B.S. in Environmental Sciences Curriculum
updated August 2020
Explore the classes you will take in in our environmental science major. Our program is highly flexible, please discuss with advisors to find your path in our program.
Read descriptions of courses offered by our faculty on our Course List.
You will take:
- General Education Courses (30 units)
- Required Major Courses (21 units)
- Environmental Science Core Courses (28-29 units)
Click on the panels below to see course names and numbers.
| General Education | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| First Year Composition 1 | ENGL 101 (3) |
| First Year Composition 2 | ENGL 102 (3) |
| College Algebra Concepts & Applications | MATH 112 (3) |
| General Education, Tier 1 | TRAD 1 (3) |
| General Education, Tier 1 | TRAD 2 (3) |
| General Education, Tier 1 | INDV 1 (3) |
| General Education, Tier 1 | INDV 2 (3) |
| General Education, Tier 2 | Humanities (3) |
| General Education, Tier 2 | Individuals & Societies (3) |
| General Education, Tier 2 | Arts (3) |
| Foreign language | Various (0-8) |
| Major Requirements | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| General Chemistry 1 | CHEM 141 & 143, 151 OR 161 & 163 (4) |
| General Chemistry 2 | CHEM 142 & 144, 152 OR 162 & 164 (4) |
| Introductory Biology I & II | MCB 181R & ECOL 182R (6) |
| Introductory Physics I | PHYS 102/181 OR 141 (4) |
| Introductory Microbiology | MIC 205A (3) |
| Environmental Science Core | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Soil Science & Soil Laboratory | ENVS 200 & 201 (3) |
| Fundamentals of Environmental Science & Sustainability | ENVS 210 (3) |
| Critical Zone Science | ENVS 270 (3) |
| Data Analysis in the Life and Environmental Sciences | ENVS 275 (3) |
| Pollution Science | ENVS 305 (3) |
| Environmental Chemistry | ENVS 340 (3) |
| OR Environmental Soil & Water Chemistry | OR ENVS 462 (3) |
| OR Environmental Organic Chemistry | OR ENVS 464 (3) |
| Environmental Physics | ENVS 420 (3) |
| Environmental Microbiology | ENVS 425 (3) |
| OR Aquatic Plants & the Environment | OR ENVS 474 (4) |
| OR Freshwater & Marine Algae | OR ECOL 475 (4) |
| OR Principles of Ecotoxicology | OR ENVS 477 (3) |
| Environmental Assessment for Contaminated Sites | ENVS 480 (3) |
| Career Preparation | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Careers in Environmental Science | ENVS 195A (1) |
| Individual Studies: Directed Research, Internship, Teaching workshop; Independent study, practicum or thesis |
ENVS 392, 393, 397A, 399, 399H, 492, 493, 499, OR 499H (1-3) |
| Scientific Writing for Environmental, Agriculture and Life Sciences | ENVS 408 (3) |
| OR Translating Environmental Science | OR ENVS 415 (3) |
| Environmental Monitoring & Remediation | ENVS 430 R/L (4) |
| OR Senior Capstone Research | OR 498A/B (4) |
Then choose ONE emphasis area for further study (~26 units)
- Leadership, Sustainability and Communication
- Soil, Air and Water
- Physical and Chemical Dynamics
- The Biosphere
| Group 1: required Courses (take 2 Courses/6 units) | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Ecosystem Health and Justice | ENVS 310 (3) |
| OR Toxic! The Anthropology of Exposure | OR ANTH 373 (3) |
| OR Reclamation and Redevelopment of Impacted Lands | OR ENVS 482 (3) |
| OR Environment, Health, and Society | OR SOC 350 (3) |
| Translating Environmental Science | ENVS 415 (3) |
| OR Scientific Writing for Environmental, Agricultural & Life Sciences | OR ENVS 408 (3) |
| OR Communicating Knowledge in Agriculture and the Life Sciences | OR ALC 422 (3) |
| OR Applied Organization Communication | OR COMM 312 (3) |
| OR Advances in Health Communication | OR COMM 469 (3) |
| OR Environmental Journalism | OR JOUR 455 (3) |
| OR Issues in Covering Science and the Environment | OR JOUR 465 (3) |
| OR Science Journalism | OR JOUR 472 (3) |
| OR Science Communication | OR SCI 401 (3) |
| Group ii: Select Minimum 4 Courses/11 Units | Courses (Units) |
|---|---|
| Globalization, the Environment, and Indigenous Religions | ANTH 428A (3) |
| OR Ecological Anthropology | OR ANTH 307 (3) |
| OR Environmental Archaeology | OR ANTH 332 (3) |
| Southwest Land & Society | ANTH 418 (3) |
| Toxic! The Anthropology of Exposure | ANTH 373 (3) |
| Intro to Human Risk Assessment | ENVS 418 (3) |
| Reclamation and Redevelopment of Impacted Lands | ENVS 482 (3) |
| Teaching Workshop | ENVS OR BE 397A (1-5) |
| OR Teaching Geosciences | OR GEOS 397A (1-5) |
| OR Undergrad. Teaching Training in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | OR ECOL 497A (1-5) |
| OR Environmental Learning | OR TLS 431 (1-5) |
| Integrating Technology into the Curriculum | ETCV 310 (3) |
| OR Teaching with New Technologies | OR TLS 318 (3) |
| U.S. Environmental History | HIST 355 (3) |
| Global Environmental History | HIST 356 (3) |
| Environmental Ethics | PHIL 323 (3) |
| Environmental Psychology | PSY 374 (3) |
| Environmental Sociology | SOC 307 (3) |
| Social Movements & Activism | SOC 313 (3) |
| Environment, Health, and Society | SOC 350 (3) |
| Group IIi: select Minimum of 3 Courses/9 units | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Political Ecology | ANTH 424A (3) |
| Environmental Economics | AREC 373 (3) |
| Economics of Policy Analysis | AREC 464 (3) |
| Environmental Law & Economics | AREC 476 (3) |
| Economics of Water Management & Policy | AREC 479 (3) |
| Weather, Climate, & Society | ATMO 336 (3) |
| Physical Climatology: Mechanisms of Change | ATMO 421C (3) |
| Conservation Biology | ECOL 406R (3) |
| Conservation Biology: Field Studies in Developing Countries | ENVS 495F (3) |
| Environmental Studies: Ideas/Institutions | EVS 260 (3) |
| Environment and Development | GEOG 362 (3) |
| Environmental & Resource Geography | GEOG 461 (3) |
| Introduction to Dendrochronology | GEOS 439A (3) |
| Global Change | GEOS 478 (3) |
| Natural History of Disaster | HIST 358 (3) |
| Environmental Law and Policy | LAW 454 (3) |
| Public International Environmental Law | LAW 459 (3) |
| Elements of Calculus | MATH 113 (3) |
| OR First Semester Calculus | OR MATH 122B (4) |
| OR Calculus I | OR MATH 125 (3) |
| Global Climate Change: Integrating Science, Policy, & Decision Making | PA 461 (3) |
| Formation of Public Policy | PA 480 (3) |
| Environmental Policy | PA 481 (3) |
| Environmental Land Use Planning | PLG 472 (3) |
| Psychology of Leadership | PSYV 471 (3) |
| Adaptation to Climate Change | RNR 440 (3) |
| Natural Resources Policy & Law | RNR 480 (3) |
| The Economics and Social Connections to Natural Resources | RNR/PA 485 (3) |
| Group i: Required Courses (take 2 courses/6-7 Units) | Courses (Units) |
|---|---|
| Elements of Calculus | MATH 113 (3) |
| OR First Semester Calculus | OR MATH 122B (4) |
| OR Calculus I | OR MATH 125 (3) |
| Soil Ecology | ENVS 300 (3) |
| OR Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition | OR ENVS 316 (3) |
| OR Sustainable Management of Arid Lands & Salt-Affected Soils | OR ENVS 401 (3) |
| OR Soil Genesis, Morphology & Classification | OR ENVS 431 (3) |
| OR Soil Physics | OR ENVS 470 (3) |
| GROUP ii: Select Minimum of 4 courses/12 units | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Fundamentals of Atmospheric Sciences | ATMO 436A (3) |
| Organic Chemistry 1 | CHEM 241A & 243A (3) |
| Soil Ecology | ENVS 300 (3) |
| Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition | ENVS 316 (3) |
| Sustainable Management of Arid Lands & Salt-Affected Soils | ENVS 401 (3) |
| Microbial Biogeochemisty and Global Change | ENVS 410 (3) |
| Soil Genesis, Morphology & Classification | ENVS 431 (3) |
| Limnology | ENVS 442 (3) |
| Green Infrastructure | ENVS 450 (3) |
| Water Harvesting | ENVS 454 (3) |
| Soil & Water Conservation | ENVS 461 (3) |
| Environmental Soil and Water Chemistry | ENVS 462 (3) |
| Soil Physics | ENVS 470 (3) |
| Ecotoxicology | ENVS 477 (3) |
| Reclamation and Redevelopment of Impacted Lands | ENVS 482 (3) |
| Principals of Stratigraphy & Sedimentation | GEOS 302 (4) |
| Ocean Sciences | GEOS 412A (4) |
| Geomorphology | GEOS 450 (4) |
| Watershed Hydrology | HWRS 460A (4) |
| OR Principles of Hydrology | OR HWRS 350 OR 349A/B (3) |
| Introductory Physics II | PHYS 103 (3) |
| OR Introductory Mechanic | OR PHYS 141 (4) |
| OR Introductory Optics and Thermodynamics | OR PHYS 142 (3) |
| Global Change | GEOS 478 (3) |
| Applications of Geographic Information Systems | RNR 403 (3) |
| OR Geographic Information Systems for Natural & Social Science | OR RNR 417 (3) |
| Dryland Ecohydrology and Vegetation Dynamics | WSM/RNR 452 (4) |
| Group iii: select Minimum of 2 Courses/8 units | Courses (Units) |
|---|---|
| Air Pollution I: Gases | ATMO 469A (3) |
| Air Pollution II: Aerosols | ATMO 469B (3) |
| Synoptic Meteorology | ATMO 471 (3) |
| Atmospheric Electricity | ATMO 489 (3) |
| Conservation Biology in the Field | ECOL 406L (1) |
| Conservation Biology | ECOL 406R (3) |
| Freshwater & Marine Algae | ECOL 475 (4) |
| Environmentally Acquired Illnesses | EHS 420 (3) |
| Soil Ecology of Sustainable Systems | ENVS 300 (3) |
| Introduction to Remote Sensing | ENVS 330 (3) |
| Geographical Applications of Remote Sensing | ENVS 483 (3) |
| Microbial Biogeochemistry and Global Change | ENVS 410 (3) |
| Introduction to Human Health Risk Assessment | ENVS 418 (3) |
| Environmental Microbiology | ENVS 425 (3) |
| Environmental Microbiology Laboratory | ENVS 426 (2) |
| Limnology | ENVS 442 (3) |
| Water Harvesting | ENVS 454 (3) |
| Aquatic Plants & the Environment | ENVS 474 (4) |
| Principles of Ecotoxicology | ENVS 477 (3) |
| Water, Environment, & Society | GEOG 304 (3) |
| Field Study in Geography Workshop | GEOG 397A (1) |
| Environmental & Resource Geography | GEOG 461 (3) |
| Physical Geology | GEOS 251 (4) |
| Glacial & Quaternary Geology | GEOS 453 (3) |
| Natural History of Disasters | HIST 358 (3) |
| Environmental Law and Policy | LAW 454 (3) |
| Public International Environmental Law | LAW 459 (3) |
| Calculus II | MATH 129 (3) |
| Rangeland Plant Communities of the West | RAM 382 (3) |
| Management & Restoration of Wildlands Vegetation | RAM 446 (3) |
| Rangeland Inventory & Monitoring | RAM 456A (3) |
| Natural Resources Measurements | RNR 321 (3) |
| Conservation Planning & Wildland Recreation | RNR 448 (3-4) |
| Environmental Land Use Planning | RNR 472 (3) |
| Natural Resources Policy & Law | RNR 480 (3) |
| Natural Resources Economics & Planning | RNR 485A (3) |
| Conservation Biology: Field Studies in Developing Countries (Namibia) | RNR 495F (6) |
| Amazon Rainforest Conservation Biology in Ecuador | RNR 495G (3) |
| Dryland Ecohydrology & Vegetation Dynamics | WSM/RNR 452 (3) |
| Watershed Management | WSM 462 (3) |
| Wildland Water Quality | WSM 468 (3) |
| Group I: required Courses (2 courses/7-8 Units) | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| First Semester Calculus | MATH 122B (4) |
| OR Calculus I | OR MATH 125 (3) |
| Organic Chemistry 1 | CHEM 241A & 243A (4) |
| Group ii: Select Minimum of 3 courses/10 Units | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Biochemistry | BIOC 462A (4-5) |
| Metabolic Biochemistry | BIOC 385 (3) |
| Environmental Chemistry | ENVS 340 (3) |
| Limnology | ENVS 442 (3) |
| Environmental Soil & Water Chemistry | ENVS 462 (3) |
| Environmental Organic Chemistry | ENVS 464 (3) |
| Soil Physics | ENVS 470 (3) |
| Organic Chemistry 2 | CHEM 241B (3) |
| Physical Chemistry | CHEM 480A (3) |
| Physical Geology | GEOS 251 (4) |
| Watershed Hydrology | HWRS/WSM 460A (4) |
| OR Principles of Hydrology | OR HWRS 350 OR 349A/B (3) |
| Hydrogeology | HWRS 431 (4) |
| Hydrology | HWRS 423 (3) |
| Calculus II | MATH 129 (3) |
| Introductory Physics II | PHYS 103 (3) |
| OR Introductory Mechanic | OR PHYS 141 (4) |
| OR Introductory Optics and Thermodynamics | OR PHYS 142 (3) |
| Microbial Biogeochemisty and Global Change | ENVS 410 (3) |
| Principles of Ecotoxicology | ENVS 477 (3) |
| Group iii: Select Minimum of 2 courses/6 units | Courses/Units |
|---|---|
| Environmental Chemistry | ENVS 340 (3) |
| Sustainable Management of Arid Lands & Salt-Affected Soils | ENVS 401 (3) |
| Microbial Biogeochemisty and Global Change | ENVS 410 (3) |
| Environmental Microbiology | ENVS 425 (3) |
| Soil Genesis, Morphology & Classification | ENVS 431 (3) |
| Biodegradation of Pollutants | ENVS 440 (3) |
| Green Infrastructure | ENVS 450 (3) |
| Environmental Soil and Water Chemistry | ENVS 462 (3) |
| Environmental Organic Chemistry | ENVS 464 (3) |
| Reclamation and Redevelopment of Impacted Lands | ENVS 482 (3) |
| Air Pollution I: Gases | ATMO 469A (3) |
| Air Pollution II: Aerosols | ATMO 469B (3) |
| Environmental & Water Engineering | CHEE 370R (3) |
| Environmental & Water Engineering Laboratory | CHEE 370L (1) |
| Water Chemistry for Engineers | CHEE 400R (3) |
| Water Chemistry for Engineers Laboratory | CHEE 400L (1) |
| Introduction to Hazardous Waste Management | CHEE 478 (3) |
| Inorganic Chemistry | CHEM 404A (3) |
| Introduction to Geochemistry | GEOS 400 (3) |
| Chemistry of the Solar System | PTYS 407 (3) |
| group 1: Required Courses (take 3 courses/10-12 Units) | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Elements of Calculus | MATH 113 (3) |
| OR First Semester Calculus | OR MATH 122B (4) |
| OR Calculus I | OR MATH 125 (3) |
| Organic Chemistry 1 | CHEM 241A & 243A OR 246A & 247A (4) |
| Natural Resources Ecology | Natural Resources Ecology (3) |
| OR Ecology | OR ECOL 302 (4) |
| Group ii: Select Minimum of 3 courses/10 units | Course (Units) |
|---|---|
| Environmental Microbiology | ENVS 425 (3) |
| Environmental Microbiology Laboratory | ENVS 426 (2) |
| Aquatic Plants & the Environment | ENVS 474 (4) |
| Biochemistry | BIOC 462A (4-5) |
| Metabolic Biochemistry | BIOC 385 (3) |
| Foundations in Biochemistry | BIOC 384 (3) |
| Lectures in Organic Chemistry | CHEM 246B (3) |
| Organic Chemistry Laboratory | CHEM 247B (1) |
| Organic Chemistry 2 | CHEM 241B (3) |
| Ecology | ECOL 302 (4) |
| Genetics | ECOL 320 (4) |
| Evolutionary Biology | ECOL 335 (4) |
| Microbial Biogeochemisty and Global Change | ENVS 410 (3) |
| Green Infrastructure | ENVS 450 (3) |
| Freshwater & Marine Algae |
ECOL 475 (4) |
| Principles of Ecotoxicology | ENVS 477 (3) |
| Group iii: Select minimum of 2 courses/6 units | Courses (Units) |
|---|---|
| Living in Symbiosis | ECOL 310 (3) |
| Conservation Biology in the Field | ECOL 406L (1) |
| Conservation Biology | ECOL 406R (3) |
| Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition | ENVS 316 (3) |
| Soil Genesis, Morphology & Classification | ENVS 431 (3) |
| Biodegradation of Pollutants in Soil & Groundwater | ENVS 440 (3) |
| Limnology | ENVS 442 (3) |
| Watersheds & Ecosystem Function | ENVS 456A (3) |
| Reclamation and Redevelopment of Impacted Lands | ENVS 482 (3) |
| Physical Geology | GEOS 251 (4) |
| Ocean Sciences | GEOS 412A (4) |
| Global Change | GEOS 478 (3) |
| Watershed Hydrology | HWRS 460A (4) |
| OR Principles of Hydrology | OR HWRS 249A/B OR 250 (3) |
| Molecular Biology | MCB 411 (3-4) |
| Recombinant DNA Methods & Applications | MCB 473 (4) |
| Microbial Physiology | MIC 328R (3) |
| Microbiological Techniques | MIC 421B (3) |
| Natural Resources Ecology | RNR 316 (3) |
| Natural Resource Management Practices | RNR 384 (3) |
| Applications of Geographic Information Systems | RNR 403 (3) |
| Dryland Ecohydrology and Vegetation Dynamics | RNR 452 (4) |
| Cons. Biology: Field Studies in Developing Countries (Namibia) | RNR 495F (6) |
| OR Amazon Rainforest Cons. Biology in Ecuador | OR RNR 495G (3) |
