نظرة عامة على البرنامج
The interdisciplinary Environmental Science Program at UCA is designed to provide students the opportunity to assess the complexity of environmental problems and find solutions to these problems within the context of the natural (biological, chemical, and physical) and social (politics, economics) sciences. This program prepares students for careers in federal and state government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, State Game and Fish Commission, and State Department of Environmental Quality. Graduates of UCA’s environmental science program are also competitive for positions in private industry (consulting, corporate environmental compliance, laboratory technicians) and postgraduate academic programs (MS, PhD, or law school).
The bachelor of science degree, with a major in Environmental Science, requires successful completion of a minimum of 120 hours, including (1) the UCA Core: complete 38 hours to meet lower-division UCA Core requirements and complete upper-division UCA Core requirements using major, minor, or elective courses (see the UCA Core requirements); (2) BS degree requirements; and (3) the major requirements listed below. A minor is not required.
مخطط البرنامج
Common Core for All Environmental Science Majors (34 hours)
- BIOL 1440 Principles of Biology I
- BIOL 1441 Principles of Biology II
- CHEM 1450 College Chemistry I
- CHEM 1451 College Chemistry II
- GEOG 1400 Earth Systems Science or SCI 3410 Earth Science
- GEOG 3301 Conservation of Natural Resources [UD UCA Core: R]
- ENVR 3410 Environmental Theory and Application [UD UCA Core: D, C]
- PSCI 3320 Environmental Policy [UD UCA Core: I, R]
- ENVR 4410 Environmental Practicum [UD UCA Core: Z]
[1] Biology Track (50 hours)
The biology track emphasizes ecology, conservation biology, and environmental toxicology. Students are instructed in biological specialties that will provide them with a basis for assessing the impact of human activities on ecosystems and organisms. The biology track requires additional chemistry because of the importance of understanding the effect of chemical pollution on living systems.
Mathematics Pathway: First-time, first-year students majoring in Environmental Science / Biology Track enter the College Algebra Mathematics Pathway and must enroll in MATH 1390 during their first year of study, unless they have been awarded credit for MATH 1390.
Biology Track Requirements (19 hours)
- BIOL 2490 Genetics
- BIOL 3403 General Ecology [UD UCA Core: I]
- CHEM 2401 Organic Chemistry I
- MATH 1491 Applied Calculus for the Life Sciences or MATH 1496 Calculus I
Choose one of the following statistics course: MATH 2311, PSCI 2312 , PSYC 2330, SOC 2321
Choose two of the following taxonomic courses (8 hours)
NOTE: These courses cannot be from the same taxonomic grouping (vertebrate, invertebrate, plant)
- BIOL 3410 Vertebrate Zoology
- BIOL 4401 Invertebrate Zoology
- BIOL 4404 Plant Taxonomy
- BIOL 4406 Mammalogy
- BIOL 4407 Ornithology
- BIOL 4410 Biology of Lower Plants and Fungi
- BIOL 4418 Biology of the Reptilia
- BIOL 4440 Entomology
- BIOL 4455 Ichthyology
- BIOL 4461 Parasitology
Choose two of the following theory courses (8 hours)
- BIOL 3390 and 3190 Economic Botany and Lab
- BIOL 4415 Evolution
- BIOL 4435 Animal Behavior [UD UCA Core: Z]
- BIOL 4442 Restoration Ecology [UD UCA Core: Z]
- BIOL 4445 Biometry
- BIOL 4450 Plant Ecophysiology [UD UCA Core: Z]
- BIOL 4460 Animal Physiology
- BIOL 4470 Biology of Seed Plants
- ENVR 4465 Environmental Toxicology [UD UCA Core: Z]
Biology Track Electives (15 hours)
- ANTH 3340 Environmental Anthropology
- BIOL 3X45 Internship
- BIOL 3360 Introduction to Marine Biology
- BIOL 3420 General Microbiology
- BIOL 4450 Plant Ecophysiology [UD UCA Core: Z]
- CHEM 3520 Quantitative Analysis
- CHEM 4451 Environmental Chemistry
- GEOG 2475 Cartography
- GEOG 3403 Geographic Information Systems [UD UCA Core: I]
- GEOG 3306 Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation
- GEOG 3309 GIS in Practice: Environmental Applications
- GEOG 3318 Biogeography
- GEOG 3385 Global Food Resources
- GEOG 4304 Water Resources [UD UCA Core: R]
- GEOG 4305 Soils
- GEOG 4308 Oceanography
- GEOG 4330 Geographic Information Analysis
- HIST 4301 American Environmental History
[2] Chemistry Track (51 hours)
The emphasis of the chemistry track is to give students an appreciation for the critical balance of natural chemical phenomena and the perturbations induced by pollution. The environmental science core courses provide the chemistry track student a context in which environmental chemistry work is conducted and aid in understanding the importance of the chemical and biological data on which policy decisions are based.
Mathematics Pathway: First-time, first-year students majoring in Environmental Science / Chemistry Track enter the College Algebra Mathematics Pathway and must enroll in MATH 1390 during their first year of study, unless they have been awarded credit for MATH 1390. Students with an ACT Math subscore between 22 and 26 should enroll in MATH 1486 Calculus Preparation. Students with an ACT Math subscore of 27 or greater should enroll in MATH 1496 Calculus I.
Chemistry Track Requirements (41 hours)
- CHEM 2401 Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 3411 Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM 3520 Quantitative Analysis
- CHEM 4351 Environmental Chemistry
- CHEM 4152 Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
- CHEM 3211 Organic Spectroscopy
- CHEM 4451 Advanced Analytical
- PHYS 1410 College Physics 1 or PHYS 1441 University Physics 1
- PHYS 1420 College Physics 2 or PHYS 1442 University Physics 2
- MATH 1496 Calculus I
- MATH 1497 Calculus II
Chemistry Track Electives (10 hours from the following)
- CHEM 3360 Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry
- CHEM 4320 Biochemistry I
- CHEM 4335 Biochemistry II
- CHEM 4450 Physical Chemistry I
- CHEM 4460 Physical Chemistry II
- CHEM 4380 Advanced Inorganic
- CHEM 3150 Advanced Inorganic Lab
- BIOL 3403 General Ecology (recommended) [UD UCA Core: I]
- ENVR 4465 Environmental Toxicology [UD UCA Core: Z]
- GEOG 3301 Conservation of Natural Resources
- GEOG 4304 Water Resources [UD UCA Core: R]
- GEOG 4305 Soils
- ECON 3330 Environmental Economics [UD UCA Core: R]
A maximum of 2 credit hours of research in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, or computer science.
Eight (8) credit hours taken from the requirements of one of the following minors: mathematics, biology, physics, or geography.
[3] Planning and Administration Track (48 hours)
The Planning and Administration track bridges the gap between scientists gathering environmental data and administrators who formulate and implement programs and policies. This track will train students to work with numerous experts from diverse fields, to examine complex human-environment interactions and spatial relationships; synthesize various, often conflicting, perspectives; and to arrive at viable and practical solutions. Students will also learn to communicate scientific research to diverse audiences including government agencies, citizen committees, corporate decision-makers, and the public at large.
Graduates often find employment in both public and private agencies with environmental concerns. An especially effective and marketable skill developed in this track is the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which allows scientists and planners to map, analyze, and model environmental data, based on location.
The Planning and Administration track requires the completion of the Environmental Sciences common core curriculum (34 hours), plus required courses for the track (36 hours) and electives for the track (12 hours).
Mathematics Pathway: First-time, first-year students majoring in Environmental Science / Planning & Administration track enter the College Algebra Mathematics Pathway and must enroll in MATH 1390 during their first year of study, unless they have been awarded credit for MATH 1390.
Planning and Administration Track Required Courses (36 hours)
- BIOL 3403 General Ecology [UD UCA Core: I]
- GEOG 2330 Quantitative Methods in Geography
- GEOG 2331 Research Methods in Geography
- GEOG 2475 Cartography
- GEOG 3318 Biogeography or GEOG 3333 Geography of Natural Hazards [UD UCA Core: R]
- GEOG 3319 Geographic Field Techniques
- GEOG 3325 Urban and Regional Planning [UD UCA Core: R] or GEOG 3371 Urban Geography [UD UCA Core: I]
- GEOG 3403 Geographic Information Systems [UD UCA Core: I]
- HIST 4301 American Environmental History [UD UCA Core: I, R]
- PADM 2310 Introduction to Public Administration and Policy
- WRID 3310 Technical Writing [UD UCA Core: C]
Planning and Administration Track Electives (12 hours)
- ANTH 3340 Environmental Anthropology
- ANTH 4395 Special Topics in Anthropology
- BIOL 2490 Genetics
- BIOL 3390 Economic Botany and BIOL 3190 Economic Botany Laboratory
- BIOL 3410 Vertebrate Zoology
- BIOL 4401 Invertebrate Zoology
- BIOL 4404 Plant Taxonomy
- BIOL 4406 Mammalogy
- BIOL 4407 Ornithology
- BIOL 4415 Evolution
- BIOL 4440 Entomology
- BIOL 4442 Restoration Ecology [UD UCA Core: Z]
- BIOL 4455 Ichthyology
- BIOL 4470 Biology of Seed Plants
- ENVR 4465 Environmental Toxicology [UD UCA Core: Z]
- GEOG 3306 Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation
- GEOG 3320 Field Studies
- GEOG 3325 Urban and Regional Planning [UD UCA Core: R]
- GEOG 3V99 Internship in Geography (variable credit: 3 or 6 hours)
- GEOG 3333 Geography of Natural Hazards [UD UCA Core: R]
- GEOG 3351 Weather and Climate
- GEOG 3361 Landforms
- GEOG 3371 Urban Geography [UD UCA Core: I]
- GEOG 3404 Geographic Information Analysis
- GEOG 4304 Water Resources [UD UCA Core: R]
- GEOG 4305 Soils
- GEOG 4307 Locational Analysis and Decision Making with GIS
- GEOG 4308 Oceanography
- GEOG 4309 GIS in Practice: Environmental Applications
- GEOG 4313 Recreation and Tourism [UD UCA Core: I, R]
- GEOG 4V60 Special Problems in Geography (variable credit: 1-3 credit hours)
- MIS 2343 Desktop Decision Support Strategies
- MIS 3321 Managing Systems and Technology
- MIS 3328 Systems Analysis and Design [UD UCA Core: C]
- MIS 3335 Programming in Python I
- PADM 3310 Public Management
- PADM 3320 Public Policy Analysis [UD UCA Core: Z]
- PADM 4320 Government Budgeting
- PADM 4330 Public Policy and Program Evaluation
- PADM 4350 Intergovernmental Relations [UD UCA Core: C]
- PHIL 3380 Philosophy of Science
- PSCI 3350 Interest Groups and Money in Politics
- PSCI 3372 Political Behavior
- PSCI 3375 American Judicial System
- PSCI 4300 Constitutional Law [UD UCA Core: I]
- PSCI 4V99 Studies in Political Science (variable credit: 1-4 credit hours)
- SOC 3321 Qualitative Research Methods [UD UCA Core: I, C]
- SOC 4310 Globalization and Development
- SOC 4321 Social Policy Analysis
Abbreviation Key – UCA Core Program
LD = Lower Division
UD = Upper Division
C = Effective Communication
D = Diversity
I = Critical Inquiry
R = Responsible Living
Z = Capstone Experience
