ES Degree

• ENV 100: Student Success in Environmental First Year and ENV 101: Exploring the Environment

  • Transfer and CODA students will not have to take these courses. Please see your advisor about appropriate course substitutions.

• ES 100: Introduction to Environmental Science (3 CR)

• ES 111: Applications of Environmental Sciences (1 CR)

• ES 200: Climate Change and Sustainability (3 CR)

• ES 300: Energy and the Environment (3 CR)

• ES 400: Analysis of Environmental Issues (3 CR)

• ST 311: Introduction to Statistics (3 CR)

• CH 101: Chemistry – A Molecular Science (3 CR)

• CH 102: General Chemistry Laboratory (1 CR)

• CH 220: Introductory Organic Chemistry (3 CR) or CH 221: Organic Chemistry I (3 CR)

• CH 222: Organic Chemistry I Lab (1 CR)

• BIO 181: Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (4 CR)

• BIO 183: Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology (4 CR) or AEC/PB 360: Ecology (4 CR)

• ENG 101: Academic Writing and Research (4 CR)

• FOR 353: GIS and Remote Sensing for Environmental Analysis and Assessment (3 CR)

• GIS 280: Introduction to GIS (3 CR)

• PS 371: Research Methodology of Political Science (3 CR)

• ST 312: Introduction to Statistics II (3 CR)

Complete 1 Course Group. Students pursuing focal areas outside of Life and Management Sciences should choose Group 2 as they can be prerequisites for other courses.

• Group 1

  • MA 131: Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A (3 CR)

  • MA 231: Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B (3 CR)

• Group 2

  • MA 241: Calculus I (4 CR)

  • MA 242: Calculus II (4 CR)

Complete 1 Course Group. Students pursuing focal areas in engineering and analytical sciences should choose Group 3 as they can be prerequisites for other courses.

• Group 1 

  • PY 131: Conceptual Physics (4 CR)

• Group 2

  • PY 211: College Physics I (4 CR)

• Group 3

  • PY 205: Physics for Engineers and Scientists I (3 CR)

  • PY 206: Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory (1 CR)

Complete four credit hours from the list of select science elective courses:

• CH 201: Chemistry - A Quantitative Science (3 CR) and CH 202: Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory (1 CR)

• GN 311: Principles of Genetics (4 CR)

• MB 251: General Microbiology (3 CR) and MB 252: General Microbiology Laboratory (1 CR)

• PY 208: Physics for Engineers and Scientists II (3 CR) and PY 209: Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory (1 CR)

• PY 212: College Physics II (4 CR)

Complete four credit hours from the list of select natural sciences courses:

• AEC 419: Freshwater Ecology (4 CR)

• AEC 460: Field Ecology and Methods (4 CR)

• AEC 519: Freshwater Ecology (4 CR)

• FOR 260: Forest Ecology (4 CR)

• MEA 200: Introduction to Oceanography (3 CR) and MEA 210: Oceanography Lab (1 CR)

• PB 250: Plant Biology (4 CR)

• PB 345: Economic Botany (3 CR) and PB 346 Economic Botany Lab (1 CR)

• SSC 200: Soil Science (3 CR) and SSC 201: Soil Science Laboratory (1 CR) 

• ZO 250: Animal Anatomy and Physiology (4 CR)

• ZO 402: Invertebrate Biology (4 CR)

Complete 1 of the following courses:

• ARE 201/201A: Introduction to Agriculture & Resource Economics (3 CR)

• EC 201: Principles of Microeconomics (3 CR)

• EC 205: Fundamentals of Economics (3 CR)

• NR 219: Natural Resource Markets (3 CR)

Complete 1 of the following courses:

• ARE 309: Environmental Law & Economic Policy (3 CR)

• NR 460/560: Renewable Natural Resource Management and Policy (3 CR)

• PS 320: U.S. Environmental Law and Politics (3 CR)

• PS 336: Global Environmental Politics (3 CR)

6 credit hours from a list of select communications courses.To view the possible courses that fulfill this requirement, click the Details link next to the English and Communication requirement in your degree audit. Of the 6 credit hours necessary to fulfill the communication requirement, Environmental Sciences requires one written communication skills and one verbal/oral communication skills course.

6 credit hours from a list of select humanities courses. The two courses you choose must be from different disciplines. For example, you cannot take two HI courses.  To view the possible courses that fulfill this requirement, click the Details link next to the humanities requirement in your degree audit. (GEP Courses section)

Note: This requirement applies to students matriculated Fall 2025 and after. Students matriculated prior to Fall 2023 should use the GEP Elective requirement.  

Co-requisite or 3 credit hours from a list of select GEP Foundations of American Democracy course list. To view the possible courses that fulfill this requirement, click the Rqmnt Details link next to the GEP Foundations of American Democracy in your degree audit. (GEP Courses section)

2 credit hours of Fitness & Wellness Courses.To view the possible courses that fulfill this requirement, click the Details link next to the Fitness & Wellness requirement in your degree audit. (GEP Courses section)

15 credit hours of courses that make up your Focal Area. You will work with your advisor to create your focal area. Some students create a focal area that also fulfills requirements for an intended minor.

Learn more about Focal Areas →

Focal Area Declaration Form →

9 credit hours of advised electives related to environmental science or your focal area, that your advisor will work with you to select. One of these courses must be taken at the 400-level.

10 credit hours of free electives. Credits earned as Free Electives cannot also count for other degree requirements.

Complete 3 credit hours made up of the following:

• ES 496: Internship (3 CR)

• ES 497: Professional Development (3 CR)

• ES 498: Research (3 CR)

• ES 499: Thesis (3 CR)

Note: 3 credit hours is required to fulfill this requirement

Learn more about External Learning Experiences →