Apr 02, 2025

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Environmental Science, B.S.

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The Environmental Science program is designed to prepare graduates to tackle the serious challenges facing our planet with innovation. Students will develop a broad perspective with training across a wide range of fields including biology, chemistry, physical geography, mathematics, ethics, law, economics and sociology. Graduates from this program will develop practical field, laboratory, and data analysis skills and can specialize based on their interests to create a personalized program to set them up for success addressing environmental issues.

Environmental Science, B.S. Learning Outcomes

Degree Requirements

Institutional Degree Requirements

General Education Requirement

First Year Seminar

FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours

Foundations Requirements

Communication course:

FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours

Advanced Communication course:

Satisfied by major (FCO 215 )

Quantitative Fluency course:

Satisfied by major (MAT 120 )

Choose 3 credits of the following American Citizenship courses:

ECO 201 Principles of Economics (Micro) 3 credit hours
HIS 111 American History from Colonization to Civil War 3 credit hours
HIS 112 American History from Civil War to Global Power 3 credit hours
PS 101 American Government and Citizenship 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:

ECO 200 Principles of Economics (Macro) 3 credit hours
G 100 World Regional Geography 3 credit hours
HIS 102 The West in the World 3 credit hours
PS 102 Contemporary Global Issues 3 credit hours

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirements

Natural and Physical Sciences course:

Satisfied by major (BIO 142 )

Constellation Requirement

The Constellation requirement is met when a student completes four courses from a minimum of three disciplines within the Constellation requirements. Students who transfer in 60 credits or more at the time of admission to the college will be waived from the Constellation requirement, except for Education majors. The waiver applies to the requirement for graduation but does not waive the credits to graduate; students need to meet the overall bachelor’s degree credit requirement. Environmental Science and Environmental and Sustainability Studies majors may not select the Building a Better World: Sustainability, Science and Technology Constellation.

Required Courses

Required Major Courses

An overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 is needed for the required major courses.

BIO 142 Molecules, Genes and Cells 4 credit hours
BIO 152 Evolution, Ecology and Diversity 4 credit hours
BIO 290 Biostatistics 3 credit hours
BIO 300 Terrestrial Ecology 4 credit hours
CHM 134 General Chemistry I 4 credit hours
CHM 135 General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours
CHM 136 General Chemistry II 4 credit hours
CHM 137 General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
CHM 234 Organic Chemistry I 4 credit hours
CHM 235 Organic Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours
CHM 236 Organic Chemistry II 4 credit hours
CHM 237 Organic Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
FCO 215 Technical and Scientific Communication 3 credit hours
G 151 Introduction to Physical Geography 3 credit hours
G 152 Introduction to Physical Geography Lab 0 credit hours
G 261 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
MAT 120 Applied Calculus 3 credit hours
PHY 110 General Physics I 4 credit hours
PHY 111 General Physics I Lab 0 credit hours
PHY 112 General Physics II 4 credit hours
PHY 113 General Physics II Lab 0 credit hours
Physical Activity and Wellness courses 2 credit hours

Major Electives

Students must complete 6-8 credits of the following:

BIO 212 Environmental Biology 3 credit hours
BIO 240 Genetics 4 credit hours
BIO 241 Genetics Lab 0 credit hours
BIO 304 Botany 4 credit hours
BIO 306 Animal Behavior 4 credit hours
BIO 308 Animal Physiology 4 credit hours
BIO 324 Marine Ecology of the Chesapeake Bay 4 credit hours
BIO 330 Microbiology 4 credit hours
BIO 370 Evolutionary Biology 4 credit hours
BIO 372 Conservation Biology 4 credit hours
BIO 404 Ecological Action 4 credit hours
CHM 338 Instrumental Analytical Chemistry 4 credit hours
CHM 339 Instrumental Analytical Chemistry Lab 0 credit hours
CHM 372 Introduction to Toxicology 3 credit hours
CVE 210 Sustainable Infrastructure 3 credit hours

Major Electives

Students must complete 12 credits of the following:

ECO 315 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics 3 credit hours
HIS 387 North American Environmental History 3 credit hours
LIT 379 Literature and the Environment 3 credit hours
PHL 240 Environmental Ethics 3 credit hours
PS 327 Environmental Law 3 credit hours
PSC 202 Sustainability: Linking Science and Society 3 credit hours
PSC 203 Sustainability: Linking Science and Society Lab 0 credit hours
PSY 215 Sustainability and Psychology 3 credit hours
SOC 301 Environmental Justice 3 credit hours
HIS 386 Historical Geography of North America 3 credit hours
OR
G 336 Historical Geography of North America 3 credit hours

Major Electives

Students must complete 3 credits of the following:

CM 212 Public Speaking 3 credit hours
WRT 320 Digital Writing: Theory and Practice 3 credit hours
WRT 321 Document Design: Theory and Practice 3 credit hours
WRT 352 Rhetoric of Science 3 credit hours

Capstone Experience

Students must complete 2-6 credits from one of the following Capstone Experiences:

SES 481 Independent Study in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 1 to 6 credit hours
SES 482 Independent Study in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 1 to 6 credit hours
OR
SES 491 Internship in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 3 credit hours
SES 492 Internship in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 3 credit hours
OR
BIO 392 Biology Inquiry I: Genes to Ecosystems 3 credit hours
BIO 393 Biology Inquiry 2: Genes to Ecosystems 3 credit hours

General Elective Courses

Students must complete 8-11 credits of free elective courses.

Suggested Course Sequence:

Freshman Year (29 credits)

BIO 142 Molecules, Genes and Cells 4 credit hours
BIO 152 Evolution, Ecology and Diversity 4 credit hours
CHM 134 General Chemistry I 4 credit hours
CHM 135 General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours
CHM 136 General Chemistry II 4 credit hours
CHM 137 General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours
FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours
MAT 120 Applied Calculus 3 credit hours
Foundations - American Citizenship course 3 credit hours
Physical Activity and Wellness course 1 credit hour

Sophomore Year (30 credits)

BIO 290 Biostatistics 3 credit hours
CHM 234 Organic Chemistry I 4 credit hours
CHM 235 Organic Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours
CHM 236 Organic Chemistry II 4 credit hours
CHM 237 Organic Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
FCO 215 Technical and Scientific Communication 3 credit hours
G 261 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
Physical Activity and Wellness course 1 credit hour
Disciplinary Perspectives - Humanities 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives - Arts 3 credit hours
Foundations - Global Citizenship 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Junior Year (29-32 credits)

PHY 110 General Physics I 4 credit hours
PHY 111 General Physics I Lab 0 credit hours
PHY 112 General Physics II 4 credit hours
PHY 113 General Physics II Lab 0 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives - Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Science Elective course 3-4 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3-4 credit hours

Senior Year (29-32 credits)

SES 481 Independent Study in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 1 to 6 credit hours
SES 482 Independent Study in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 1 to 6 credit hours
OR
SES 491 Internship in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 3 credit hours
SES 492 Internship in Sustainability and Environmental Studies 3 credit hours
OR
BIO 392 Biology Inquiry I: Genes to Ecosystems 3 credit hours
BIO 393 Biology Inquiry 2: Genes to Ecosystems 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Science Elective course 3-4 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Environmental Science, B.S.

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirement

First Year Seminar

Foundations Requirements

Communication course:

Advanced Communication course:

Quantitative Fluency course:

Choose 3 credits of the following American Citizenship courses:

Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirements

Choose 3 credits of the following Humanities courses:

Choose 3 credits of the following Arts courses:

Choose 3 credits of the following Social and Behavioral Sciences courses:

Natural and Physical Sciences course:

Constellation Requirement

Required Courses

Required Major Courses

Major Electives

Major Electives

Major Electives

Capstone Experience

General Elective Courses

Suggested Course Sequence:

Freshman Year (29 credits)

Sophomore Year (30 credits)

Junior Year (29-32 credits)

Senior Year (29-32 credits)