https://www.uwgb.edu/water-science/

(Bachelor of Science)

Overview of the Program

The UW-Green Bay Water Science program is an integrated program designed to provide students with the tools necessary to solve the water related challenges of today and tomorrow. Students may complete program requirements in four years. The curriculum is interdisciplinary, with a core set of courses drawn from geoscience, chemistry, environmental science, biology, physics, math, and statistics. In addition, a diverse set of elective courses allow students to focus on subdisciplines in water science that can meet their career needs and interests. The major requirements are comprised of 68 credits, which include 33 credits of supporting courses, 19 credits of upper level core courses, and 16 credits of upper level electives. The comprehensive major has a principal focus on water’s role in natural processes in Earth’s systems. These skills include a solid understanding of the chemistry, surface water hydrology, groundwater, and biology of freshwater systems. UW-Green Bay Water Science majors have opportunities to work as research assistants on faculty projects, develop internships, or to conduct their own independent projects. UW-Green Bay faculty members are very active in research on water and wastewater treatment, runoff pollution, stream hydrology, groundwater quantity and quality, soils, limnology, and aquatic ecology.

Student Learning Outcomes and Program Objectives

1. Students will be able to describe the role water plays in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, with emphasis on interactions between these reservoirs.
2. Students will apply the scientific method to investigations of hydrologic processes, Earth systems, and interactions among the various physical and biological realms utilizing standard scientific field and laboratory methods.
3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the hydrology of streams and lake systems and the role water has in landscape‑forming processes that act on the Earth's surface.
4. Students will be able to describe the processes of and importance of groundwater flow and aquifer systems.
5. Students will be able to compare chemical interactions that occur in various hydrologic settings and their importance to water resources, geological and biological systems, and water/wastewater treatment.
6. Students will be able to describe the role water plays in atmospheric systems and the climate system.
7. Students will be able to describe the interactions between water systems and ecosystems.
8. Students will be able to describe the challenges of maintaining surface and ground water quality.
9. Students will apply their knowledge base and research skills to current issues pertaining to water resources, management, and remediation, with emphasis on related economic, social, and public policy dimensions.
10. Students will analyze, interpret, and report on laboratory and field findings using appropriate statistical techniques and computer applications.

Major* 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Supporting Courses		33
BIOLOGY 203	Principles of Biology: Organisms and Evolution
BIOLOGY 204	Principles of Biology Lab: Organisms and Evolution
CHEM 211	Principles of Chemistry I
CHEM 212	Principles of Chemistry II
CHEM 213	Principles of Chemistry I Laboratory
CHEM 214	Principles of Chemistry II Laboratory
GEOSCI 202	Physical Geology
GEOSCI 222	Introduction to Weather & Climate
MATH 260	Introductory Statistics
WATER 201	Introduction to Water Science
Physics (choose one option):
PHYSICS 103 & PHYSICS 203	Fundamentals of Physics I and Introductory Physics Lab I
PHYSICS 201 & PHYSICS 203	Principles of Physics I and Introductory Physics Lab I
Upper-Level Required Courses		19
ENV SCI 335	Water and Waste Water Treatment
ENV SCI/ET 330	Hydrology
GEOSCI 432/632	Hydrogeology #
WATER 444/644	Aqueous Geochemistry #
Lakes/Streams (choose one):
ENV SCI 401/601	Stream Ecology #
ENV SCI 403/603	Limnology #
Water Resources (choose one):
ENV SCI 433/633	Ground Water: Resources and Regulations #
Elective Courses (Choose 16 credits)		16
BIOLOGY 322	Environmental Microbiology
BIOLOGY 341	Fish Biology and Ecology
BIOLOGY 357	Marine Biology
CHEM 311	Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 413/613	Instrumental Analysis #
ECON 305	Environmental Economics
ENV SCI 305	Environmental Fate and Transport
ENV SCI 320/520	The Soil Environment #
ENV SCI 337	Environmental GIS
ENV SCI 338	Environmental Modeling
ENV SCI 401	Stream Ecology
ENV SCI 403	Limnology
ENV SCI 424/624/ET 424	Hazardous and Toxic Materials #
ENV SCI 425/625	Global Climate Change #
ENV SCI 433/633	Ground Water: Resources and Regulations #
ENV SCI 491	Senior Thesis/Research in Environmental Science
EPP 379	Natural Resources Policy, Law, and Administration
ET 430	Sustainable Agricultural Management
GEOSCI 325	Regional Climatology
POL SCI 378	Environmental Law
WATER 321	Stable Isotopes in the Environment
WATER 410	Agriculture-Water Nexus in Wisconsin
WATER 411	Agriculture-Water Nexus Field Experience
WATER 491	Senior Thesis/Research in Water Science
WATER 492	Special Topics in Water Science
WATER 497	Internship
WATER 498	Independent Study
Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin 1
Total Credits		68

*

includes an accelerated option - Integrated with graduate Environmental Science and Policy program

#

Students must be granted permission through the department to enroll in graduate level coursework.  For more information, contact the graduate Management office or refer to the graduate catalog.

¹

May use up to 8 credits of Specialty and Field Immersion Courses offered by Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin

Curriculum Guide 

The following is an example of a four-year Water Science program and is a representation of one possible pathway. Students are encouraged to plan ahead and check with your advisor to ensure that they have the most accurate and up-to-date information available about a particular four-year degree option. Because some courses are fall/spring and even/odd year basis, timing of certain courses may vary.  Students are encouraged to consider a minor that pairs well with Water Science. 120 credits necessary to graduate. 

Plan of Study Grid

Freshman
Fall		Credits
WATER 201	Introduction to Water Science	3
GEOSCI 202	Physical Geology	4
First Year Seminar		3
English Comp 100 or Gen Ed		3
Gen Ed or Math Course		3
	Credits	16
Spring
BIOLOGY 203	Principles of Biology: Organisms and Evolution	3
BIOLOGY 204	Principles of Biology Lab: Organisms and Evolution	1
GEOSCI 222	Introduction to Weather & Climate	3
MATH 260	Introductory Statistics	4
Gen Ed		4
	Credits	15
Sophomore
Fall
CHEM 211	Principles of Chemistry I	4
CHEM 213	Principles of Chemistry I Laboratory	1
ENV SCI 330	Hydrology	3
ENV SCI 401 or ENV SCI 403	Stream Ecology or Limnology	4
Gen Ed or Elective		4
	Credits	16
Spring
CHEM 212	Principles of Chemistry II	4
CHEM 214	Principles of Chemistry II Laboratory	1
ENV SCI 335	Water and Waste Water Treatment	3
ENV SCI 337	Environmental GIS	3
Gen Ed or Elective		4
	Credits	15
Junior
Fall
ENV SCI 433	Ground Water: Resources and Regulations	3
PHYSICS 103 or PHYSICS 201	Fundamentals of Physics I or Principles of Physics I	4
PHYSICS 203	Introductory Physics Lab I	1
WATER 444	Aqueous Geochemistry	3
Elective		4
	Credits	15
Spring
GEOSCI 432	Hydrogeology	3
WATER 321	Stable Isotopes in the Environment (Recommended)	1
Elective		6
Gen Ed		3
	Credits	13
Senior
Fall
WATER 498 or WATER 497	Independent Study (Recommended) or Internship	1-4
ENV SCI 403 or ENV SCI 401	Limnology or Stream Ecology	4
Elective		4
Elective		4
	Credits	13-16
Spring
Electives		8
Gen Ed		6
WATER 497 or WATER 498	Internship (Recommended) or Independent Study	1-3
	Credits	15-17
	Total Credits	118-123

¹

 Choose one of these two courses; check periodicity closely.

Faculty