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 (the baccalaureate core)
- 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
Laurence C. Becker, 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.
Major Curriculum
The Environmental Sciences major requires credits in seven categories: 49 credits of baccalaureate core; 51–53 credits of basic science and math; 27–36 credits of environmental sciences and humanities; 27–31 credits of specialization; 3 credits writing intensive course; 3 credits minimum of experiential learning; and 4–53 credits of elective courses (depends on the number of baccalaureate core electives that will also meet requirements of the major).
The major requires a minimum of 32 credits combined between the Environmental Sciences and Humanities core, the Specialization, the major WIC, and Experiential Learning requirement, that are unique (not double-counted) to the Environmental Sciences Bachelor of Science. Courses used to fulfill requirements in a specialization cannot double count with the core or another specialization.
Baccalaureate Core
The university baccalaureate core course (BCC) requirement is met with 49 credits and a writing intensive course (WIC). The environmental sciences student satisfies the general education requirement by selecting 27 unrestricted credits from the general list of approved courses and 21 credits from a restrictive list of BCC courses, which simultaneously satisfy requirements for the Environmental Sciences major. The WIC and Synthesis requirements are satisfied by courses taken as part of the environmental sciences core curriculum.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Science and Math Courses | ||
| Biology | ||
| Select one of the following biology series: | 12 | |
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | ||
| *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 and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Physics | ||
| Select one of the following pairs: | 8-10 | |
| *GENERAL PHYSICS and *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | ||
| Statistics | ||
| ST 351 & ST 352 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS and INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 8 |
| 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 | ||
| CLIMATE PHYSICS | ||
| ^CLIMATOLOGY | ||
| Select one Biosphere course: | 3 | |
| ECOLOGY | ||
| TROPICAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| ^ECOLOGICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY | ||
| Select one Geosphere course: | 3-4 | |
| *SOIL SCIENCE | ||
| *PHYSICAL GEOLOGY | ||
| *EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY | ||
| SURFACE PROCESSES | ||
| *PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY | ||
| SOIL SCIENCE and *SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | ||
| ^WORLD SOIL RESOURCES | ||
| Select one Hydrosphere course: | 3-5 | |
| FRESHWATER ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| *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 | ||
| +*INTRODUCTION TO MICROECONOMICS | ||
| ^PUBLIC LANDS POLICY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| *FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE LAW AND POLICY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO OCEAN LAW | ||
| ECOSYSTEM SERVICES | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO WATER SCIENCE AND POLICY | ||
| LAND USE IN THE AMERICAN WEST | ||
| 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 Environmental Ethics course: | 3-4 | |
| *NATURAL RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY VALUES | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHIES | ||
| *GENES AND CHEMICALS IN AGRICULTURE: VALUE AND RISK | ||
| *CONSENSUS AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVES IN NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | ||
| *SCIENTIFIC REASONING | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | ||
| *WORLD VIEWS AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES | ||
| *ENERGY, CLIMATE AND SOCIETY | ||
| INTEGRATED POLICY: FOOD, ENERGY, WATER, CLIMATE | ||
| *SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIAL CONTEXT | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| *SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | ||
| *WOMEN AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| Select one Human Environment course: | 3-4 | |
| *ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE OF PACIFIC NW INDIANS | ||
| *NATIVE AMERICAN AGRICULTURE | ||
| *HUMAN IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| *OCEANS IN PERIL | ||
| *HUMAN ECOLOGY | ||
| *PERSPECTIVES IN ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES | ||
| *FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| *GLOBAL CRISES IN RESOURCE ECOLOGY | ||
| *GLOBAL CHANGE AND EARTH SCIENCES | ||
| *HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT GEOGRAPHY | ||
| *SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE COMMON GOOD | ||
| *GEOGRAPHY OF NATURAL HAZARDS | ||
| EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE SCIENCE | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES | ||
| *OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | ||
| *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 | ||
| TOPICS IN WILDLAND FIRE | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION | ||
| MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES OF PACIFIC SALMON IN THE NORTHWEST | ||
| INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT | ||
| *ENDANGERED SPECIES, SOCIETY AND SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| ^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 | |
| RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP | ||
| THESIS | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE INTERNSHIP | ||
| Alternative Approved Courses: | ||
| ^ECOLOGICAL METHODS | ||
| ^FIELD METHODS IN MARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| FIELD METHODS IN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION | ||
| PLANT SYSTEMATICS | ||
| FIELD METHODS IN PLANT ECOLOGY | ||
| ^ECOLOGICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY | ||
| VEGETATION MONITORING AND ANALYSIS | ||
| SOIL MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION | ||
| Specialization Area | ||
| Complete an approved certificate, option, minor or other course cluster 4 | 27 | |
| Additional Requirements | ||
| Remaining Bacc Core and Electives | 57-66 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Specialization Area
Approved Certificates:
Approved Minor:
Approved Options:
- Alternative Energy
- Applied Ecology1,2
- Aquatic Biology2
- Chemistry and the Environment
- Conservation, Resources, and Sustainability1,2
- Earth Systems2
- Environmental Agriculture2
- Environmental Policy and Economics2
- Environmental Water Resources2
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- ^
Writing Intensive Course (WIC)
- +
Core Education course. Applies only to students admitted to an OSU undergraduate degree from Summer 2025 onwards
- 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 | |
| WR 121Z | *COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| CH 121 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
| MTH 112Z | +*PRECALCULUS II: TRIGONOMETRY | 4 |
| ENSC 101 | ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ORIENTATION | 1 |
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 5 |
| COMM 218Z | +*INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION or +*PUBLIC SPEAKING or *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE | 4 |
| MTH 251 or MTH 227 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS or *CALCULUS AND PROBABILITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES I | 4 |
| Bacc Core - Literature & Arts | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CH 123 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 5 |
| HHS 241 | *LIFETIME FITNESS (or a PAC course) | 1 |
| MTH 252 or MTH 228 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS or CALCULUS AND PROBABILITY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES II | 4 |
| Bacc Core - Difference, Power and Discrimination | 3 | |
| Bacc Core - Western Culture | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 221 or BI 204 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | 4 |
| ENSC 221 | ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD STUDIES | 4 |
| Atmosphere | 4 | |
| Environmental Economics & Policy | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222 or BI 205 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | 4 |
| Hydrosphere | 3 | |
| Bacc Core - Cultural Diversity | 4 | |
| Bacc Core - Writing II | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223 or BI 206 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | 4 |
| Environmental Ethics | 3 | |
| Geosphere | 4 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENSC 321 | ^ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| PH 201 or PH 211 | *GENERAL PHYSICS or *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 5 |
| Biosphere | 3 | |
| General Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| PH 202 or PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS or *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 5 |
| Upper Division Specialization | 4 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Environmental Management | 4 | |
| Upper Division Specialization | 4 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ST 352 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Human Environment | 3 | |
| Upper Division Specialization | 3 | |
| General Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| Upper Division Specialization | 3 | |
| Upper Division Specialization | 3 | |
| Upper Division Specialization | 4 | |
| General Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENSC 410 | ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE INTERNSHIP or RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP or THESIS | 3 |
| Upper Division Specialization | 3 | |
| Upper Division Specialization | 3 | |
| Upper Division Specialization | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |