Environmental Studies - BS

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S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

Department of Environment and Society

Environmental studies majors learn about the ecology of natural areas and about the political, economic, geographic, and social aspects of nature and its management.

Students focus on natural resource and environmental issues confronting society as they look for solutions that can sustain both the natural environment and human communities.

About This Degree:

For more information about Environmental Studies, see the website.
Admitted and current students must meet with an academic advisor for help with semester-by-semester planning, connections to co-curricular experiences, understanding of USU policies, and accessing USU resources.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
The highest math requirement for this degree is STAT 1040 - Introduction to Statistics (QL) , STAT 1045 - Introduction to Statistics with Elements of Algebra (QL) , or STAT 1080 - Foundations of Data Science (QL)

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken through USU: 30
Total major required credits taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

New freshmen: Admitted to USU in Good Standing
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU: 2.5 GPA

Major Requirements (65-68 credits)

All courses required for the major must be taken on an A-B-C-D-F basis. A grade of C- or better is required for all ENVS, GEOG, WATS, or WILD courses used to meet requirements for the major. The grade point average for all courses taught by the Quinney College of Natural Resources must be 2.5 or higher.

A. Disciplinary Foundation (15-18 credits)

ENVS 1350 - Introduction to Environmental Science (BLS) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 2340 - Environment, Natural Resources, and Society (BSS) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 1000 - Physical Geography (BPS) 3 credit(s) or
GEO 1360 - Planet Earth (BPS) 3 credit(s) or
CHEM 1010 - Introduction to Chemistry (BPS) 3 credit(s)
or both
GEO 1110 - Physical Geology (BPS) 3 credit(s) and
GEO 1115 - Physical Geology Laboratory 1 credit(s)
STAT 1040 - Introduction to Statistics (QL) 3 credit(s) or
STAT 1045 - Introduction to Statistics with Elements of Algebra (QL) 5 credit(s) or
STAT 1080 - Foundations of Data Science (QL) 3 credit(s)
WATS 2220 - General Ecology 3 credit(s) or
WILD 2200 - Ecology of Our Changing World (BLS) 3 credit(s)

B. Professional Coursework (32 credits)

APEC 1600 - Natural Resources and American Economic Institutions (BAI) 3 credit(s) or
APEC 3012 - Introduction to Natural Resource Economics (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 2000 - Natural Resources Professional Orientation 1 credit(s) or
WATS 2000 - Natural Resources Professional Orientation 1 credit(s) or
WILD 2000 - Natural Resources Professional Orientation 1 credit(s) or
GEOG 2800 - Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences 4 credit(s) or
WILD 2800 - Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences 4 credit(s) or
WATS 2800 - Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences 4 credit(s)
ENVS 3500 - Environmental Data Science (QI) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4020 - Foundations of Environmental Thought (DHA/CI) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4700 - Communicating Sustainability (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 3600 - Living with Wildlife (DSC) 3 credit(s) or
PSC 4810 - Climate and Climate Change (DSC/QI) 3 credit(s)
Complete 12 credits from the following Professional Coursework options:
ENVS 3010 - Natural Resource and Environmental Policy 3 credit(s)
ENVS 3300 - Fundamentals of Natural Resource Recreation Management 3 credit(s)
ENVS 3600 - Living with Wildlife (DSC) If not taken above
ENVS 4000 - Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4030 - Building Community Environmental Resilience 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4100 - Introduction to Modeling Human-Environment Systems 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4200 - Sustainability Metrics 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4350 - Ecological Economics 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4750 - Global Change Ecology 3 credit(s)
ENVS 5000 - Environmental Nonprofit and Volunteer Management 3 credit(s)
ENVS 5550 - Sustainability: Concepts and Measurement 3 credit(s)
GEOG 3100 - Human-Environment Geography (CI) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 3800 - Geospatial Data Visualization 3 credit(s)

C. Degree Electives (18 credits)

Complete the remaining Environmental Studies degree credits from the following list:

ANTH 2010 - Peoples of the Contemporary World (BSS) 3 credit(s)
APEC 5560 - Natural Resource and Environmental Economics 3 credit(s)
BIOL 5010 - Biogeography 3 credit(s)
CMST 4260 - Environmental Communication 3 credit(s)
ECN 3170 - Law and Economics 3 credit(s) or
POLS 3170 - Law and Economics 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3080 - Introduction to Technical Communication (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3440 - Creative Nonfiction Writing 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3640 - Nature Writing (DHA) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4440 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4630 - American Nature Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4650 - Utah’s Public Lands: Past, Present, Future (DHA) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 3010 - Natural Resource and Environmental Policy 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 3300 - Fundamentals of Natural Resource Recreation Management 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 3320 - Archaeology of Climate Change (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 3600 - Living with Wildlife (DSC) 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 4000 - Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management (DSS) 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 4030 - Building Community Environmental Resilience 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 4100 - Introduction to Modeling Human-Environment Systems 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 4130 - Natural Resource Recreation Policy and Planning 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4200 - Sustainability Metrics 3 credit(s) if not taken as professional coursework
ENVS 4210 - Anthropological Perspectives on Conservation 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4250 - Advanced Internship/Co-op 1-9 credit(s)
ENVS 4350 - Ecological Economics 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 4500 - Advanced Natural Resource Recreation Management (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4600 - Natural Resource Interpretation 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4750 - Global Change Ecology 3 credit(s) if not taken as professional coursework
ENVS 4950 - Special Topics 1-3 credit(s)
ENVS 4960 - Directed Readings 1-3 credit(s)
ENVS 4970 - Undergraduate Research 1-3 credit(s)
ENVS 4980 - Environment and Society Departmental Colloquium 1 credit(s)
ENVS 5000 - Environmental Nonprofit and Volunteer Management 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 5550 - Sustainability: Concepts and Measurement 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
ENVS 6320 - Water Law and Policy in the United States 3 credit(s)
GEO 3100 - Natural Disasters (DSC) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 1300 - World Geography: Human and Environmental Dynamics (BSS) 3 credit(s) if not taken as Disciplinary Foundation
GEOG 3100 - Human-Environment Geography (CI) 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
GEOG 3800 - Geospatial Data Visualization 3 credit(s) if not taken as Professional Coursework
GEOG 4120 - Environment and Development in Latin America (CI) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4210 - Geography of Utah 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4400 - Natural Hazards and Society 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4870 - Geospatial Analysis with R 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4950 - Special Topics 1-4 credit(s)
HIST 3950 - Environmental History (CI/DHA) 3 credit(s)
LAEP 2039 - Foundations of Sustainable Systems 3 credit(s)
LAEP 4600 - City and Regional Planning (CI) 3 credit(s)
POLS 2400 - Introduction of Geopolitics (BSS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 2010 - Soils, Waters, and the Environment (BPS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 2700 - Climate Change Impacts (BPS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 3000 - Fundamentals of Soil Science 4 credit(s)
PSC 4810 - Climate and Climate Change (DSC/QI) 3 credit(s) if not taken above
SOC 3010 - Social Inequality (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3200 - Population and Society (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3300 - Sociology of Climate Change 3 credit(s)
SOC 3310 - Environmental Justice 3 credit(s)
SOC 3340 - Activism, Protest, and Social Movements (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3600 - Finding Community in Today’s Society (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3610 - Rural People and Places (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 4350 - People, Power, and the Political 3 credit(s)
SOC 4620 - Sociology of the Environment and Natural Resources (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 4640 - Managing Community Conflict (CI) 3 credit(s)
SOC 4720 - Effective Community Engagement 3 credit(s)
SOC 5620 - Multispecies Justice and Indigenous Environmentalisms 3 credit(s)
WATS 2500 - Introduction to Marine Biology (BLS) 3 credit(s)
WATS 3000 - Oceanography (DSC) 3 credit(s)
WATS 3050 - Data Management for Natural Resources – Cleaning and Shaping Data 1 credit(s)
WATS 3060 - Data Management for Natural Resources – Data Display and Analysis 1 credit(s)
WATS 3450 - Introduction to Coral Reefs-Field Course (DSC) 3 credit(s)
WATS 3910 - Climatology and Hydrology for Western Watersheds (DSC/QI) 3 credit(s)
WATS 4530 - Water Quality and Pollution 3 credit(s)
WATS 4930 - Advanced GIS and Spatial Analysis 3 credit(s)
WATS 4931 - GIS Research Projects 2 credit(s)
WILD 2400 - Wildland Resource Techniques 3 credit(s)
WILD 4320 - Wildland Field Skills I 1 credit(s)
WILD 4321 - Wildland Field Skills II 1 credit(s)
WILD 4322 - Wildland Field Skills III 1 credit(s)
WILD 4600 - Conservation Biology 3 credit(s)
Other appropriate courses may be approved by the student’s faculty advisor (3-4 credits).

D. Open Electives

Students may take the remainder of the 120 credits from any department. The guidelines described under “Breadth Requirements” and “Depth Education Requirements” should be consulted to ensure meeting University Studies Requirements. Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your  Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 120

Suggested Degree Map - Environmental Studies, BS

Environmental Studies BS - 4 Year Degree Map