Environmental Science B.A. or B.S.
Environmental Science B.A. Major
The B.A. Environmental Science major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes UNIFI/General Education requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours.
The Environmental Science major is intended as a hands-on program with all students having a common curricular core centered on Geology and Meteorology, as well as Geography, Biology, Environmental Policies, Mathematics, and Chemistry. Following the common core courses students take supporting courses in areas of professional interest – Air Quality, Geoscience, or Hydrology. Each has a range of courses that provide students with experience in evaluating and responding to environmental issues. Please contact the Earth and Environmental Sciences Office for a list of current supporting courses.
| Required | ||
| BIOL 2051 | General Biology: Organismal Diversity | 4 |
| CHEM 1110 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| EARTHSCI 1200 | Elements of Weather | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 1300 | Introduction to Geology | 4 |
| EARTHSCI 3230/5230 | Air Quality | 4 |
| EARTHSCI 3345/5345 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 3350/5350 | Environmental Hydrology | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 3430 | Internship | 2 |
| or EARTHSCI 4400 | Undergraduate Research in Earth and Environmental Science | |
| GEOG 2410 | Geographic Information Systems I | 3 |
| MATH 1140 | Precalculus | 4 |
| or MATH 1420 | Calculus I | |
| STAT 1772 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| Electives: | 25 | |
| Primary Focus - At least 18 hours from the following: | ||
| Earth History | ||
| Meteorology | ||
| Air Quality Modeling | ||
| Measurement and Analysis of Air Quality | ||
| Earth Materials | ||
| Geochemistry of the Land | ||
| Sedimentary Geology * | ||
| Paleoclimatology * | ||
| Geomorphology | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Field and Laboratory Methods in Hydrology | ||
| Hydrology Seminar | ||
| Geologic Field Methods | ||
| Secondary Focus - At least 7 hours from the following: | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Environmental Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Sustainability | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Earth Science | ||
| Natural Resources and Civilizations | ||
| Global Water Environment | ||
| Environmental Economics * | ||
| Modern Climate Change: Evidence and Predictions | ||
| Environmental Resource Management | ||
| Intro to Environmental Data Analysis | ||
| Climate Change and Social Justice | ||
| Soils and Landscapes | ||
| Rivers | ||
| Geographic Information Systems II | ||
| Remote Sensing of the Environment | ||
| Environmental Health Science | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| General Physics I | ||
Other courses approved by the Department | ||
| Total Hours | 62 | |
- *
ECON 3225/5225 has prerequisites of ECON 1041; ECON 1051; junior standing.
EARTHSCI 3325/5325 has a prerequisite or corequisite of EARTHSCI 1320 and prerequsite junior standing.
EARTHSCI 3327/5327 has prerequisites of EARTHSCI 1300 OR GEOG 1210; EARTHSCI 1320 or consent of instructor; junior standing.
Environmental Science B.S. Major
The B.S. Environmental Science major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes UNIFI/General Education requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours.
The B.S. Environmental Science program will include two curricular paths for students, one with a life science emphasis and the other with an earth science emphasis. The program will enable students to prepare for a graduate program in the environmental sciences or to directly enter industry in the public or private sector. All students will have a common core of courses providing a foundation in biology and geosciences, and will also be required to take part in a capstone research project.*
For students pursuing the B.S. Environmental Science major, the Department of Biology will waive BIOL 2052 as a prerequisite for BIOL 3000-level courses.
For students pursuing the B.S. Environmental Science major, the Department of Biology will waive BIOL 3140 as a prerequisite for BIOL 4000-level courses.
A student with a major in the interdisciplinary B.S. Environmental Science: Environmental Life Science Track may not also declare a major or minor in biology.
| Required Core | ||
| BIOL 2051 | General Biology: Organismal Diversity | 4 |
| BIOL 3100 | Evolution, Ecology and the Nature of Science | 3 |
| Chemistry and Biochemistry | 5-8 | |
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II | ||
or CHEM 1130 | General Chemistry I-II | |
| EARTHSCI 1200 | Elements of Weather | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 1300 | Introduction to Geology | 4 |
| GEOG 2410 | Geographic Information Systems I | 3 |
| MATH 1420 | Calculus I | 4 |
| BIOL 3190 | Undergraduate Research in Biology | 3 |
| or EARTHSCI 4400 | Undergraduate Research in Earth and Environmental Science | |
| Choose one of the following tracks outlined below: | 33 | |
Environmental Life Sciences Track | ||
Environmental Earth Science Track | ||
| Total Hours | 62-65 | |
| Environmental Life Sciences Track | ||
| Required: | ||
| BIOL 4157/5157 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIOL 4168/5168 | Ecology | 4 |
| Electives: | 26 | |
| Pick courses from each of the three categories (A, B, & C) to accumulate to a minimum of 26 hours. | ||
| Category A - Content Policy Related Courses (select a minimum of 2 courses) | ||
| Wildlife Ecology and Management | ||
| Biodiversity Conservation Policy | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Restoration Ecology | ||
| Category B - Content Biology Related Courses (select a minimum of 2 courses) | ||
| Plants of North America | ||
| Plant Diversity and Evolution | ||
| General Microbiology | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Category C - Cognates (select a minimum of 2 courses) | ||
| Applied Organic and Biochemistry | ||
or CHEM 2210 | Organic Chemistry I | |
| Earth History | ||
| Meteorology | ||
| Air Quality | ||
| Sedimentary Geology | ||
| Geomorphology | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Environmental Geology | ||
| Environmental Hydrology | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Field and Laboratory Methods in Hydrology | ||
| Modern Climate Change: Evidence and Predictions | ||
| Environmental Geography: Variable Topic ** | ||
| Remote Sensing of the Environment | ||
| Geographic Information Systems II | ||
| Soils and Landscapes | ||
| Rivers | ||
| The Ice Age ** | ||
| Calculus II | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
| Environmental Earth Science Track | ||
| Required: | ||
| EARTHSCI 3230/5230 | Air Quality | 4 |
| EARTHSCI 3345/5345 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 3350/5350 | Environmental Hydrology | 3 |
| Electives: | 23 | |
| Pick courses from each of the Categories (A & B) to accumulate a minimum of 23 hours | ||
| Category A - Physical Environment Relate Courses (select a minimum of 4 courses) | ||
| Earth History | ||
| Meteorology | ||
| Air Quality Modeling | ||
| Measurement and Analysis of Air Quality | ||
| Earth Materials | ||
| Geochemistry of the Land | ||
| Sedimentary Geology | ||
| Paleoclimatology | ||
| Geomorphology | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Field and Laboratory Methods in Hydrology | ||
| Category B - Cognates (select a minimum of 2 courses) | ||
| Plants of North America | ||
| Plant Diversity and Evolution | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Wildlife Ecology and Management | ||
| Biodiversity Conservation Policy | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Restoration Ecology | ||
| Applied Organic and Biochemistry | ||
or CHEM 2210 | Organic Chemistry I | |
| Environmental Chemistry | ||
| Modern Climate Change: Evidence and Predictions | ||
| Environmental Geography: Variable Topic ** | ||
| Soils and Landscapes | ||
| Geographic Information Systems II | ||
| Rivers | ||
| The Ice Age ** | ||
| Remote Sensing of the Environment | ||
| Calculus II | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
- *
Students must receive a grade of C- (1.67) or higher in courses that are applied to their major. Prior to enrollment in a course, all prerequisites must be completed with a C- (1.67) or higher.
- **
These courses have additional prerequisites as follows:
GEOG 3220 has a prerequisite of GEOG 1120 or GEOG 1210 or GEOG 2210 or GEOG 1110 or consent of instructor.
GEOG 4240/5240 has prerequisite of GEOG 1210; GEOG 2210; EARTHSCI 1300.
Four-Year Plan
Environmental Science, B.A.
This is a sample plan of study with a suggested sequencing of classes for the major. University electives may be applied to earn additional academic majors, minors, or certificates. Students should regularly meet with their academic advisor to plan their specific semester schedule to include UNIFI/General Education program and/or university elective hours required.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hour | |
| CHEM 1110 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| UNIV 1000 | First-Year Cornerstone: Integrated Communication I | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 1300 | Introduction to Geology | 4 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| UNIV 1010 | First-Year Cornerstone: Integrated Communication II | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 1200 | Elements of Weather | 3 |
| MATH 1140 Precalulus (or MATH 1420) | 4 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOG 2410 | Geographic Information Systems I | 3 |
| STAT 1772 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 3 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 2051 | General Biology: Organismal Diversity | 4 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 5 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| EARTHSCI 3230/5230 | Air Quality | 4 |
| EARTHSCI 3345/5345 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 5 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EARTHSCI 3350/5350 | Environmental Hydrology | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 3 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| EARTHSCI 3430 or EARTHSCI 4400 | 2 | |
| Environmental Science Electives | 6 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 7 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PH 3710 | Environmental Health Science (or PH 3720 Environmental and Occupational Health Regulations) | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 12 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Environmental Science, B.S.
This is a sample plan of study with a suggested sequencing of classes for the major. University electives may be applied to earn additional academic majors, minors, or certificates. Students should regularly meet with their academic advisor to plan their specific semester schedule to include UNIFI/General Education program and/or university elective hours required.
Environmental Earth Science Track
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hour | |
| BIOL 2051 | General Biology: Organismal Diversity | 4 |
| EARTHSCI 1300 | Introduction to Geology | 4 |
| UNIV 1000 | First-Year Cornerstone: Integrated Communication I | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| EARTHSCI 1200 | Elements of Weather | 3 |
| MATH 1420 | Calculus I | 4 |
| UNIV 1010 | First-Year Cornerstone: Integrated Communication II | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 1110 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 6 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 1120 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| GEOG 2410 | Geographic Information Systems I | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 3 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 3100 | Evolution, Ecology and the Nature of Science | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 3 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Environmental Science Electives | 6 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Environmental Science Electives | 9 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 3190 | Undergraduate Research in Biology (or EARTHSCI 4400 Undergraduate Research in Earth and Environmental Science) | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 6 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 4 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Environmental Life Science Track
This is a sample plan of study with a suggested sequencing of classes for the major. University electives may be applied to earn additional academic majors, minors, or certificates. Students should regularly meet with their academic advisor to plan their specific semester schedule to include UNIFI/General Education program and/or university elective hours required.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hour | |
| BIOL 2051 | General Biology: Organismal Diversity | 4 |
| CHEM 1110 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 1120 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| EARTHSCI 1200 | Elements of Weather | 3 |
| MATH 1420 | Calculus I | 4 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 3100 | Evolution, Ecology and the Nature of Science | 3 |
| EARTHSCI 1300 | Introduction to Geology | 4 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 4 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOG 2410 | Geographic Information Systems I | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 4 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 4168/5168 | Ecology | 4 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 8 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 3190 | Undergraduate Research in Biology | 3 |
| Environmental Science Electives | 3 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 10 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 4157/5157 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 12 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Environmental Science Electives | 7 | |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Learning Outcomes
Environmental Science, B.A.
Goal 1 - Critical Thinking & Data Analysis: Our students will use concepts from Environmental Science to critically analyze and interpret scientific data.
- Outcome 1.1 - Analyze and interpret scientific data to formulate an evidence-based conclusion
- Outcome 1.2 - Use a variety of mathematical tools and computer software to describe scientific phenomena and answer scientific questions
Goal 2 - Communication: Our students will be able to communicate concepts from Environmental Science.
- Outcome 2.1 - Create a well-written report or paper that summarizes scientific data and draws evidence-based conclusions
- Outcome 2.2 - Create and deliver a well-constructed oral report that summarizes scientific data and draws evidence-based conclusions
Goal 3 - Content Knowledge and Skills: Our students will apply concepts and theories from Environmental Science to the real world.
- Outcome 3.1 - Describe fundamental theories and concepts in Environmental Science
- Outcome 3.2 - Use concepts and theories from Environmental Science to create a model of a complex system
- Outcome 3.3 - Use concepts and theories from Environmental Science to solve a real-world problem
- Outcome 3.4 - Use scientific equipment to collect valid scientific data.
Environmental Science, B.S.
Goal 1 - Critical Thinking & Data Analysis: Our students will use concepts from Environmental Science to critically analyze and interpret scientific data.
- Outcome 1.1 - Analyze and interpret scientific data to formulate an evidence-based conclusion
- Outcome 1.2 - Use a variety of mathematical tools and computer software to describe scientific phenomena and answer scientific questions
Goal 2 - Communication: Our students will be able to communicate concepts from Environmental Science.
- Outcome 2.1 - Create a well-written report or paper that summarizes scientific data and draws evidence-based conclusions
- Outcome 2.2 - Create and deliver a well-constructed oral report that summarizes scientific data and draws evidence-based conclusions
- Outcome 2.3 - Create and deliver a research project report in both a written and oral format.
Goal 3 - Content Knowledge and Skills: Our students will apply concepts and theories from Environmental Science to the real world.
- Outcome 3.1 - Describe fundamental theories and concepts in Environmental Science
- Outcome 3.2 - Use concepts and theories from Environmental Science to create a model of a complex system
- Outcome 3.3 - Use concepts and theories from Environmental Science to solve a real-world problem
- Outcome 3.4 - Use scientific equipment to collect valid scientific data.
- Outcome 3.5 - Develop, and carry through an independent research project and communicate the findings.