Water Resources Option
This option is available within the Bioresource Research major at the following location:
- Corvallis
Water resources research involves the use of science and policy tools to identify contaminants and make assessments of water quality. Students will acquire laboratory skills to detect water contaminants and track their movements and transformations while learning related policy and management concerns. Research areas could include microbial contaminants, the impact of urbanization on water quality, and marine and estuarine water quality and its impact on fisheries and shellfish industries. Option course work covers water sciences and hydrology, environmental policy and management. Students completing this option will be prepared for graduate school or for positions in environmental consulting, research, and natural resource management.
Option Code: 626
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Apply the fundamental concepts of biosciences and bioresource sciences, and of the physical and mathematical sciences that support these fields.
- Design an experiment, collect, analyze, and interpret data.
- Create written and oral research presentations.
- Analyze and defend research results to both professionals and the general public.
- Evaluate research results in relation to important contemporary scientific issues.
- Demonstrate personal responsibility, research and work ethics, and the ability to contribute to a team.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| Water Sciences | ||
| Select four courses from the following: | 12-15 | |
| FRESHWATER ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY | ||
| COASTAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| COASTAL AND ESTUARINE OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| SOIL SCIENCE | ||
or CSS 205 | +*SOIL SCIENCE | |
| CHEMICAL BEHAVIOR IN THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| Watersheds and Hydrology | ||
| CE 412 | HYDROLOGY | 4 |
| or FE 430 | WATERSHED PROCESSES | |
| Water Resources Environmental Analysis | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| +^ECOLOGICAL METHODS | ||
| GIS IN WATER RESOURCES | ||
| SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT | ||
| THE WORLD'S WATER | ||
| ECOTOXICOLOGY: AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| Water Resources Environmental Policy and Management | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL LAW | ||
| INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT | ||
| CONFLICT, COOPERATION, AND CONTROL OF WATER IN THE US | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| RIPARIAN ECOHYDROLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| Specialization and Breadth Courses | ||
| Select 1 to 5 credits approved by option faculty and research mentor 1 | 1-5 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
Recommended areas: Climatology, geology, resource economics, watersheds, watersheds management, microbial ecology, engineering, mathematics, hydrology, hydrogeology, irrigation, toxicology, ecology, environmental analysis, environmental chemistry, geochemistry, environmental management, environmental policy, economics, marine biology, aquatic and marine botany and zoology, oceanography, statistics, geography, environmental ethics, research ethics
Option Code: 626