Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences
The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences.
In addition to the general requirements, including university core curriculum and college requirements, a major in Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences must complete the following:
Required Courses
Geology Requirements (8 hours)
- GEOL 1303 and GEOL 1103
Physical Geology Lecture and Laboratory - GEOL 1302 and GEOL 1102 or GEOL 1347 and GEOL 1147
Introduction to Global Climate Change and Global Climate Change Laboratory or Introduction to Meteorology and Introduction to Meteorology Laboratory
Biology Requirements (8 hours)
- BIOL 1306 - Biology for Science Majors I (lecture)
- BIOL 1106 - Biology for Science Majors I (lab)
- BIOL 1307 - Biology for Science Majors II (lecture)
- BIOL 1107 - Biology for Science Majors II (lab)
Chemistry Requirements (8 hours)
- CHEM 1311 - Fundamentals of Chemistry
- CHEM 1111 - Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory
- CHEM 1312 - Fundamentals of Chemistry 2
- CHEM 1112 - Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory
Mathematics Requirements (15 hours)
- MATH 2413 - Calculus I
- MATH 2414 - Calculus II
- MATH 2415 - Calculus III
- MATH 3339 - Statistics for Sciences
Physics Requirements (8 hours)
- PHYS 2325 - University Physics I (lecture)
- PHYS 2125 - University Physics Laboratory I (lab)
- PHYS 2326 - University Physics II (lecture)
- PHYS 2126 - University Physics Laboratory II (lab)
At Least 39 Hours from One of the Following Option Areas, A or B
OPTION A Environmental Geosciences
Requirements (6 hours)
- GEOL 3340 - Geologic Field Methods
- GEOL 3370 - Mineralogy
GROUP 1 Electives (student must complete 15 hours selected from the following)
- GEOL 3331 - Environmental Geology
- GEOL 3338 - Environmental Hydrogeology
- GEOL 4331 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
- GEOL 4334 - Environmental Data Analysis
- GEOL 4356 - Environmental Science Field Research
- GEOL 4365 - Environmental Geochemistry
- GEOL 4367 - Geochemical Reaction Modeling
GROUP 2 Electives (student must complete an additional 18 hours of approved electives, see advisor for list)
OPTION B Atmospheric Science
Requirements (6 hours)
- GEOL 3342 - Introduction to Air Pollution
- GEOL 3378 - Principles of Atmospheric Science (also PHYS 3378)
GROUP 1 Electives (student must complete 15 hours selected from the following)
- GEOL 3382 - Atmospheric Chemistry
- GEOL 4334 - Environmental Data Analysis
- GEOL 4339 - Biogeochemistry
- GEOL 4346 - Air Pollution Meteorology
- GEOL 4343 - Atmospheric Instrumentation
- GEOL 4356 - Environmental Science Field Research
- GEOL 4336 - Atmospheric Radiation
- GEOL 4340 - Aerosols and Climate
GROUP 2 Electives (student must complete an additional 18 hours of approved electives, see advisor for list)
- Other Core requirements, excluding capstone (30 hours):
- Electives, including course(s) required for capstone (4 hours):
- TOTAL (minimum number of hours): 120
The Bachelor of Science degree requires completion of a minimum of 120 hours, at least 36 of which are to be advanced hours. Students must earn a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in all courses attempted at the university. In addition, students must earn a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA in all courses in the major attempted at the university. Students must have no more than 6 semester hours with grades below C- in all courses attempted in the major, which includes all the GEOL courses and Group 1 and Group 2 Electives. Any student exceeding that limit must retake sufficient courses and obtain acceptable grades so that they do not exceed the two-course limit.
Capstone Requirement
All students in NSM must complete the Capstone requirement. Students may satisfy the Capstone in a number of ways, e.g. by completing an approved minor, a double major, a senior research project, a senior honors thesis, or 6 hours of NSM-designated interdisciplinary capstone courses (e.g. GEOL 3355-3360).
Departmental Requirements
No GEOL course with a grade below C- can be used as a prerequisite for a more advanced GEOL course.
Students with more than 6 hours in GEOL courses with grades below C- are not allowed to enroll in subsequent GEOL courses without written permission from the undergraduate advisor.
Note that all undergraduate majors should meet with the Faculty Advisor prior to registration each semester.
Geosciences courses are commonly offered on a one or two year cycle. Therefore it is the student's responsibility to become familiar with course scheduling and the prerequisites for courses and to consult with the undergraduate advisor regularly.