Departments & Programs
Environmental Science Program
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
Degree Requirements
First-Year Experience Course Beginning freshmen and transfer students with fewer than 19 credit hours are required to take SCI-I 120 Windows in Science (1 cr.) or an equivalent first-year experience course. BS Environmental Science students are encouraged to take the Themed Learning Community (TLC) SCI-BE 499 Sustainability - Thriving Communities, Thriving Planet, which includes SCI-I 120, GEOL-G 107, and SPEA-V 222.
Area I English Composition and Communication Competency (9 cr.) See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin. The second semester of English composition may be satisfied by ENG-W 270, ENG-W 231, ENG-W 230 or ENG-W 350. GEOL-G 205 may be used to fulfill the second writing course requirement, but the 3 credit hours cannot then also be counted as part of the core and concentration credit hours required in Area IV.
Area II World Language No world language proficiency is required for a Bachelor of Science degree.
Area IIIA Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Cultural Understanding Competencies (12 cr.) See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin. If a student chooses to take the SCI-BE 499, Sustainability TLC, SPEA-V 222 will count as one Social Science course.
For the most current list of courses in the areas of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Understanding, please refer to the IU Indianapolis General Education Curriculum.
Area IIIC Life and Physical Sciences Competency (26 cr.) BIOL-K 341 / BIOL-K 342, CHEM-C 105/CHEM-C 125 / CHEM-C 106/CHEM-C 126, and PHYS-P 201 / PHYS-P 202. No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these courses.
Area IIID Analytical Reasoning Competency (12 cr.) MATH-I 231 / MATH-I 232 or MATH-I 165 / MATH-I 166, CSCI-N 207 or another CSCI course approved by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences; and STAT-I 301, SPEA-K 300, or a course in statistics approved by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these courses.
Note: Computer Science CSCI-N 100 level courses do not count for credit toward any degree in the School of Science. Also, CSCI-N 241 and CSCI-N 299 do not count in Area IIID, but may count as an elective.
Area IV Major Core and Concentration Requirements
Thirty-two (32) credit hours of environmental science core courses including:
- GEOL-G 107 / GEOL-G 117 Environmental Geology Lecture and Laboratory
- GEOL-G 205 Reporting Skills in Geoscience (or 300+ GEOL, PBHL, SPEA, or GEOG with approval if GEOL-G 205 is used as the second composition course.
- GEOG-G 208 Environment & Society or PBHL-A 115 Environment and Human Health
- PBHL-P 237 Environmental Ethics
- GEOG-G 303 Weather and Climate
- GEOL-G 306 Earth Materials
- GEOL-G 406 Introduction to Geochemistry
- GEOL-G 436 Earth Observation from Space
- GEOL-G 477 Climate Change and Society
- GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conservation or SPEA-V 311 Natural Resources and Environmental Policy
- HIST-A 410 American Environmental History
No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these courses.
Concentration Requirements Seventeen to Eighteen (17-18) credit hours of courses within one of three Environmental Science concentrations. Students select one of the Environmental Science Concentrations – Earth and Water Resources, Environmental Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis, or Environmental Management.
A. Earth and Water Resources Seventeen (17) credit hours, including:
- GEOL-G 334 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
- GEOL-G 430 Principles of Hydrology
- One GEOL-G 300 or higher course
One (1) concentration elective course, chosen from the following:
- GEOL-G 483 Isotope Geochemistry
- GEOL-G 486 Soil Biogeochemistry
- BIOL-K 411 Global Change Biology
- GEOL-G 415 Geomorphology
- Other applicable topic courses as approved by advisor
One (1) capstone course, chosen from the following:
- GEOL-G 420 Regional Geology Field Trip
- GEOL-G 460 Internship
- GEOL-G 467 GeoHealth: When our Health Collides with our Environment
- GEOL-G 488 Global Cycles
- GEOL-G 495 Senior Thesis
- Or another GEOL-G, GEOG-G, or SPEA-V class with department approval
No grade below C- will be accepted in any courses in the Earth and Water Resources concentration.
B. Environmental Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis Eighteen (18) credit hours, including:
- GEOG-G 336 Environmental Remote Sensing
- GEOL-G 338 Introduction to GIS
- GEOG-G 337 Computer Cartography and Graphics or GEOL-G 415 Geomorphology
- Two (2) courses chosen from:
- GEOG-G 436 Advanced Remote Sensing
- GEOG-G 438 Advanced Geographic Information Science
- GEOL-G 487 Remote Sensing of Global Change
- GEOG-G 311 Research Methods in Geography
- One capstone course, chosen from the following:
- GEOL-G 420 Regional Geology Field Trip
- GEOG-G 439 GIS and Environmental Analysis
- GEOL-G 460 Internship
- GEOL-G 495 Senior Thesis
- Or another GEOL-G, GEOG-G, or SPEA-V class with department approval
No grade below C- will be accepted in any courses in the Environmental Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis concentration.
C. Environmental Management Seventeen (17) credit hours, including:
- PBHL-A 316 Environmental Health Science
- SPEA-E 476 Environmental Law and Regulation
- One (1) course in Spatial Analysis, chosen from the following:
- GEOG-G 338 Introduction to GIS
- GEOG-G 438 Advanced GIS
- GEOG-G 439 GIS and Environmental Analysis
- PBHL-A 441 Public Health Applications of GIS
- Two (2) concentration elective courses, chosen from the following:
- GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conservation
- PBHL-A 415 Explosions, Collapses, and Toxic Spills
- PBHL-A 430 eWaste, Toxic Materials and Conflict Minerals
- PBHL-A 435 Energy, Climate Change, Resilience and Health
- PBHL-A 445 Global Health and Sustainable Development
- SPEA-V 310 Environmental Justice
- SPEA-V 311 Natural Resources and Environmental Policy
- One (1) capstone course, chosen from the following:
- GEOL-G 420 Regional Geology Field Trip
- GEOL-G 460 Internship
- GEOL-G 467 GeoHealth: When our Health Collides with our Environment
- GEOL-G 488 Global Cycles
- GEOL-G 495 Senior Thesis
- Or another GEOL-G, GEOG-G, or SPEA-V class with department approval
No grade below C- will be accepted in any courses in the Environmental Management concentration.
D. Other Requirements See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs, Baccalaureate Degree, General Requirements” in this bulletin.
Environmental Science Plans of Study
There is no single semester-by-semester plan of study for the B.S.E.S. degree because of the flexibility encouraged within the program and the three concentration options. However, a possible plan for courses is given below. Variations from this sample plan of study should be made in consultation with the academic and concentration advisors.
Bachelor of Science Environmental Science Sample Programs (120 cr. required)
Sample Plan of Study
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Freshman Year
First Semester SCI-BE 499 Sustainability TLC (GEOL-G 107, SPEA-V 222, SCI-I 120)
7 GEOL-G 117 Laboratory: Earth and Our Environment 1 CHEM-C 105 Principles of Chemistry I/CHEM-C 125 Experimental Chemistry 5 ENG-W 131 Reading, Writing and Inquiry 3 1 credit elective 1 Total 17 Second Semester CHEM-C 106 Principles of Chemistry II/CHEM-C 126 Experimental Chemistry II 5 GEOG-G 208 Environment & Society or PBHL-A 115 Environment & Human Health 3 Calculus I 3 COMM-R 110 Fundamentals of Speech Communication 3 Cultural Understanding Course 3 Total 17 Sophomore Year
Third Semester GEOL-G 205 Reporting Skills in Geoscience (as 2nd composition course) 3 PBHL-P 237 Environmental Ethics 3 Calculus II 3 CSCI-N 207 Data Analysis Using Spreadsheets 3 GEOG-G 303 Weather and Climate 3 Total 15 Fourth Semester GEOL-G 306 Earth Materials 4 PHYS-P 201 General Physics 1 5 Social Science or Arts and Humanities Course 3 Arts and Humanities Course 3 Total 15 Junior Year - EARTH AND WATER RESOURCES CONCENTRATION
Fifth Semester GEOL-G 334 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy 5 BIOL-K 341 Principles of Ecology and Evolution Lecture 3 BIOL-K 342 Principles of Ecology and Evolution Lab 2 PHYS-P 202 General Physics 2 5 1 credit elective 1 Total 16 Sixth Semester GEOL-G 477 Climate and Society 3 CSCI-N 207 Data Analysis Using Spreadsheets 3 GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conservation or SPEA-V 311 Natural Resources and Environmental Policy 3 Upper Level GEOL, GEOG, SPEA, or PBHL elective (replace GEOL-G 205 as 2nd composition) 3 Total 12 Senior Year - EARTH AND WATER RESOURCES CONCENTRATION
Seventh Semester STAT-I 301 or SPEA-K 300 Statistics 3 GEOL-G 430 Hydrology 3 GEOL-G 436 Earth Observation from Space 3 GEOL-G 486 Soil Biogeochemistry 3 Elective 3 Total 15 Eighth Semester Concentration Elective 3 Concentration Capstone 3 HIST-A 410 American Environmental History 3 Electives 6 Total 15
Junior Year - REMOTE SENSING CONCENTRATION
Fifth Semester BIOL-K 341 Principles of Ecology & Evolution Lecture 3 BIOL-K 342 Principles of Ecology & Evolution Lab 2 PHYS-P 202 General Physics 2 5 GEOG-G 338 Introduction to GIS 3 GEOG-G 336 Introduction to Remote Sensing 3 Total 16 Sixth Semester CSCI-N 207 Data Analysis Using Spreadsheets 3 GEOL-G 477 Climate and Society 3 GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conservation or SPEA-V 311 Natural Resources and Environmental Policy 3 GEOG-G 337 Computer Cartography or GEOL-G 415 Geomorphology 3 Total 12 Senior Year - REMOTE SENSING CONCENTRATION
Seventh Semester STAT-I 301 or SPEA-K 300 Statistics 3 GEOL-G 406 Geochemistry 3 GEOL-G 436 Earth Observation from Space 3 Electives 6 Total 15 Eighth Semester Concentration Elective 3 Concentration Capstone 3 HIST-A 410 American Environmental History 3 Upper Level GEOL, GEOG, SPEA, or PBHL elective (replace GEOL-G 205 as 2nd composition) 3 Elective 3 Total 15
Junior Year - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION
Fifth Semester BIOL-K 341 Principles of Ecology and Evolution Lecture 3 BIOL-K 342 Principles of Ecology and Evolution Lab 2 PHYS-P 202 General Physics 2 5 SPEA-E 476 Environmental Law and Regulation 3 PBHL-A 316 Environmental Health Science 3 Total 16 Sixth Semester CSCI-N 207 Data Analysis Using Spreadsheets 3 GEOL-G 477 Climate and Society 3 GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conservation or SPEA-V 311 Natural Resources and Environmental Policy 3 Concentration Elective 3 Total 14 Senior Year - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION
Seventh Semester STAT-I 301 or SPEA-K 300 Statistics 3 Concentration Elective (Spatial Analysis) 3 GEOL-G 436 Earth Observation from Space 3 GEOL-G 406 Geochemistry 3 Elective 3 Total 15 Eighth Semester Concentration Elective 3 Concentration Capstone 3 HIST-A 410 American Environmental History 3 Upper Level GEOL, GEOG, SPEA, or PBHL elective (replace GEOL-G 205 as 2nd composition) 3 Elective 3 Total 15
