Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
- OSU-Cascades
Options available:
- Alternative Energy
- Applied Ecology
- Aquatic Biology
- Chemistry and the Environment
- Conservation, Resources, and Sustainability
- Earth Systems
- Environmental Agriculture
- Environmental Policy and Economics
- Environmental Water Resources
An Environmental Sciences undergraduate degree provides a rigorous education that can lead to helping to understand and resolve some of today's most challenging scientific and policy issues—including global climate change, pollution, biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and balancing resource use and preservation. To help reach these objectives, the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences offers an interdisciplinary approach to environmental problem solving. As an Environmental Sciences major, a student completes course work in four general areas:
- OSU's general education courses (Core Education)
- Basic science and math
- Environmental sciences and humanities core
- A specialization area
In addition, each student completes a minimum of 3 credits of experiential learning as an internship, research, study abroad, or field course. The BS degree in Environmental Sciences provides excellent training for a variety of careers—including work with federal, state, and local agencies, industry, non-profits, and education—or for graduate school. Students can pursue the BS degree at the Corvallis campus, online through Ecampus, and at the OSU-Cascades campus.
Contact Information
Tyler McFadden, Interim Director
Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Program
104 CEOAS Administration Building
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
541-737-1201
Email: ceoas.undergrad@oregonstate.edu
Website: https://ceoas.oregonstate.edu/environmental-sciences-undergraduate-program/
Major Code: 657
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate a rigorous cross-disciplinary base across the biological, physical, and social sciences.
- Articulate connections between multiple components of human and natural systems, including implications for land, air, water, climate, energy, food, biodiversity, and human health.
- Investigate and diagnose interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder environmental issues to propose solutions.
- Apply the analysis of data to an environmental problem.
- Reflect on how identity, including one’s own, affects the perception of issues and the practice of environmental science.
- Communicate effectively with diverse audiences in writing, speech, and in graphic forms.
Double-Counting Policy
- Courses in Basic Science and Math and the Environmental Sciences and Humanities Core cannot double-count with courses in the specialization.
- Courses used to fulfill requirements in a specialization cannot double count with another specialization.
- Courses taken in the Natural Environmental Systems categories (Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere) can double-count towards other majors/minors/certificates.
- Courses taken in the Humans and the Environment categories (Environmental Economics and Policy, Human Environment, and Environmental Management) cannot double-count towards other majors/minors/certificates.
- Up to 13 credits of coursework can be double-counted between the specialization and additional minors or certificates. This means that each specialization must have at least 14 unique credits not counted towards other majors/minors/certificates.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Science and Math | ||
| Biology | ||
| Select one of the following biology series: | 15 | |
| +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | ||
| +*INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| Select one of the following chemistry series: | 15 | |
| Series A | ||
| +GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| Series B | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and +*GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY III and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY III LABORATORY | ||
| Math | ||
| Select one of the following pairs: | 8 | |
| +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS and INTEGRAL CALCULUS | ||
| +*CALCULUS AND PROBABILITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES I and CALCULUS AND PROBABILITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES II | ||
| Statistics | ||
| ST 351 & ST 352 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS and INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 8 |
| Applied Quantitative Skills | ||
| Select any two courses from the following: | 6-10 | |
| Physics | ||
| +*GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
or PH 211 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | |
| *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
or PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | |
| Earth and Environmental Data Analysis | ||
| CLIMATE DATA ANALYSIS | ||
| MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS | ||
| GEOSCIENCES DATA ANALYSIS | ||
| OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS | ||
| GIS | ||
| GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY | ||
| QUANTITATIVE GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS AND MODELING | ||
| Data Science, Programming, and Statistics | ||
| FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCES | ||
| COMPUTER PROGRAMMING FOR NON-CS MAJORS | ||
| R PROGRAMMING FOR DATA | ||
| SURVEY METHODS | ||
| Writing Elevation | ||
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING | 3-4 |
| or WR 362 | +*SCIENCE WRITING | |
| or WR 375 | +WRITING IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES | |
| Environmental Sciences and Humanities Core | ||
| ENSC 101 | +ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ORIENTATION | 1 |
| ENSC 221 | +ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD STUDIES | 4 |
| ENSC 321 | ^ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| Natural Environmental Systems | ||
| Select one Atmosphere course: | 4 | |
| +*CLIMATE SCIENCE | ||
| METEOROLOGY | ||
| ^CLIMATOLOGY | ||
| Select one Biosphere course: | 3 | |
| ECOLOGY | ||
| TROPICAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| ^ECOLOGICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY | ||
| Select one Geosphere course: | 3-4 | |
| +*SOIL SCIENCE | ||
| +*ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES | ||
| +*PHYSICAL GEOLOGY | ||
| +*EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE | ||
| SURFACE PROCESSES | ||
| +*DYNAMIC PLANET | ||
| SOIL SCIENCE and +*SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | ||
| ^WORLD SOIL RESOURCES | ||
| Select one Hydrosphere course: | 3-4 | |
| FRESHWATER ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| +URBAN AQUA NETWORKS: ANCIENT TO MODERN | ||
or GEOG 340 | *INTRODUCTION TO WATER SCIENCE AND POLICY | |
| HYDROLOGY FOR WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT | ||
| +*OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| Humans and the Environment | ||
| Select one Environmental Economics and Policy course: | 3-4 | |
| +*INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| +*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS | ||
| *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL LAW | ||
| +*PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | ||
| ^PUBLIC LANDS POLICY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| +*FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE LAW AND POLICY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO OCEAN LAW | ||
| ECOSYSTEM SERVICES | ||
| LAND USE IN THE AMERICAN WEST | ||
| +URBAN AQUA NETWORKS: ANCIENT TO MODERN | ||
or GEOG 340 | *INTRODUCTION TO WATER SCIENCE AND POLICY | |
| PLANNING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES | ||
| THE POLICY AND LAW OF U.S. COASTAL GOVERNANCE | ||
| INTEGRATED POLICY: FOOD, ENERGY, WATER, CLIMATE | ||
| MARINE POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| US ENERGY POLICY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| SCIENCE AND POLITICS | ||
| INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| *POPULATION TRENDS AND POLICY | ||
| *WOMEN AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| Select one Difference, Power, and Oppression Advanced course: | 3-4 | |
| +*INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE AND SUBSISTENCE | ||
| +SUSTAINABLE CAPITALISM: EXPLORING POWER, PROSPERITY, AND JUSTICE | ||
| +OCEAN JUSTICE | ||
| +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | ||
| +*POWER AND JUSTICE IN U.S. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | ||
| +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | ||
| Select one Human Environment course: | 3-4 | |
| +*INDIGENOUS ECOSYSTEM SCIENCES IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONS | ||
| *NATURAL RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY VALUES | ||
| OCEANS IN PERIL | ||
| *HUMAN ECOLOGY | ||
| *HUMAN IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| *PERSPECTIVES IN ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHIES | ||
| +*FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| +*SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CRISES IN RESOURCE ECOLOGY | ||
| *GLOBAL CHANGE AND EARTH SCIENCES | ||
| +*THERE IS NO PLAN(ET) B: HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT GEOGRAPHY IN THE ANTHROPOCENE | ||
| +*HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE | ||
| +URBAN AQUA NETWORKS: ANCIENT TO MODERN | ||
or GEOG 340 | *INTRODUCTION TO WATER SCIENCE AND POLICY | |
| +*LAND USE PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | ||
| +SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE COMMON GOOD | ||
| +*GEOGRAPHIES OF RISK, VULNERABILITY, AND RESILIENCE | ||
| EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE SCIENCE | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES | ||
| +LANDSCAPES AND WATERSCAPES IN INDIGENOUS NORTH AMERICA | ||
| +OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | ||
or OC 333 | *OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | |
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | ||
| *WORLD VIEWS AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| +*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| +*SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | ||
| *WOMEN AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| ^ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING | ||
| *BIODIVERSITY: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, AND CONSERVATION | ||
| Select one Environmental Management course: | 3-4 | |
| FOREST PATHOLOGY | ||
| +*POLLINATORS IN PERIL | ||
| URBAN FORESTRY | ||
| *ISSUES IN NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION | ||
| FOREST ENTOMOLOGY | ||
| ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION | ||
| *CONSENSUS AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| +TOPICS IN WILDLAND FIRE | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION | ||
| MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES OF PACIFIC SALMON IN THE NORTHWEST | ||
| INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT | ||
| +*ENDANGERED SPECIES & SOCIETY | ||
| ^WILDLIFE IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | ||
| +*MINERALS, ENERGY, WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| RESILIENCE-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | ||
| CONFLICT, COOPERATION, AND CONTROL OF WATER IN THE US | ||
| THE WORLD'S WATER | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT | ||
| +NATURAL RESOURCE DECISION MAKING | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF RANGELAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| RANGELAND RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| RIPARIAN ECOHYDROLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| RANGELAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Select 3 credits from the following: 3 | 3 | |
| THESIS | ||
| +RESEARCH IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | ||
| +INTERNSHIP IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | ||
| Alternative Approved Courses: | ||
| FIELD METHODS IN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION | ||
| PLANT SYSTEMATICS | ||
| FIELD METHODS IN PLANT ECOLOGY | ||
| *RIDGE TO REEF: SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN PALAU | ||
| ^ECOLOGICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY | ||
| VEGETATION MONITORING AND ANALYSIS | ||
| SOIL MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION | ||
| Specialization Area | ||
| Complete an approved certificate, option, minor or other course cluster 4 | 27 | |
| Remaining Core Ed and Electives | 51-62 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Specialization Area
Approved Certificates:
Approved Minor:
Approved Options:
- Alternative Energy
- Applied Ecology1,2
- Aquatic Biology2
- Chemistry and the Environment2
- Conservation, Resources, and Sustainability1,2
- Earth Systems2
- Environmental Agriculture2
- Environmental Policy and Economics2
- Environmental Water Resources2
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
Available at OSU-Cascades
- 2
Available via Ecampus
- 3
The program must contain at least one internship, research, or study abroad experience that provides opportunities for hands-on experience in design and collection of observations in the physical, biological or social environment. Students are urged to work with advisors at an early stage in their study to identify experiences that are appropriate, or discuss alternative approved experiential courses
- 4
This requirement can be met by completing an approved certificate, option, or minor from a participating program in the environmental or closely related sciences, or working with advisors to develop an innovative course cluster to analyze environmental systems
Major Code: 657
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CH 121 | +GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and +*GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 5 |
| ENSC 101 | +ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ORIENTATION | 1 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Math | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | 5 |
| MTH 251Z or MTH 227 | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS or +*CALCULUS AND PROBABILITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES I | 4 |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CH 123 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY III and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY III LABORATORY | 5 |
| MTH 252Z or MTH 228 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS or CALCULUS AND PROBABILITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES II | 4 |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 221Z or BI 204 | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS or +*INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | 5 |
| ENSC 221 | +ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD STUDIES | 4 |
| Atmosphere | 4 | |
| Environmental Economics & Policy | 4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222Z or BI 205 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | 5 |
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING or +*SCIENCE WRITING or +WRITING IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES | 3-4 |
| Hydrosphere | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223Z or BI 206 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | 5 |
| Geosphere | 4 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENSC 321 | ^ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| Biosphere | 3 | |
| Applied Quantitative Skills | 3-5 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Applied Quantitative Skills | 3-5 | |
| Approved Difference, Power & Oppression Advanced Course | 3-4 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Environmental Management | 4 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ST 352 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Human Environment | 3 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Experiential Learning | 3 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course