Curriculum & Courses
The GDPE curriculum is designed to balance providing the fundamentals of ecology that unite students in our program with allowing customization for each student’s individualized scholarly pursuits.
There are four courses required of all MS and PhD students:
- Foundations of Ecology (ECOL 505)
- Distinguished Ecologists Lecture Series (ECOL 571)
- Interdisciplinary Seminars in Ecology (ECOL 592)
- Research Seminar (ECOL 693) for Professional Communication (oral or written)
These required courses provide the common foundation for all GDPE students and ensure that all students engage in key intellectual opportunities within the program. The many different electives available allow students to specialize and customize their individual MS or PhD degree.
Also see the CSU Catalog for the curriculum.
To see when the courses are being offered, use the Class Schedule.
If you have questions about specific non-ECOL courses listed below, please reach out to the department or instructor directly.
M.S. in Ecology
Required Courses: 6 credits
Fundamentals Courses: 6 credits
Ecology Tools Courses: 3 credits
Additional Electives, Independent Study, Research, and Dissertation: Minimum 15 credits
Total: Minimum 30 credits
Ph.D. in Ecology
Required Courses: 8 credits
Fundamentals Courses: 6 credits
Ecology Tools Courses: 3 credits
Additional Electives, Independent Study, Research, and Dissertation: Minimum 55 credits
Total: Minimum 30 credits
Ph.D. in Ecology -
HEI Specialization
Required Courses: 11 credits
Fundamentals Courses: 6 credits
HEI Fundamentals Courses: 3 credits
Ecology Tools Courses: 3 credits
Qualitative HEI Tools: 3 credits
Additional Electives, Independent Study, Research, and Dissertation: Minimum 46 credits
Total: Minimum 30 credits
Coursework Information
Required Courses (MS – 6 credits, PhD – 8 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECOL 505 | Foundations of Ecology | 3 | Fall |
| ECOL 571 | Distinguished Ecologists Lecture Series (MS – 1 credit, PhD – 2 credits) | 1-2 | Spring |
| ECOL 592 | Interdisciplinary Seminars in Ecology (MS – 1 course, PhD – 2 courses) | 1-3 | Fall & Spring |
| ECOL 693 | Research Seminars for Professional Communication (Section 1 – oral, Section 2 – written) | 1 | Spring |
| ANTH 530 *For HEI Specialization only | Human-Environment Interactions | 3 | Fall |
Ecology Fundamentals (MS & PhD – 6 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| BZ525 | Advanced Conservation & Evolutionary Genomics | 4 | Fall (odd years) |
| BZ526/BSPM526 | Evolutionary Ecology | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| BZ535 | Behavioral Ecology | 3 | Fall (even years) |
| BZ548 | Theory of Population and Evolutionary Ecology | 4 | Fall |
| ECOL600 | Community Ecology | 3 | Spring |
| ECOL610 | Ecosystem Ecology | 3 | Fall (even years) |
| ECOL620 | Applications in Landscape Ecology | 4 | Spring (odd years) |
| ESS 660 | Biogeochemical Cycling | 3 | Spring |
| ESS575 | Models for Ecological Data | 4 | Spring |
| FW662 | Wildlife Population Dynamics | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| HORT576 | Advanced Environmental Plant Stress Physiology | 4 | Spring (odd years) |
Ecology Tools (MS & PhD – 3 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| AREC535 | Applied Econometrics | 3 | Fall |
| AREC635 | Econometric Theory I | 3 | Fall |
| AREC735 | Econometric Theory II | 3 | Spring |
| BZ548 | Theory of Population and Evolutionary Ecology | 4 | Spring |
| BZ577/MIP577 | Computer Analysis in Population Genetics | 2 | Fall |
| CIVE/WR524 | Modeling Watershed Hydrology | 3 | Spring |
| ERHS 544/STAT 544 | Biostatistical Methods for Quantitative Data | 3 | Spring |
| ESS655 | Multivariate Analysis for Community Ecology | 2 | Fall (even years) |
| ESS565 | Niche Models | 4 | Fall (odd years) |
| ESS 575 | Models for Ecological Data | 4 | Spring |
| FW551 | Design of Fish and Wildlife Studies | 3 | Fall |
| FW552 | Applied Sampling for Wildlife/Fish Studies | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| FW663 | Sampling and Analysis of Vertebrate Populations | 5 | Spring (even years) |
| FW673/STAT673 | Hierarchical Modeling in Ecology | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| GR503/NR503 | Remote Sensing and Image Analysis | 4 | Fall |
| MATH530 | Mathematics for Scientists and Engineers | 4 | Fall |
| MATH540 | Dynamical Systems | 3 | Fall |
| NR505 | Concepts in GIS | 4 | Fall |
| NR506 | GIS Methods for Resource Management | 4 | Spring |
| NR512 | Spatial Statistical Modeling-Natural Resources | 3 | Fall |
| NR523/STAT523 | Quantitative Spatial Analysis | 3 | Spring |
| NR554/ANTH554 | Ecological and Social Agent-based Modeling | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| NRRT765 | Applied Multivariate Analysis | 3 | Fall |
| SOCR522 | Micrometeorology | 3 | Spring |
| SOCR620 | Modeling Ecosystem Biogeochemistry | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| SOCR670 | Terrestrial Ecosystems Isotope Ecology | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| STAR511 | Design and Data Analysis for Researchers I | 4 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| STAR512 | Design and Data Analysis for Researchers II | 4 | Spring |
| STAT520 | Introduction to Probability Theory | 4 | Fall |
| STAT521 | Stochastic Processes I | 3 | Spring |
| STAT530 | Mathematical Statistics | 3 | Spring |
| STAT540 | Data Analysis and Regression | 3 | Fall |
| STAT560 | Applied Multivariate Analysis | 3 | Fall, Spring |
| STAT 675A | Topics in Statistical Methods: Sampling | 1-3 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| WR674 | Data Issues in Hydrology | 3 | Spring (even years) |
Additional Electives (MS – 15 credits, PhD – 55 credits)
* Note that any “Fundamental” or “Tools” course can be used as an “Additional Electives” course if it has not been used to fulfill another requirement| Course | Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTH 530 | Human Environment Interactions | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| AREC505 | Agricultural Production Economics | 3 | Fall |
| AREC535 | Applied Econometrics | 3 | Fall |
| AREC540 | Economics of Natural Resources | 3 | Spring |
| AREC541 | Environmental Economics | 3 | Spring |
| AREC635 | Econometric Theory I | 3 | Fall |
| ATS760 | Global Carbon Cycle | 2 | Spring (odd years) |
| BSPM523 | Evolution and Classification of Insects | 4 | Fall (odd years) |
| BSPM528 | Invasive Plants and Weeds: Ecosystems to Molecules | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| BSPM570 | Chemical Ecology | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| BZ 561 | Landscape Ecology | 3 | Fall |
| BZ505 | Cognitive Ecology | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| BZ510 | Zoophysiological Ecology | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| BZ525 | Molecular Ecology | 4 | Fall (odd years) |
| BZ526/BSPM526 | Evolutionary Ecology | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| BZ530 | Ecological Plant Morphology | 2 | Spring (even years) |
| BZ535 | Behavioral Ecology | 3 | Fall (even years) |
| BZ548 | Theory of Population and Evolutionary Ecology | 4 | Fall |
| BZ555 | Reproductive Biology of Higher Plants | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| BZ572 | Phytoremediation | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| BZ568/FW568 | Sustaining River Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Dynamically Changing World | 3 | Spring |
| ECOL600 | Population and Community Ecology | 3 | Spring |
| ECOL610 | Ecosystem Ecology | 3 | Fall (even years) |
| ECOL620 | Applications in Landscape Ecology | 4 | Spring (odd years) |
| ESS 660 | Biogeochemical Cycling | 3 | Spring |
| ESS524 | Foundations for Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Management | 3 | Fall |
| F610 | Advance Forest Ecology | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| F624 | Fire Ecology | 3 | Fall, Spring |
| FW544 | Ecotoxicology | 3 | Spring |
| FW555 | Conservation Biology | 3 | Spring |
| FW558 | Conservation Genetics of Wild Populations (on-line) | 3 | Spring |
| FW567 | Wildlife Disease Ecology | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| FW605 | Advanced Physiological Ecology of Fishes | 4 | Spring (even years) |
| FW662 | Wildlife Population Dynamics | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| GEOL652 | Fluvial Geomorphology | 3 | Fall |
| GEOL551 | Groundwater Modeling | 3 | Spring |
| GES520 | Issues in Global Environmental Sustainability | 3 | Fall, Spring |
| HORT571 | Soil Plant Water Relations | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| HORT576 | Advanced Environmental Plant Stress Physiology | 4 | Spring (odd years) |
| MIP 624 | Advanced Topics in Microbial Ecology | 2 | Fall (odd years) |
| MIP570 | Functional Genomics | 3 | Fall |
| NR504 | Computer Analysis of Remote Sensing Data | 4 | Spring |
| NR510 | Ecosystem Services: Theory and Practice | 3 | Spring |
| NR578 | Ecology of Disturbed Lands | 3 | Spring |
| NR678 | Advanced Ecological Restoration | 4 | Fall, Spring |
| RS565 | Riparian Ecology and Management | 3 | Spring |
| RS630 | Ecology of Grasslands and Shrublands | 3 | Spring |
| SOCR540 | Soil-Plant-Nutrient Relationships | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| SOCR550 | Advanced Soil Genesis | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| SOCR567 | Environmental Soil Chemistry | 4 | Spring |
| SOCR755 | Advanced Soil Microbiology | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| SOCR770 | Advanced Soil Physics | 4 | Spring (even years) |
| STAR500-549* | Applied Stats for Researchers (STAR) | Varies | |
| WR574 | Advanced Snow Hydrology | 4 | Fall (even years) |
| WR575 | Snow Hydrology Field Methods | 1 | Spring |
Human-Environment Interactions Fundamentals (PhD-HEI – 3 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTH 515 | Culture and Environment | 3 | Fall |
| ANTH 529 | Anthropology and Sustainable Development | 3 | Fall |
| ANTH 535 | Globalization and Culture Change | 3 | Fall (even years) |
| ANTH 540 | Medical Anthropology | 3 | Spring (even years) |
| ANTH 545 | Global Mental Health–Theory and Method | 3 | Fall (odd years) |
| ANTH 555 | Paleoindian Archaeology | 3 | Fall (even years) |
| ANTH 571 | Anthropology and Global Health | 3 | Fall (even years) |
| ANTH 572 | Human Origins | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| NR 625 | Community-Based Natural Resource Management | 3 | Spring |
| POLS 739 | International Environmental Politics | 3 | Fall, Spring |
| SOC 668 | Environmental Sociology | 3 | Spring |
Qualitative Ecology Tools (PhD-HEI 3 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDRM 704 | Qualitative Research | 3 | Fall, Summer |
| EDRM 706 | Analysis of Variance–Education Research | 3 | Spring, Summer |
| NRRT 665 | Survey Research and Analysis | 3 | Spring |
| POLS 621 | Qualitative Methods in Political Science | 3 | Spring (odd years) |
| SOC 610 | Seminar in Methods of Qualitative Analysis | 3 | Spring (even years) |
Adding non-regular credits can be confusing! Watch this helpful walk-through on How to add Independent Study/Research/Thesis/Dissertation Credits
| Course | Course Title | Term | Course Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECOL 505 | Foundations of Ecology | Fall | Overview of the science of ecology; what questions are asked, how they are answered. Prerequisites: One course in ecology CRN: 60162 Credits: 3 | |
| ECOL 571 | Advanced Topics in Ecology Distinguished Ecologists Lecture Series | Spring | Current research topics presented and analyzed by visiting scientists. Attend each Distinguished Ecologist seminar during the semester for which you are registered. This course does not meet every week. Prerequisites: One course in ecological principles. Section 001 – MS students. CRN: 18219 Credits: 1; Section 002 – PhD students. CRN: 18220 Credits: 2; Section 003 (intermittently offered; verify prior to registration) – PhD students. – CRN: 21250 Credits: 2 | |
| ECOL 592 | Interdisciplinary Seminars in Ecology | Fall/Spring | Concepts and principles of basic and applied ecology in an interdisciplinary context. Specific topics vary. Prerequisites: One 300- or 400-level course in ecology. Course details and CRNs: ECOL592 Interdisciplinary Seminar Credits: 1 – 3 (vary based on section) | |
| ECOL 600 | Community Ecology Lecture | Spring | Current theories on the dynamics and regulation of populations and communities of organisms. Must enroll in a recitation section. Prerequisites: One course each on general ecology, calculus, and statistics. CRN: 20590 Credits: 3 Recitation: Section R01 – CRN: 20591; Section R02 – CRN: 20592 | |
| ECOL 610 | Ecosystem Ecology Lecture | Fall | Concepts, methods, issues in ecosystem science: energy and matter cycling, systems perspectives, simulation modeling, sustainability, global change. Must enroll in a recitation section. Prerequisites: LIFE 320 or any ECOL course. CRN: 66480 Credits: 3 Recitation: Section R01 – CRN: 66481 | |
| ECOL 620 | Applications in Landscape Ecology Lecture | Spring (Odd years only) | Spatial patterning of landscape elements and dynamics of ecological systems; spatial heterogeneity. Influence on biotic and abiotic processes. Prerequisites: Previous coursework in geographic information systems, ecology, statistics, and mathematics. CRN: 66478 Credits: 2 | |
| ECOL 693 | Research Seminars for Professional Communication (written or oral) | Spring | Critique of research programs, plans, and ecological theory. Prerequisites: Written consent of instructor. Section 001 – Enhancing oral presentation skills. CRN: 18231; Section 002 – Enhancing proposal writing skills. CRN: 18232; Section 003 (intermittently offered; verify prior to registration) – Enhancing proposal writing skills. CRN: 19376 Credits: 1 | |
| ECOL 695 | Independent Study | Fall/Spring/Summer | Requires a contract, thoroughly outlining the scope of the project, signed by student, instructor and and approved by the Director. Application accessible on the GDPE Forms webpage. Prerequisites: GDPE Approval Fall Semester CRN: 60575 Spring Semester CRN: 10371 Summer Semester CRN: 50821 Credits: 1- 18 | |
| ECOL 698 | Research | Fall/Spring/Summer | Fall Semester CRN: 60576 Spring Semester CRN: 10372 Summer Semester CRN: 50822 Credits: 1- 18 | |
| ECOL 699 | Thesis | Fall/Spring/Summer | Fall Semester CRN: 60277 Spring Semester CRN: 10373 Summer Semester CRN: 50823 Credits: 1- 18 | |
| ECOL 799 | Dissertation | Fall/Spring/Summer | Fall Semester CRN: 60578 Spring Semester CRN: 10374 Summer Semester CRN: 50824 Credits: 1- 18 | |
| Continuous Registration | Fall/Spring/Summer | Fall Semester CRN: 62570 Spring Semester CRN: 12719 Summer Semester CRN: 45836 Credits: n/a Further details on when to register for CR can be found at the Graduate School website. |
Credit Requirement Information
First Year Coursework
- All GDPE graduate students should take ECOL 505, Foundations of Ecology, during their first fall semester.
- ECOL 693, Research Seminar, should be taken their first spring semester, or the second spring semester at the latest.
- It is also useful to take statistics courses (e.g.; STATS 511 and 512) during the first year. Students should discuss which statistics and other quantitative courses are most appropriate with their advisor.
Full-time Graduate Student Credits
Graduate students must be registered for 9 credits or more during fall and spring semesters, or 5 credits or more during summer semester, to be considered a full-time student. Students enrolled in half-time (5 or 6 credits) or more participate in CSU’s Health Care program.
GTA & GRA Credit Requirement
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) and Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) can only be awarded to students enrolled in at least one on-campus credit during the spring and fall semesters. Continuous Registration (CR, see below) is NOT acceptable to meet the minimum enrollment requirement for a GTA or GRA.
Continuous Registration (CR)
All students admitted to a graduate degree program at CSU are required to be continuously enrolled in their degree programs in fall and spring semesters. Thus, if coursework and research are essentially completed, and a student is working on their thesis or dissertation, they are required to register for at least one credit. This can be done by registering for one credit of coursework or research or through Continuous Registration (CR).
(Fall): CRN #62570
(Spring): CRN #12719
(Summer): CRN #45836
Students registering with CR will be assessed a fee for each semester of CR registration.
Students enrolled with CR in any term are not considered enrolled full time for the purposes of financial aid, Visas, employment, etc. To receive full privileges for the summer semester, students must be enrolled either in the summer or the following fall semester. This policy applies from the first enrollment semester through the graduation term.
Students should contact their advisor if they do not plan to register.
Independent Study, Research, Thesis, and Dissertation Credits
Independent Study (ECOL 695), Research (ECOL 698), Thesis (ECOL 699), and Dissertation (ECOL 799) registration is for non-regular defined, variable-credit courses. Credit hours are determined using a base rate of 48 hours of student effort per credit hour over a 16-week semester. The total number of hours are divided by 48 and the result quotient (rounded to a whole number) will be the number of credits to be used. Speak with your advisor to determine how many research credits should be registered for. Your advisor will assign a grade at the end of the term, which is often done on a S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) basis.
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