School of Earth, Environment and Society

Program Details | Environmental Science Bachelor’s

Students must complete the core requirements and either the Science Track (a focus on the scientific and field study of the environment) or the Management Track (a focus on environmental management and policy).

Core Requirements

Environmental Science and Management Core

  • ESM 150 Orientation to Environmental Sciences and Management
  • ESM 220 Introduction to Environmental Systems
  • ESM 221 Applied Environmental Studies: Problem Solving
  • ESM 222 Applied Environmental Studies: Policy Consideration
  • ESM 335 Introduction to Environmental Management
  • ESM 340 Research Methods in Environmental Science
  • ESM 407 Environmental Seminar
  • Wr 327 Technical Report Writing
  • 12 credits in 400-level topical area
  • 16 credits of 400-level ESM courses (excluding ESM 407)

Note: Up to 4 credits of approved research (ESM 401) or internship (ESM 404) can replace 4 credits of ESM 410+ courses.

Biology Core (Option 1)

Two courses selected from the following:

  • Sci 341U Biology Concepts and Applications I
  • Sci 342U Biology Concepts and Applications II
  • ESM 343 Environmental Problem Solving: Restoring Ecosystem Damage from Human Impacts

Biology Core (Option 2)

  • Bi 211 Principles of Biology: Biology of Cells and Bi 214 Principles of Biology Lab I
  • Bi 212 Principles of Biology: The Biology of Organisms and Bi 215 Principles of Biology Lab II
  • Bi 213 Principles of Biology: Evolution and Ecology of Living Organisms and Bi 216 Principles of Biology Lab III

Chemistry Core (Option 1)

  • ESM 230 Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry I
  • ESM 231 Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry II

Chemistry Core (Option 2)

  • Ch 221 General Chemistry I and Ch 227 General Chemistry Laboratory
    Ch 222 General Chemistry II and Ch 228 General Chemistry Laboratory

GIS Core (Option 1)

One course selected from the following:

  • G 424 Geographical Information Systems for the Natural Sciences
  • G 425 Field GIS

GIS Core (Option 2)

  • Geog 380U Maps and Geographic Information
  • Geog 488 Geographic Information Systems I: Introduction

Science Track

  • ESM 320 Environmental Systems I and ESM 323 Environmental Systems Laboratory I
  • ESM 321 Environmental Systems II and ESM 324 Environmental Systems Laboratory II
  • ESM 322 Environmental Risk Assessment and ESM 325 Environmental Risk Assessment Lab
  • ESM 315 Environmental Sampling and Contaminant Analysis or Ch 223 General Chemistry III and Ch 229 General Chemistry Laboratory
  • 4 credits Geology or Physics, 200-level or above.  
  • Mth 112Z Precalculus II: Trigonometry or Mth 251 Calculus I

Total Credit Hours: 104-118

Management Track

  • ESM 330 Environmental and Ecological Literacy
  • ESM 333 Methods of Data Collection, Analysis, Representation, and Modeling for Environmental Managers
  • ESM 334 Methods of Data Collection, Analysis, Representation, and Modeling for Environmental Managers Lab
  • ESM 487 Environmental Justice
  • Ec 332U Economics of Environmental Issues
  • ESM 435 Natural Resource Policy and Management
  • Mth 112Z Precalculus II: Trigonometry
  • Geog 210 Physical Geography