Field Quarters

Field Quarters offer highly motivated students a total field immersion experience.

• These courses provide 15-20 units of credit and will fulfill elective requirements for the EEB majors.
• Students are not allowed to concurrently enroll in any other courses the quarter they undertake a Field Quarter (except for BIOE 153ABC). 
• Entrance into field quarter courses is by application/interview typically two quarters in advance of the course.

BIOE 151ABCD Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse (Only offered in Spring)

19 units

Prerequisites:  BIOL 20A, BIOE 20B, BIOE 20C or ENVS 23, 24, 100; and AMS 7 and 7L.  Enrollment by application and interview two quarters in advance.

Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse is designed to provide hands on research experience for undergrads. The course is intensive quarter long endeavor that consists of 19 units. Approximately half of the quarter is spent in the field at various UC Natural Reserves implementing field projects. The remainder of the course is spent at UCSC where students attend lectures, design research projects, and provide oral presentations to their peers.

How it applies to your major:

• Students enroll in BIOE 151A,B,C, and D.
• Provides equivalency* of BIOE 150, BIOE 150L and one EEB General Elective.
• Successful completion of BIOE 151B fufills one DC Requirement course for students in EEB Department majors. 

For more information visit this webpage and/or contact Gage Dayton at ghdayton@ucsc.edu.

Upcoming Offerings: Spring 2024 

How to apply: Applications for Spring 2024 have closed.

*Course equivalency listed above is for the purposes of tracking number of major courses completed only.

BIOE 159ABCD Marine Ecology Field Quarter

20 units

Prerequisites:  Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements.  Admission by application and interview two quarters in advance.

The Marine Ecology Field Quarter is a course that combines 4 modules including a field component into a quarter-long lecture-field course that is split between UCSC campus and a field station.  Currently the field locations are Corsica, France and Sitka, Alaska.  This course provides total immersion in marine ecology for very motivated students.  It is specifically designed for students that are anticipating a career in marine biology/ecology and/or those interested in pursuing a graduate degree in marine ecology or conservation.  In addition the curriculum is designed to ensure students make accelerated progress to their degree.  All students in the class develop a research project during first five weeks on campus and then spend five weeks of immersion in directed research in isolated locations off campus (Corsica, or Sitka; past locations include the Gulf of California in Mexico, South Africa,  and Moorea in French Polynesia).

For students who intend to SCUBA dive, BIOE 75 (Scientific Diving) or the equivalent AAUS Scientific Diving certification is a prerequisite. Note that several SCUBA courses are prerequisites to BIOE 75.  Visit http://www2.ucsc.edu/sci-diving/ to learn about the schedule of these courses and the physical exam options. For those who intend to snorkel/skin dive, UCSC Skin Diving certification is a prerequisite. Visit the Scientific Skin Diving website to learn about the schedule of these courses and the physical exam options.

BIOE 159 Sitka, AK - Upcoming Offerings: Winter 2025 

How it applies to your major:

• Students enroll in BIOE 159A,C,D, and F, which will appear in their transcript.
• Successful completion of Sitka program provides equivalency of four upper division courses comparable to: BIOE 108, BIOE 158L, BIOE 159F Global Change Ecology (Topical or EEB General Elective) and one Marine Biology Topical Elective.
• Students will receive credit for one of their two required DC Requirement courses with successful completion of BIOE 159A.
• How to apply: To apply, complete and submit the this questionnaire to Kristy Kroeker kkroeker@ucsc.edu and Pete Raimondi raimondi@ucsc.edu by April 28, 2024.

BIOE 159 Corsica, FR - Upcoming Offerings: Fall 2025

How it applies to your major:

• Students enroll in BIOE 159A,B,C, and E, which will appear in their transcript.
• Successful completion of these courses provides students major requirement credit of four upper division courses comparable to: BIOE 108, BIOE 127/L, BIOE 158L, and BIOE 140. 
• Students will receive credit for one of their two required DC Requirement courses with successful completion of BIOE 159A.
• How to apply: Applications not currently open.

Natural Reserve System California Ecology and Conservation

19 units

Prerequisites:  All students must pass an introductory ecology or biology course prior to acceptance. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required.

California Ecology and Conservation is a UC wide course offered through the Natural Reserve System.   It is an intensive program of study with a focus on field methods, ecology, and conservation.  A total of 27 students will be accepted, ideally three from each of the nine general campuses.

• Students enroll via UCEAP in XBIO or XENV 188.
• Provides equivalency* of BIOE 150, BIOE 150L and one EEB General Elective.
• Students will receive credit for one of two DC Requirement courses in EEB majors upon successful completion if the course is taken Spring 2023 and following.  The course is unavailable as a DC requirement if taken prior to Spring 2023. 

15 units

Natural History Field Quarter (NHFQ) focuses on studying natural history and land management issues all over California.  NHFQ is taught every spring quarter.  Applications for this course are due early fall quarter.  

For more information about NHFQ, please visit the Natural History Field Quarter page on the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History webpage.  Information about the structure of the course, the current-year application, and upcoming informational meetings and due dates can be found there.

Questions regarding NHFQ can be directed to Chris Lay, the Administrative Director of the Norris Center and NHFQ instructor.  He can be reached via email (cml@ucsc.edu), or phone: (831) 459-4763.

How it applies to your major:

• Provides equivalency of one Topical elective and one EEB General Elective for the Ecology and Evolution BS and Plant Sciences BS.  
• For the Marine Biology BS provides equivalency for two EEB General Electives.  

This field quarter DOES NOT satisfy a DC requirement for the major.

Offered annually Spring quarter

Upcoming offerings: Applications for the Spring 2024 Natural History Field Quarter (NHFQ) class are now closed.