Program Overview

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Environmental Science, BS

Introduction

Environmental Science draws on basic knowledge of the physical, chemical, biological, and quantitative aspects of natural systems with a focus on how human activities impact the natural systems. It also considers how built environments, ranging from rural to urban developments, intersect with and affect humans and the natural environment. Different aspects of the environment are considered, including the air, the water, and soil. The scale of impacts ranges from the molecular and cellular to individuals, populations, ecosystems, and regional, and global levels.

The Environmental Science major will acquire scientific and problem-solving skills as they relate to environmental issues. Students of Environmental Science can go directly into an environmental science career or on to graduate school to further their study.

Students wishing to complete an Environmental Science major in four years should complete the general chemistry series during their freshman year and the general biology series during their sophomore year. Prospective environmental science majors are strongly advised to take additional preparatory courses that provide a strong background in chemistry, biology, and mathematics. The preparatory courses are listed with the major; preparatory classes may also be used to fulfill GURs. All preparatory courses required for admission should be completed on a lettered or numeric grading scale, not P/NP, and must be completed with a grade of C- or better.

Why Consider an Environmental Sciences Major?

• Are you excited to understand how your environment is impacted by human activities?
• Do you want to understand and solve the problems of the natural environment caused by human activities?
• Are you motivated to address the environmental issues related to urban and rural development?
• Do you love integrating different sciences to consider real-world problems?
• Do you like scientific inquiry?
• Do you want to participate in making the environment better for all? If so, then Environmental Science is for you.

Student Resources

• Department website: Environmental Sciences
• Department advising: See the Advising section of the College of the Environment website.
• Degree Works: Current students should also log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
• Career Services Center: Connect major to a career
• Sample Careers:
  • Wildlife Biologist
  • Naturalist
  • Endangered Species Biologist
  • Environmental Inspector
  • Environmental Scientist
  • Fisheries Biologist
  • Marine Biologist
  • Safety and Health Specialist
  • Park Ranger
  • Aquatic Toxicologist
  • Wetlands Ecologist
  • Biological Survey
  • Water Resources Specialist
  • Environmental Chemist
  • Soil Conservation Specialist

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process)

Admission to the Bachelor of Science program in Environmental Science is based upon prior academic performance and a written application that addresses an applicant’s experience, motivation, and goals.

Students may apply for pre-major status at any time if they are in good academic standing (cumulative GPA ≥ 2.0). It is strongly advised that pre-majors meet with a College of the Environment Admissions Advisor as they begin their preparatory classes. Students can also declare as an Environmental Science pre-major during their first advising meeting to receive access to some 300-level courses, be assigned a faculty advisor and join the College of the Environment student listserv.

Students will remain at pre-major status until all the preparatory classes have been completed. Students may then apply to be considered for full-major status by completing the major application.

The admission application can be found on the CENV Application webpage. Priority for admission will be given to students who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the preparatory courses (averaged across the preparatory classes). Students with a GPA below 3.0 in the preparatory courses will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.

Applications are accepted by April 18 for fall, October 6 for winter and January 15 for spring.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.

Requirements (109-110 credits)

Preparatory Courses (44-45 credits)

• BIOL 204 - Introduction to Evolution, Ecology and Biodiversity w/lab (5 credits)
• BIOL 205 - Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology w/lab (5 credits)
• BIOL 206 - Introduction to Organismal Biology w/lab (5 credits)
• CHEM 161 - General Chemistry I (5 credits)
• CHEM 162 - General Chemistry II (5 credits)
• CHEM 163 - General Chemistry III (5 credits)
• MATH 124 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (5 credits)
• PHYS 161 - Physics with Calculus I (5 credits)
• Choose one from:
  • ENVS 203 - Physical Geography (4 credits)
  • GEOL 211 - Physical Geology (5 credits)

Major (65 credits)

• Choose either:
  • CHEM 251 - Elementary Organic Chemistry (5 credits)
  • or the following series:
    • CHEM 351 - Organic Chemistry (4 credits)
    • CHEM 352 - Organic Chemistry (4 credits)
    • CHEM 354 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (3 credits)
• Choose one from:
  • ESCI 325 - Fundamentals of Ecology (3 credits)
  • BIOL 325 - Ecology (4 credits)
• Choose one from:
  • ESCI 340 - Biostatistical Analysis (5 credits)
  • BIOL 340 - Biostatistics (5 credits)
• Choose one ENVS, ESCI or UEPP approved course (4-5 credits) with a capstone (CPST) attribute.
• Choose one from (minimum of 5 credits; maximum of 10 credits):
  • ESCI 498A - Senior Thesis (1-15 credits)
  • ESCI 498B - Internship (1-15 credits)
  • ESCI 498C - Senior Project (1-15 credits)
  • ESCI 498D - International Study (1-15 credits)
• One ENVS or UEPP 300-level or 400-level course (minimum 3 credits)
• Choose two lab/lecture options from the list below. Options include a combined lecture/lab course or two separate courses with one being a lecture and the other being a lab, which together count as one option. Note: A course listed as a capstone may be applied to your capstone requirement or one of your lab/lecture requirements, but not both.
  • ESCI 361 - Water Quality (5 credits)
  • ESCI 404 - Indigenous Resource Management in the Salish Sea (5 credits)
  • ESCI 407 - Forest Ecology (5 credits)
  • ESCI 408 - Field Methods in Wildlife Ecology (5 credits)
  • ESCI 409 - Riparian Conservation (4 credits)
  • ESCI 423 - Paleoclimate and Paleoecology (5 credits)
  • MACS 424 - Marine Fish Ecology (5 credits)
  • ESCI 426 - Marine Invertebrates and Their Environment (5 credits)
  • ESCI 428 - Freshwater Algae Bioindicators (4 credits)
  • ESCI 429 - Stream Ecology (5 credits)
  • ESCI 430 - Limnology and Limnology Lab (5 credits)
  • ESCI 431 - Watershed Biogeochemistry (5 credits)
  • ESCI 440 - Wetlands Ecology (5 credits)
  • ESCI 442 - Introduction to Remote Sensing (5 credits)
  • ESCI 445 - Marine Geochemistry (4 credits)
  • ESCI 451 - Environmental Sampling and Analysis (5 credits)
  • ESCI 466 - Life Cycle Analysis (4 credits)
  • or ENRG 466 - Life Cycle Analysis (4 credits)
  • ESCI 477 - Wetland Plant Identification (4 credits)
  • ESCI 480 - Applications in Energy Production (4 credits)
  • or ENRG 480 - Applications in Energy Production (4 credits)
  • ESCI 485 - Global Environmental Change in the Cryosphere (5 credits)
  • Separate course numbers below are lecture and lab that require a student to take both courses to count as one option in this category:
    • ESCI 321 - Oceanography (4 credits)
    • and ESCI 322 - Oceanography Laboratory (3 credits)
    • ESCI 410 - Salmonid Fish Habitat and Ecology (3 credits)
    • and ESCI 411 - Salmonid Fish Field Practicum (2 credits)
    • ESCI 455 - Environmental Toxicology I (4 credits)
    • and ESCI 457 - Environmental Toxicology Laboratory I (4 credits)

Electives

Under advisement (11-32 credits) to fulfill the total major requirements of 65 credits:

• A minimum of 11 credits from:
  • ESCI 300- or 400-level
  • Additional electives, if needed from:
    • BIOL 300- or 400-level
    • CHEM 300- or 400-level
    • ENRG 300- or 400-level
    • GEOL 300- or 400-level
    • ENVS 300- or 400-level
    • MACS 300- or 400-level
    • MATH 300- or 400-level
  • FAIR 330E - Ethnobotany (5 credits)
  • FAIR 434P - Advanced Studies in Field Science (5-8 credits)
  • MATH 125 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (5 credits)
  • MATH 203 - Linear Algebra and Differential Equations I (4 credits)
  • MATH 204 - Elementary Linear Algebra (4 credits)
  • MATH 205 - Linear Algebra Workshop (1 credit)
  • MATH 224 - Multivariable Calculus and Geometry I (5 credits)
  • MATH 225 - Multivariable Calculus and Geometry II (4 credits)
  • MATH 226 - Limits and Infinite Series (4 credits)
  • Maximum three courses allowed from:
    • PHYS 162 - Physics with Calculus II (5 credits)
    • PHYS 163 - Physics with Calculus III (5 credits)
    • PHYS 220 - Physics with Calculus IV (4 credits)
    • PHYS 300- or 400-level

University Graduation Requirements

• General University Requirements
• Writing Proficiency Requirement (WP)
• 180 Minimum Total Credits
• 60 Minimum Upper Division Credits
• Residency Requirement
• Minimum Grade Requirements
• Final Quarter Requirement