Required Courses
Freshman and sophomore-level core classes are designed to give you a foundation in the sciences and an overview of major environmental issues. Some natural science requirements offer a choice, depending on concentration. Students intending to specialize in one of the Environmental Science Concentrations need to take the classes intended for majors in that field, e.g. BIO 110 is needed instead of BIO 226. Total credit hours in the Common Core Curriculum: 32-34
The required courses and their credit hours are:
- ENVI 105 Introduction to Environment and Society* 3 credits
- ENVI 107 Introduction to Environmental Science* 3 credits
- PHIL 229 Environmental Ethics* 3 credits
- One biology course, either
- BIO 110 Introductory Biology I 3 credits*° and BIO 111 Introductory Biology I Lab 2 credits*° 2 or
- BIO 226 Global Ecology & the Environment 3 credits
- One chemistry course, either
- CHEM 121 and 122 General Chemistry I and Lab*° 4 credits or
- CHEM 115 and 116 Chemistry and Society and Lab 4 credits
- One earth science course, either
- ESSC 110 The Dynamic Earth System*° 4 credits or
- ESSC 108 and 109 Earth Science for Non-Majors and Lab 4 credits
- GEOG 276 Principles of Geographic Information Systems 3 credits
- MATH 170 Elementary Statistics 3 credits
Courses marked with ° denote required courses for the Environmental Science concentrations. Several of the required core courses (marked with * above) also count toward various areas in the general education program. Consult the list of approved courses for the Gen. Ed. Program for details.
The following two courses are required for all majors, but have to be taken AFTER completion of the other required core courses listed above. Your program adviser will give you the permission to register for these courses:
ENVI 305W Topics in Environmental Science and Society 3 credits
The course bridges the sciences and society and looks at key issues, such as ‘water use’ or ‘energy’ from various perspectives. The course fulfills the Intensive Writing requirement of the Gen. Ed. program.
ENVI 405 Capstone Seminar 3 credits
1 credit weekly seminar during the senior year to be accompanied by a 2 credits Co-requisite of internship experience (ENVI 488 Internship) or undergraduate research in one of the departments participating in the ENVI program (e.g. BIO 498 Undergraduate Research in Biology)