Environmental Science Major

Requirements for the Major

A major in Environmental Science requires a minimum of 14 courses including senior thesis.

1. One introductory environmental analysis course:

One course: EA 010 PZ – Introduction to Environmental Analysis, EA 020 PO – Nature, Culture and Society, or EA 086 PZ – Environmental Justice

2. Four introductory natural science courses:

EA 030L KS – Science and the Environment
BIOL044L KS – Introductory Biology
CHEM 014L KS – Introductory Chemistry
EA 055LA KS – Earth Surface Environments, EA 055LB KS – Earth History and Evolution, or EA 055LC KS – Natural Disasters; or alternate introductory earth science course approved in consultation with the Department of Natural Sciences Environmental Science faculty.

3. Six upper-division environmental science courses:

selected in consultation with Environmental Science faculty in the Department of Natural Sciences, including one or more in Ecology (e.g., BIOL 135L KS, BIOL 138/138L KS, BIOL 146L KS, BIOL 147 KS, BIOL 169L KS, BIOL 184L KS, and others) and one or more that emphasizes Earth Science (e.g., EA 100(L) KS , EA 103(L) KS, and others; most upper division Geology courses may also count for the major). Three of the upper division elective courses must have a laboratory requirement. These six courses may be cross-listed but normally may not double-count for another science major.

4. One course in statistics or the application of quantitative methods to environmental problem:

This requirement may be satisfied by taking an approved course with a quantitative focus as one of the six upper-division EA science courses. Alternatively, students may take an approved non-science course in statistics in addition to the other major requirements.

5. One non-introductory elective course:

in Environmental Analysis, or one environmentally focused course in economics, political studies, or related discipline, approved by an environmental science advisor.

6. Senior thesis:

to include one of the following options: a one-semester thesis - EA 191 KS; or a two-semester thesis - either EA 188L KS and EA 190L KS (Fall and Spring) or EA 189L KS and EA 190L KS (Summer and Fall).

Note:

Additional courses may be required as prerequisites for specific uppedivision courses, for career paths, or for graduate program admission (e.g., CHEM 015L, PHYS 030L/031L, Calculus I, BIOL 043L KS, GEOL 125 PO). Students intending to pursue graduate study in a natural science discipline are strongly encouraged to take CHEM15L KS or equivalent, and to complete math through Calculus II as expectations for admission. Graduate programs may have additional course requirements for admission.
An environmentally focused study abroad semester is strongly recommended but not required.
Students are strongly encouraged to pursue field and laboratory research experiences prior to the senior thesis.
Students may not complete a major in Environmental Science alongside a major or minor in Biology, Geology, or Organismal Biology. Please consult with an Environmental Science

Requirements for the Combined Major in Environmental Science (Pitzer College)

Students pursuing a combined major with Environmental Science must complete all of the requirements for the Environmental Science major with the following modifications: (1) there is no additional non-introductory environmental analysis, or environmentally themed economics or political studies supporting course requirement, (2) combined majors only need to complete four upper level environmental science elective courses instead of six, and (3) if a specific statistics course is required by the other discipline as part of the combined major (e.g., ECON 91 PZ - Economic Statistics), then BIOL 174L KS/BIOL 175 KS - Applied Biostatistics cannot be counted as one of the upper division science electives.

Upper-level science courses should be selected to engage as much as possible with issues at the intersection of the two disciplines being combined, and must satisfy all of the laboratory, ecology, and earth science stipulations of the environmental science major. Subject to approval, the environmental science thesis may also be expanded to address a topic intersecting with the second discipline. Combined majors with Environmental Science must be approved by a Department of Natural Sciences advisor.

Students may not complete a combined major in Environmental Science with Biology, Geology, or Organismal Biology. Please consult with an Environmental Science advisor for more details.

Honors Requirements (All Tracks, where applicable)

To be considered for departmental honors in one of the science majors, a student must:

Achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.67 in courses in the major.
Achieve a minimum grade of A- on the thesis.
Complete a one- or two-semester thesis project in which the student has demonstrated excellence by making a significant contribution to the progress of the research and by producing a thesis document judged to be of honors quality by the department.
Attend at least six scientific seminars during the semester (each semester for a two-semester thesis) and submit a brief and clear summary of each.