Conservation & Resource Management

The Conservation and Resource Management certificate of achievement offers students a practical approach to ecological management practices. Students learn basic concepts of environmental science, are prepared for more specialized coursework, and establish minimum qualifications for entry-level employment. 

We plan to implement a cohort model, having a set of students begin the program together in the Fall semester and progress together over a two-year cycle. We are working with Oakland Unified School District to develop a pipeline of interested students for future cohorts. Assuming the Certificate is approved and active by Spring 2020, we anticipate the first cohort starting in Fall 2020 and completing by Spring 2022, and hope to have cohorts of 20-25 students. We anticipate a yearly completion rate of 20 student every two years. 

Students who receive a Certificate will be able to:

1. Articulate the history of the conservation movement in the U.S. (with particular emphasis on California) and put the current state of natural resource management in its proper historical context.

2. Explain basic principles of ecology and how these principles are used in management and stewardship of natural spaces.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of how parks and other public natural spaces operate and function.

4. Demonstrate practical field skills used in the management and stewardship of natural resources.

In order to be awarded the Certificate of Achievement in Conservation  Resource Management the student will complete all the required coursework with a grade of C or better. 

 Model Curriculum: The following table provides a suggested sequence of courses through which a student could earn the Certificate within 2 years:

Semester 1 (Fall Year 1)

Course	Units
ENVMT 12	3
BIOL 15	3
Total Semester Units	6
Total Units Completed To Date	6

 

Semester 2 (Spring Year 1)

 

Course	Units
ENVMT 2	4
ENVMT 55	3
Elective	2
Total Semester Units	9
Total Units Completed To Date	15

 

Semester 3 (Fall Year 2)

Course	Units
ENVMT 1	1
ENVMT 56	3
Breadth	2
Total Semester Units	6
Total Units Completed To Date	21

 

Semester 4 (Spring Year 2)

Course	Units
GEOL 21	1
ENVMT 57	4
COPED 476F	3
Total Semester Units	8
Total Units Completed To Date	29

 

This is a new area of study and we are one of the first to provide this type of Certificate.

According to a recent COE report, there are three colleges in the Bay Region issuing 22 awards on average annually (last 3 years) on TOP 0115.00 - Natural Resources. There are no colleges in the East Bay sub-region issuing awards on this TOP code. There are 827 annual openings and we have not colleges with similar program in the East Bay region (our service area). De Anza, Santa Rosa and West Valley Colleges are too far away to be impacted. Furthermore, they have limited programing in this area and we do not anticipate any impact issues.