structural and household pests .
Research Profile
Max A. Moritz, Associate Specialist. Fire Ecology and Management.
Research Profile
Thomas A. Scott, Specialist. Wildlife conservation, human impacts on wildlife, wildlife/urban interface.
Jennifer Sowerwine, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist. Building equitable, economically viable and culturally relevant food systems in metropolitan areas that contribute to healthy communities, ecological diversity and sustainable livelihoods.
Richard B. Standiford, Cooperative Extension Specialist. Forest management.
William Stewart, Specialist. Watershed management, forest management, resource economics.
William D. Tietje, Specialist. Oak woodland ecology, human impacts on wildlife.
Lecturers
Kendra Klein, Lecturer.
Alan H. Krakauer, Lecturer.
Patina Mendez, Lecturer.
Kurt Spreyer, Lecturer.
Bridget M. Tracy, Lecturer.
Visiting Faculty
Daphne Miller, Visiting Associate Professor.
Emeritus Faculty
Barbara Allen-Diaz, Professor Emeritus. Rangeland ecology and management, Plant community ecology.
Research Profile
John R. Anderson, Professor Emeritus.
Reginald Barrett, Professor Emeritus. Wildlife biology and management.
Research Profile
Frank Beall, Professor Emeritus.
David L. Brink, Professor Emeritus.
Leopoldo Caltagirone, Professor Emeritus.
+ Howell V. Daly, Professor Emeritus. Biosystematics of bees, traditional and modern taxonomic procedures, including use of computers in classification and data analysis and management.
Harvey Doner, Professor Emeritus. Chemistry of trace elements in soils, mineral-organic compound interactions, and chemistry of carbonates and more soluble minerals in soils.
John Doyen, Professor Emeritus.
Sally Fairfax, Professor Emeritus.
Louis A. Falcon, Professor Emeritus.
Louise Fortmann, Professor Emeritus.
Paul L. Gersper, Professor Emeritus. Soil/plant relationships, land use.
Research Profile
Peng Gong, Professor Emeritus. Remote Sensing and GIS.
Research Profile
Andrew Gutierrez, Professor Emeritus. Systems ecology biological control.
Research Profile
Joseph Hancock, Professor Emeritus.
Richard R. Harris, Specialist Emeritus. Forestry, resource management, riparian ecology.
John A. Helms, Professor Emeritus.
John Helms, Professor Emeritus.
Marjorie Hoy, Professor Emeritus.
Oenes Huisman, Professor Emeritus.
Robert S. Lane, Professor Emeritus.
William Libby, Professor Emeritus.
Werner Loher, Professor Emeritus.
+ Joe R. McBride, Professor Emeritus. Forest ecology and urban forestry.
Research Profile
John G. McColl, Professor Emeritus. Soil science: nutrient cycling, forest soils.
Research Profile
Doug McCreary, Specialist Emeritus. Artificial regeneration of native California oaks.
Dale McCullough, Professor Emeritus. Wildlife biology and management.
Research Profile
William Mckillop, Professor Emeritus. Forest economics, forest management, forest policy, timber supply, forestry economics.
Research Profile
Gary Nakamura, Specialist Emeritus. Forestry and silviculture.
Nickolas Panopoulos, Professor Emeritus.
Rudolph Pipa, Professor Emeritus.
Jerry Powell, Professor Emeritus.
Alexander H. Purcell III, Professor Emeritus. Insect vectors of plant pathogens.
Stephen Quarles, Professor Emeritus.
Robert D. Raabe, Professor Emeritus. Ornamental pathology.
Jeffrey Romm, Professor Emeritus.
Vincent Rush, Professor Emeritus.
Milton Schroth, Professor Emeritus. Ecology, pathogen physiology, biocontrol.
John Shelly, Professor Emeritus.
Philip Spieth, Professor Emeritus. Population Genetics and Evolution.
Garrison Sposito, Professor Emeritus.
Robert Van Steenwyk, Professor Emeritus. Pest management, forestry, microbial biology.
Research Profile
Lawrence Waldron, Professor Emeritus.
Stephen C. Welter, Professor Emeritus. Plant-insect interactions and agricultural entomology.
W. Wayne Wilcox, Professor Emeritus.
David Wood, Professor Emeritus.
Eugene Zavarin, Professor Emeritus.
Contact Information
Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
130 Mulford Hall
Phone: 510-643-7430
Fax: 510-643-5438
Undergraduate Student Advising
CNR Office of Instruction & Student Affairs
260 Mulford Hall
Phone: 510-642-0542