Department website: https://envirosci.ua.edu/
Students pursuing a BS in Environmental Science typically have interests in the environment, enjoy outdoor recreation, and appreciate science. The Environmental Science curriculum ensures all of our students have a solid foundation in physical and life sciences and environmental data collection and analysis. Our students will all have hands-on experiences using science to address environmental issues. The curriculum also allows some flexibility so students can tailor the upper-level electives to their own specific interests.
Environmental Science majors have the option to earn a concentration in Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation. This concentration follows a more narrowly focused curriculum for students that have specific interests in natural resources management.
Admission into the Major
Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). Students may declare a major by completing the Change of Major/Minor Application online under the Student tab of myBama.
BS Environmental Science
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Hours | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
GY 100 or | Environmental Science | |
| Sustainable Earth | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Principles Of Biology I and Laboratory Biology I | ||
| Honors General Biology I | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Principles Biology II and Laboratory Biology II | ||
| Honors Gen Biology II | ||
| BSC 385 | Ecology and Evolution | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
CH 101 or | General Chemistry | |
| Honors General Chemistry | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
CH 102 or | General Chemistry | |
| Honors General Chemistry | ||
| GY 101 | Atmospheric Proc & Patterns | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
GY 102 or | Earth Surface Processes | |
| The Dynamic Earth | ||
| GY 204 | Maps and Spatial Reasoning | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
GY 339 or | Natural Resource Envirmn Plang | |
GY 441 or | Land Use Regulations | |
GY 452 or | Environ Decision Making | |
GY 453 or | Environment & Society | |
| Land Use Science | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
GY 420 or | Remote Sensing I | |
| Intro Geographic Info Systems | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ST 260 or | Statistical Data Analysis | |
PY 211 or | Elem Statistical Methods | |
| Educational Statistics | ||
| Upper Division Electives | ||
| Select 16 hours (see below) | 16 | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 60-63 | |
| Ancillary Courses | ||
| Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The major in environmental science requires the successful completion of the following course outside the major: | ||
| MATH 125 or | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 145 | Honors Calculus I | |
| Total Hours | 64-67 | |
Upper Division Electives
Students earning the BS in Environmental Science must complete an additional 16 hours of upper-division electives from the following courses:
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| GY 302 | Climatology | 3 |
| GY 363 | Geomorphology | 3 |
| GY 385 | Watershed Management Plan Development | 3 |
| GY 404 | Physical Geography SE US | 3 |
| GY 405 | Dir Res Physical Geog | 1-3 |
| GY 409 | Forest Ecosystem Restoration | 4 |
| GY 412 | Hydroclimatology | 3 |
| GY 413 | Applied Climatology | 3 |
| GY 415 | The Geography of Extinctions and Endangered Species | 3 |
| GY 444 | Field Studies In Africa | 6 |
| GY 449 | Field Studies: Ireland | 6 |
| GY 450 | Field Studies in Belize | 6 |
| GY 451 | Global Environmental Change | 3 |
| GY 454 | Field Studies in Costa Rica | 4 |
| GY 470 | Special Topics | 3 |
| GY 472 | Soil Science | 4 |
| GY 477 | Water Resources Management | 3 |
| GY 483 | Environment Science Internship | 3-9 |
| GY 485 | River Hydrology | 3 |
| GY 486 | Watershed Science and Managmnt | 3 |
| GY 489 | Forest Ecology Veg Analy | 4 |
| GY 491 | Fluvial Geomorphology | 3 |
| GY 492 | Eastern Forest Communities | 4 |
| GY 494 | Forest Measurement & Methods | 4 |
| GY 496 | Forest Ecosystems | 4 |
| GEO 306 | Hydrogeology | 3 |
| GEO 363 | Geomorphology | 3 |
| GEO 399 | Undergraduate Research | 1-6 |
| GEO 401 | Paleoclimatology | 3 |
| GEO 406 | Organic Geochemistry | 3 |
| GEO 410 | Soil & Groundwater Restoration | 3 |
| GEO 411 | Contaminant Transport | 3 |
| GEO 424 | Topics In Geology | 1-4 |
| GEO 428 | Surface Hydrology | 3 |
| BSC 303 | Field Zoology | 3 |
| BSC 314 | Dendrology | 3 |
| BSC 315 | Genetics | 3 |
| BSC 320 | Freshwater Studies | 4 |
| BSC 325 | Tropical Plant Diversity | 4 |
| BSC 360 | Plant Biology | 4 |
| BSC 371 | Biology of Lower Plants | 4 |
| BSC 373 | Vertebrate Zoology | 4 |
| BSC 380 | Intro Stats Biology | 3 |
| BSC 386 | General Ecology Lab | 3 |
| BSC 398 | Undergraduate Research | 1-4 |
| BSC 412 | Limnology | 3 |
| BSC 415 | Wetland Ecology | 3 |
| BSC 417 | Environmental Modeling | 3 |
| BSC 428 | Biology Of Fishes | 4 |
| BSC 434 | Plant Systematics | 4 |
| BSC 446 | Honors Animal Behavior | 3 |
| BSC 448 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
| BSC 456 | Microbial Ecology | 3 |
| BSC 461 | Ecohydrology | 3 |
| BSC 464 | Biology Of Algae | 4 |
| BSC 470 | Prin Pop Genetics | 3 |
| BSC 471 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BSC 472 | Mycology | 4 |
| BSC 473 | Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BSC 475 | General Entomology | 4 |
| BSC 476 | Aquatic Insects | 4 |
| BSC 480 | Plant Ecology | 3 |
| BSC 481 | Foundations in Advanced Biostatistics with Applications to R | 3 |
| BSC 482 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| BSC 483 | Evolution | 3 |
| BSC 484 | Aquatic Biology Seminar | 1 |
| BSC 490 | Stream Ecology | 4 |
| BSC 497 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
| BSC 465 | Prin Of Toxicology | 3 |
| BSC 487 | Biogeography | 3 |
Grade Point Average
A 2.0-grade point average in the major is required for completion of the degree. Please see the Grades and Grade Points section of this catalog for an explanation of grade point average calculations.
Upper-level Residency
A minimum of 12 hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be earned on this campus.
Required Minor
The environmental science major does not require a minor.
Additional Major Requirements
Students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all University, College, major and minor requirements. However, each student must meet with an adviser in the major department for academic planning and to be approved for registration each semester. College advisers are also available for additional assistance with minor, College, and University requirements.
| Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Concentration | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| EC 110 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| COM 123 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| PHL 292 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| EN 319 | Technical Writing | 3 |
| GY 339 | Natural Resource Envirmn Plang | 3 |
| General Management and Planning Course (Choose 1) | 3 | |
| Environ Decision Making | ||
| Environment & Society | ||
| Land Use Regulations | ||
| Land Use Science | ||
| Thematic Management and Planning Course (Choose 2) | 6-8 | |
| Watershed Management Plan Development | ||
| Forest Ecosystem Restoration | ||
| The Geography of Extinctions and Endangered Species | ||
| Water Resources Management | ||
| Eastern Forest Communities | ||
| Forest Ecosystems | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Soil & Groundwater Restoration | ||
| Measurements Course (Choose 1) | 3-4 | |
| Digital Terrain and Watershed | ||
| Forest Measurement & Methods | ||
| Intro Stats Biology | ||
| Environmental Modeling | ||
| Ecological Processes (Choose 2) | 6-8 | |
| Forest Ecology Veg Analy | ||
| Field Zoology | ||
| Dendrology | ||
| Freshwater Studies | ||
| Tropical Plant Diversity | ||
| Plant Biology | ||
| Vertebrate Zoology | ||
| Vertebrate Funct Morphol | ||
| Limnology | ||
| Wetland Ecology | ||
| Biology Of Fishes | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Mycology | ||
| General Entomology | ||
| Aquatic Insects | ||
| Plant Ecology | ||
| Stream Ecology | ||
| Earth Surface Processes (Choose 1) | 3-4 | |
| Geomorphology | ||
| Soil Science | ||
| River Hydrology | ||
| Watershed Science and Managmnt | ||
| Fluvial Geomorphology | ||
| Ecohydrology | ||
| Total Hours | 36-42 | |
A BS in Environmental Science prepares students for a wide range of employment opportunities in the fields of natural resources management, environmental monitoring and assessment, and environmental education. Students are also prepared to continue their education in graduate schools in a variety of academic fields.
Types of Jobs Accepted
Recent graduates have accepted positions with the US Forest Service, US Geological Survey, Alabama Geological Survey, US Bureau of Land Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, electric utility holding companies, private consulting firms in natural resources and geotechnical fields, and land trusts and other non-profit agencies.
Jobs of Experienced Alumni
Experienced alumni hold positions such as hydrologist, land manager, forester, planner, consultant, professor, land steward, conservation programs manager, arborist, ecologist, environmental analyst, ranger, silviculturist, senior analyst, environmental coordinator, recycling and green wastes coordinator, realtor, estate manager, guide, outdoor educator, and environmental inspector.
Learn more about opportunities in this field at the Career Center