Environmental Science, Bachelor of Science

Environmental Science Major Requirements

Required Courses (27 credits):

BIO.1001Principles of Biology I

4

BIO.1002Principles of Biology II

4

CHM.1001Principles of Chemistry I

3

CHM.1002Principles of Chemistry II

3

CHM.1003Principles of Chemistry I Lab

1

CHM.1004Principles of Chemistry II Lab

1

BIO.2010Foundations of Ecology

3

.

BIO.3056Environmental Ecology

4

.
OR

BIO.5056Environmental Ecology

4

.

BIO.3063Environmental Geology

4

Co-requisites (3-4 credits):

Take one of the following:

BIO.3012Biostatistics

3

.
OR

BIO.5012Biostatistics

3

.

ECO.2060Economic Statistics

3

MATH.1110Introduction to Statistics

3

PSY.2012Statistics for the Social Sciences

4

Elective Courses (4 courses total - 14 credits)

.
Choose one of the following:

BIO.1016Endangered Earth: Understanding Environmental Pollution

3

BIO.2007Current Environmental Problems

3

BIO.2016Global Environmentalism

3

.

.
Choose one of the following:

GINS.2050Environmental Geography

3

POS.3012Environmental Politics

3

SOC.2000Environmental Sociology

3

SOC.3029Environmental Social Movements

3

.

.
Choose two of the following:

BIO.3003Principles of Genetics

4

.
OR

BIO.5003Principles of Genetics

4

.

.
OR

.

BIO.3013Microbiology

4

BIO.3047Vertebrate Biology

4

.

BIO.3057Forensic Biology

4

.
OR

BIO.5057Forensic Biology

4

.

BIO.3058Evolutionary Biology

4

.
OR

BIO.5058Evolutionary Biology

4

.

BIO.3059Marine Biology

4

.
OR

BIO.5059Marine Biology

4

.

BIO.3061Biochemistry I

4

.
OR

BIO.5061Biochemistry I

4

.

BIO.3065Plant Biology II: Light, Water, Minerals

4

.

BIO.3080Molecular Biology Techniques

4

.
OR

BIO.5080Molecular Biology Techniques

4

Up to 4 courses (12 cr.) may be taken at the graduate (5000) level. Similarly, only one research-based course (BIO 3996, BIO 3997, BIO 4495) can count towards the major. To qualify for any 5000-level course, students must have completed a minimum of 2 elective courses with a grade of B+ or better, applicable pre-requisites for the course must have been completed with a B+ or better, minimum science GPA is a 3.2, and overall GPA is a minimum of 3.4, and must demonstrate advanced writing and laboratory skills above that of an undergraduate, along with approval of the Division Chair and the faculty member teaching the course.

Capstone Course (3 credits)

BIO.3400Research Methods in the Life Sciences

3

Optional active research courses:

BIO 3996: Team Biology Research (3 credits) or

BIO 3997: Independent Biology Research (3 credits)

 

BIO 1001, BIO 1002: are prerequisites for all biology courses above the 2000 level. Note: If a C - or below is received in either of these foundational classes, it must be retaken and passed with a minimum grade of C before students can progress to 3000-level electives. All upper level major courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.

CHM 1001, CHM 1003, CHM 1002, CHM 1004: completed with a minimum grade of C-. Note: these classes are prerequisites for some biology courses above the 2000 level. 

Prospective majors and students interested in enrolling in Principles of Biology I  (BIO 1001),  or Principles of Biology II (BIO 1002) need to complete the Biology Placement Exam. Prospective majors and students interested in enrolling in Principles of Chemistry I with Lab (CHM 1001 and CHM 1003) or Principles of Chemistry II with Lab (CHM 1002 and CHM 1004 need to complete the Chemistry Placement Exam.  Placement exams are located on Brightspace.  If a student does not pass the placement exam(s), they should start with Intro to Biology (BIO 1000) during the fall semester of their first year and/or Intro to Chemistry (CHM 1000) during the fall or spring semester of their first year.

It is strongly recommended that students majoring in Environmental Science take Principles of Biology and Principles of Chemistry in their first year. 

 

Note: All upper-level major courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.

All of the biology faculty members have on-going and short-term research projects that allows for scholarship development for both faculty and students. Students often have the opportunity to present their undergraduate research projects at local, regional and national conferences, and some projects are ultimately published in peer-reviewed journals. To partake in a research project as BIO 3997, students must have a 3.0 minimum GPA, have completed BIO 1001, BIO 1002, CHM 1001, CHM 1002, CHM 1003 and CHM 1004, have completed BIO 3400 with a B or better, and have their research proposal approved by their mentor.