Hydrology Certificate

Overview

Geography provides a Certificate Program in Hydrology and Water Resources, designed for students who are either Geography majors or minors and who wish to specialize in hydrology- related themes. Course requirements are designed to provide students wishing to pursue the field of hydrology and other water-related resources beyond the undergraduate degree (graduate school, government employment, consulting jobs) with a broad-based background in this discipline. Upon completion of the required courses and graduation from the Geography Department, students receive a signed certificate of completion. 

Details

Certificate Intent:

The primary goal is to provide students with a well-rounded and broad-based background in hydrology. Secondly, we will provide advising for students interested in pursuing hydrology beyond the undergraduate degree. Upon completion of the required courses and graduation from the Geography department, students will receive a certificate signed by Professors Peter Blanken, John Pitlick, Suzanne Anderson, and Mark Williams.

The hydrology certificate program is for students who have a major or minor in Geography.

Required Classes for a Hydrology Certificate in Geography

• Environmental Systems: Landscapes and Water: GEOG1011
• Environmental Systems: Climate and Vegetation: GEOG 1001
• Introduction to Hydrology GEOG3511
• Statistics: including but not limited to: GEOG3023, APPM4570, BCOR1020, ECON3818, PSYC3101, SOCY2061, SOCY4061
• Human dimensions of water: GEOG4501, GEOG4110 World Water Today & Tomorrow
• Climate and/or Meteorology: One upper division course GEOG3301, GEOG3601, GEOG4211, GEOG4231, GEOG4271, GEOG4331, ATOC3300, ATOC3600, ENVS3600
• Hydrogeology (Groundwater) GEOL3030 or similar course

TWO senior-level hydrology classes from the following list

• Geomorphology GEOG4241, GEOL4291
• Fluvial Geomorphology GEOG4251
• Snow Hydrology GEOG4321
• Watershed Biogeochemistry GEOG4311
• World Water Today & Tomorrow GEOG4110
• Mountain Hydrology Seminar
• Biometeorology GEOG4201
• Glaciers and Permafrost GEOG4120, GEOG4261
• Wetlands (special topics GEOG course)
• Any course in Limnology, Stream Ecology, Aquatic Ecology

Contact Mark Williams if you wish to discuss specific courses not listed here that may be acceptable substitutes for the classes listed above.

Course Recommendation

There is no course sequencing. Courses can be taken in any order. However, we strongly suggest that Introduction to Hydrology and Statistics be taken before the senior-level courses.

Lower Division Science Courses. Students who are trying to position themselves for a career in hydrology or related disciplines are encouraged to take lower division courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. However, these courses are not required either as prerequistes for the courses or for the hydrology certificate.