Environmental Science (B.S.)
At-a-Glance
Hours required for major: 75
Hours required for minor: 19 or 20
Special Tracks: Environmental Biology, Environmental Geology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Technology, Environmental Planning
Additional Information: The Tarun K. Mal Award is presented annually to outstanding graduating environmental science major(s).
Student Organizations: The Biology, Geology, Environmental Science Student Association; the Student Environmental Movement.
Advising: Consult the BGES office 216-687-2440 or e-mail bges@csuohio.edu.
The B.S. in Environmental Science is a multidisciplinary degree offered through the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BGES) that provides a solid foundation in the basic sciences while permitting specialization in an area of focused study.
Note: Environmental Science is part of the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences.
Major-Field Requirements
All majors must take 59 credits of core courses and 16 elective credits in one of the special environmental foci described below.
A. Required Core Courses (59 credits)
- MTH 147 Statistical Concepts with Applications
(or one of the following: ANT 305, PSY 311, SOC 354, BIO 540) - PHY 221 College Physics I
(or PHY 241, University Physics I) - PHY 470 Environmental Physics
- CHM 261/266 General Chemistry I
- CHM 262/267 (or 278) General Chemistry II
(or CHM 272/277, Honors General Chemistry) - BIO 200/201 Introductory Biology I
- BIO 202/203 Introductory Biology II
- GEO 323 Geospatial Concepts & Tools
(or UST 403, Cartography and Graphics) - EVS 206 Introduction to Environmental Science
- EVS 300/301 Physical Features of Ecosystems
- EVS 302/303 Biological Features of Ecosystems
- EVS 499 Exit Evaluation
and two of the following planning and policy courses:
- ENV 435 Environmental Policy and Administration
- ENV 441 Environmental Planning
- ENV 442 Environmental Finance and Capital Budgeting
- CVE 471 Environmental Law, Regulation, and Compliance
and one (at least four credits) of the following capstone courses:
- EVS 490 Internship in Environmental Science
- EVS 496 Independent Study in Environmental Science
- EVS 497 Research in Environmental Science
Recommendation: Although not required, students are urged to take MTH 181 Calculus I and MTH 182 Calculus II.
The university requirement for at least one WAC course within the major can be satisfied using EVS 390 in connection with a content course, or ENV 435/UST 435 Environmental Policy.
B. Elective Environmental Focus (16 credits)
Students earning a B. S. in Environmental Science must choose a focus area by selecting elective courses (totaling at least 16 credits) from among those given in one of the following course lists.
- Environmental Biology
- Environmental Geology
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Technology
- Environmental Planning
Environmental Biology
- BIO 300/301 Plant Biology
- BIO 302/303 Animal Biology
- BIO 304/305 Population Biology and Evolution
- BIO 416/417 Microbiology
- BIO 420/421 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
- BIO 424/425 Principles of Animal Physiology
- BIO 450 Evolutionary Biology
- BIO 452 Marine Ecology
- BIO 453 Field Experience in Ecology and Conservation
- BIO 454/455 Ecology
- BIO 471 Summer Local Flora
- BIO 472 Wetland Ecology
- BIO 473 Spring Local Flora
- BIO 474 Stream Ecology
- EVS 450 Applied Ecology
- EVS 454 Conservation Biology
- EVS 455 Conservation Biology Laboratory
- EVS 470/471 Aquatic Ecosystems
Environmental Geology
- GEO 230 Natural Resources
- GEO 204 Mineralogy
- GEO 206 Petrology
- GEO 312/313 Sedimentation and Stratigraphy
- GEO 354 Geochemistry
- GEO 420/421 Rivers and Watershed of Northeast Ohio
- GEO 425 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing
- GEO 427 Advanced Topics in Geographic Information Systems & Remote Sensing
- GEO 444/445 Hydrogeology
- GEO 460 Geomorphology
Environmental Chemistry
- CHM 310/315 Survey Analytical Chemistry
- CHM 311/316 Quantitative Analysis
- CHM 320 Survey of Physical Chemistry
- CHM 331/336 Organic Chemistry I
- CHM 332/337 (or 338) Organic Chemistry II
- CHM 404/406 Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Technology
- ESC 203 Statics and Dynamics
- ESC 250 Differential Equations for Engineers
- ESC 301 Fluid Mechanics
- CHE 461 Principles of Air Pollution Control
- CVE 211/212 Surveying
- CVE 361 Hydraulic Engineering
- CVE 371 Environmental Engineering I
- CVE 450 Environmental Technology
- CVE 473/474 Environmental Engineering II
- CVE 475 Solid and Hazardous Waste Engineering
Environmental Planning
- ECN 202 Principles of Microeconomics
- ECN 474 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
- GEO 425 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing
- GEO 427 Advanced Topics in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing
- UST 300 Economics of Policy Analysis
- UST 375 Cities and Planning
- UST 434 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
- ENV 440 Environment and Human Affairs
- ENV 443 Environmental Regulatory Compliance
- MLR 301 Principles of Management
With the approval of the departmental adviser, a student may develop an alternative selection of focused electives from the above lists.
Environmental Science Minor
A minor program of study in Environmental Science consists of 19 or 20 credit hours. BIO 202/203, EVS 206, EVS 300/301, and EVS 302/303 are required courses. Select one of the following courses to complete the minor: CHM 255, CVE 471, or GEO 323.
