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Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies
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This program prepares students for careers in the environmental field, including government service, nonprofit management and employment in private industry. VCU's curriculum also provides students with a foundation for graduate work in environmental sciences or related fields.

The field of environmental studies is characterized by a wide variety of approaches to training. The curriculum begins with the assumption that environmental science and policy are intertwined in ways that make them inseparable. Therefore, the VCU degree provides an integrated approach to the study of the environment and environmental protection.

Most importantly, the bachelor's program distinguishes itself by the strong real-world approach to its major. It recognizes the importance of a practical understanding of policy to the environmental scientist and of science to the environmental policy-maker. This means that students will have unique opportunities to integrate their training, as it will be used in the real world.

Curriculum

Core science and mathematics requirements (32-33 credits)

BIOL 151 Introduction to Biological Science I
BIOZ 151 Introduction to Biological Science I Laboratory
CHEM 101 General Chemistry I
CHEZ 101 General Chemistry I Laboratory
PHYS 201 General Physics or PHYS 207 University Physics I
GEOG 105 Physical Geology and GEOZ 105 Physical Geology Laboratory or GEOG 204 Physical Geology and GEOZ 240 Physical Geology Laboratory
ENVS/GEOG 401 Meteorology and Climatology
ENVS/GEOG 411 Oceanography
MATH 151 Precalculus Mathematics
STAT 210 Basic Practices of Statistics
STAT 314 Applications of Statistics

Core environmental studies requirements (37-38 credits)

BIOL 152 Introduction to Biological Science II
BIOZ 152 Introduction to Biological Science II Laboratory
BIOL 152 Introduction to Biological Science II
BIOL 317 Ecology
BIOL 322/ENVS 330 Environmental Pollution or BIOL 432 Biology of Polluted Waters
CHEM 102 General Chemistry
CHEZ 102 General Chemistry Laboratory
ECON 325 Environmental Economics
ENVS/GEOG 335 Environmental Geology and ENVZ/GEOG 335 Environmental Geology Laboratory
ENVS 490 Research Seminar in Environmental Studies
PHYS 202 General Physics and PHYZ 202 General Physics Laboratory or PHYS 208 University Physics I and PHYZ 208 University Physics Laboratory
POLI/ENVS 311 Politics of the Environment
SOCY/POLI 320 Research Methods in the Social Sciences

One additional environmental studies course chosen with adviser’s approval