Environmental Science and Policy Program

Many of the major problems facing the world in the next decade will be focused on the environment:  climate change, energy, biodiversity, and water availability and contamination.  These complex problems are inherently interdisciplinary, and finding solutions will require an educated work force with a strong background in both science and social science issues.

The Environmental Science and Policy degree is an interdisciplinary degree that encourages students to explore in a systematic way the complex interactions among atmospheric, hydrologic, geological, and biological systems and human activities.  Students will examine these interactions from the perspectives of the social sciences, life sciences, and physical sciences and will learn computational techniques to understand these interactions.  This degree prepares students as global citizens and for careers with agencies responsible for environmental protection and resource use and consulting firms, and for graduate studies.

Major Requirements
All students must complete successful required coursework in six competency areas for a total of 55 credits (40 lower division and 15 upper division credits).  The competency areas include Quantitative, Science, Environmental Science and Policy, Data Acquisition and Analysis, Systems Approach to Decision Making, and Communication and Service Learning.  Students then select to concentrate their studies on Ecology and Environmental Chemistry or Policy.  Students complete 12 to 16 credits in the selected concentration area.  All courses in the major (required and concentration must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a C or higher.

Required Courses:

TOTAL CREDITS: 67 to 71 credits