Environmental and Natural Resource Stewardship

This award is not eligible for Financial Aid

The Academic Certificate (AC) in Environmental and Natural Resource Stewardship program develops knowledge and understanding of the environmental and natural resource issues, problems, and policies through the study of selected courses. Students will examine the ethical theories and moral principles of global environmental issues, explore methods of inquiry, and the human impact on ecosystems and human policy related to natural resources.

Details

Field of Interest
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Degree Type
Academic Certificate (AC)
Academic Plan
Environmental and Natural Resource Stewardship (CER)
Academic Plan Code
6227N
Total credits required
25-27
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Admission criteria

None.

Notes

This program is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

What You'll Learn
  • Explain and demonstrate the process of scientific inquiry.
  • Describe and translate levels of organization and interactions within ecosystems.
  • Assess and test scientific knowledge and logic to understand and examine environmental problems.
  • Identify and measure human impacts on ecosystems and human policy on managing natural resources.
  • Describe and critique appropriate techniques for distinguishing fact from opinion.
  • Describe the methods that policy makers use to evaluate improvements or modifications to environmental quality.
  • Develop students' skills using analytical tools such as supply and demand graphs to critically analyze environmental quality and natural resource problems.
  • Apply ethical theories and moral principles to global environmental moral issues.
  • Compare and contrast methods of inquiry used to determine environmental and natural resources issues.
  • Compare and contrast the use of appropriate models applied to address natural resource issues.
  • Outline the operation of a local policy making body.
  • Describe appropriate techniques for evaluating efficient economic use of renewable, nonrenewable, and recyclable resources.
  • Evaluate how policy is made in an agency of government or a nonprofit organization.

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Conservation Scientists

$65,110

Foresters

$59,840

Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary

$79,180

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
RDG100 or
RDG100LL		 Successful College Reading or Disciplinary Literacy Lab OR Higher level reading course
OR Eligibility for CRE101 		0–3
ECN211 or
ECN212		 Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles SB or SB 3
PHI216 Environmental Ethics HU 3
POS110 American National Government SB 3
RE Restricted Elective 3–4

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
BIO105 or
BIO181 or
BIO181XT or
ABS/BIO274		 Environmental Biology or General Biology (Majors) I or General Biology (Majors) I or Introduction to Wildlife Management Students selecting BIO181 or BIO181XT must complete with a grade of C or better SQ or SQ or SQ or None 4
SSH111 Sustainable Cities G, HU, SB 3
SUS110 Sustainable World SB 3
RE Restricted Elective 3–4

Program Electives

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ASB102 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology G, SB 3
ASB222 Buried Cities and Lost Tribes: Old World G, H, HU, SB 3
ASB223 Buried Cities and Lost Tribes: New World G, H, HU, SB 3
BIO108 Plants and Society SQ 4
CHM107 and
CHM107LL		 Chemistry and Society and Chemistry and Society Laboratory SQ in combo w/ CHM107LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM107 4
ECN211 Macroeconomic Principles Except if used for Required Courses area SB 3
ECN212 Microeconomic Principles Except if used for Required Courses area SB 3
FSC110 Wildland Firefighter 3
HIS190 Environmental History H 3
POS285 Political Issues and Public Policy SB 3
RPM150AB Outdoor Adventure Skills 3

Restricted Electives

Course Area Key
  • G = Global Awareness
  • H = Historical Awareness
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

This certificate is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm?id=182630).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.