Program Coordinator:  S. Aaron Hegde,

                                    Mark Evans (online)

Department Office:  Business Development

Center, A260

Telephone:  (661) 654-2495

email: erm@csub.edu

Website:  http://www.csub.edu/ermae.htm

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Program Description

Environmental Resource Management is an interdisciplinary major administered by the Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.  The major is a program of study that includes coursework in the following areas:  (1) physical and life sciences relating to natural resource use; (2) the legal aspects of resource ownership and use; and (3) the economic and political aspects of resource allocation and environmental protection.  The program also includes basic skills courses in areas such as communications, computers, statistics, and management.

The ERM major is of sufficient breadth to prepare graduates for entry into a wide range of careers relating to the use, management, and protection of environmental assets.  These careers are in areas such as resource analysis and planning, environmental health, compliance, technical and environmental staff support, permitting, and real estate development.

The Hazardous Materials Management concentration articulates with Environmental Technology programs offered by community colleges throughout the United States.  The concentration provides competencies relating to environmental compliance, hazardous materials handling and sampling, and safety planning and emergency response.  Courses fulfilling requirements for this concentration must be completed at a community college.  Distant students can complete the Bachelor’s Degree on-line from anywhere in the United States through the Internet.

Core Required Courses

1.   Computer and Statistical Skills

      MATH 140 Elementary Statistics or

      MATH 191 Precalculus Mathematics I

      One of the following:

      CMPS 120 Computer Skills & Concepts I

      MIS 200 Software Productivity Tools

      GST 390 Microcomputers

      GST 393 Introduction to Microcomputers Or equivalency

2.   Communication and Management Skills

      COMM 304 Technical & Report Writing 

      INST 435 Negotiation & Conflict Management or

      SOC 442 Conflict Mediation & Dispute Resolution       One of the following:

      MGMT 300 Organizational Behavior

      MGMT 460 Total Quality Management

      Environmental

3.   Life Science

      Two approved life science courses.  One of the following two‑course sequences is recommended: 

      BIOL 103 Principles of Ecology and

      SCI 370A Human Biology; or

      BIOL 202 Introductory Biology - Animal or

      BIOL 203 Introductory Biology - Plants and

      BIOL 306 General Ecology; or

      BIOL 250 Human Anatomy and

      BIOL 255 Human Physiology           

4.   Physical Science

      CHEM 150 Introduction to Chemical Principles or

      CHEM 211 Principles of General Chemistry I

      CHEM 203 General Organic Chemistry

      GEOL 201 Physical and Historical Geology or

      GEOL 205 Environmental Geology

      GEOL 320 Introduction to Hydrologic Systems

      SCI 360A Energy and Technology

5.   Environmental Policy Analysis

      ECON 201 Essentials of Microeconomics

      INST 369 Environmental Politics

      One of the following:

      ECON 370 Economics of Environmental and Safety Regulation

      ECON 371 Economics of Agriculture and Natural Resources

6.   Law and Compliance

      ERM 411 Environmental Law I

      ERM 412 Environmental Law II

      INST 420 Electronic Legal Research Methods

      Two of the following:

      ERM 300 Health and Safety Compliance

      ERM 413 Environmental Compliance

      ECON 404 Law and Economics

7.   Senior Seminar

      ERM 491 Portfolio Assessment

      ERM 492 Integrative Project

Concentration

One of the following concentrations or four (4) approved

electives must be completed.

Note:    Courses in this concentration are to be completed at Bakersfield College or another approved community college program.

Hazardous Materials Management Concentration

ENVT B15 Hazardous Materials Management Applications

ENVT B20 Hazardous Waste Generation, Reduction, Treatment

ENVT B30 Health Effects of Hazardous Materials

ENVT B40 Hazardous Waste Management Applications

Land Use Planning and Policy Concentration

One of the following:

ECON 320 Introduction to GIS

ECON 395 Economic Geography

Three courses selected from the following or approved by the advisor:

SOC 367 Urban Sociology

ECON 390 Regional Economic Analysis

PPA 479 Urban Planning and Public Policy

ANTH 415 Cultural Resource Management

PSYC 332 Environmental Psychology

BEHS 321 Community Politics

PPA 340 Policy Networks

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Course Descriptions

Upper Division

ERM 300 Health and Safety Compliance (4)

Compliance requirements and practices for regulations governing the protection of people in and around the workplace.  Topics selected from personnel monitoring and protection, hazard assessment, hazardous materials management, hazard communication, emergency planning and response, risk management, multimedia compliance audits, and the training function within organizations. Includes conceptual models of hazard analysis as well as exercises and simulations.

ERM 411 Environmental Law I (5)

Traditional and contemporary common law theories, liabilities and remedies, public law, and the structure and power of government entities as legal foundations of environmental law.  Topics include: torts, contracts, and property law; criminal law; federal and state constitutional law; public trust doctrine; eminent domain condemnations; inverse condemnation; and the commerce clause.  [F]

ERM 412 Environmental Law II (5)

Administrative law, the legislative process, and rule-making as legal foundations of environmental law.  Topics include specific statutory provisions pertaining to project permitting, habitat and endangered species protection, public resource management, pesticides and toxic substances, air and water pollution, remediation, hazardous wastes, and land use controls.  Prerequisite: ERM 411 or permission of instructor.  [W]

ERM 413 Environmental Compliance (4)

Compliance requirements and practices for statutes and regulations governing the protection of air, water, and land resources.  Topics will include environmental impact assessment, emergency planning and response, and hazardous waste management. Case studies involving environmental compliance issues will be reviewed and evaluated.

INST 420 Electronic Legal Research Methods (2)

An introduction to research using electronic resources such as Lexis/Nexis and the Internet.  Emphasis will be placed upon effective search strategy development, mastery of search tools, identification of potential resources, and retrieval of pertinent sources.  Course will include legal research using Lexis/Nexis.  Student will develop familiarity and skills related to search strategy development, search software, Internet navigation, research sites, and other related skills.  [S]

INST 435 Negotiation and Conflict Management (5)

Comprehensive survey of current trends in the theory and practice of negotiation as a means of resolving conflict and reaching agreement.  Topics include:  internal team management and pre-negotiation analysis; strategies and tactics; context and dynamics; impact of culture, gender, and personality types; follow-up and implementation; multilateral negotiation; and third party intervention.  Case studies from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.  [S]

ERM 477 Special Topics (1-5)

An in-depth study of an area of land resource management not included in current course offerings. May be repeated for different course content.  Prerequisites as announced.

ERM 489 Experiential Prior Learning (variable units)

Evaluation and assessment of learning that has occurred as a result of prior off-campus experience relevant to the curriculum of the department.  Requires complementary academic study and/or documentation.  Available by petition only, on a credit, no-credit basis.  Not open to postgraduate students.  Interested students should contact the department office.

ERM 491 Portfolio Assessment (3)

Catalog Description:  Graduation candidates develop a web page, resume, cover letter, and personal mission statement. They compile a representational portfolio demonstrating attainment of desired outcomes for the major. The portfolio entries, resume and cover letter are linked to the candidates website. Prerequisite: Senior Standing.

ERM 492 Integrative Project (3)

Catalog Description: In order to demonstrate integrative skills in this interdisciplinary major, the candidate completes a project that synthesizes knowledge in science and technology, law, policy analysis, and other curriculum areas. The strengths and limitations of each paradigm are recognized and integrated into demonstration of the thesis. The project is presented in web format. Prerequisite: ERM 491.

ERM 496 Internship in Environmental Resource Management (1-5)

Internships may be arranged with various businesses or agencies.  Supervision of the internship is shared by the field supervisor and course instructor.  The focus of the internship must be to develop and/or apply competencies pertinent to careers in environmental policy and compliance.  Offered on a credit, no-credit basis.  The instructor will determine units of credit and their application.

ERM 497 Cooperative Education (variable units)

The Cooperative Education program offers a sponsored learning experience in a work setting, integrated with a field analysis seminar.  The field experience is contracted by the Cooperative Education office on an individual basis, subject to approval by the department.  The field experience, including the seminar and reading assignments, is supervised by the cooperative education coordinator and the faculty liaison (or course instructor), working with the field supervisor.  Students are expected to enroll in the course for at least two quarters.  The determination of course credits, evaluation and grading are the responsibility of the department faculty. Offered on a credit, no-credit basis only.  Department will determine application of credit.

ERM 499 Individual Study (1-5)

Consent of department required.

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Graduate Courses

ERM 577 Special Topics (1-5)

An in-depth study of an area of environmental compliance and/or policy.  May be repeated for different course content.  Prerequisites as announced.

ERM 599 Individual Study (1-5)

Consent of program coordinator and instructor required.