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Ecohydrology is the interdisciplinary study of the water cycle and the relationship between water systems and their surrounding environments. The ecohydrology specialization focuses on topics such as water resource management, water quality, water ecosystems and managing natural resources that our important to watersheds and aquatic systems.

This specialization teaches you to conserve and restore native ecosystems, including local areas such as the Sierra Nevada mountains and forests and the Great Basin rangelands. You'll take courses in ecosystem management and geographic information systems, or GIS, technology. If you choose to do an internship during your program, you may also be able to apply for certification as a Certified Restoration Practitioner in Training.

In the specialization in natural resource planning and management, you'll take courses in sciences such as biology, chemistry and geography, as well as courses in economics and public policy. You'll learn to integrate these areas of study to develop policy and planning solutions that address environmental problems. Graduates of this specialization gain skills in critical thinking, decision-making and science communication, and can go on to careers as natural resource planners and managers, working in both private and government agencies.

Pollution is a growing problem across the globe and right in your background. If you choose the pollution and environmental contaminants specialization, you'll learn to understand how pollutants are generated and spread and how they impact human health. You'll study the chemistry and physics needed to understand pollutants such as pesticides, toxic metals and pharmaceuticals, and learn how you can address their impacts on our planet.

Soil is a critical natural resource and plays an important role in storing carbon, filtering water and providing nutrients to living organisms. Biogeochemists study the physics, chemistry and biology of soil to better understand how soil systems are part of flows of carbon, nutrients and water, and how they interact with the ecosystems around them. You'll gain practical skills in soil science, including experience investigating soil in the field, conducting analyses of soil in the lab and analyzing and reporting on that lab data.

Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Management Specialization prepares students to pursue a variety of exciting careers. Whether you aspire to work with national parks, wildlife reserves, ecotourism companies or environmental NGOs, your expertise in sustainable practices and business operations will make you a valuable asset in any organization.

This unique specialization offers a blend of rigorous environmental science, business and communications training. You’ll learn the scientific principles behind conservation and sustainability, while also gaining practical skills in managing recreational operations impacting natural areas.

The minor in environmental science offers a foundation in the science underlying environmental issues as well as a framework for understanding the social and political factors that impact environmental policy. You'll take courses in a wide range of topics, such as forest ecology, wildlands hydrology and water development across the globe. A flexible curriculum allows you to choose the courses that are most relevant to you while still providing a well-rounded foundation in environmental science.