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Environmental Science, Bachelor of Science

The multidisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science prepares graduates for careers at local, state and federal government agencies, non-profit organizations, and environmental consulting firms. Additionally, graduates of this program are prepared to continue on to graduate studies in order to pursue research and scholarship opportunities. The program core focuses on key environmental issues while the restricted electives allow the students to choose to focus on areas of interest to the individual student.

Note: For a PDF version of the degree requirements for this program go to the Undergraduate Programs page on the UTRGV website. 

 

Core Curriculum - 42 Hours

Students must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements. The courses listed below satisfy both degree requirements and Core Curriculum requirements.

Mathematics – 3 hours

Choose one:

MATH 1314College Algebra

3
MATH 2412Precalculus

4

Life and Physical Sciences – 6 hours

ENVR 1401Introduction to Environmental Science I

4
ENVR 1402Introduction to Environmental Science II

4

Integrative and Experiential Learning – 3 hours

Students should select the laboratories corresponding to the Life and Physical Science courses taken.

BIOL 1406General Biology I

4
Or
BIOL 1487General Biology I (Honors)

4
 
ENVR 1401Introduction to Environmental Science I

4
ENVR 1402Introduction to Environmental Science II

4

Major Requirements – 68 Hours (42 advanced)

Students should carefully plan prerequisites and proper course sequence by meeting with an advisor from the program when selecting this major.

Environmental Science Core – 13 hours (7 advanced)

Required

ENVR 2301Earth System Science

3
ENVR 2302Environment and Society

3
ENVR 3303Research Methodology and Data Analysis in Environmental Sciences

3
GEOL 4411Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

4

Supporting Sciences – 30 hours

Science Foundation – 22 hours

MATH 1342Elementary Statistical Methods

3
BIOL 1406General Biology I

4
CHEM 1311General Chemistry I

3
CHEM 1111General Chemistry I Lab

1
GEOL 1403Physical Geology

4
Choose one:
PHYS 1401General Physics I

4
PHYS 2425Physics for Scientists and Engineers I

4
MATH 2413Calculus I

4

Science Restricted Electives – 8 hours

Choose at least two by faculty advisement
CHEM 1312General Chemistry II

3
CHEM 1112General Chemistry II Lab

1
CHEM 2323Organic Chemistry I

3
CHEM 2123Organic Chemistry I Lab

1
 
PHYS 1402General Physics II

4
Or
PHYS 2426Physics for Scientists and Engineers II

4
 
GEOL 1404Historical Geology

4
 
BIOL 1407General Biology II

4
Or
BIOL 1488General Biology II (Honors)

4
 
MATH 2414Calculus II

4

MATH 2414: Students considering graduate school or a career in the sciences should choose either PHYS 1402 or MATH 2414.

Concentrations – 25 hours (25 advanced)

Students may choose a concentration in Environmental Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Earth and Ocean Sciences, or Environment and Society. Students who do not desire a specific concentration may pursue the Interdisciplinary Environmental Science option. Concentrations include at least 18 hours within a given concentration plus up to 7 elective hours from the Environmental Science Elective Course block. Course substitutions are allowed with the approval of a faculty advisor and program director.

Environmental Biology Concentration – 25 hours (25 advanced)

Recommended courses from Science Restricted Electives: BIOL 1407 (or BIOL 1488) and CHEM 1312/1112. Science Restricted Electives section above

Required
BIOL 3409Ecology

4
BIOL 3420Environmental Biology

4
Choose 17 hours from:
BIOL 3401General Microbiology

4
BIOL 3404Conservation Biology

4
BIOL 3414Invertebrate Zoology

4
BIOL 4411Ecological Physiology of Animals

4
BIOL 4388Global Change Ecology

3
BIOL 4402/MARS 4402Marine Zoology

4
BIOL 4404Ichthyology

4
BIOL 4409Herpetology

4
BIOL 4410/MARS 4410Marine Botany

4
BIOL 4412Ornithology

4
BIOL 4414Plant Taxonomy

4
BIOL 4415Entomology

4
BIOL 4416Mammalogy

4
BIOL 4419Aquatic Entomology

4
BIOL 4423Wildlife Ecology and Management

4
BIOL 4424Microbial Ecology

4
BIOL 4426/MARS 4426Marine Ecology

4
BIOL 4430/MARS 4430Coastal Ecology

4

Notes:

1. Any other advanced BIOL course with the approval of faculty mentor.

2. BIOL 4412, 4415 and BIOL 4424 have additional prerequisites.

Environmental Chemistry Concentration– 25 hours (25 advanced)

Recommended courses from Science Restricted Electives: CHEM 1312/1112 and CHEM 2323/2123.

Required:
CHEM 3401Environmental Chemistry

4
Choose 21 hours from:
CHEM 3301Inorganic Chemistry

3
And
CHEM 3101Inorganic Chemistry Lab

1
 
CHEM 3303Biochemistry I

3
And
CHEM 3103Biochemistry I Lab

1
 
GEOL 3411Mineralogy

4
CHEM 4201Chemistry Problems I

2
CHEM 4278Special Topics in Chemistry

2
 
CHEM 4304Instrumental Analysis

3
And
CHEM 4104Instrumental Analysis Lab

1
 
EEMS 3360Soil Science and Conservation

3
EEMS 4366Nanotechnologies for Food and Agriculture

3

Earth and Ocean Sciences Concentration – 25 hours (25 advanced)

Recommended course from Science Restricted Electives: GEOL 1404.

Required
GEOL 3402Hydrologic Systems

4
GEOL 3405Oceanography

4
Choose 17 hours from:
EEMS 3360Soil Science and Conservation

3
GEOL 3401Geomorphology

4
GEOL 3411Mineralogy

4
GEOL 3412Petrology

4
GEOL 3421Structural Geology

4
GEOL 4170Topics in Geology Lab

1
GEOL 4302Environmental Geology

3
GEOL 4309Undergraduate Research Geoscience

3
GEOL 4385Special Topics in Geology

3
GEOL 4412Advanced Geographic Information Systems

4
GEOL 4403Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

4
GEOL 4404Coastal Geology

4
GEOL 4408Applications of Geographic Information Systems

4
GEOL 4471Field Geology

4

Note: GEOL 3412 and GEOL 4404 have additional requirements.

Environment and Society Concentration – 25 hours (25 advanced)

Recommended course from Science Restricted Electives: BIOL 1407 (or BIOL 1488)

Choose one:
ENVR 4301Environmental Regulations

3
POLS 4356U.S. Environmental Policy

3
Choose 22 hours from (at least 12 must be from College of Liberal Arts):
ANTH 4314Environmental Anthropology

3
CRIJ 4316Environmental Crime and Justice

3
ENVR 3302Environmental Ethics

3
ENVR 3301Natural Resources Conservation

3
ENVR 3304Sustainable Development

3
ENVR 4302Environmental Impact Analysis

3
GEOL 4302Environmental Geology

3
GEOL 4412Advanced Geographic Information Systems

4
GEOL 4408Applications of Geographic Information Systems

4
HIST 3302Geography and Environment in History

3
HIST 3335American Environmental History

3
MGMT 4362Business and Sustainability

3
PHIL 3352Religion and the Environment

3
POLS 4344Green Political Theory

3
POLS 4357Urban Sustainability

3
SOCI 3312Environmental Sociology

3

Note: HIST 3302, HIST 3335, and SOCI 3312 have additional prerequisites.

Interdisciplinary Environmental Science Concentration – 25 hours (25 advanced)

Recommended course from Science Restricted Electives: BIOL 1407 (or BIOL 1488)

ENVR 3301Natural Resources Conservation

3
ENVR 3302Environmental Ethics

3

Note: Choose any 19 advanced hours from the above concentrations (at least 12 must be from College of Science)

Additional Environmental Science Elective Courses

The following courses are suitable for any concentration.

Options:
BIOL 3409Ecology

4
BIOL 4403Introduction to Remote Sensing Technology

4
ENVR 3301Natural Resources Conservation

3
ENVR 4301Environmental Regulations

3
ENVR 4302Environmental Impact Analysis

3
ENVR 4304Environmental Sciences Internship

3
ENVR 4305Environmental Science Practicum

3
ENVR 4170Topics in Environmental Sciences Lab

1
ENVR 4370Topics in Environmental Sciences

3
ENVR 4303Environmental Sciences Research Project

3
GEOL 3402Hydrologic Systems

4
GEOL 3405Oceanography

4
GEOL 4408Applications of Geographic Information Systems

4
GEOL 4412Advanced Geographic Information Systems

4
POLS 4356U.S. Environmental Policy

3

Note: POLS 4356 has additional prerequisites.

Electives - 10 hours (10 advanced)

Total Credit Hours: 42

Total Credit Hours: 120