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Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences
The Bachelor of Science with a major in environmental sciences was revised for 2024-2025. To see former versions of the curriculum please visit the archived version at the Iowa Digital Library.
The Bachelor of Science with a major in environmental sciences requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 71–77 s.h. of work for the major. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core; some courses required for the major in environmental sciences may be used to satisfy GE CLAS Core requirements.
Bachelor of Science students majoring in environmental sciences must complete requirements in three areas: environmental sciences foundation; one environmental sciences track; and elective courses.
During their third year of study, students are assigned a faculty advisor who specializes in their track.
The environmental sciences foundation develops fundamental skills and comprehension in biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and statistics. The foundation includes an introductory course in environmental science and additional courses that focus on remote sensing techniques, design and use of geographic information technologies, the geomorphic and environmental processes that shape the earth's surface, and ecological factors that influence the distribution and abundance of organisms.
The tracks aim to prepare scientists who can tackle problems that require particular areas of expertise and to help students develop the skills needed for future employment or graduate study.
The BS with a major in environmental sciences requires the following coursework. Students in the environmental bioscience track complete 30–32 s.h. of track courses and 18 s.h. of electives. Students in the environmental geoscience track complete 39 s.h. of track courses and 15 s.h. of electives. All students complete the same foundation courses.
Title | Hours |
---|---|
Foundation Courses | 23 |
Track Courses | 30-39 |
Elective courses | 15-18 |
For help planning your courses, please contact the Environmental Science Program's undergraduate academic advisor.
Foundation
Students must complete 23 s.h. of coursework, as follows.
Course # | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
All of these: | ||
ENVS:1085/EES:1085 | Fundamentals of Environmental Science | 4 |
ENVS:2010/EES:2010/GEOG:2010 | Interdisciplinary Environmental Seminar | 1 |
CHEM:1110 | Principles of Chemistry I | 4 |
GEOG:1070 | Contemporary Environmental Issues | 3 |
GEOG:2050 | Foundations of GIS | 4 |
MATH:1850 | Calculus I | 4 |
One of these: | ||
STAT:2010 | Statistical Methods and Computing | 3 |
STAT:3510/IGPI:3510 | Biostatistics | 3 |
Tracks
Students majoring in environmental sciences must choose one of two tracks: environmental bioscience or environmental geoscience. Courses taken to complete a track requirement may not also be used to satisfy the elective requirements.
Environmental Bioscience Track
Students in the environmental bioscience track complete 30–32 s.h. in track courses.
Course # | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
All of these: | ||
ENVS:2673/BIOL:2673 | Ecology | 3 |
ENVS:3020/EES:3020/GEOG:3020 | Earth Surface Processes | 3 |
BIOL:1411 | Foundations of Biology | 4 |
BIOL:1412 | Diversity of Form and Function | 4 |
CHEM:1120 | Principles of Chemistry II | 4 |
GEOG:3315 | Ecosystem Ecology | 3 |
One of these: | ||
EES:3070 | Marine Ecosystems and Conservation | 3 |
GEOG:2374/BIOL:2374 | Biogeography | 3 |
GEOG:2950 | Environmental Conservation | 4 |
One of these: | ||
ENVS:2020/EES:2020 | Earth's Climate System | 3 |
GEOG:2310/EES:2310 | Introduction to Climatology | 3 |
One of these (minimum 3 s.h.): | ||
BIOL:1261 | Introduction to Botany | 4 |
BIOL:2246 | Entomology Lab | 4 |
EES:3220 | Evolution of the Vertebrates | 4 |
GEOG:4600 | Biogeography, Ecology, and Conservation of Mammals | 4 |
IALL:3109 | Ecology and Systematics of Algae | 4 |
IALL:3117 | Ecology and Systematics of Diatoms | 4 |
Additional courses taken with advisor approval |
Environmental Geoscience
Students in the environmental geoscience track complete 39 s.h. in track courses.
Course # | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
One of these sequences: | ||
PHYS:1511-PHYS:1512 | College Physics I-II | 8 |
PHYS:1611-PHYS:1612 | Introductory Physics I-II | 8 |
All of these: | ||
ENVS:2673/BIOL:2673 | Ecology | 3 |
ENVS:3020/EES:3020/GEOG:3020 | Earth Surface Processes | 3 |
EES:1050 | Introduction to Geology | 4 |
EES:3300 | Sedimentary Geology | 4 |
EES:3360/GEOG:3360 | Soil Genesis and Geomorphology | 3 |
EES:4630 | Hydrogeology | 4 |
EES:4790 | Applied Environmental Geology | 3 |
MATH:1860 | Calculus II | 4 |
One of these: | ||
ENVS:2020/EES:2020 | Earth's Climate System | 3 |
GEOG:2310/EES:2310 | Introduction to Climatology | 3 |
Electives
Students in the environmental bioscience track complete at least 18 s.h. in electives; students in the environmental geoscience track complete at least 15 s.h. in electives. All students must complete at least 3 s.h. from the field study list plus one course from each of at least three of four elective categories: chemistry; earth systems; ecology and the biosphere; and research and internships. At least 9 s.h. of electives must be courses numbered 3000 or above. Students may not use any course to satisfy more than one requirement.
Field Study Electives
Course # | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
At least 3 s.h. from these: | ||
ENVS:2001/EES:2001 | Second-Year Field Trip for Earth and Environmental Sciences | 1 |
ENVS:3001/EES:3001 | Third-Year Field Trip for Earth and Environmental Sciences | 1 |
ENVS:3095 | Field Ecology | 4 |
ENVS:3096 | Winter Ecology | 2 |
ENVS:3097 | Introduction to Bird Study | 2 |
ENVS:3230 | Special Topics (when topic is Prairie Restoration, or with advisor approval) | 0-4 |
ENVS:4001/EES:4001 | Fourth-Year Field Trip for Earth and Environmental Sciences | 2 |
EES:1179 & EES:1180 | Geology of National Parks: Preparation and Planning - Geology of National Parks: Field Trip | 3 |
EES:2831 | Geologic Field Methods | 3 |
EES:4680 | Field Methods in Hydrologic Science | 3 |
GEOG:4010 | Field Methods in Physical Geography | 3 |
Approved Iowa Lakeside Laboratory courses (prefix IALL) |
Chemistry Electives
Course # | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
ENVS:3110/EES:3110 | Chemical Evolution of the Oceans | 3 |
CEE:4150/CBE:4420 | Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
CEE:4158/OEH:4920 | Solid and Hazardous Wastes | 3 |
CEE:5440 | Foundations of Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM:2021 | Fundamentals of Chemical Measurements | 3 |
CHEM:2210 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
CHEM:3110 | Equilibria and Electrochemistry | 3 |
CHEM:3120 | Spectroscopy and Separations | 3 |
CHEM:3430 | Analytical Measurements | 3 |
EES:4490 | Elements of Geochemistry | 3 |
Earth Systems Electives
Course # | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
ENVS:2200/EES:2200 | Historical Geology | 4 |
EES:1050 | Introduction to Geology | 4 |
EES:2410 | Mineralogy | 4 |
EES:3080 | Introduction to Oceanography | 2 |
EES:3300 | Sedimentary Geology | 4 |
EES:3360/GEOG:3360 | Soil Genesis and Geomorphology | 3 |
EES:3380/CEE:3328 | Fluvial Geomorphology | 3 |
EES:3390 | Integrated Watershed Analysis | 3 |
EES:3500 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | 4 |
EES:3840 | Structural Geology | 4 |
EES:4630 | Hydrogeology | 4 |
EES:4640 | Contaminant Hydrogeology | 3 |
EES:4720 | Paleoclimatology | 3 |
EES:4750 | Mineral and Petroleum Exploration Geology | 3 |
EES:4790 | Applied Environmental Geology | 3 |
EES:4820 | Tectonics and Basin Analysis | 3 |
GEOG:2310/EES:2310 | Introduction to Climatology | 3 |
GEOG:3500/IGPI:3500 | Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing | 3 |
GEOG:3570 | Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR): Principles and Applications | 3 |
GEOG:4310 | Climate Change | 3 |
Ecology and the Biosphere Electives
Course # | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
BIOL:1261 | Introduction to Botany | 4 |
BIOL:2246 | Entomology Lab | 4 |
BIOL:2663 | Plant Response to the Environment | 3 |
BIOL:3244 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
EES:3070 | Marine Ecosystems and Conservation | 3 |
EES:3210 | Principles of Paleontology | 3 |
EES:3220 | Evolution of the Vertebrates | 4 |
GEOG:2374/BIOL:2374 | Biogeography | 3 |
GEOG:2950 | Environmental Conservation | 4 |
GEOG:3315 | Ecosystem Ecology | 3 |
GEOG:3350 | Urban Ecology | 3 |
GEOG:4470 | Ecological Climatology | 3 |
GEOG:4600 | Biogeography, Ecology, and Conservation of Mammals | 4 |
Research and Internship Electives
Teacher Licensure
Students interested in teaching in elementary and/or secondary schools should seek admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) in the College of Education.
To qualify for licensure in secondary teaching, students in the TEP complete a degree in education as well as a related College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree. See Apply on the College of Education website for details on requirements and deadlines for applying to the College of Education and about TEP choices of majors leading to licensure.