The fog lifts along a green field and mountain range in coastal Oregon.

Concentrations

Concentrations

The E&S major comprises an interdisciplinary core curriculum coupled with the completion of courses in a thematic concentration of your choice. All students must select one of six concentrations, consisting of six to nine additional courses beyond the core.

All students should familiarize themselves with the requirements of concentrations in which they may be interested. Several concentrations require students to complete specific courses as part of their core requirements i.e. SBEE requires AEM 2500 instead of 1500 as the core Economics requirement.

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

Please note that if you are declaring a Student-Designed Concentration you will need to submit a four-semester course plan. 

Tracking Your Degree Requirements

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

About the concentrations

Students in the Environmental Biology and Applied Ecology (EBAE) concentration will learn advanced principles of biology and ecology, and their application to problems of environmental management in fields such as wildlife and fisheries management; forest, wetland and aquatic ecology; environmental microbiology; conservation science; and endangered and invasive species management.

Learn more about the EBAE concentration

Students with a concentration in Sustainable Business and Environmental Economics (SBEE) will learn economic principles that shape interactions between economic and environmental conditions. This context provides a foundation for understanding how to address environmental challenges with economic interventions and how human activities are influenced by economic policies.

Learn more about the SBEE concentration

The Environmental Humanities (EH) explore how people in diverse cultures construct narratives about the environment and its relation to humans and how those narratives inform their actions in the world. Courses exploring subjects such as literature, art, ethics and culture can help students appreciate the underlying values and belief systems that drive much of human behavior. 

Learn more about the EH concentration

Students with a concentration in Environmental Policy and Governance (EPG) will study policy and broader social dimensions of environmental issues. Foundational courses in several realms of the environmental social sciences will acquaint students with different approaches to studying human-environment relationships. Students will also learn about the design, construction, implementation and evaluation of environmental policy and management.

Learn more about the EPG concentration

Students with a concentration in Land, Air and Water Resources (LAWR) pursue interests in hydrology, climate change, soil and air pollution, and similar topics by focusing on how physical and chemical processes influence and are influenced by ecosystems. The concentration emphasizes ecosystems as integrated systems and develop a strong quantitative background in the physical and biological sciences. 

Learn more about the LAWR concentration

The Student-Designed concentration (SD) allows students to work with an advisor to develop a plan of study aligned with their personal interests and professional goals that is not encompassed by one of the designated E&S concentrations.

Learn more about the SD concentration