Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with Environmental Biology Option

About

In the Environmental Biology option of the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, you’ll get a strong foundation in general biology, general chemistry, and general geology. You’ll also take in-depth courses that focus on different aspects of environmental science. Throughout the program, you’ll get hands-on laboratory and research experience. Our graduates are well prepared for employment in environmental science as well as entry to graduate or professional school.

Curriculum & RequirementsAcademic Plan

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Environmental Science Major with Environmental Biology Option, Bachelor of Science (BS)

Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines physical, chemical, and biological sciences with social, political, and economic understanding needed to study the environment and address environmental problems. The Environmental Science program integrates classroom work in biology, chemistry, geosciences, and social sciences (economics and planning) with extensive field, lab, and research experience. All students take a core of Environmental Science courses complemented by a concentration in one of the three core sciences (biology, chemistry, and geoscience). Motivated students have the opportunity to obtain a double major in both Environmental Science and their concentration area. Graduates leave Eastern with the necessary professional and technical skills for employment in the environmental profession or entry into graduate or professional school.

Each student should meet with an advisor when declaring environmental science as a major.

Students should start the program with the necessary mathematics background to enter into the calculus or statistics sequence.
PRECALCULUS I (or equivalent)
It is recommended that students complete these required courses within the first two years.
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
BIOLOGY I
and BIOLOGY II
and BIOLOGY III
GENERAL CHEMISTRY I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY III
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III
THE EARTH'S INTERIOR
and THE EARTH'S SURFACE
All Environmental Science students must take a junior year and a final senior year environmental seminar.
ENVS 300ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE JUNIOR SEMINAR1
ENVS 400ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE SENIOR SEMINAR1

Note: some course options may not result in there being 60 upper division credits required for graduation within the major–advisor consultation is required.

Grade Requirements: students must maintain an average GPA ≥2.0 in the major to graduate from the program.

Note: may only count BIOL 380 once.

Environmental Science Required Courses
BIOL 171BIOLOGY I5
BIOL 172BIOLOGY II5
BIOL 173BIOLOGY III5
BIOL 270BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION3
BIOL 440ECOLOGY4
CHEM 171
171L
CHEM 172
CHEM 172L
CHEM 173
CHEM 173L
GENERAL CHEMISTRY I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY III
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III
15
DSCI 245BUSINESS STATISTICS 1 (may only count BIOL 380 once)4-5
or BIOL 380 DATA ANALYSIS FOR BIOLOGISTS
or MATH 380 ELEMENTARY PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
DSCI 346BUSINESS STATISTICS 2 (may only count BIOL 380 once)4-5
or BIOL 380 DATA ANALYSIS FOR BIOLOGISTS
or MATH 161 CALCULUS I
ECON 100GENERAL EDUCATION ECONOMICS5
ENVS 100INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE5
ENVS 300ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE JUNIOR SEMINAR1
ENVS 400ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE SENIOR SEMINAR1
GEOS 111THE EARTH'S INTERIOR5
or GEOS 100 DISCOVERING GEOLOGY
GEOS 112THE EARTH'S SURFACE5
or GEOS 113 THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER
GEOS 320ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY4
GEOS 323GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES5
GEOS 470GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY4
PLAN 431ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS3
Environmental Biology–Required General Biological Knowledge–choose one of the following 5
MICROBIOLOGY
BOTANY
INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
Electives–Upper division electives with advisor's consent.20
Required Senior Capstone
BIOL 490SENIOR CAPSTONE5
Total Credits113-115

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
BIOL 1715BIOL 1725BIOL 1735
CHEM 171
171L (Natural Science BACR 1)
5BIOL 2703CHEM 173
173L
5
MATH 1415CHEM 172
172L (Natural Science BACR 2)
5ENGL 1015
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective4 
 15 17 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENVS 1005BIOL 301, 302, 303, or 3045DSCI 245, BIOL 380, or MATH 3804-5
ENGL 2015GEOS 111 or 1005GEOS 112 or 1135
MATH 1425GEOS 323 or ENVS 3235Humanities & Arts BACR 115
 15 15 14-15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
BIOL 4404Environmental Biology Elective25DSCI 346, BIOL 380, or MATH 1614-5
ECON 100 (Social Science BACR 1)5Humanities & Arts BACR 215Environmental Biology Elective25
ENVS 3001Social Science BACR 215Diversity - graduation requirement15
GEOS 3204  
 14 15 14-15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
GEOS 4704BIOL 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5Global Studies - graduation requirement15
PLAN 4313ENVS 4001Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Environmental Biology Elective25Environmental Biology Elective25Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective4Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective4 
 16 15 15
Total Credits 180-182
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Electives–20 credits upper-division electives with advisor's consent.

Students who earn a BS in Environmental Science with Environmental Biology from EWU should be able to:

  • demonstrate effective oral, graphical, and written communication abilities, and critical thinking skills as related to the environmental sciences;
  • demonstrate knowledge of the interrelationships among the physical and biological components of ecosystems;
  • develop an integrated knowledge of major concepts in the area of environmental sciences and an understanding of fundamental roles that biology, chemistry, and geology play in environmental science;
  • develop sufficient preparation in the environmental sciences to successfully compete in a graduate or professional program, or to realize employment in an environmental sciences-related career;
  • use epistemologically sound quantitative techniques for the analysis of biotic and abiotic samples and systems.