Department of Environmental Sciences
Department of Environmental Sciences

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree Requirements

REQUIREMENTS FOR A BA IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ADVISING CHECKLIST

The Department of Environmental Sciences offers both Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Sciences (B.S.) degrees. The B.A. degree is intended for students interested in environmental sciences, environmental regulation, environmental planning, or secondary school teaching positions. Additionally, this degree can provide a strong base for entry into graduate studies in any of the environmental sciences or in other areas such as medicine, law, or business. The B.S. degree is a more course-intensive experience, excellent for students planning for graduate school or especially for professional careers in the environmental sciences. Each program has an optional thesis program that is an excellent entry into research, and it is recommended for students planning on going to graduate school.

Universal Curriculum Requirements

To be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below. The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page.

Program Requirements

Students must complete 30 graded credits of departmental course work with a 2.000 cumulative grade point average in major’s courses. The following are core courses:

  • EVSC 2800 - Fundamentals of Geology Credits: 3

  • EVSC 3200 - Fundamentals of Ecology Credits: 3

  • EVSC 3300 - Atmosphere and Weather Credits: 3

  • EVSC 3600 - Physical Hydrology Credits: 3

The lectures and labs for any specific core class should (and, in many cases, must) be taken simultaneously.

In addition, students must take EVSC 4002 – Applications of Environmental Sciences Seminar Credits: 1

The interdisciplinary nature of the environmental science’s advanced courses is one of the program’s great strengths and unique features. To take maximum advantage of these courses, students should try to complete the four core courses by the beginning of their fourth year.

  • Three credits of non-core 1000- or 2000-level course work, taken prior to declaring the major, may be counted toward the major.

At least 11 credits of non-core courses at the 3000 level or higher must be taken. 

The department requires one semester of calculus and two semesters of college-level chemistry, biology, or physics with laboratories.

Students should begin to to fulfill this requirement in their first year by taking: 

  • MATH 1190 - A Survey of Calculus I with Algebra Credits: 4

  • MATH 1210 - A survey of Calculus I Credits: 3 

OR 

  •  MATH 1310 - Calculus I Credits: 4 

Any two of the following: 

  • CHEM 1410 - Introductory College Chemistry I  Credits: 3

  • CHEM 1420 - Introductory College Chemistry II Credits: 3 

  • BIOL 2100 - Introduction to Biology with Laboratory: Cell Biology & Genetics Credits: 4 

  • BIOL 2200 - Introduction to Biology w/Laboratory: Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Credits: 4 

  • PHYS 2010 - Principles of Physics 1 for Pre-Health Students Credits: 3 OR 

  • PHYS 1425 - Introductory Physics 1 for Engineers Credits: 3 

  • PHYS 2020 - Principles of Physics 2 for Pre-Health Students Credits: 3 OR 

  • PHYS 2410 – Introductory Physics 2: Electricity, Magnetism and Optics Credits: 3

Although not required for the degree, to do serious research and compete effectively in graduate school and employment, additional math and science is generally needed. Work in any environmental sciences area necessitates developing an understadning of related fields. Thus, to encourage each student’s success in research and the competition for top graduate schools and jobs, the department suggests students take related work based on their primary areas of interest: 

  • Ecology depends on a basic knowledge of chemistry (CHEM 1410, 1420) and biology (BIOL 2100, 2200). 

  • Geoscience, hydrology, and atmospheric science depend on chemistry and physics (PHYS 2010, 2020 or 1425, 2415)

All of these areas depend on calculus (MATH 1190, 1210, 1220, 1310 1320) and the techniques of statistics:

  • STAT 2020 - Statistics for Biologists Credits: 4 

  • STAT 2120 - Introduction to Statistical Analysis Credits: 4 

If the appropriate related work has been accomplished, students can begin the department’s core courses in the first or second year. Students are advised to obtain computer skills and an understanding of statistics as early as possible, and to take additional related sciences as their interests develop.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree Requirements

REQUIREMENTS FOR A BS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ADVISING CHECKLIST

The Department of Environmental Sciences offers both Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Sciences (B.S.) degrees. The B.A. degree is intended for students interested in environmental sciences, environmental regulation, environmental planning, or secondary school teaching positions. Additionally, this degree can provide a strong base for entry into graduate studies in any of the environmental sciences or in other areas such as medicine, law, or business. The B.S. degree is a more course-intensive experience, excellent for students planning for graduate school or especially for professional careers in the environmental sciences. Each program has an optional thesis program that is an excellent entry into research, and it is recommended for students planning on going to graduate school.

Universal Curriculum Requirements

To be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below.

The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page.

Program Requirements

Students must complete 40 graded credits of departmental course work with a 2.000 cumulative grade point average in major’s courses. The B.S. degree in Environmental Sciences is similar to the B.A., except that the course requirements are much more extensive. Because of the more ambitious structure of the B.S. degree, careful planning of course selection and scheduling is essential very early.

Interested students should contact the department as soon as possible to get help with establishing a program quickly with appropriate adjustments for AP or transfer credits. AP credits in related science or math are especially helpful, as is a strong performance on the foreign language placement exam to remove some of the obligation for these proficiency requirements to be completed upon arrival at the university. 

The department requires one semester of each of the three basic sciences with their associated labs, such as: 

  • BIOL 2100 - Introduction to Biology with Laboratory: Cell Biology & Genetics Credits: 4 

  • CHEM 1410 - Introductory College Chemistry I Credits: 3 

  • CHEM 1411 - Introductory College Chemistry I Laboratory Credits: 1 

  • PHYS 1425 - Introductory Physics 1 for Engineers Credits: 3 

  • PHYS 1429 - Introductory Physics 1 Workshop Credits: 1 

NOTE: PHYS 2010/2020 is NOT acceptable for the B.S. Environmental Sciences Degree 

Along with one year of Calculus, students must complete the following: 

  • MATH 1310 - Calculus I Credits: 4 

  • MATH 1220 - A Survey of Calculus II Credits: 3 

OR 

  • MATH 1320 - Calculus II Credits: 4 (with the latter sequence required by the math department sequence required by the math department for students who plan to take higher-level mathematics courses) 

NOTE: Students should discuss the calculus requirement with their advisor before deciding on the appropriate option. 

Additionally, two more semesters of related sciences or math are required, such as: 

  • BIOL 2200 - Introduction to Biology w/Laboratory: Organismal & Evolutionary Biology · Credits: 4 

  • CHEM 1420 - Introductory College Chemistry II Credits: 3 

  • CHEM 1421 - Introductory College Chemistry II Laboratory Credits: 1 

  • PHYS 2410 – Introductory Physics 2: Electricity, Magnetism and Optics Credits: 3 

  • PHYS 2419 - Introductory Physics 2 Workshop Credits: 1 

  • MATH 2310 - Calculus III Credits: 4 

  • STAT 2020 - Statistics for Biologists Credits: 4 

  • STAT 2120 - Introduction to Statistical Analysis Credits: 4 

The lectures and labs for any specific core course, like the following listed below, should (and in many cases must) be taken simultaneously.

  •  EVSC 2800 - Fundamentals of Geology Credits: 3 

  • EVSC 3200 - Fundamentals of Ecology Credits: 3 

  • EVSC 3300 - Atmosphere and Weather Credits: 3 

  • EVSC 3600 - Physical Hydrology Credits: 3 

  • EVSC 2801 - Fundamentals of Geology Laboratory Credits: 1 

  • EVSC 3201 - Fundamentals of Ecology Laboratory Credits: 1 

  • EVSC 3301 - Atmosphere and Weather Laboratory Credits: 1 

  • EVSC 3601 - Physical Hydrology Laboratory Credits: 1

In addition, students must take EVSC 4002 – Applications of Environmental Sciences Seminar Credits: 1 

An additional 24 credits of graded EVSC courses are required. Three of these credits may be taken below the 3000-level (i.e., 1000- or 2000-level), if they are completed prior to declaring the major. The remainder must be taken at or above the 3000-level, and at least one must meet the analytical course requirement. 

Once a student is enrolled at the University, transfer credits that count toward the major must be approved prior to taking the course and must be consistent with the curricular goals of the department. The department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies is responsible for overseeing the pre-approval process of transfer credits.

The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only.  The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found at http://records.ureg.virginia.edu/index.php.