Environmental Science with tracks in Biogeochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, and Public Policy
The pressing needs for sustainable development, acceptable environmental quality, and the urgency to address climate change are placing increasing demands upon governments and industries locally, nationally, and worldwide. To help meet those demands, the Environmental Science major provides training for students intending to enter environmental professions or to pursue graduate study in environmental science and related fields such as biology, chemistry, public health, law, and policy. The major offers an interdisciplinary course of study that combines elements of the natural and social sciences relevant to understanding the biosphere and its interaction with human society.
The Biogeochemistry track is designed for students interested in analysis of links between environmental systems and other Earth system processes including biological, chemical, and geologic forces. Studies focus on global and local cycles of chemicals like carbon, nitrogen, and water that ultimately lead to global environmental change. Students selecting this major and track will receive interdisciplinary training in environmental science with a focus on ecosystem sciences and will be uniquely prepared to solve short and long-term challenges related to human-mediated global climate change and environmental degradation.
The Biology track is designed for students interested in a biological perspective on environmental science. Students learn the processes that connect living organisms to their environment at the genomics, molecular, cellular, physiological, organismal, and population, community, and ecosystem levels. The track is designed to encourage breadth in the life sciences and allows students to acquire depth in a chosen area of scientific concentration through the choice of electives. This track prepares students for careers in research, medicine, agriculture, and environmental management.
The Chemistry track within the Environmental Science major is designed for students interested in a scientific perspective on environmental issues, in particular chemistry, toxicology, and pollutant fate and transport. The track is designed to encourage breadth in the physical sciences and allows students to acquire depth in a chosen area of scientific concentration through the choice of electives. This track prepares students for careers in industry, engineering, and environmental management.
The Public Policy track is designed for students interested in the social, economic, and political aspects of environmental sciences. In addition to identifying problems and solutions, students learn about the making, implementation, and impact of government policies. The track balances natural sciences and public policy aspects to prepare students for environmental careers in research, industry, consultancy, public affairs, and non-profit organizations.
The Environmental Science major includes both coursework and experiential learning about the underlying science, and the social, political, legal and economic factors that both encourage and hinder environmental cooperation and competition around the world. All students pursuing this major must complete a set of required Divisional Foundational courses that provide the required background and fundamentals in the discipline essential to advanced work in the major. The major includes a set of five required interdisciplinary courses (four set courses plus one to choose from a list of three courses) which provide a well-rounded, in-depth examination of environmental science and policy issues. In addition to the foundational interdisciplinary and disciplinary requirements, students also have the choice of a number of elective courses that provide flexibility to add depth in their specific field of study, and/or explore other subject matters as they see fit.
Major Requirements
(Not every course listed is offered every term, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2023-2024.)
Environmental Science / Biogeochemistry
Divisional Foundation Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
| Choose one from the following two Math courses | ||
MATH 101 | Introductory Calculus | 4 |
MATH 105 | Calculus | 4 |
And complete the following courses | ||
BIOL 110 | Integrated Science – Biology | 4 |
CHEM 110 | Integrated Science – Chemistry | 4 |
PHYS 121 | Integrated Science – Physics | 4 |
Interdisciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
ENVIR 101 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 4 |
ENVIR 102 | Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment | 4 |
ENVIR 201 | Applied Environmental Science and Policy | 4 |
choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR 304 | Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology | 4 |
ENVIR 202 | Biodiversity and Conservation | 4 |
choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR/ECON 302 | Environmental Economics & Policy | 4 |
ENVIR 301 | International Environmental Policy | 4 |
Disciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
BIOL 208 | General Ecology | 4 |
BIOL 311/ ENVIR 311 | Biogeochemistry | 4 |
And choose one from the following two courses | ||
STATS 101 | Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | 4 |
MATH 206 | Probability and Statistics | 4 |
And choose one from the following two courses | ||
BIOL 312 | Ecophysiology | 4 |
ENVIR 315/ CHEM 315 | Aqueous Geochemistry | 4 |
And choose one from the following three courses | ||
BIOL 313/ ENVIR 313 | Ecosystem Service | 4 |
BIOL 319 | Global Change Biology | 4 |
BIOL 405 | Microbial Ecology | 4 |
Electives
Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year. (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
Ecosystem Science and Conservation | ||
BIOL 318 | Food Web Ecology | 4 |
BIOL 405 | Microbial Ecology | 4 |
ENVIR 202 | Biodiversity and Conservation | 4 |
BIOL 312 | Ecophysiology | 4 |
Water Resources | ||
ENVIR 310 | Elements of Physical Hydrology | 4 |
ENVIR 306 | Water Pollution | 4 |
ENVIR 315/ CHEM 315 | Aqueous Geochemistry | 4 |
Earth and Climate Sciences | ||
BIOL 319 | Global Change Biology | 4 |
ENVIR 310 | Elements of Physical Hydrology | 4 |
ENVIR 303 | Climate Change and Society in China | 4 |
PUBPOL 308 | Managing the Oceans to Solve Global Problems | 4 |
Methods | ||
SOSC 204 | Business Ethics | 4 |
INFOSCI 302 | Introduction to Geographical Information Science | 4 |
BIOL 314 | Computational Biology and Bioinformatics | 4 |
INTGSCI 205 | Integrated Science – Research Methods and Science Communication | 4 |
Environmental Science / Biology
Divisional Foundation Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
Choose one from the following two Math courses | ||
MATH 101 | Introductory Calculus | 4 |
MATH 105 | Calculus | 4 |
And complete the following courses | ||
BIOL 110 | Integrated Science – Biology | 4 |
CHEM 110 | Integrated Science – Chemistry | 4 |
PHYS 121 | Integrated Science – Physics | 4 |
Interdisciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
ENVIR 101 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 4 |
ENVIR 102 | Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment | 4 |
ENVIR 201 | Applied Environmental Science and Policy | 4 |
And choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR 304 | Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology | 4 |
ENVIR 202 | Biodiversity and Conservation | 4 |
And choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR/ECON 302 | Environmental Economics & Policy | 4 |
ENVIR 301 | International Environmental Policy | 4 |
Disciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
BIOL 201 | Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 |
CHEM 201 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
BIOL 208 | General Ecology | 4 |
BIOL 212 | Microbiology | 4 |
BIOL 202 | Genetics and Evolution | 4 |
BIOL 305 | Biochemistry | 4 |
And choose one from the following two courses | ||
STATS 101 | Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | 4 |
MATH 206 | Probability and Statistics | 4 |
Electives
Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year. (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
BIOL 203 | Molecular, Behavioral and Social Evolution: Evolution of Genomes, Traits, Behaviors and Societies | 4 |
SOSC 204 | Business Ethics | 4 |
GLHLTH 301 | Global Health Research Methods | 4 |
INFOSCI 302 | Introduction to Geographical Information Science | 4 |
GLHLTH 306 | Evolution of health and disease | 4 |
ENVIR 306 | Water Pollution | 4 |
BIOL 308 | Evolution of Infectious Diseases | 4 |
BIOL 309 | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 4 |
BIOL 310 | Developmental Biology: Development, Stem Cells, and Regeneration | 4 |
BIOL 314 | Computational Biology and Bioinformatics | 4 |
PUBPOL 317 | Plastic Planet: Pollution and Solutions | 4 |
ENVIR 404/ ECON 404 | Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution | 4 |
BIOL 409/ GLHLTH 409 | Fundamental Immunology | 4 |
BIOL 410 / GLHLTH 410 | Principles of Nutrition and Disease | 4 |
BIOL 411/ GLHLTH 411 | Vaccine Development for Emerging Infectious Diseases | 4 |
INTGSCI 205 | Integrated Science – Research Methods and Science Communication | 4 |
Environmental Science / Chemistry
Divisional Foundation Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
Choose one from the following two Math courses | ||
MATH 101 | Introductory Calculus | 4 |
MATH 105 | Calculus | 4 |
And complete the following courses | ||
BIOL 110 | Integrated Science – Biology | 4 |
CHEM 110 | Integrated Science – Chemistry | 4 |
PHYS 121 | Integrated Science – Physics | 4 |
Interdisciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
ENVIR 101 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 4 |
ENVIR 102 | Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment | 4 |
ENVIR 201 | Applied Environmental Science and Policy | 4 |
choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR 304 | Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology | 4 |
ENVIR 202 | Biodiversity and Conservation | 4 |
choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR 302/ ECON 302 | Environmental Economics & Policy | 4 |
ENVIR 301 | International Environmental Policy | 4 |
Disciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
PHYS 122 | General Physics II | 4 |
CHEM 150 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
MATH 201 | Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
CHEM 201 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
CHEM 202 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
CHEM 301 | Elements of Physical Chemistry | 4 |
CHEM 401 | Analytical Chemistry | 4 |
CHEM 402 | Inorganic Chemistry | 4 |
Electives
Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year. (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
Chemical Transformation | ||
ENVIR 306 | Water Pollution | 4 |
ENVIR 311 / BIOL 311 | Biogeochemistry | 4 |
ENVIR 402 | Chemical Transformation of Environmental Contaminants | 4 |
ENVIR 315 / CHEM 315 | Aqueous Geochemistry | 4 |
Societal Implications | ||
ENVIR 203 | The Theory and Practice of Sustainability | 4 |
SOSC 204 | Business Ethics | 4 |
ENVIR 303 | Climate Change and Society in China | 4 |
PUBPOL 317 | Plastic Planet: Pollution and Solutions | 4 |
ENVIR 313 / BIOL 313 | Ecosystem Service | 4 |
ENVIR 404 / ECON 404 | Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution | 4 |
Physical Implications | ||
CHEM 130 | Science of Cooking | 4 |
CHEM 403 | Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry | 4 |
Methods | ||
INTGSCI 205 | Integrated Science – Research Methods and Science Communication | 4 |
Environmental Science / Public Policy
Divisional Foundation Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
Choose one from the following two Math courses | ||
MATH 101 | Introductory Calculus | 4 |
MATH 105 | Calculus | 4 |
And complete the following courses | ||
SOSC 101 | Foundational Questions in Social Science | 4 |
SOSC 102 | Introduction to Research Methods | 4 |
BIOL 110 | Integrated Science – Biology | 4 |
CHEM 110 | Integrated Science – Chemistry | 4 |
Interdisciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
ENVIR 101 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 4 |
ENVIR 102 | Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment | 4 |
ENVIR 201 | Applied Environmental Science and Policy | 4 |
choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR 304 | Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology | 4 |
ENVIR 202 | Biodiversity and Conservation | 4 |
choose one from the following two courses | ||
ENVIR 302/ ECON 302 | Environmental Economics & Policy | 4 |
ENVIR 301 | International Environmental Policy | 4 |
Disciplinary Courses
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
STATS 101 | Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | 4 |
PUBPOL 101 | Introduction to Policy Analysis | 4 |
PUBPOL 301 | Political Analysis for Public Policy | 4 |
PUBPOL 303 | Policy Choice as Value Conflict | 4 |
And choose one course from the following two courses | ||
ECON 201 | Intermediate Microeconomics I | 4 |
PUBPOL 205[1] | Microeconomic Policy Tools | 4 |
Electives
Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year. (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)
Course Code | Course Name | Course Credit |
Energy and Climate | ||
ENVIR 206 | Energy and the Environment | 4 |
PUBPOL 201 | Climate Change Law and Policy | 4 |
ENVIR 303 | Climate Change and Society in China | 4 |
ENVIR 403 | Energy Economics and Policy | 4 |
Policy, Politics, and Society | ||
GCULS 108 | Science, Culture, and Politics | 4 |
HIST 123 | All Around Us – Technology, Infrastructure, and History | 2 |
SOCIOL 180 | Society, the Self, and the Changing Natural World | 4 |
SOSC 204 | Business Ethics | 4 |
PUBPOL 209 | The Politics of Environmental Crises | 4 |
PUBPOL 220 | Introduction to Regulatory Governance | 4 |
PUBPOL 318 | How to Change the World: The Role of Non-State Actors | 4 |
HIST 316/ PUBPOL 316 | The Modern Regulatory State | 4 |
ENVIR 404 / ECON 404 | Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution | 4 |
Global Policy | ||
PUBPOL 202 | Global Disasters: Science and Policy | 4 |
ENVIR 204 | Global Environmental Issues and Policies | 2 |
CULANTH 209 | Globalization and Alternative-Globalization | 4 |
PUBPOL 305 | Environment and Development Economics in Developing Countries | 4 |
POLSCI 317/ SOSC 317 | Politics of Organization | 4 |
Marine Conservation | ||
ENVIR 306 | Water Pollution | 4 |
PUBPOL 308 | Managing the Oceans to Solve Global Problems | 4 |
PUBPOL 317 | Plastic Planet: Pollution and Solutions | 4 |
Methods and Skills | ||
ENVIR 203 | The Theory and Practice of Sustainability | 4 |
WOC 206 | Debating Scenarios for Sustainable Futures | 4 |
INFOSCI 302 | Introduction to Geographical Information Science | 4 |
CULANTH 302[2] | Ethnographic Field Methods | 4 |
SOSC 320 | Data in the World: Applied Social Statistics | 4 |
[1] This course was numbered PUBPOL 304 prior to fall term 2022.
[2] This course was named CULANTH 302 Field Methods prior to fall term 2022.