The Public Land Management emphasis is a proactive and solution-driven program focused on equipping you with the knowledge you’ll need to help create and implement policies geared toward protecting public land. With over 2 million acres of public land in Gunnison County, you’ll have abundant opportunities to take your knowledge to forests, trails, recreation areas and beyond to analyze the impact of human use on these areas, while simultaneously promoting methods to encourage sustainable land use.
Program Overview
Help create a sustainable future for the public lands you value.
The Public Land Management emphasis focuses on helping you learn the content and skills necessary for understanding and facilitating sustainable use of public lands. The emphasis will look specifically at management issues through the lens of environmental resilience, understanding how public lands agencies can build upon the land’s adaptive capacity in the face of climate, ecosystem and socioeconomic change.
This engaging and hands-on emphasis will prepare you for a variety of opportunities after graduation, including further education, careers with public lands agencies, careers that engage with private land conservation and conservation advocacy.
An impactful career
The need for adept and informed professionals aiming to protect and manage natural resource use has skyrocketed in recent years, making this field abundant with job opportunities both locally and nationally.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Program Requirements
The Public Lands Management emphasis focuses on the content and skills necessary for understanding and facilitating the integration of land, water, energy, wildlife, and human societies; the integration of public and private land decisions; and the integration of the wildland-urban interface to manage diverse stakeholder values and interests toward sustainable and resilient environmental relationships. This emphasis takes advantage of Gunnison County's public lands; tremendous natural resource wealth and thus, tensions among diverse stakeholders concerning the best use of those resources; and numerous government agencies, environmental nonprofits, extractive industries, recreationists, and ranchers all actively negotiating the values of these lands.
A minimum of 62 credits is required for the Environment & Sustainability Comprehensive Major: Public Land Management Emphasis.
Public Land Management Emphasis students must take BIOL 151 in place of BIOL 130 and BIOL 135. Public Land Management Students must select MATH 213 in their menu of math courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVS 100 | Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) | 3 |
| ENVS 200 | Writing the Environment | 3 |
| ENVS 250 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 260 | Introduction to Public Lands Management | 4 |
| ENVS 301 | Science of Sustainability and Resilience | 3 |
| ENVS 350 | U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | 3 |
| ENVS 390 | Environmental Monitoring | 4 |
| ENVS 400 | Applied Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 410 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| ENVS 435 | Environmental Grant Writing | 1 |
| ENVS 499 | Internship in Environmental Studies | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
ANTH 377 | Cultural Resource Management | |
BIOL 352 | Botany (with laboratory) | |
BIOL 355 | Spring Fungi Rocky Mountains (with laboratory) | |
BIOL 430 | Wildlife Ecology and Management (with laboratory) | |
BIOL 440 | Conservation Biology | |
BIOL 467 | Biology of Fishes | |
BIOL 470 | Fisheries Management (with laboratory) | |
BIOL 476 | Aquatic Ecology (with laboratory) | |
BIOL 481 | Forest Ecology (with laboratory) | |
ENVS 325 | Introduction to Soil Science | |
HIST 373 | History of the National Park Service | |
ROE 230 | Interpretation of Natural and Cultural History | |
SOC 259 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | |
| Required Supporting Courses | ||
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| ECON 215 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
PHYS 125 | Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) | |
GEOL 101 & GEOL 105 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) and Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | |
| Select one of the following: | 1 | |
HWTR 200 | This Is The Headwaters | |
HWTR 398 | Headwaters Conference | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ANTH 230 | Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory) | |
ANTH 320 | Cultural Ecology | |
ENG 151 | Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality | |
POLS 250 | Politics of the Environment | |
POLS 340 | Politics of Social Movements | |
POLS 350 | Human Rights | |
POLS 355 | The Global South | |
POLS 370 | Political Economy | |
PSY 308 | Environmental Psychology | |
PSY 410 | Multicultural Psychology | |
PSY 457 | Social Psychology | |
SOC 150 | Environmental Sociology | |
SOC 168 | Social Problems | |
SOC 340 | Social Movements | |
SOC 380 | Social Inequalities | |
| Total Credits | 62-63 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
The following course in the Environment and Sustainability Major fulfills the capstone course requirement: ENVS 400 Applied Sustainability.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
Degree Plan
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| ENVS 100 | Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I, II, or III) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I, II, or III) | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| HWTR 398 | Headwaters Conference | 1 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| PHYS 125 | Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENVS 200 | Writing the Environment | 3 |
| ENVS 250 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 260 | Introduction to Public Lands Management | 4 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area II) | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ECON 215 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I or III) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I or III) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I or III) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENVS 325 | Introduction to Soil Science | 4 |
| ENVS 301 | Science of Sustainability and Resilience | 3 |
| ENVS 350 | U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | 3 |
| Elective | chosen from selection of classes on cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, sex, sexuality, and/or class contexts | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENVS 370 | Water Policy and Politics (Recommended ENVS elective) | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| ENVS 390 | Environmental Monitoring | 4 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENVS 499 | Internship in Environmental Studies (Recommended but optional) | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 12 |
| ENVS 410 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 9 |
| ENVS 400 | Applied Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 499 | Internship in Environmental Studies (if not taken over summer) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |
Careers
Take the first steps toward your dream career.
Career preparation is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling role in hundreds of professional fields after graduation.
The data is automatically collected by Lightcast, a firm that sources job market data. The statistics illustrate general trends in U.S. careers, but do not precisely represent every job and salary.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Get Involved
Practical experiences to help strengthen your public lands management knowledge.
Take your education outside of the classroom—build your professional network, enhance your resume and jump-start your career.
- Research Assistantships: Many professors conduct externally-funded research and are always looking for student help.
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory: Western biologists and students collaborate with the world-renowned research station seven miles north of Crested Butte.
- Thornton Biology Research Program: Students can receive funding and work with faculty on original research.
- Tri Beta and The Wildlife Society: Student-run club that helps provide internships such as lynx tracking and watching wildlife.
Outdoor access for all
The Public Lands Management emphasis while challenge you to observe the threats that public lands face while working to create innovative solutions to provide sustainable access to all communities who seek to use these areas.
News & Research
Department Information
Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability
Dean
Micah Russell, M.S.Assistant Professor of Environment and Sustainability, Integrative and Public Land Management Director; MEM Director
Program Facilitator
Lindsay DolezalProgram Facilitator and Grants Administrator
Campus Location
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81230
