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About the Department

The Mission of the Environmental Science and Ecology Department is to inspire students to become engaged stewards of our planet. This is achieved through an understanding of how life functions in the natural world, how human activities impact the environment, and how to use scientific knowledge to make creative and innovative solutions for current environmental problems. Field courses offered in this Department aims to train students with diverse educational goals to gather data using various techniques, critically analyze the results, and to use these skills to continue their education in the STEM field, to advance in their career goals, and/or become citizen scientists in their community.
 
Students who study Ecology may find additional information about taking courses to transfer in this major in the Biological Science Department, Marine Science Department, and Horticulture Department.

The links below will provide degree information, requirements, and program sequence of courses:

Environmental Science, Associate in Arts Degree

 

Environmental Science, Associate in Science Degree

The courses listed below offer opportunities to observe organisms in their natural habitat and most include obtaining hands-on experience collecting data for analysis. Some of these courses are cross-listed with Marine Science. Some field sites involve overnight stays, fees for lodging/food, and/or travel outside of the country with additional requirements. 

View the Class Schedule for current course offering.

 List of Field Courses:

Santa Cruz Island View

ESEC A110, Island Ecology   Measuring creosote bush for distribution pattern analysis water collection for nitrate analysis Water test for nitrates

ESEC A121 / MRSC A121, Intertidal Ecology    

ESEC A124 / MRSC A124, Ecology of the Gray Whale

ESEC A140, Mediterranean Biome Ecology

ESEC A141, Desert Ecology     

 

Kelli Elliott, full-time faculty

Courses taught in this Department includes:

ESEC A100, Introduction to Environmental Science

ESEC A100H, Introduction to Environmental Science Honors

ESEC A110, Island Ecology

ESEC A121/MRSC A121, Marine Intertidal Ecology

ESEC A124/MRSC A124, Ecology of the Gray Whale

ESEC A141, Desert Ecology

Contact Us

(714) 432-0202 ext 22869

kelliott@occ.cccd.edu

Bio Sci 212C

Karen Baker, full-time faculty

Courses taught in this Department includes:

 

ESEC A124/MRSC A124, Ecology of the Gray Whale

 

 

Contact Us

(714) 432-0202 ext. 23067

kbaker@occ.cccd.edu

Lewis 105

Mary Blasius, Full-time Faculty

Courses taught in this Department includes:

ESEC A100, Introduction to Environmental Science 

ESEC A121/MRSC A121, Marine Intertidal Ecology

ESEC A124/MRSC A124, Ecology of the Gray Whale

 

Contact Us

(714) 432-0202 ext. 23125

mblasius@occ.cccd.edu

Lewis 106

Jan Goerrissen, Full-time Faculty

Courses taught in this Department includes:

 

 

ESEC A140, Mediterranean Biome Ecology

Contact Us

(714) 432-0202 ext. 21162

jgoerrissen@occ.cccd.edu

Bio Sci 212C

Tanya Hoerer, Part-time Faculty

Courses taught in this Department includes:

 

ESEC A100, Introduction to Environmental Science

 

Contact Us

tmurray8@coastline.edu

Lisa Snyder, part-time faculty

Courses taught in this Department includes:

ESEC A100, Introduction to Environmental Science

ESEC A100H, Introduction to Environmental Science Honors

 

Contact Us

lsnyder@occ.cccd.edu