River Studies and Leadership Certificate, Undergraduate
In the River Studies & Leadership Certificate program, students study the functions of diverse bodies of water, take measurements in field work, and learn how to guide rafts on whitewater rivers.
Note: courses taken to satisfy core requirements cannot be used to satisfy emphasis area courses, i.e. no double-dipping.
As a part of the RSLC program, River Management Society (RMS) offers students exciting opportunities for professional networking and collaboration. Students are encouraged to use RMS as a source for their river studies and professional networking. Each student receives an RMS student membership that can be renewed until they graduate. which includes a subscription to the RMS Journal and access to national and regional chapter events (e.g. chapter floats, river field trips & workshops, swiftwater rescue courses, etc.). They are invited to attend either the biennial River Management Symposium or comparable event supported by RMS for which registration fees are waived scholarships are available to help defer other expenses. More information about the RMS and available resources can be found on the RMS site.
| Required Core Courses | ||
| Geographic Information Science | ||
| GEOS 323 | GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | 5 |
| River Science–choose one | ||
| BIOL 445 | STREAM ECOLOGY | 5 |
| or GEOS 203 | FUNDAMENTALS OF SURFACE HYDROLOGY | |
| or GEOS 413 | RIVERS AND FLOODS | |
| River Policy | ||
| PLAN 431 | ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS | 3-5 |
| or POLI 324 | COMPARATIVE AND INTERNATIONAL WATER POLICY | |
| Swiftwater Rescue–choose one | ||
| RCLS 330 | INTERMEDIATE WHITEWATER KAYAKING | 2-4 |
| or RCLS 375 | WHITEWATER RAFTING GUIDE TECHNIQUES | |
| Relevant experience or training can satisfy this requirement with approval from the certificate coordinator. | ||
| Emphasis Coursework–complete one of the following emphasis areas | 7-10 | |
River Science Emphasis Area–choose two courses | ||
| LIMNOLOGY | ||
| STREAM ECOLOGY | ||
| RIPARIAN ECOLOGY | ||
| ICHTHYOLOGY | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF SURFACE HYDROLOGY | ||
| RIVERS AND FLOODS | ||
River-based Policy and Management Emphasis Area–choose two courses | ||
| CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | ||
| FISHERIES BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| ENERGY/WATER NEXUS | ||
| WATER RESOURCES | ||
| RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION | ||
River-based Recreation, Education, and Tourism Emphasis Area–choose both | ||
| PUBLIC LANDS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION | ||
| OUTDOOR RECREATION AQUATIC PROGRAMS | ||
| Additional Requirements | ||
| Professional experience requirement: Students are required to take two credits in the form of an internship, independent study, or other professional experience | 2 | |
| Oral/written presentation requirement: students are required to either present aspects of their work at an RMS Symposium or sponsored conference or write an article for the RMS Journal about their experiences | ||
| Total Credits | 24-31 | |