Watershed Ecology
Certificate of Achievement Biological Sciences · Sierra College · 2025-2026 Catalog
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 certificate program can serve as the basic preparation for entry-level positions with organizations and governmental agencies that perform a variety of environmental studies. A certificate is designed to provide career technical skills; it is not equivalent to an associate degree.
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 |
| ENGL 0001A | 3 | |
| orENGL 0012 | Writing in the Workplace | |
| 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 | |
| MATH 0013 | ||
| Total Units | 29-32 | |
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.