Environmental Studies
AA Degree Environmental Sciences and Sustainability · Sierra College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Successful completion of the Environmental Studies curriculum will prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges or universities in areas including sustainability, environmental policy, regulations and law, land use planning, environmental education, environmental justice, and others, or entry level positions in related fields. While there is a required foundation of environmental science, ecology and conservation, the environmental studies degree includes more emphasis on the political, economic, and social aspects related to the environment and sustainability rather than the biological, chemical geological and mathematical aspects. In all cases, students should consult with a counselor for more information on university admission and transfer requirements. 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 (Local General Education)
- California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON C2001 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ESS 0001 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability | 3 |
| ESS 0013 | Environmental Regulations | 1 |
| ESS 0014 | Natural History, Ecology and Conservation (also BIOL 0014) | 4 |
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 3-4 |
| orSTAT C1000E | Introduction to Statistics Embedded Support | |
| orMATH 0011 | Data Science for All | |
| orSOC 0015 | Introduction to Statistics in Sociology | |
| Select 6-9 units from the following: | 6-9 | |
| AGRI 0198 | Food, Society and the Environment | |
| ANTH 0002 | Cultural Anthropology | |
| BIOL 0016A | Local Ecosystems of Placer County | |
| BIOL 0016B | Local Ecosystems of Nevada County 1 | |
| BIOL 0016C | Vernal Pools and the California Prairie 1 | |
| BIOL 0016D | Biology of Waterfowl and Marsh Birds 1 | |
| BIOL 0016E | Ecology of the Sierran Conifer Forest 1 | |
| BIOL 0016G | Field Paleontology and Ancient Environments 1 | |
| BIOL 0016H | Ecology of the Mendocino Coast 1 | |
| BIOL 0016I | Biology of Mono Lake and the Great Basin 1 | |
| BIOL 0016J | Ecology of Point Reyes National Seashore 1 | |
| BIOL 0016K | Foothill Ecology of the Sierra Nevada 1 | |
| BIOL 0016L | Aquatic and Riparian Environments of California Waterways 1 | |
| BIOL 0016M | Marine Mammals and Birds 1 | |
| BIOL 0016N | Ecology of the Modoc Plateau 1 | |
| BIOL 0016O | Ecology of the High Sierra and White-Inyo Mountains 1 | |
| BIOL 0016P | Ecology of Death Valley and Desert Ecosystems 1 | |
| BIOL 0016Q | Ecology of Mid-Western North America 1 | |
| BIOL 0016R | Canyon Lands of the Southwest 1 | |
| BIOL 0016T | Ecology of the Northern California Coast 1 | |
| BIOL 0016U | Ecology of the Central California Coast 1 | |
| BIOL 0016V | Ecology of Southern California Deserts 1 | |
| BIOL 0016W | Ecology of the Klamath and Southern Cascade Ranges 1 | |
| BIOL 0016Y | Ecology of National Parks and Wilderness Ecosystems 1 | |
| BIOL 0016Z | Ecology of the American River 1 | |
| BIOL 0017B | Ecology of the Sutter Buttes 1 | |
| BIOL 0023 | Wildflower Identification | |
| ECON C2002 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| ESCI 0001 | Physical Geology | |
| orGEOG 0001 | Physical Geography | |
| ESCI 0054B | Great Valley and Coast Range Provinces 1 | |
| ESCI 0054C | Great Valley, Coast Ranges, and Sutter Buttes 1 | |
| ESCI 0054D | Western Sierra Nevada and the Mother Lode 1 | |
| ESCI 0054E | Major Rock Units of the Northern Sierra 1 | |
| ESCI 0055C | Weekend Field Geology - Point Reyes 1 | |
| ESCI 0055F | Weekend Field Geology 1 | |
| ESS 0001L | Introduction to Environmental Science Laboratory | |
| ESS 0006 | The Sierra Nevada | |
| ESS 0006F | Sierra Nevada Field Trip | |
| ESS 0007 | Energy, Environment, and Climate | |
| ESS 0008 | California Water | |
| ESS 0010 | Conservation of Natural Resources | |
| GEOG 0002 | Cultural Geography | |
| PHIL 0060 | Introduction to Environmental Ethics | |
| SOC 0110 | Introduction to Social Justice | |
| Total Units | 20-24 | |
A maximum of 2 units may be taken from the BIOL 0016, BIOL 0017, BIOL 0023 and ESCI 0016, 0054 and 0055 field studies courses.