REQUIRED COURSES

Take the following courses:

ESS-100 Environmental Systems I

This course introduces students to the concept of systems, reviews ecological systems, and then goes on to human systems as these impact the environment. The course will explore the two forces that are at the core of most environmental impacts (climate change, ozone depletion, air and water pollution, and a loss of biodiversity) will be explored as will the fundamental attributes of agriculture, food, soil, and water. Throughout, the influence of culture, society, ethics, and science on the environmental problems will be discussed. 

4 CreditsN, WK-SP, CTGISPre-Req or Co-Req: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

ESS-110 Environmental Systems II

This course introduces students to the concepts of environmental systems and sustainability, review of ecological systems, and human impact on the environment. Students will work on a restoration/conservation project with a community partner to improve soil/water resource quality in the community. Students will be introduced to scientific writing and write a scientific paper. 

3 CreditsN, SW-LEPre-req or co-req: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109. (NOTE: ESS-100 is not a prereq for ESS-110.)

BI-101 General Biology I

General Biology I is the first course in the Biology POE core curriculum. This course will be structured around four primary case studies on the opioid crisis, climate change, environmental toxicology and the evolution of speed in animals. The cases will outline foundational concepts in molecular biology and evolution.

4 Credits

BI-300 General Ecology

Examines the interactions of living organisms with their physical, chemical and biotic environments. Special attention is given to the environmental, biological and historical factors affecting the distribution, abundance, adaptation, and diversity of species in natural communities.

3 CreditsNPrerequisites: BI-101 and BI-102. Corequisite: BI-301.

BI-301 General Ecology Lab

Students work together as research teams to carry out original investigations on the ecology of local species and natural communities. Emphasis on ecological research design, data collection and analysis, and oral and written presentation of results. Frequent field trips are included. Note: a special lab fee is assessed and one field trip may require an additional fee.

1 CreditsNCorequisite: BI300

BI-360 Vertebrate Zoology

Focuses on the vertebrate animals of the Eastern United States. Collection, taxonomic identification and natural history are emphasized.

3 CreditsNSuggested corequisites: BI361. Prerequisites: BI105 and Ecology/Biology related POE.

BI-361 Vertebrate Zoology Lab

Frequent field trips, for observation and specimen collection are followed by exercises in identification, specimen preparation, and museum techniques to illustrate and augment the concepts and content of the lecture. Note: A special fee is assessed and one optional field trip requires an additional fee.

2 CreditsNCorequisite: BI360

ESS-325 Conservation Biology

Conservation Biology encompasses biology, politics, ethics, economics and anthropology. The major course objective is the exploration of conservation complexities--important for successful conservation efforts. Other objectives are to gain an understanding of extinction, community conservation, population genetics and demography. This course has a required weekend field trip with a fee added for the trip.

3 CreditsS, NPrerequisites: ESS100 or BI105.

ESS-224 Wildlife Mgmt

Wildlife management incorporates the science and management of wild animals, both rare and common species. Threatened species may require particular knowledge of population structure and processes for effective management, while common species may need control or might be exploited as novel production products.

3 CreditsNPrerequisites: ESS100 and BI105 and BI121. A special course fee is assessed.

ESS-330 Geographical Information Systems

This course is an introduction to a Geographical Information System (GIS), and the course objective is that students gain a basic, partial understanding of GIS concepts, technical issues, and applications using Arc View GIS. It encourages thinking in spatial context. A diverse array of hands-on computer applications and projects are used to understand how geographical data can be analyzed spatially. Students explore analysis techniques in a problem basis learning approach using small team projects.

4 CreditsCTGISNote: A special course fee is assessed. Prerequisite: ESS100.

PLANT BIOLOGY

Complete one of the following options below:

OPTION 1:

BI-327 Botany

This course will provide an in-depth examination of the biology of plants. In lecture and lab we will examine plant reproduction and development, morphology and physiology, evolution and biodiversity, and ecology and conservation. Particular attention will be paid to the aspects of plant biology that are unique to this branch of life and/or are of critical importance to human or other biotic interactions (e.g. photosynthesis, pollination, agriculture, etc.).

4 CreditsNPrerequisites: BI105. Note: A special course fee is applied.

OPTION 2:

ESS-340 Forestry

This course provides a comprehensive survey of the discipline of forestry and forest ecology with special emphasis on tree identification, timber mensuration, and forest management issues in central Pennsylvania.

3 CreditsN, CTGISPrerequisites: ESS100.

OPTION 3:

BI-325 Plant Ecology

Primarily an ecology course, but also included is a significant amount of plant identification/classification and plant epochology. The ecology portion will cover the whole spectrum of this fast-growing field; from communities and ecosystems to theory and adaptation.

3 CreditsNCorequisite: BI326. Prerequisites: BI105 and BI121 and Junior or Senior standing.

BI-326 Plant Ecology Lab

The first 10 weeks are devoted to laboratory work on the identification of the local entophyte flora. Students are required to make a personal collection representing a minimum of 8 families and are expected to become proficient in using a scientific manual. During the 5th and 6th week there is a mandatory all day field trip to collect forest data. An extensive paper on forest succession will be due by semester's end. Note: A special fee is assessed.

1 CreditNCorequisite: BI325

CHEMISTRY REQUIREMENT

Complete one of the following options below:

OPTION 1:

CH-142 Integrated Chemistry Principles I

An introduction to the principles of chemistry, this course begins a two semester sequence that integrates information from all aspects of chemistry while focusing on the core principles of the relationships between energy, the structure of atoms and molecules, and atomic and molecular properties and reactivity. Topics include energy, reactions, atomic structure, elemental properties, bonding, and molecular properties.

3 CreditsNCorequisite CH143

CH-143 Integrated Chem Principles I Lab

This semester will focus on learning good laboratory practices, primarily through the quantitative analysis of compounds. The quantitative analysis of materials and an understanding of reproducibility and bias are relevant to many fields, including medical analysis or the analysis of contaminants in the environment. This course will also teach you how to keep an excellent laboratory notebook, identify safety hazards in the lab, and complete data analysis and graphing in Excel. All of these tools will serve you well in a variety of careers.

1 CreditsN, QSCH142 is a corequisite of this course. A lab fee is associated with this course.

CH-144 Integrated Chemistry Principles II

An introduction to the principles of chemistry, this course completes a two semester sequence that integrates information from all aspects of chemistry while focusing on the core principles of the relationships between energy, the structure of atoms and molecules, and atomic and molecular properties and reactivity. Topics include thermodynamics, equilibrium reactions, acid/base and redox reactions, kinetics and nuclear reactions.

3 CreditsNPrerequisite: CH-142

CH-145 Integrated Chemistry Principles II Lab

This semester will focus on learning good laboratory practices, primarily through the quantitative analysis of compounds. The quantitative analysis of materials and an understanding of reproducibility and bias are relevant to many fields, including medical analysis or the analysis of contaminants in the environment. This course will also teach you how to keep an excellent laboratory notebook, identify safety hazards in the lab, and complete data analysis and graphing in Excel. All of these tools will serve you well in a variety of careers.

1 CreditN, QSPrerequisite: CH-143. A lab fee is associated with this course.

OPTION 2:

CH-142 Integrated Chemistry Principles I

An introduction to the principles of chemistry, this course begins a two semester sequence that integrates information from all aspects of chemistry while focusing on the core principles of the relationships between energy, the structure of atoms and molecules, and atomic and molecular properties and reactivity. Topics include energy, reactions, atomic structure, elemental properties, bonding, and molecular properties.

3 CreditsNCorequisite CH143

CH-143 Integrated Chem Principles I Lab

This semester will focus on learning good laboratory practices, primarily through the quantitative analysis of compounds. The quantitative analysis of materials and an understanding of reproducibility and bias are relevant to many fields, including medical analysis or the analysis of contaminants in the environment. This course will also teach you how to keep an excellent laboratory notebook, identify safety hazards in the lab, and complete data analysis and graphing in Excel. All of these tools will serve you well in a variety of careers.

1 CreditsN, QSCH142 is a corequisite of this course. A lab fee is associated with this course.

GL-126 Environmental Geochemistry

This course will introduce fundamental geologic process through a geochemical lens. Basic geochemical reactions involving water-rock interactions at both high and low temperatures will be considered. The class will focus on the environmental problems in atmosphere and continents. 

3 CreditsN 

RESOURCE POLICY/MANAGEMENT

Take one of the following courses:

ESS-324 Natural Resource Management

This course provides a comprehensive coverage of local, regional, national, and global resource and environmental issues from population growth to wetlands to sustainable agriculture and natural resource policies and legislation. It considers renewable and non-renewable resources such as water, land, soil, air, wildlife, and their associated habitats.

3 CreditsNPrerequisites: ESS100 and BI105 and BI121. A special course fee is as sessed.

ESS-337 Environmental Law

This course will examine the major environmental laws in the United States and major Supreme Court cases covering these statutes. The status covered will be National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), The Clean Water Act (CWA), The Clean Air Acr (CAA), The Endangered Species Act (ESA), Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and The Toxic Substances Control Act (TOSCA), The Forest Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act (SARA).

3 CreditsS, CTGISPrerequisites: ESS-100 or PS-110. Must have sophomore standing or above.

MATHEMATICS/STATISTICS

Take the following course:

ESS-230 Environmetrics

This course is a survey of the various visual, statistical, and modeling approaches commonly used in the analysis of environmental data. The course covers: (1) visual literacy from exploratory data inquisition to poster creation; (2) elementary group comparison such as t-test and ANOVA and their non-parametric analogs;(3) basic systems modeling; and (4) regression modeling techniques based on the generalized linear model framework.

3 CreditsN, QS, CTGES, CTGISPrerequisites: Sophomore standing and permission of the instructor.

Take one of the following courses:

BI-305 Biostatistics

This course deals centrally with quantitative and statistical methodology in the biological sciences. It includes experimental design and the conventions of generating, analyzing, interpreting and presenting biological data. Counts as a math course for graduate and professional school requirements.

4 CreditsN, QS, CTGESPrerequisites: BI106 or ESS100

ESS-335 Quantitative Ecology

The goal of the course is to advance student understanding of a broad range of numerical and graphical techniques used to analyze complex data sets encountered in the environmental sciences. Students will learn the context to properly apply these techniques to address research questions. The purview is ecological, but is applicable to all other quantitative endeavors. The course emphasizes conceptual understanding, relevant applications, and proper interpretation rather than gory, though interesting, statistical theory. Students will apply the R language and environment for statistical computing to tailor analyses to specific circumstances. 

4 CreditsQS(Lec/Lab; 4 cr hr; Spring years; pre-req ESS 110, ESS 230-Environmetrics, or consent)

MA-130 Calculus I

An introduction to calculus including differentiation and integration of elementary functions of a single variable, limits, tangents, rates of change, maxima and minima, area, volume, and other applications. Integrates the use of computer algebra systems, and graphical, algebraic and numerical thinking.

4 CreditsN, QM

MA-205 Elementary Statistics

Introduction to traditional statistical concepts including descriptive statistics, binomial and normal probability models, confidence intervals, tests of hypotheses, linear correlation and regression, two-way contingency tables, and one-way analysis of variance.

4 CreditsN, QS, WK-SPPrerequisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109

CAPSTONE

Take one of the following courses:

ESS-400 Senior Capstone I

The Senior Capstone course is intended to provide a real-world, project-based experience working on an advanced-level project. The student teams utilize skills they have acquired in their academic career to evaluate and provide potential solutions to realistic environmental tasks. The project will be chosen each semester based on needs and opportunities in local agencies to provide an advanced project that can be done in one semester.

1-3 CreditsS, CTGISPrerequisite: ESS200 and Senior Standing or permission of the instructor.

ESS-401 Senior Capstone II

This course is the second semester of the Senior Capstone. It is intended to provide a real-world, project-based experience working on an advanced- level project. The student teams utilize skills they have acquired in their academic career to evaluate and provide potential solutions to realistic environmental tasks. The project will be chosen each year based on needs and opportunities in local agencies to provide and advanced project that can be done in one year.

1-3 CreditsN, S, CTGISPrerequisites: ESS100 and Junior or Senior standing or permission.

Raystown Field Station: The Raystown Field Station provides students with a unique setting to study and do research. Residential programs are available at the station each semester.  The curriculum offered during the spring semester is tailored to fit the needs of the Wildlife Conservation POE. Some possible schedules to incorporate the field station semester into your POE are listed here - for students entering as freshmen on an even year, and for students entering as freshmen on an odd year. The Station also offers a summer program that focuses on providing students with specialized zoology courses needed to certify as an associate wildlife biologist from The Wildlife Society. Details on the course offerings at the Station can be accessed at the official website of the Raystown Field Station.

Wildlife Certification: The Wildlife Society, the professional organization for wildlife educators, managers and others who work to study, conserve, and manage wildlife and its habitat. The Wildlife Society recognizes professional credentials through a certification process, and the details of this process can be accessed at the official Wildlife Society website.

Juniata College offers all of the courses required for certification as an Associate Wildlife Biologist.  Since the requirements for certification are more extensive than the Wildlife Conservation POE, it would require more planning to complete in 4 years.  To help with the planning, here is a possible schedule for certification.

POE Credit Total = 54-56

Students must complete at least 18 credits at the 300/400-level.  Any course exception must be approved by the advisor and/or department chair.

The Wildlife Conservation POE is designed to provide students with both the practical skills and the theoretical knowledge necessary to work as a professional in the field of wildlife conservation, using a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of wild animals and their habitats. Students have the option of selecting from a variety of courses offered at Juniata, including wildlife biology and management, zoology, botany, chemistry, and mathematics.