Minor in Environmental Sciences

The Minor in Environmental Sciences requires a minimum of 21 hours of which at least 12 credit hours must be unique to that minor. Students in this minor are exposed to the science that underlies and helps to solve our environmental issues.

Students electing to minor in environmental sciences must complete at least 21 hours of course work consisting of the following:

EEES 2100Fundamentals Of Geology4
EEES 2020Introduction to the Environment: Energy and Climate3
EEES 2030Introduction to the Environment Land-Use and Water3
EEES 2150Biodiversity4
EEES 2500Computer Applications In Environmental Sciences1
Choose any 2000–4000-level EEES courses, in consultation with your advisor, to achieve 21, or more, total credit hours.6
Total Hours21

A minimum GPA of 2.0 in the EEES course work is required, and the program must be approved in advance by the departmental ENSC minor advisor (Dr. Fisher).

NOTE: EEES 3050 (Fundamentals of Ecology) is a prerequisite course for several of the advanced EEES courses.

  • A. Environmental Science requires a basic understanding of geology, including an understanding of earth materials and landforms.\\n1. Students will be able to identify and classify minerals, rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic), and common fossils.
  • B. Environmental Science uses the principles of biology to understand how organisms are affected by the environment.\\n1. Students will be able to explain how both abiotic factors, such as climate and pollution, and biotic factors, such as competition and disease, affect organisms, communities, and ecosystems.
  • C. Environmental Scientists interact with Social Scientists to understand the human context in which environmental problems exist.\\n1. Students will be able to discuss public policy and planning options for improving or managing factors that impact the environment.