Undergraduate

The Undergraduate Program in Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences is an interdisciplinary field focusing on the interactions between processes that shape our natural environment.  The Department of Environmental Sciences conducts research and offers instruction in the areas of Ecology, Geoscience, Hydrology, and Atmospheric Science.  This unique integration of various Earth sciences and ecology within a single, academic department offers majors an opportunity to understand scientific processes and problems related to the environment.  The research efforts of both faculty and students, whether disciplinary or interdisciplinary, address problems of fundamental scientific interest.

Both Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees are offered.  The undergraduate program is sufficiently flexible that majors can tailor their curriculum to meet a variety of goals, including:

• preparation for post-graduate study within the sciences, including disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs;
• development of a rigorous science background from which to pursue graduate-level training in professional programs such as law, planning, medicine, business, or environmental engineering;
• grounding in a basic discipline as a foundation of a liberal arts education; and
• preparation for entry-level positions in private industry (such as environmental consultancies), regulatory agencies, or the federal government.

Preparation in Related Sciences and Math

Each of the four Environmental Sciences disciplines is built upon foundations from other fields.  Ecology depends upon a basic understanding of chemistry and biology. Hydrology, geosciences, and atmospheric science depend more on physics and chemistry. All of these areas involve calculus and statistical analysis. The Department’s required related work in these areas not only allows students to see the principles of these foundational fields applied to topics related to the environment, but it fosters success in research and in the competition for top jobs and graduate school.

Whom to Contact

The Director of Undergraduate Studies is Robert Davis.  His responsibilities are outlined below.

Robert Davis

• Questions about Requirements
• Problems with SIS
• Domestic Transfer Credits
• Rules Petition
• Declaration of Major/Minor
• International Transfer Credits/Study Abroad
• Course Registration and Advising-related issues