The University of Montana Western » Environmental Sciences

BROWSE PROGRAMS

Featured Profiles

Julie Bullard

professor of early childhood education

For the third time in as many years, Montana Western has a Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year. (read more) Featured Faculty

Delena Norris-Tull

professor of education

The 2010 Montana Professor of the Year is continuing a proud tradition at Montana's premier teacher education institution. (read more) Featured Faculty

Kara Einarson

equine studies major

With a post-graduation job already secured in the equine industry, Kara Einarson’s career is off to a promising start. (read more) Featured Featured Profiles

Layne Carlson

assistant professor of equine studies

University of Montana Western equine studies professor Layne Carlson brings his 30 years of professional experience as a mixed animal practitioner into the classroom. (read more) Featured Faculty

Alan Weltzien

professor of english

University of Montana Western English professor Alan Weltzien is a champion of Montana literature. (read more) Featured Faculty

Anne Kish

assistant professor, librarian

As a librarian and head instructor of the School of Outreach’s library endorsement program, Anne Kish exemplifies experiential learning. (read more) Featured Faculty

Diana Taylor

school of outreach student

Diana Taylor is pursuing an early childhood education degree to enrich her life and bolster her skills for her job at a Head Start in Butte, Mont. (read more) Featured Outreach

Rob Thomas

professor of geology

The Carnegie Foundation's 2009 U.S. Professor of the Year is taking Montana Western's experiential learning to the national stage. (read more) Featured Faculty

Sean Eudaily

associate professor of political science

Sean Eudaily challenges his students to think critically to fully understand how lessons learned in his classroom impact life outside campus. (read more) Featured Faculty

Mike Morrow

associate professor of biology

Montana Western's biology program is now competitive in the national arena thanks to nearly $2 million in grants secured by Mike Morrow. (read more) Featured Faculty

Gay Garard-Brewer

visiting assistant professor of music

As a student in Montana's rural Bitteroot Valley plays their home piano, Gay Garard-Brewer sees and hears the notes over 100 miles away. (read more) Featured Faculty

Eric Dyreson

professor of mathematics

Mathematics is more than mere numbers for Eric Dyreson; it is also a philosophy capable of transforming one's perception of the world. (read more) Featured Faculty

Rebecca Petersen

education major

Rebecca Petersen is a living testament to the proud tradition of teaching educators at the University of Montana Western. (read more) Featured Students

Cathleen Flanagan

history major, drama education minor

For Cathleen Flanagan — secondary education, history major and drama minor — life's a stage and she's in the director's chair. (read more) Featured Students

Sheynoa Mataafa

general studies

On a frigid, snowy day in Dillon, Sheynoa Mataafa, a Hawaii native, does not regret her decision to move to Montana. (read more) Featured Students

Kaitlin Ens

english major

English major Kaitlin Ens counts five published articles to her name. For Ens, it's only the beginning of a promising career. (read more) Featured Students

Mitch Jessen

secondary education major

While most students entering college struggle with the decision of what to do with their futures, Mitch Jessen always knew what he wanted. (read more) Featured Students

Amanda Kortum

biology major

Amanda Kortum, a cellular molecular biology major, is already making a name for herself in her field. (read more) Featured Students

Berett Rosenkrance

environmental sciences major

One of the most shocking moments of Berett Rosenkrance's life came upon her return as a sophomore to the Montana Western campus. (read more) Featured Students

Brandon Brown

health & human performance major

For Brandon Brown, the transition from urban western Washington to Montana Western was like playing basketball: natural. (read more) Featured Students

Montana Western’s environmental sciences department provides students with an in-depth understanding of the natural processes and human impacts that create and  shape the environment.

Abstract illustration of man looking at trees. Southwestern Montana provides a remarkably ideal location to study environmental sciences and to learn how to communicate this knowledge to the public through environmental interpretation. Universities from all over the world set up field camps here to study the area’s unique geology and hydrology. As a UMW student, this amazing area will be your home, classroom and lab.

Environmental sciences majors are informed, critical thinkers capable of scientifically evaluating complex environmental issues. Our courses of study emphasize interdisciplinary, field-based research projects crucial to understanding our world

Degrees
Courses
Careers
Faculty
Contact

A degree in environmental science will prepare you for a career as:

A park naturalist
An environmental educator
An entomologist
A park administrator
A park ranger
A land/wetlands manager
A soil scientist
A research geologist
An environmental geologist
A hydrologist
A certified interpretive guide
A nursery/greenhouse manager
An outdoor tourism coordinator
An environmental consultant
An exploration and mining geologist

Sample Courses

Here are just two great example of environmental sciences courses at Montana Western. For a full course selection, please see the course catalog.

GEO 103, Introduction to Environmental Geology

This course explores the human impact on the Earth and its resources. Topics include population growth, urban development and land-use planning, environmental policy, water pollution, air pollution, acid rain, climate modeling, greenhouse warming, waste disposal, soil erosion, energy resources, geological hazards, and the environmental impact of resource extraction and use.

ENSC 429, Environmental Field Studies

Students in this field-based class will work as a team to design and perform field research and produce written and oral reports concerning a research, natural resource inventory, and/or environmental assessment problem. A multi-disciplinary approach to problem solving is incorporated.

Environmental Sciences degrees available from Montana Western:

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Environmental Interpretation.

This degree will prepare the graduate to work in settings where they will help public audiences forge emotional and intellectual connections to environmental resources. Many graduates of this degree go on to careers as park rangers, frontline interpreters, environmental educators, and environmental interpretive planners. Majors include:

Biological Naturalist
Geological Naturalist
Pre-professional Conservation Officer

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Environmental Science.

This degree provides broad-based training across all sciences as well as practical training in map-reading and GPS technology. With this degree, the graduate will be ready for a graduate program or a career in environmental science. Majors include:

Geochemistry
Geology
Sustainable Natural Resource Management
Wetlands Management

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Secondary Education, Earth Science.

This degree prepares and licenses the graduate to teach science in junior high or high schools.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Secondary Education, General Science Broadfield.

This degree prepares and licenses the graduate to teach science in junior high or high schools.

Richard Clark
Linda Lyon
Stephen Mock
Sheila Roberts
Robert Thomas
Craig Zaspel

Richard Clark, Ph.D. (emeritus)

Richard Clark founded Montana Western’s unique degree in environmental interpretation. He is a botanist who trains students to translate science to the lay public. He loves the outdoors and teaches wildlands skills courses in addition to other biology classes. Clark also fostered a collaboration with the Professional Guide Institute, which allows Montana Western students to get credits toward certification as a guide.

Linda Lyon, Ph.D.

Linda Lyon is an ethnobotanist and certified environmental interpreter trainer. Lyon worked for many years in Madagascar with local communities to understand traditional land-use systems and encourage the conservation of medicinal plant knowledge. Currently, Lyon is spearheading the UMW community and campus garden that supports the university’s sustainability mission by growing organic heirloom vegetables for the cafeteria. In addition to her campus garden and teaching responsibilities, Lyon is the faculty adviser for the campus environmental sciences club, Terra Verde, which sponsors annual Earth Day and Earth Hour events for the campus and local community.

Stephen Mock, Ph.D.

In Mock’s chemistry classes, students engage in extensive small-group, problem-solving opportunities and frequent lab exercises focusing on chemistry in the context of geology, biology and health sciences. Mock’s own research involves aquatic environmental chemistry of nearby lakes and streams. His students have conducted research projects on the chemistry of Clark Canyon Reservoir and the characterization of three different alpine lakes in southwestern Montana. Mock also teaches rock climbing and other wildlands skills courses.

Sheila Roberts, Ph.D.

All of Sheila Roberts’ geology and geochemistry courses include real geological research projects. Two of her recent classes conducted research at an archaeological site and presented their results at two meetings of the Montana Archaeological Society. Her current students are monitoring the effects of climate change on the landscape of the Pioneer Mountains and continuing a study on surface and ground waters in Beaverhead County. Roberts has led class trips to a working underground mine, to the Canadian Rockies and she most recently led an honors class to the Galapagos Islands in March 2009.

Robert Thomas, Ph.D.

During his time at Montana Western, Thomas helped transform the university into a center of experiential learning using the Experience One system. Thomas’ recent research projects have included the geologic history of the northern margin of the Yellowstone hot spot and the assessment of fluvial Arctic grayling habitat restoration on the upper Big Hole River. He also continues to study Cambrian mass extinctions and other sedimentological problems throughout the western U.S. Thomas is currently working on a book of Yellowstone-area geology with City University of New York Staten Island President Bill Fritz and a book on Montana geology with UMW colleague Sheila Roberts.

In 2009, Thomas was named the Outstanding Baccalaureate Colleges U.S. Professor of the Year by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. In 2010 he was named the Montana Regents Professor.

Craig Zaspel, Ph.D.

Craig Zaspel teaches Montana Western’s courses in physics, astrophysics, and meteorology. His research focuses primarily on magnets including magnetic vortices, nonlinear excitations in magnets, and solition theory as well as microwave pulses in magnetic thin films. He is also interested in galactic structure. Zaspel collaborates with scientists from across the country and from other countries such as Russia and Ukraine. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation. Zaspel also mentors undergraduates from Montana Western in their physics research.

Contact

For more information about environmental sciences at Montana Western, contact department chair Rob Thomas:
Block Hall 122
(406) 683-7615
r_thomas@umwestern.edu.

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BROWSE PROGRAMS

Featured Profiles

Julie Bullard

professor of early childhood education

Delena Norris-Tull

professor of education

Kara Einarson

equine studies major

Layne Carlson

assistant professor of equine studies

Alan Weltzien

professor of english

Anne Kish

assistant professor, librarian

Diana Taylor

school of outreach student

Rob Thomas

professor of geology

Sean Eudaily

associate professor of political science

Mike Morrow

associate professor of biology

Gay Garard-Brewer

visiting assistant professor of music

Eric Dyreson

professor of mathematics

Rebecca Petersen

education major

Cathleen Flanagan

history major, drama education minor

Sheynoa Mataafa

general studies

Kaitlin Ens

english major

Mitch Jessen

secondary education major

Amanda Kortum

biology major

Berett Rosenkrance

environmental sciences major

Brandon Brown

health & human performance major

Montana Western’s environmental sciences department provides students with an in-depth understanding of the natural processes and human impacts that create and shape the environment.

A degree in environmental science will prepare you for a career as:

Sample Courses

GEO 103, Introduction to Environmental Geology

ENSC 429, Environmental Field Studies

Environmental Sciences degrees available from Montana Western:

Richard Clark, Ph.D. (emeritus)

Linda Lyon, Ph.D.

Stephen Mock, Ph.D.

Sheila Roberts, Ph.D.

Robert Thomas, Ph.D.

Craig Zaspel, Ph.D.

Contact

Montana Western’s environmental sciences department provides students with an in-depth understanding of the natural processes and human impacts that create and  shape the environment.