UCC/UGC/YCC
Proposal for New Academic Plan, Plan Change, or Plan Deletion
FAST TRACK
(Select if this will be a fast track item. Refer to UCC or UGC Fast Track Policy for eligibility)
If this is a new plan proposal and the plan is not listed in the current NAU academic
program inventory, then you must complete the “Proposal to establish a New Degree”
form.
If this proposal represents changes to the intent of the plan or its integral components,
review by the college dean, graduate dean (for graduate items) and/or the provost may
be required prior to college curricular submission.
1. Effective beginning FALL:
2012
See effective dates calendar
2. College:
CEFNS
3. Academic Unit:
4. Academic
Plan Name:
M.S. Environmental
Sciences and Policy
6. Plan proposal:
School of Earth Science
and Environmental
Sustainability
5. Emphasis:
New Plan*
New
Emphasis
Environmental Sciences
and Policy and
Paleoenvironmental
Sciences Emphases (new)
Plan Change**
Emphasis
Change
Plan Deletion
Emphasis
Deletion
** UCC plan or sub plan proposals must include an updated 8-term plan.
** UGC plan or sub plan proposals must include an updated program of study.
All Plans with NCATE designation, or plans seeking NCATE designation, must include a
letter of approval from the NAU NCATE administrator prior to college curricular
submission.
7. NCATE designation, if applicable:
Initial Plan
Advanced Plan
Change from Initial to Advanced Plan
Revised 06/22/2011
Remove Designation
Change from Advanced to Initial Plan
8. Current / New* catalog plan text in this
column. Cut and paste, in its entirety, from
the current on-line academic catalog:
(http://www4.nau.edu/aio/AcademicCatalog/academiccat
Show the proposed changes in this column.
Bold the changes, to differentiate from what is
not changing, and change font to Bold Red
with strikethrough for what is being deleted.
alogs.htm)
M.S. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES & POLICY
For this 36-unit program, which involves the
completion of a thesis, you will complete, in
consultation with your thesis advisor:


ENV 555 (3 units)
One course each from two of the
following areas (6-8 units):

Water Resources: BIO 572;
FOR 506, 563; GSP 451, 575,
670 Atmosphere and
Climate: CHM 440/ENV 430;
ENV 580, 595, 596

Land Resources: BIO 570,
573; BIO 660, 663; ENV 530,




M.S. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES & POLICY
For this 36-34-36 unit plan program, which
involves the completion of you must
complete a thesis, and 22-24 units of
emphasis requirements chosen you will
complete, in consultation with your thesis
advisor.
No more than two 400-level courses will
be accepted towards degree requirements
and must be approved by your advisor
and the ENV graduate committee.
Courses previously applied towards a
bachelor’s degree cannot be used for
graduate credit.
You must complete the following 12 unit
core:
540, 540L; ENV 544; FOR 580,

582; GSP 430

One course in environmental laws,
regulations, and policy selected from
CENE 540; FOR 593, 605, 633; GSP
574; POS 659 (3 units)
One course in quantitative analysis
from STA 570, 571, 676; BIO 682;
GSP 525; MAT 542, 543; POS 601,
605 (3 units)
13-15 units of specialty courses,
chosen in consultation with your
committee
a thesis, completed through
enrollment in ENV 699 (6 units)
In completing the thesis option, you
will work closely with your major
professor and others to conduct an
Revised 06/22/2011

ENV 555 (3 units)
At least one course in quantitative
analysis from STA 570, 571, 676;
BIO 682; GSP 525; MAT 542, 543;
POS 601, 605 (3 units)
A thesis, completed through
enrollment in ENV 699 (6 units)
Choose one of the following emphases:
Environmental Science and Policy
Emphasis (24 units)
Complete:

One course each from two of the
following areas (6-8 units):

Water Resources: BIO 572; FOR
506, 563; GSP 451, 575, 670
original research project, which
generally requires maintaining close
proximity to the Northern Arizona
University–Flagstaff campus.
This option also involves the writing
and oral defense of your approved
thesis. (Please be aware that you may
only count 6 units of thesis credit
toward your degree. However, you may
end up taking more units because you
must register for ENV 699 each
semester that you are working on your
thesis.)
Atmosphere and Climate: CHM

440/ENV 430; ENV 580, 595, 596
Land Resources: BIO 570, 573;

BIO 660, 663; ENV 530, 540, 540L;
ENV 544, 640; FOR 580, 582; GSP
430




One course in environmental laws,
regulations, and policy selected from
CENE 540; ENV 520; FOR 593, 605,
633; GSP 574; POS 659 (3 units)
One course in quantitative analysis
from STA 570, 571, 676; BIO 682;
GSP 525; MAT 542, 543; POS 601,
605 (3 units)
At least 13 15 units of specialty
courses, at the 500 level or above,
chosen in consultation with your
Program Committee.
a thesis, completed through
enrollment in ENV 699 (6 units)
Paleoenvironmental Sciences Emphasis
(22-23 units)
Complete:

One course each from the following
areas (12-13 units):
o Quaternary Geology: GLG
537
o Paleoecology: ENV 550, 572
o Climatology/Paleoclimatology
ENV 595, 596
o Human Systems: ANT 517,
550, 552, 554, 555, 635, 636

Revised 06/22/2011
At least 10 units of specialty
courses, at the 500 level or above,
chosen in consultation with your
Program Committee.
In completing the thesis option, you will work
closely with your major professor and others to
conduct an original research project, which
generally requires maintaining close proximity
to the Northern Arizona University–Flagstaff
campus.
This option also involves the writing and oral
defense of your approved thesis. (Please be
aware that you may only count 6 units of thesis
credit toward your degree. However, you may
end up taking more units because you must
register for ENV 699 each semester that you
are working on your thesis.)
9. Please list the Learning Outcomes of the Plan/Emphasis (see degree major assessment
webpage http://www4.nau.edu/assessment/main/degree/degree.htm), if applicable to the proposal.
Unchanged
10. Will this proposal affect other plans, sub plans, or course offerings, etc.? Yes
No
If yes, describe the impact and attach written responses from the affected academic
units prior to college curriculum submission.
11. Does this proposal have the support of the Dean’s office, including sufficient resources to
administer the plan?
Yes
No
12. Is this plan currently offered at the same academic level by any other academic unit at
NAU?
Yes
No
If yes, list the plan(s) with duplicate material. If the duplication is great than 20%,
explain why NAU should establish the plan.
13. Justification for plan proposal.
The Quaternary Sciences Program has had a modest but consistent enrollment in the last
few years, which has brought into question as to whether it should remain a distinct MS
degree program. However, steady interest in the study of former environments continues,
as a means of understanding (1) potential analogs to future climates in the face of global
change, and (2) the natural range of variability of ecological systems, human dimensions
and physical processes. Because of this the faculty suggests that the QSP curriculum be
converted to a subplan (Paleoenvironmental Sciences) within the Environmental Sciences
& Policy MS. This is a perfect merger of two programs, which will give students a choice of
Revised 06/22/2011
analyzing issues pertaining to the environment in the context of policy decisions (ES&P
subplan) or antecedent environmental issues as a basis for potential management
decisions in the face of environmental changes (Paleoenvironmental Sciences subplan).
Answer 14 for UCC/YCC only:
14. Will this requirement be a Student Individualized Plan?
Yes
No
(Due to the flexible nature of Student Individualized Plans, selecting yes
will require the requesting academic unit to submit an exception for every
student in this plan. These exceptions outline the approved individual
requirements for encoding by Degree Progress staff in the system).
Scott Galland
Reviewed by Curriculum Process Associate
10/24/2011
Date
Approvals:
Department Chair/ Unit Head (if appropriate)
Date
Chair of college curriculum committee
Date
Dean of college
Date
For Committee use only:
UCC/UGC/YCC Approval
Date
:
Approved as submitted:
Revised 06/22/2011
Yes
No
Approved as modified: Yes
No