Course Offerings

Learn environmental sampling in Door County and at the Lowenwood campus in Land O’ Lakes. This course teaches students how to determine the water quality of natural systems (e.g., lakes and rivers) or the quality of water from wells and engineered systems. Hands on activities including field sampling, lab analysis and sample preservation will be preceded with an explanation of the theoretical concepts needed to understand, execute and design activities performed in the afternoon. Based on the theoretical concepts and developed dataset, students will be able to draw conclusions regarding the water quality and, for example, determine if a beach needs to be closed.

Open to any student enrolled at any UW campus. Available for undergraduate or graduate credit through UW Oshkosh. Includes topics relevant for those seeking a master’s degree or are in need of continuing education credits at the master’s level. UW Oshkosh tuition plus a course fee to cover field experience. Housing is provided.

Class location is Door County Peninsula for the first week and Lowenwood campus in Land O’Lakes second week. Contact Dr. Marcel Dijkstra at dijkstrm@uwosh.edu for questions or details about enrolling from another campus.

The most important natural resource on Earth is freshwater. This three-credit course addresses the importance of water in biological, ecological, physical, climate and economic systems, and the consequences of distributing the natural water cycle. This course meets the Natural Science General Education Requirement at UW-Milwaukee. It is also open to high school students enrolled in the Early College Credit Program. UW-Milwaukee students interested in this course can enroll via PAWS. Students not enrolled at UW-Milwaukee should apply as a non-degree/guest student: https://uwm.edu/undergrad-admission/apply/.

Learn the fundamentals of working on a Great Lakes vessel and operating Great Lakes research equipment. This course provides a broad range of training ranging from line handling and winch operation to the deployment of water quality instruments. Gain hands-on experience while aboard the R/V Neeskay and earn a Marine Technician micro-credential certificate while also exploring the ecology of Lake Michigan. This course meets the requirements for the Deck Operations Certificate through the Marine Technology Society.

Upon demonstrating your competency, you will be awarded a digital badge that demonstrates your skill set to employers. Badges are a transferable symbol used to verify the attainment of specific competencies and can be added to resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and other social media platforms as instant recognition of your personal skill set. Students interested in this certificate should notify the School’s Head of Academic Services, Mallory Kaul (malkaul@uwm.edu).

Prerequisites: Completed courses equivalent to UWM’s BIO SCI 150 (Foundations of Biological Science I) and CHEM 100 (Chemical Science). This course is open to undergraduate students from any accredited college or university. Limited to 10 students. Questions about the course or enrolling? Contact Mallory Kaul at malkaul@uwm.edu.

This three-credit course involves field study of hydrologic science in western Wisconsin, such as groundwater and aquifer characterization, wetland delineation, evaluation of aquatic ecosystems, and water quality assessment. You will learn from instructors with expertise across a range of disciplines from UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, and UW-River Falls. Food, parking, housing, and transportation to field sites are covered through a Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin grant. Financial assistance for tuition may be available for participants with financial need. To apply you must be enrolled in a freshwater science-related degree program at your university and have completed at least two semesters of your program. Applications are due April 3. Apply here. Accepted students will be given permission to enroll. Non-UW-Eau Claire students will enroll as a non-degree seeking student at UW-Eau Claire and will receive instructions from the course instructor Sarah Vitale, vitalesa@uwec.edu

• Week 1 (June 8-13) – Online
• Week 2 (June 15-19) – In person in Green Bay
• Week 3 (June 22-26) – In person in Milwaukee
• Week 4 (June 29-July 3) – Online

This course facilitates a greater understanding of human impacts on Lake Michigan coastal ecosystems. Students will explore the land/sea interface with a focus on urban vs rural changes and habitat/habitat potential as we move from north (Green Bay, Peshtigo, Manitowoc, Sheboygan) to the south (Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha) along the coast. The land/water interface is often a site of physical alterations which can exert environmental stress as well as act as a conduit for pollutants that may result in habitat degradation, health risk, and loss of utility. Important anthropogenic stressors and the associated habitat and community dynamics will be discussed including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAs), fecal pollution, sedimentation, hypoxia/non-point nutrients, and impacts of stormwater/wastewater discharge and coastal erosion. Hands-on experiences will demonstrate why technical expertise is important. Interactions with diverse faculty and local practitioners will provide insight into potential academic and career opportunities.

What’s Included: Meals during class time and lodging are provided at no cost, thanks to support from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.

Prerequisites: Courses equivalent to UWM’s BIO SCI 150 (Foundations of Biological Science I) and CHEM 100 (Chemical Science). Enrollment: Open to undergraduate students from any accredited college or university, or science educators. There is a limited number of 12 seats available.

Questions? Contact Mallory Kaul at malkaul@uwm.edu.

Enrollment Opens March 30.

The River Studies Field Course will provide undergraduate students, aka River Scholars, a transformative opportunity to learn about Wisconsin’s Grand Water Challenges. Accompanied by instructors and student trip leaders, scholars will embark in canoes on a river trip on the Lower Wisconsin River where they will learn basic skills in river navigation and safety while building strong teamwork and problem-solving skills. During the trip, scholars will participate in a diverse set of instructor-led field lessons and meet industry, non-profit, and agency professionals that will introduce them to careers from a variety of freshwater disciplines. The river trip will culminate with an in-depth experience on UW-La Crosse’s Research Vessel Prairie Springs, learning to use state-of-the-art river research and monitoring equipment.

Apply by March 15, 2026. No prior experience or pre-requisites needed. Accepted students will be given permission to enroll in the one-credit course. See course website for additional information or contact Ross Vander Vorste, rvandervorste@uwlax.edu

Laboratory and field training are essential in water-related fields of study. This two-credit transformative summer course with faculty from UW-River Falls and UW-Green Bay focuses on laboratory and field techniques for freshwater-related work. Students will increase their field and laboratory skills, support professional development, and cultivate interest in freshwater sciences. The course focuses on practical knowledge of field measurements of water-related processes such as water quality, soil properties, greenhouse gas emissions, and good laboratory practices pre- and post-sampling. Students will also work on data analysis and presentation skills.

Students must apply for enrollment. Lodging and accommodations at UW-River Falls provided for selected participants by Freshwater Collaborative funding. 

For more information and to apply, please contact Dr. Bahareh Hassanpour (Bahareh.hassanpour@uwrf.edu) or Dr. Erin Berns-Herrboldt (bernse@uwgb.edu).

Course Numbers:

• UW-River Falls ESM 389 01 (1197): Special Topics in Freshwater Science Laboratory and Field Techniques
• UW-Green Bay WATER 492: Special Topics in Water Science

The Ag-Water Nexus Seminar and Ag-Water Nexus Field Experience equip students with a broad, interdisciplinary education that integrates agricultural and environmental perspectives. The courses rotate among four universities, allowing students to explore different agricultural areas in Wisconsin. Students must be enrolled at one of the four participating universities.

Seminar: Highlights current research and applied projects addressing Wisconsin’s agricultural water issues. Students engage with leading faculty, graduate students, and professionals through guest lectures, discussions, and online reflections. This is an online synchronous/asynchronous one-credit course.

Field Experience: Immerses students in Wisconsin’s agricultural regions to examine the relationship between farming practices and water resource management. Over the course of a three-day field experience, students engage in site visits to local farms and agricultural cooperatives, hands-on labs, and conversations with researchers, conservationists, and producers. They build practical skills, foster professional connections, and gain deeper understanding of the real-world challenges and solutions at the agriculture–water interface. This is a one-credit in-person three-day course.

To learn more and enroll in the course, students should contact their campus Ag-Water Nexus coordinator:

• UW-Platteville: Dr. Sanford (sanfordj@uwplatt.edu), course number AGRIC 3990
• UW-Green Bay: Dr. Gunn (gunnk@uwgb.edu), course numbers EnvSci 483-0001 (Field Experience) and EnvSci 483-0800 (Seminar)
• UW-Stevens Point: Dr. Masarik (kmasarik@uwsp.edu) or Dr. Michitsch (rmichits@uwsp.edu), course number WATR 350
• UW-River Falls: Dr. Coleman Wasik (jill.colemanwasik@uwrf.edu), course number ESM 389

More about the course and past students’ experiences.

Get hands-on experience in designing experiments, conducting fieldwork, and analyzing real-world data using R! This immersive course covers everything from sampling techniques and regulatory frameworks to mastering lab instruments and data interpretation. With field trips, expert guest lecturers, and a capstone project, you’ll gain the skills to tackle critical freshwater research challenges.

UWM undergraduate prerequisites: junior standing, BIO SCI 152 (P), and CHEM 104 (P). UWM graduate prerequisite: graduate standing.

Non-UWM Students:
Undergraduates should contact Pathway Advising at pathway-advising@uwm.edu if you have NOT completed the prerequisite for the course you wish to enroll in, if you encounter an error while registering for a course with a listed prerequisite, or if you would like to confirm your enrollment eligibility (to avoid being dropped). If you have completed the prerequisite for the course you wish to enroll in at another institution, (1) use the template (https://uwm.edu/registrar/wp-content/uploads/sites/671/2025/05/Non-degree-Guest-student-enrollment.pdf) to email the listed department from your assigned UWM email address and (2) provide an unofficial copy of your transcript or other documentation of your past completed course work. (Do not submit official transcripts to UWM.) Apply as a non-degree/guest student: https://uwm.edu/undergrad-admission/apply/.

Graduates students should apply as a non-degree candidate (requirements: bachelor’s degree, English proficiency, $25 application fee, permanent resident card (if applicable). Admission application: https://uwm.edu/applygrad/

This three-credit course will focus on the biology of microorganisms and microbial processes and their effects on other organisms and the environment, and the impact of these relationships on biogeochemical cycles. Students will explore how the environment shapes microbial communities and how microbes affect the environment while gaining hands on experience on topics related to metagenomics and microbial ecology techniques. Students will collect water samples and analyze BOD. They will collect cobbles from the nearby stream, scrape biofilms and identify diatoms that are indicators of the environment. Open to students at other universities. Contact UW-River Falls admissions.

The Ag-Water Nexus Seminar and Ag-Water Nexus Field Experience equip students with a broad, interdisciplinary education that integrates agricultural and environmental perspectives. The courses rotate among four universities, allowing students to explore different agricultural areas in Wisconsin. Students must be enrolled at one of the four participating universities.

Seminar: Highlights current research and applied projects addressing Wisconsin’s agricultural water issues. Students engage with leading faculty, graduate students, and professionals through guest lectures, discussions, and online reflections. This is an online synchronous/asynchronous one-credit course.

Field Experience: Immerses students in Wisconsin’s agricultural regions to examine the relationship between farming practices and water resource management. Over the course of a three-day field experience, students engage in site visits to local farms and agricultural cooperatives, hands-on labs, and conversations with researchers, conservationists, and producers. They build practical skills, foster professional connections, and gain deeper understanding of the real-world challenges and solutions at the agriculture–water interface. This is a one-credit in-person three-day course.

To learn more and enroll in the course, students should contact their campus Ag-Water Nexus coordinator:

• UW-Platteville: Dr. Sanford (sanfordj@uwplatt.edu), course number AGRIC 3990
• UW-Green Bay: Dr. Gunn (gunnk@uwgb.edu), course numbers EnvSci 483-0001 (Field Experience) and EnvSci 483-0800 (Seminar)
• UW-Stevens Point: Dr. Masarik (kmasarik@uwsp.edu) or Dr. Michitsch (rmichits@uwsp.edu), course number WATR 350
• UW-River Falls: Dr. Coleman Wasik (jill.colemanwasik@uwrf.edu), course number ESM 389

More about the course and past students’ experiences.

Master cutting-edge tools to study aquatic environments! This course teaches modern analytical techniques and genomics principles and methods in freshwater sciences. Ideal for graduate and advanced undergrad students in freshwater, biological, environmental, and geosciences, it equips you with skills in analytical instruments, genomic methods, and research techniques to advance your studies or career. UWM undergraduate prerequisites: junior standing, BIO SCI 152 (P), and CHEM 104 (P). Graduate prerequisite: graduate standing.

Learn environmental sampling in Door County and at the Lowenwood campus in Land O’ Lakes. This course teaches students how to determine the water quality of natural systems (e.g., lakes and rivers) or the quality of water from wells and engineered systems. Hands on activities including field sampling, lab analysis and sample preservation will be preceded with an explanation of the theoretical concepts needed to understand, execute and design activities performed in the afternoon. Based on the theoretical concepts and developed dataset, students will be able to draw conclusions regarding the water quality and, for example, determine if a beach needs to be closed.

Open to any student enrolled at any UW campus. Available for undergraduate or graduate credit through UW Oshkosh. Includes topics relevant for those seeking a master’s degree or are in need of continuing education credits at the master’s level. UW Oshkosh tuition plus a course fee to cover field experience. Housing is provided.

Class location is Door County Peninsula for the first week and Lowenwood campus in Land O’Lakes second week. Contact Dr. Marcel Dijkstra at dijkstrm@uwosh.edu for questions or details about enrolling from another campus.

The most important natural resource on Earth is freshwater. This three-credit course addresses the importance of water in biological, ecological, physical, climate and economic systems, and the consequences of distributing the natural water cycle. This course meets the Natural Science General Education Requirement at UW-Milwaukee. It is also open to high school students enrolled in the Early College Credit Program. UW-Milwaukee students interested in this course can enroll via PAWS. Students not enrolled at UW-Milwaukee should apply as a non-degree/guest student: https://uwm.edu/undergrad-admission/apply/.

Learn the fundamentals of working on a Great Lakes vessel and operating Great Lakes research equipment. This course provides a broad range of training ranging from line handling and winch operation to the deployment of water quality instruments. Gain hands-on experience while aboard the R/V Neeskay and earn a Marine Technician micro-credential certificate while also exploring the ecology of Lake Michigan. This course meets the requirements for the Deck Operations Certificate through the Marine Technology Society.

Upon demonstrating your competency, you will be awarded a digital badge that demonstrates your skill set to employers. Badges are a transferable symbol used to verify the attainment of specific competencies and can be added to resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and other social media platforms as instant recognition of your personal skill set. Students interested in this certificate should notify the School’s Head of Academic Services, Mallory Kaul (malkaul@uwm.edu).

Prerequisites: Completed courses equivalent to UWM’s BIO SCI 150 (Foundations of Biological Science I) and CHEM 100 (Chemical Science). This course is open to undergraduate students from any accredited college or university. Limited to 10 students. Questions about the course or enrolling? Contact Mallory Kaul at malkaul@uwm.edu.

This three-credit course involves field study of hydrologic science in western Wisconsin, such as groundwater and aquifer characterization, wetland delineation, evaluation of aquatic ecosystems, and water quality assessment. You will learn from instructors with expertise across a range of disciplines from UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, and UW-River Falls. Food, parking, housing, and transportation to field sites are covered through a Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin grant. Financial assistance for tuition may be available for participants with financial need. To apply you must be enrolled in a freshwater science-related degree program at your university and have completed at least two semesters of your program. Applications are due April 3. Apply here. Accepted students will be given permission to enroll. Non-UW-Eau Claire students will enroll as a non-degree seeking student at UW-Eau Claire and will receive instructions from the course instructor Sarah Vitale, vitalesa@uwec.edu

This three-credit course describes the most important natural resource on Earth: freshwater, through an exploration of past, present, and future dimensions of water use and misuse, protection and waste, security and scarcity. This course will cover the essential physical, chemical, and biological aspects of water required to understand contemporary economic, political, and environmental water issues through local, national, and international scopes. Three-hour lecture. No prerequisites. Students from any UW campus may enroll under a special student designation and should contact Dr. Jessica Orlofske (orlofske@uwp.edu) for enrollment information.

• Week 1 (June 8-13) – Online
• Week 2 (June 15-19) – In person in Green Bay
• Week 3 (June 22-26) – In person in Milwaukee
• Week 4 (June 29-July 3) – Online

This course facilitates a greater understanding of human impacts on Lake Michigan coastal ecosystems. Students will explore the land/sea interface with a focus on urban vs rural changes and habitat/habitat potential as we move from north (Green Bay, Peshtigo, Manitowoc, Sheboygan) to the south (Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha) along the coast. The land/water interface is often a site of physical alterations which can exert environmental stress as well as act as a conduit for pollutants that may result in habitat degradation, health risk, and loss of utility. Important anthropogenic stressors and the associated habitat and community dynamics will be discussed including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAs), fecal pollution, sedimentation, hypoxia/non-point nutrients, and impacts of stormwater/wastewater discharge and coastal erosion. Hands-on experiences will demonstrate why technical expertise is important. Interactions with diverse faculty and local practitioners will provide insight into potential academic and career opportunities.

What’s Included: Meals during class time and lodging are provided at no cost, thanks to support from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.

Prerequisites: Courses equivalent to UWM’s BIO SCI 150 (Foundations of Biological Science I) and CHEM 100 (Chemical Science). Enrollment: Open to undergraduate students from any accredited college or university, or science educators. There is a limited number of 12 seats available.

Questions? Contact Mallory Kaul at malkaul@uwm.edu.

Enrollment Opens March 30.

Water is essential for all life and humans rely on freshwater for food production, industry, and multiple forms of recreation. The course provides an introduction to freshwater and the critical role it plays in supporting people and ecosystems. The class will be rooted in the signature question: How do people understand and create a more sustainable world? The fundamental learning outcome is to summarize and evaluate the ways freshwater is important to society and natural ecosystems. Students will achieve learning outcomes from presentations, readings, class discussions, and lecture, laboratory and field exercises.

This 3-credit course addresses the management and future trends in marine transportation. The issues of vessel design, market share, finance, insurance, operations and sustainability are addressed for the ocean, inland and Great Lakes shipping segments. The development and application of national and international regulations that impact the marine transportation of freight and passengers will be analyzed. The topics of vessel financing, freight rates, vessel crewing, safety, environmental impacts, vessel operations, fleet management, port and flag state control, trade routes and intermodal operations will be explored using case study analysis. This course is an elective for the Transportation & Logistics Management major at UW-Superior. Prerequisite: Admission to the UW-Superior School of Business and Economics. Students not enrolled at UW-Superior can contact Admissions at admissions@uwsuper.edu for guidance on how to enroll in the course.

This three-credit course will focus on the biology of microorganisms and microbial processes and their effects on other organisms and the environment, and the impact of these relationships on biogeochemical cycles. Students will explore how the environment shapes microbial communities and how microbes affect the environment while gaining hands on experience on topics related to metagenomics and microbial ecology techniques. Students will collect water samples and analyze BOD. They will collect cobbles from the nearby stream, scrape biofilms and identify diatoms that are indicators of the environment. Open to students at other universities. Contact UW-River Falls admissions.

This three-credit course applies management principles to the operation of ports, terminals, warehouses, and distribution centers. Key topics include governance, administration, regulations, hazardous materials, materials handling, intermodal connections, labor relations and environmental impacts. Additional concepts such as location analysis, warehouse management systems, containerization, inventory management, waterfront management, sustainability and impacts of climate change will be addressed. Students not enrolled at UW-Superior can contact Admissions at admissions@uwsuper.edu for guidance on how to enroll in the course.

The River Studies Field Course will provide undergraduate students, aka River Scholars, a transformative opportunity to learn about Wisconsin’s Grand Water Challenges. Accompanied by instructors and student trip leaders, scholars will embark in canoes on a river trip on the Lower Wisconsin River where they will learn basic skills in river navigation and safety while building strong teamwork and problem-solving skills. During the trip, scholars will participate in a diverse set of instructor-led field lessons and meet industry, non-profit, and agency professionals that will introduce them to careers from a variety of freshwater disciplines. The river trip will culminate with an in-depth experience on UW-La Crosse’s Research Vessel Prairie Springs, learning to use state-of-the-art river research and monitoring equipment.

Apply by March 15, 2026. No prior experience or pre-requisites needed. Accepted students will be given permission to enroll in the one-credit course. See course website for additional information or contact Ross Vander Vorste, rvandervorste@uwlax.edu

Laboratory and field training are essential in water-related fields of study. This two-credit transformative summer course with faculty from UW-River Falls and UW-Green Bay focuses on laboratory and field techniques for freshwater-related work. Students will increase their field and laboratory skills, support professional development, and cultivate interest in freshwater sciences. The course focuses on practical knowledge of field measurements of water-related processes such as water quality, soil properties, greenhouse gas emissions, and good laboratory practices pre- and post-sampling. Students will also work on data analysis and presentation skills.

Students must apply for enrollment. Lodging and accommodations at UW-River Falls provided for selected participants by Freshwater Collaborative funding. 

For more information and to apply, please contact Dr. Bahareh Hassanpour (Bahareh.hassanpour@uwrf.edu) or Dr. Erin Berns-Herrboldt (bernse@uwgb.edu).

Course Numbers:

• UW-River Falls ESM 389 01 (1197): Special Topics in Freshwater Science Laboratory and Field Techniques
• UW-Green Bay WATER 492: Special Topics in Water Science

We enjoy scenery and outdoor recreation along the Upper Mississippi River, but how “natural” is it really, and what role should people play in shaping it? The “Mighty Mississippi” is a prime example of human interaction with the natural world, demonstrating how rivers connect all of us.

The goal of this course is to connect you to your watershed(s) and foster an understanding of how changes in one part of a hydrologic system impact those upstream and downstream. This course examines how land and river management have resulted in infrastructure we depend on and also significant environmental damage. Students will study past and present Mississippi River management through readings, field trips, guest lectures, and discussion. The course will examine reasons for river management, underserved communities along the river, and controversies with river transportation, flooding, recreation, pollution, and invasive species. Sustainability and Environmental Studies invites us to draw from diverse types of expertise to study this dynamic and highly manipulated part of our landscape.

This collaborative course will introduce students to laboratory and field methods used to assess the environmental and health effects of water pollution. Students will spend one week online (the first week), and two weeks on the UW-Whitewater campus, with field trips to field sites and to UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences, participating in state-of-the-science approaches to examining water pollution, in both field and laboratory settings. Experiences will include field sample collection, water quality and chemical analyses, acute and chronic toxicity testing, introduction to pollutant-induced gene expression, and time on UW-Milwaukee’s research vessel. Meals during class time are included. Students needing accommodations eligible for double-occupancy dorm rooms. Meals and lodging are covered by the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.