Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
- OSU-Cascades
Options available:
- 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 will help students 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. The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences offers an interdisciplinary and quantitative approach to environmental problem solving, integrating coursework across the biological, physical, and social sciences. Students complete coursework in four general areas:
- OSU's general education courses (Core Education)
- Basic science and math
- Environmental sciences 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 graduate school or a variety of careers, including work with federal, state, and local agencies, industry, non-profits, and educational institutions. Students can pursue the BS degree at the Corvallis campus, online through Ecampus, and at the OSU-Cascades campus.
Contact Information
Tyler McFadden, Director
Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Program
104 CEOAS Administration Building
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
541-737-9164
Email: tyler.mcfadden@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 Core cannot double-count with courses in the specialization unless a student has been approved to use a double degree or dual major for their specialization.
- Courses used to fulfill requirements in a specialization cannot double count with another specialization.
- Each specialization must have at least 14 unique credits not counted towards other majors, minors or 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 | ||
or GEO 301 | GEOSCIENCES DATA ANALYSIS | |
or OC 301 | OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS | ||
| ANALYTICAL WORKFLOWS FOR EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE | ||
| MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES | ||
| GIS | ||
| GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY | ||
| QUANTITATIVE GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS AND MODELING | ||
| GIS AND SPATIAL DATA SCIENCE | ||
| Data Science, Programming, and Statistics | ||
| FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCES | ||
| COMPUTER PROGRAMMING FOR NON-CS MAJORS | ||
| +INTRODUCTION TO DATA SCIENCE | ||
| RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE | ||
| 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 Core | ||
| Essential Skills and Professional Development | ||
| ENSC 101 | +ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ORIENTATION | 1 |
| ENSC 221 | +ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD STUDIES | 4 |
| ENSC 321 | ^ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| ENSC 421 | ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE | 3 |
| Core Content Knowledge | ||
| Select two Earth Systems Science courses: | 6-8 | |
| +*CLIMATE SCIENCE | ||
| +INTRODUCTION TO METEOROLOGY | ||
| +*SOIL SCIENCE | ||
| ^CLIMATOLOGY | ||
| +*ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES | ||
| +*PHYSICAL GEOLOGY | ||
| +*EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE | ||
or GEOG 102 | +*DYNAMIC PLANET | |
| *GLOBAL CHANGE AND EARTH SCIENCES | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO WATER SCIENCE AND POLICY | ||
| +*OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| SOIL SCIENCE and +*SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | ||
| Select one Ecology course: | 3 | |
| ECOLOGY | ||
| TROPICAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| ^ECOLOGICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY | ||
| Select one Contaminants in the Environment course: | 3 | |
| POLLUTION SCIENCE | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS IN FISH AND WILDLIFE | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY | ||
| +*FOUNDATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | ||
| PUBLIC HEALTH TOXICOLOGY | ||
| CHEMICAL BEHAVIOR IN THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| Select one Environmental Law and Policy course: | 3-4 | |
| +*INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| +*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS | ||
or AEC 254 | +INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | |
| *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL LAW | ||
| ^PUBLIC LANDS POLICY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE LAW AND POLICY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO OCEAN LAW | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO WATER SCIENCE AND POLICY | ||
| THE POLICY AND LAW OF UNITED STATES 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 | ||
| 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 People and the Environment course: | 3-4 | |
| +*INDIGENOUS ECOSYSTEM SCIENCES IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONS | ||
| *NATURAL RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY VALUES | ||
| OCEANS IN PERIL | ||
| *HUMAN IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| *PERSPECTIVES IN ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES | ||
| +*PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | ||
| AI & THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHIES | ||
| *CONSENSUS AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| +*FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| +*WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN A CHANGING WORLD | ||
| ECOSYSTEM SERVICES | ||
| +*THERE IS NO PLAN(ET) B: HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT GEOGRAPHY IN THE ANTHROPOCENE | ||
| +*HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE | ||
| +*TRANSFORMING ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICTS | ||
| +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 | ||
| +*POPULATION, CONSUMPTION, AND ENVIRONMENT | ||
| +*GEOGRAPHIES OF RISK, VULNERABILITY, AND RESILIENCE | ||
| CONFLICT, COOPERATION, AND CONTROL OF WATER IN THE US | ||
| THE WORLD'S WATER | ||
| CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS, ADAPTATION AND VULNERABILITY | ||
| EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE SCIENCE | ||
| +SCIENCE OF HUMAN & PLANETARY HEALTH | ||
| *CLIMATE AND HEALTH | ||
| *GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | ||
| +LANDSCAPES AND WATERSCAPES IN INDIGENOUS NORTH AMERICA | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES | ||
| +NATURAL RESOURCE DECISION MAKING | ||
| +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 | ||
| Select one Environmental Management course: | 3-4 | |
| BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| 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 | ||
| FRESHWATER ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | ||
| +*MINERALS, ENERGY, WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| +HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| HYDROLOGY FOR WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT | ||
| RESILIENCE-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | ||
| CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS, ADAPTATION AND VULNERABILITY | ||
| CONFLICT, COOPERATION, AND CONTROL OF WATER IN THE US | ||
| THE WORLD'S WATER | ||
| LAND USE IN THE AMERICAN WEST | ||
| PLANNING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF RANGELAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| RANGELAND RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| RIPARIAN ECOHYDROLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| 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 | 49-60 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Specialization Area
Approved Certificates:
- Climate Change Solutions Certificate2
- Environmental Justice Certificate2
- Geographic Information Science2
- Scientific, Technical, and Professional Communication Certificate
Approved Minor:
Approved Options:
- 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 |
| Earth Systems Science | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Law & Policy | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| 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 |
| Contaminants in the Environment | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223Z or BI 206 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | 5 |
| Earth Systems Science | 3-4 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENSC 321 | ^ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES | 3 |
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Ecology | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| ST 352 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Approved Difference, Power & Oppression Advanced Course | 3-4 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| Environmental Management | 3-4 | |
| Applied Quantitative Skills | 3-4 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| People and the Environment | 3-4 | |
| Applied Quantitative Skills | 3-4 | |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| ENSC 421 | ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE | 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