Watershed Ecology
AS Degree Biological Sciences · Sierra College · 2025-2026 Catalog
The Watershed Ecology Technician’s (WET) program offers courses leading to an associate in science degree. Watershed ecology includes the study of all aspects of the environment including organisms within an entire watershed-the land area draining into the major creeks and river systems. The program can serve as the basic preparation for entry-level positions with organizations and governmental agencies that perform a variety of environmental studies. Students must fulfill the following major requirements with grades of “C” or better, complete a minimum of 60 degree-applicable semester units (12 of which must be completed at Sierra College) with a grade point average of at least 2.0 and complete one of the following three general education patterns:
- Sierra College Associate Degree Requirements;
- California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 0001 | General Biology | 4 |
| orBIOL 0011 | Concepts of Biology | |
| BIOL 0013 | Field Methods in Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 0014 | Natural History, Ecology and Conservation (also ESS 0014) | 4 |
| BIOL 0095 | Internship in Biological Sciences | 1 |
| ESS 0013 | Environmental Regulations | 1 |
| GEOG 0090 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) | 4 |
| Select 9-12 units from any of the following emphases: | 9-12 | |
| Animal Study Emphasis | ||
| BIOL 0003 | General Zoology | |
| BIOL 0016D | Biology of Waterfowl and Marsh Birds | |
| BIOL 0016M | Marine Mammals and Birds | |
| BIOL 0030 | Introduction to Ornithology | |
| BIOL 0033 | Introduction to Zoology | |
| BIOL 0035 | Introduction to Entomology | |
| BIOL 0036 | Introduction to Mammalogy | |
| Plant Study Emphasis | ||
| BIOL 0002 | Botany | |
| BIOL 0016C | Vernal Pools and the California Prairie | |
| BIOL 0016E | Ecology of the Sierran Conifer Forest | |
| BIOL 0023 | Wildflower Identification | |
| BIOL 0024 | Wildland Trees and Shrubs (Dendrology) | |
| General Emphasis | ||
| AGRI 0221 | Introduction to Soil Science | |
| BIOL 0016A | Local Ecosystems of Placer County | |
| BIOL 0017B | Ecology of the Sutter Buttes | |
| ESS 0001 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability | |
| ESS 0008 | California Water | |
| ESS 0010 | Conservation of Natural Resources | |
| GEOG 0001 | Physical Geography | |
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| Total Units | 26-29 | |
Only 3 units total may be taken from the BIOL 16 and BIOL 17 field study courses. Courses are grouped according to specific interests, but students are not limited to a specific emphasis. Students opting to take BIOL 0001 are advised to consult with a counselor regarding pre/corequisites.