Major Change Workshop

Recommended Lower-Level Courses

CAREERS

many will also satisfy General Education requirements!

About the program

ENTRY LEVEL

Our students

Overview of Workshop

Calculus

• MATH120 or 140

Statistics

• BIOM301
• ECON230
• GEOG306
• PSYC200
• SOCY201

• Research/technical assistant - federal agencies (science)
• Program analyst - federal agencies (policy)
• Policy analyst - non-profit organizations
• Environmental scientist - engineering and environmental services firms
• Field- and/or research assistant - wildlife ecology and other sciences
• Sustainability coordinator - in businesses and universities
• Environmental/outdoor educator
• Peace Corps, Americorps, and Teach for America volunteers

1. About the ENSP Program

2. Careers

3. Recommended lower-level courses

4. Choosing a concentration

5. Benchmarks

6. Creating a semester-by-semester or graduation plan

7. Next steps

The ENSP program at UMD is a multidisciplinary science and policy program that produces problem solvers and leaders that are ready to face today's incredible environmental challenges.

Our program values the integration of the natural sciences and social sciences and how those disciplines can best shape good public policies. We provide our students with a foundational understanding through core science and policy classes and then advance them to specialized training and experiences in one of many specific environmental disciplines.

Science

• BSCI160/161 or

CHEM131/132

• ENSP101
• ENSP102

MID-LEVEL (5-10 YEARS)

Economics

• ECON200, AREC240

or AREC241

Years 1 & 2 (under 40 credits): "Undeclared"

• All new students begin in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR), where they learn about the natural sciences and human context of environmental problem-solving while completing a multi-disciplinary "core" and a structured, exploratory advising program.

Years 3 & 4: "Declared"

• After 2-3 semesters, students choose an area of concentration and move administratively to the College and academic department sponsoring the concentration where they receive faculty advising and advanced training and background.

• Mid-level employees and/or policy-makers in governmental, consulting, and/or non-profit agencies related to environmental science, policy, or advocacy.
• Federal agencies
• Regional/environmental planners
• Attorneys
• Scientific researchers
• Public school educators

Earth Science lab

• AOSC200/201
• ENST200
• GEOG201/211
• GEOL100/110
• GEOL120/110

ALL STUDENTS must take courses in:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Earth Sciences
• Environmental Economics
• Geography
• Calculus
• Statistics

Geography

• GEOG130
• GEOG140
• GEOG170
• GEOG202

View more about ENSP Careers at https://ensp.umd.edu/careers

Together, the three Colleges and 8 academic departments enroll ~300 students who aspire to solve the world's greatest environmental challenges.

Examples of Employers: Chesapeake Conservation Corps, NOAA, Maryland Park Service, American Forest Foundation, USDA, Northrop Grumman, Advantage Environmental Consultants, Environment America, EPA, National Center for Environmental Assessments, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Yosemite National Park, National Aquarium, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Choosing an ENSP Concentration

All students must have their concentrations declared by ~40 credits (not including AP)

You likely fall into one of two groups of people:

1. Those with less than 30 credits: You don't have to declare just yet, but it's smart to start thinking about which area you'd like to focus in

2. Those with over 30 credits: Time to declare!

Environmental Science and Policy Program

Environmental Science & Policy concentrations

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources sponsors:

• Environment & Agriculture (PSLA)
• Environmental Economics (AREC)
• Soil, Water & Land Resources (ENST)
• Wildlife Ecology & Management (ENST)
• UNDECLARED in ENSP (AGNR) -- all new students start here, as "Undeclared"

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences sponsors:

• Culture & Environment (ANTH)
• Environmental Politics & Policy (GVPT)
• Global Environmental Change (GEOG)
• Land Use (GEOG)
• Marine & Coastal Management (GEOG)

The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences sponsors:

• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (BSCI)
• Environmental Geosciences & Restoration (GEOL)

Choosing an ENSP Concentration

MAJOR CHANGE WORKSHOP

Pro tip:

look at the CURRICULUM, not the title of concentration!

You can view the curriculum by going to the ENSP website, clicking on "Concentrations", then selecting the concentration you want to explore. Click the "Degree Requirements" sheet to view the requirements.

FYI:

All students will graduate with the same. exact. thing.

- a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy

A little reminder to you all...

Practical experience is much more important to your career than your major, per se. Take any and all opportunities to participate in related campus clubs, accumulate volunteer experience and complete internships.

Most students are better served by adding internships and experience than by adding a second major, since completing a second major often limits the time needed for experience and taking supporting courses.

Any major can prepare you for an environment- or sustainability-related career, with appropriate supporting courses and practical experience (internships):

Your Major + (Supporting Courses/Minor) + Experience = An Environmental Career

Okay, I'm ready to change my major to ENSP, what's next?

After attending this session, you will be required to create and submit a semester by semester graduation plan for completing the required coursework. All students approaching or exceeding 40 credits (not including AP/IB credits) are required to choose and declare a concentration in ENSP:

• For students with less than 30 credits: Please prepare a two-semester plan. Identify concentrations that interest you and assess in general terms the number of requirements and/or electives you'll have. You do not need to choose a concentration at this time. Upon declaring the major, you'll be coded as ENSP "Undeclared"

• For students approaching or exceeding 40 credits: you will need to create a full graduation plan for the concentration you wish to declare. Prospective ENSP students with more than 40 credits completed will not be declared into ENSP without a draft graduation plan successfully submitted (for their intended concentration).

How to create a semester-by-semester or graduation plan

A step-by-step infographic on this process can be found online:

https://ensp.umd.edu/advising/graduation-plans

1. GET YOUR DOCUMENTS TOGETHER. I recommend printing all three (3) documents out so you can write directly on them!

a. BLANK graduation plan template (Word document)

b. Degree requirements sheet

- If you have less than 40 credits: use the Undeclared requirements sheet found here: https://ensp.umd.edu/concentrations/undeclared-ensp

- If you're near or over 40 credits: visit the website for your intended area of concentration to view the Degree Requirement sheet. View list of concentrations here: https://ensp.umd.edu/areas-concentration

c. Your unofficial transcript (via Testudo)

2. CHECK OFF THE COURSES YOU HAVE COMPLETED on the Requirements sheet for your intended concentration (or lower-level course requirement sheet) and your unofficial transcript.

3. WRITE YOUR REMAINING COURSES into your BLANK graduation plan template

This includes your General Education classes (Diversity, I-Series, Professional Writing, etc.) and all remaining courses for ENSP. Remember to account for internships, study abroad and other activities. You need 120 credits to graduate (no more than 60 from a community college).

4. REVIEW YOUR PLAN

Are your course loads reasonable, given your abilities, the number of lab courses required any part-time jobs, commutes, or other considerations. Have you planned for study abroad, internships...?

5. TYPE YOUR PLAN INTO THE WORD TEMPLATE, THEN SAVE IT TO YOUR COMPUTER

6. Read and sign the ENSP Benchmark Contract

7. EMAIL your plan to Angela (in WORD format - NO PDFs please!). Feel free to type questions in your e-mail message or on your worksheet when you submit your plan.

After you submit your plan...

This plan will be reviewed, and admittance to the major will be granted pending approval of your academic plan and subsequent submission of a signed benchmark contract.

Students should be aware that after the end of the Schedule Adjustment Period, (usually the first two weeks of classes), their major change cannot go into effect until the following semester.

To recap:

If you wish to continue with the major change process:

1. Prepare a plan

• For students with less than 30 credits: Please prepare a two-semester plan. Identify concentrations that interest you and assess in general terms the number of requirements and/or electives you'll have. You do not need to choose a concentration at this time. Upon declaring the major, you'll be coded as ENSP "Undeclared"
• For students approaching or exceeding 40 credits (again, NOT including AP/IB): you will need to create a full graduation plan for the concentration you wish to declare. Prospective ENSP students with more than 40 credits completed will not be declared into ENSP without a draft graduation plan successfully submitted (for their intended concentration).

2. Email your plan and signed benchmark contract

Email to Ms. Angela Mazur-Gray at abm13@umd.edu, who will review it and declare you into the major, pending there are no major revisions that need to be made.

If you're still not sure yet...

That's okay! Take the semester to think about it. You can revisit this process whenever you've made your decision.

Questions??

NOTE: The ENSP website is full of information about internships, studying abroad, research, careers and more. Check it out!