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2025-2026 University Catalog
Environmental Science, B.A.
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The Environmental Science major is an interdisciplinary program that helps students develop knowledge about social-environmental patterns, processes, and issues by exploring diverse relationships between humans and the environment. Courses in ecology, chemistry, geoscience, and environmental management emphasize scientific examination of social-environmental systems for understanding complex problems and working toward solutions. A degree in environmental science prepares students for many careers in natural resource management, ecological science, conservation biology, environmental education, and other areas related to environmental issues and sustainability. In addition, environmental science courses encourage students to reflect on their personal relationships to the environment and sustainability, and take actions to improve the sustainability and environmental quality of communities from local through global scales.
Students who declare Environmental Science majors must complete ENVS 101 and BIO 104 with an average grade of C-or higher to continue in the program.
All Environmental Science majors must also complete the University’s general education requirements and earn a minimum of 120 credits.
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Core Program Requirements
Take five required courses:
Introductory Geoscience Elective
Choose either ENVS 103 or ENVS 104:
Chemistry Requirements
Take two (CHEM 191 and 192) or three (CHEM 184, 185 and 186) introductory chemistry courses and two environmental chemistry courses (CHEM 201 and 202): Math Requirements
Take two math courses:
Elective Requirements
Choose eight electives, at least two of which are environmental systems courses (BIO 320, BIO 360, BIO/ENVS 375, or ENVS 340) and at least one of which is a social-environmental systems seminar (BIO 376, BIO 377, ENVS 310 or ENVS 350), plus five additional courses from this list: Environmental Systems Electives
Take two of the following four environmental systems courses:
Social-Ecological Systems Seminar Elective
Complete one social-environmental systems seminar course from this list: Notes:
Environmental Science majors may apply a maximum of two courses from the program requirements towards minors in Biology or Marine Biology, and a maximum of two elective requirements towards the elective requirements for majors in Biology or Marine Biology.
Students may only use one short-term study abroad course (BIO 305, BIO 310 or BIO 326) to fulfill the electives requirement. Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of a minor in Environmental Science, students should be able to: - Explain and synthesize interdisciplinary environmental science concepts used to interpret patterns and processes in diverse social-environmental systems
- Develop questions and hypotheses, and conduct experimental, field-based and descriptive research in basic, applied and interdisciplinary sciences
- Use data, scientific literature, and evidence-based reasoning to analyze biological and environmental systems across spatial and temporal scales
- Communicate scientific information verbally, in writing, and visually to diverse audiences including scientists and non-scientists
- Discuss interactions between science and society, including environmental justice, ethical aspects of scientific research, and using evidence-based decision-making to propose solutions to important issues in society.
- Apply their knowledge and scientific competencies to their own personal and professional development, and to engage in their communities.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of a minor in Environmental Science, students should be able to: - Explain and synthesize interdisciplinary environmental science concepts used to interpret patterns and processes in diverse social-environmental systems
- Develop questions and hypotheses, and conduct experimental, field-based and descriptive research in basic, applied and interdisciplinary sciences
- Use data, scientific literature, and evidence-based reasoning to analyze biological and environmental systems across spatial and temporal scales
- Communicate scientific information verbally, in writing, and visually to diverse audiences including scientists and non-scientists
- Discuss interactions between science and society, including environmental justice, ethical aspects of scientific research, and using evidence-based decision-making to propose solutions to important issues in society.
- Apply their knowledge and scientific competencies to their own personal and professional development, and to engage in their communities.
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