2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Environmental Studies, A.S.

The Environmental Studies degree will provide students with the opportunity to study both the scientific and policy applications of environmental issues. Students in the program will complete a multi-disciplinary "core" set of courses within a structured, exploratory program of environmental studies that prepares them for transfer to a four-year institution. Depending on their intended career and/or transfer goals, students will be able to select courses from a list of restricted electives that include science, policy, and government courses. The environmental science courses will involve students in the study of the natural sciences and the human context of environmental problems. Students who desire to focus more heavily on environmental policy can focus on the economic, and political aspects of environmental issues.

Program Outcomes:

  1. Integrate and apply essential concepts and methods of the biological and physical sciences to the understanding of environmental issues and the development of sustainable solutions.
  2. Investigate the ethical, cross-cultural and historical context of environmental issues and their unequal impact on diverse communities, including the disparities associated with environmental racism.
  3. Examine the evolution and relevance of key environmental laws and policies and their effectiveness at addressing environmental issues, including issues of environmental justice.
  4. Analyze the negative impacts associated with environmental pollution and degradation to natural ecosystems and the impacts this can have on human health and the well-being of society.
  5. Utilize informational technology, instrumentation, computer applications, statistical and modeling techniques to manage and analyze/interpret environmental data as they reflect critically about their roles and identities as environmental citizens in a complex, interconnected world.
  6. Integrate science, humanist and social perspectives to identify strategies and technologies for remediation/restoration and sustainable management of degraded environmental systems.

Program Pathway

First Year Fall

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
ENG-101English Composition

3 credits

-
 

MAT-116Statistical Reasoning

3 credits

-
Or

MAT-161Precalculus II

4 credits

-
 

CHM-101Introductory College Chemistry

4 credits

-
Or

CHM-103General Chemistry I

4 credits

-
 

BIO-113Principles of Biology I

4 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

Notes:

1. ENG-101E, ENG-101EP, and ENG-101P are approved substitutions for ENG-101.

2. MAT-116P is an approved substitution for MAT-116.

First Year Spring

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
Gen Ed-
Arts/Humanities

3 credits

Gen Ed-
Behavioral/Social Science

3 credits

BIO-114Principles of Biology II

4 credits

PHS-111Earth Science

4 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

Gen Ed (Behavioral/Social Sciences): ECO-201, ECO-202, or POL-101 are preferred.

Second Year Fall

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
Gen Ed-
Behavioral/Social Science

3 credits

Gen Ed-
Arts/Humanities

3 credits

ENV-201Fundamentals of Environmental Science

4 credits

ENV-203Environmental Policy and Regulations

3 credits

Elective-
Select in consultation with an advisor

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:16

Gen Ed (Behavioral/Social Sciences): ECO-201, ECO-202, or POL-101​ are preferred.

Second Year Spring

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
Gen Ed-
Diversity

3 credits

ENV-204Public Health and the Environment

3 credits

Elective-
Select in consultation with an advisor

3 credits

Elective-
Select in consultation with an advisor

4 credits

Elective-
Select in consultation with an advisor

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:16

Gen Ed (Diversity): GEO-105 is preferred.

1st Elective (Choose in consultation with an advisor) Course: COM-108 is preferred.

General Education Requirements (29-30 Credits)

Arts/Humanities

  • Select two courses from the approved General Education course list in the Arts/Humanities category (6 Credits)

Behavioral/Social Sciences

Biological/Physical Science

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
BIO-113Principles of Biology I

4 credits

-
 

CHM-101Introductory College Chemistry

4 credits

-
Or

CHM-103General Chemistry I

4 credits

Diversity

  • Select one course from the approved General Education course list in the Diversity category (3 Credits)
    *(GEO-105 is preferred)

English

*A minimum grade of "C" or better is required for ENG-101, ENG-101E, ENG-101EP, and ENG-101P

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
ENG-101English Composition

3 credits

*(ENG-101E, ENG-101EP, and ENG-101P are approved substitutions for ENG-101)

Mathematics

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
MAT-116Statistical Reasoning

3 credits

-
Or

MAT-161Precalculus II

4 credits

Note: MAT-116P is an approved substitution for MAT-116.

Program Requirements (18 Credits)

Requirements List

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
BIO-114Principles of Biology II

4 credits

ENV-201Fundamentals of Environmental Science

4 credits

ENV-203Environmental Policy and Regulations

3 credits

ENV-204Public Health and the Environment

3 credits

PHS-111Earth Science

4 credits

Free Electives (12-13 Credits)

Requirements List

Electives should be selected in consultation with a transfer advisor and the transfer institution. Some recommended courses are listed below:

Course NumberCourse TitleCredits
COM-103Public Speaking

3 credits

-
Or

COM-108Introduction to Human Communication

3 credits

-
 

ECO-201Macroeconomic Principles

3 credits

ECO-202Microeconomic Principles

3 credits

-
Select any Education (EDU) course

3 credits

-
Select any Engineering Science (EGR) course

3-4 credits

ELE-130Introduction to Unmanned Systems

3 credits

ENG-102Advanced English Composition

3 credits

ENV-269Internship I

1-3 credits

GEO-105World Regional Geography

3 credits

MAT-116Statistical Reasoning

3 credits

MAT-160Precalculus I

3 credits

MAT-161Precalculus II

4 credits

MAT-203Calculus I

4 credits

MAT-204Calculus II

4 credits

-
Select any Physical Science (PHS) course

3-4 credits

-
Select any Physics (PHY) course

1-5 credits

-
Select any Paralegal Studies (PLS) course

3 credits

-
Select any Political Studies (POL) course

3 credits

Notes:

1. COM-108 is preferred.

2. MAT-116P is an approved substitution for MAT-116.

Degree Requirement (60 Credits)