Undergraduate Program

Environmental Sciences encompasses a wide range of disciplines merged together to understand the natural environment. The field includes interactions among the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the world and human institutions. The Environmental Sciences program is designed to prepare individuals for careers in business, industry, or government; or to pursue graduate studies in environmentally-related science, law, public health, or business.

The Department of Environmental Sciences offers B.A. and B.S. degrees in Environmental Sciences. All students majoring in Environmental Sciences must complete a set of “core requirements”, 8 units of lower-division elective courses, and 20 units of upper-division elective courses. Students are encouraged to concentrate their studies in one of five specialization areas: Soil Sciences, Hydrologic Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Toxicology, and Environmental Management.

Specialization Areas

The specialization areas of Soil Sciences, Hydrologic Sciences, or Atmospheric Sciences are suitable for students wishing to maintain a broad range of choices in technically-oriented environmental professions such as pollution control, hazardous materials management, public health, natural resource management, environmental monitoring, and impact analysis.

The Environmental Toxicology specialization area emphasizes the chemistry and biochemistry of toxic substances in the environment, preparing students for careers dealing with the control of contaminants in various environmental media as well as related fields such as public health and industrial hygiene.

The Environmental Management specialization area is oriented for the social context of environmental sciences and prepares students for careers dealing with environmental regulation, land-use planning, environmental impact analysis, and administration of environmental protection programs.