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Bulletins

Environmental Science Major, B.S.

B.S. degree

Students pursuing an Environmental Science major are encouraged to meet with an advisor during the first semester of attendance at CMU.

A minor is recommended but not required.

Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards

In order to declare a major in Environmental Science a student must meet the following criteria:

  1. An overall GPA of 2. 5 or higher
  2. A grade of C- or higher in each of the following courses: ENS 101QR, ENS 223, MTH 132, MTH 133, CHM 131, and CHM 132.

Students who reach 56 credit hours without meeting these criteria will need to sign an Intent to Major form. Once the student has met the criteria, the major may be declared.

Program Requirements

Core Courses (18 hours)

ENS 101QROf Earth and Us: Introduction to Environmental Science

3(2-2)

ENS 223Biogeochemical Cycling in the Environment

4(4-0)

ENS 307Environmental Field Sampling and Laboratory Analytics

4(2-4)

ENS 401Quantitative Environmental Data Analysis

3(2-2)

ENS 503WIEnvironmental Modeling

4(2-4)

Required Courses I (32 hours)

CHM 131General Chemistry I

4(3-3)

CHM 132General Chemistry II

4(3-3)

GEL 308Water Resources and Hydrologic Processes

3(3-0)

GEL 380WIHydrogeology

3(2-3)

MET 301Climatology & Climate Change

3(3-0)

MTH 132Calculus I

4(4-0)

MTH 133Calculus II

4(4-0)

PHY 145QRUniversity Physics I

4(4-0)

STA 382QRElementary Statistical Analysis

3(3-0)

Required Courses II (3 hours)

Select one of the following:

ECO 301Environmental Economics

3(3-0)

PSC 516Environmental Politics and Policy

3(3-0)

Additional Requirements I (9-12 hours)

Select one of the following options:

Option A - Quantitative Skills (10 hours)

CPS 180Principles of Computer Programming

3(3-0)

MTH 232Linear Algebra and Differential Equations

3(3-0)

MTH 233Calculus III

4(4-0)

Option B - Geographic Information Systems (9 hours)

CPS 180Principles of Computer Programming

3(3-0)

GEO 203QRIntroduction to Geographic Information Science

3(2-2)

GEO 303Geographic Information Systems

3(2-2)

Option C - Environmental Chemistry (10 hours)

CHM 211QRQuantitative Analysis

4(2-6)

CHM 331Inorganic Chemistry

3(2-4)

CHM 345Organic Chemistry I

3(3-0)

Option D - Ecosystems (12 hours)

BIO 111Foundations of Evolution and Diversity

4(3-3)

BIO 112Foundations of Cell Biology

4(3-3)

BIO 213Foundations of Ecology

4(3-3)

Option E - Geosciences (9 hours)

GEL 130QREarth Processes

3(2-2)

GEL 340Stratigraphy and Sedimentology

3(2-3)

Choose ONE additional Geology course level 300 or higher (in consultation with an advisor) not already included in the ENS major requirements.

Additional Requirements II (1-3 hours)

Select one of the following:

ENS 491Internship in Environmental Science

1-3(Spec)

ENS 597Independent Study in Environmental Science

1-3(Spec)

Total: 63-68 semester hours