BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Roy C. Sidle, Director

The Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science is designed for students desiring a broad and interdisciplinary approach to studies in the environmental sciences. Although several science departments at ASU offer ecology, environmental, and/or applied concentrations within their specific discipline, the interdisciplinary nature of this degree allows students the option of pursuing a degree that crosses traditional departmental borders and capitalizes on Appalachian’s cross-disciplinary expertise in the area of environmental sciences. Coursework for the degree is necessarily rigorous and is comprised of a comprehensive science and math base as well as core environmental science courses across the various disciplines of biology, chemistry, geology, physics & astronomy, and geography & planning. The program offers students some latitude to focus additional courses within a desired discipline and culminates in the completion of a senior capstone course that challenges the students to employ multi-disciplinary and cooperative approaches to solving environmental issues. The primary objectives of this degree are to provide students with the scientific knowledge and analytical skills necessary for careers in the environmental industry, government, and business as well as post-graduate programs in various academic disciplines related to the environmental sciences.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science consists of 123 semester hours including 44 semester hours of core curriculum requirements. Seventy-four semester hours in the major and cognate disciplines are required including the science core (BIO 1110, BIO 2000 or BIO 2001, GLY 1101, GLY 2215, PHY 1150, PHY 1151, CHE 1101 & 1110, CHE 1102 & 1120, CHE 2101 & 2203, MAT 1110, MAT 1120, and STT 2810); completion of BIO 3302, CHE 2550, GLY 4620, PHY 3140, GHY 3820 and PLN 4460; completion of 12 hours from at least two of the following categories: a) Chemistry (CHE 2210, CHE 2211, CHE 3301, CHE 3303, CHE 3560, CHE 3561, and CHE 4620), b) Geophysical Sciences (GHY 3310, GLY 3150, GLY 3333, GLY 3530-49, GLY 3800, GLY 4703, GLY 3160 or PHY 3160, PHY 3150, PHY 3230, PHY 3850, PHY 3851, PHY 4020, PHY 4330, PHY 4730), or c) Biology (BIO 3304, BIO 3310, BIO 4555, BIO 3320, BIO 3530-49, BIO 4571, and up to two organismal biology courses from the following list: BIO 4551, BIO 4552, BIO 4556, BIO 4557, BIO 4558, BIO 4559, BIO 4560, BIO 4567); 3 hours of science electives; and ENV 4100.