The Need for a Major in Environmental Sciences:
The study of environmental issues such as groundwater quality, waste disposal associated with extraction of Earth resources, and climate change require understanding and application of several disciplines, including the fields of geology, chemistry, biology, agronomy, hydrology, and engineering. An environmental scientist must have a diverse background in all the natural sciences in order to develop creative solutions to environmental problems. The Topical Major in Environmental Sciences is intended to provide the breadth of scientific training needed to develop such solutions. At the same time, it provides flexibility for the student and advisor to build a curriculum tailored to the student’s specific interests. As a formal degree program in Environmental Sciences is not available; the Topical Major helps fill this void.

Requirements:
In addition to the USP requirements, the student must satisfy the requirements of the College of Arts & Sciences. Within the bounds permitted by the USP, students are encouraged to enroll in courses with environmental implications to complete the USP requirements. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in order to be admitted into the program, and 30 credits must be completed following acceptance into the program.

Courses for the Major:
The list below shows a suggested set of courses with environmental applications that would serve to satisfy the USP and Arts & Sciences requirements, and possible courses that would serve as a set of “premajor” courses. Elective courses which would satisfy the major are selected by the student and advisor, with 42 credits being at or above the 200 level and 24 being at or above the 300 level. Attached is an extensive list of courses in several disciplines from which the student can select courses for the major.

Capstone Sequence:
1. Field Experience and or Experiential Education: this provides practical or directed experience working on real-world environmental problems (3 credits);
2. ENS 400, Seminar in Environmental Studies, an interdisciplinary, topical course designed as a capstone experience for the ENS minor program (3 credits)
3. Senior Project: A comprehensive independent study exploring aspects of environmental studies, conducted in mentorship with a faculty advisor. May be taken for up to 6 hours of independent study credit (ENS 395 or departmental equivalent).

Potential Courses for Meeting USP, A&S, and Major Requirements:

USP Requirements:
Students must complete the requirements of the University Studies Program. Within the bounds permitted by USP requirements, students are encouraged to enroll in courses with environmental or resource applications (see a Schedule of Courses or University Bulletin for complete USP requirements). Suggested courses that could be used to satisfy the USP Disciplinary Requirement include, but are not limited to:

Natural Sciences:*
BIO 150/151 Principles of Biology I/Lab
BIO 152/153 Principles of Biology II/Lab
CHE 105 General Chemistry I
CHE 107 General Chemistry II
CHE 115 Chemistry Lab
GLY 110 Endangered Planet
GLY 120 Geological Resources
GLY 220 Physical Geology

*BIO and CHE non-lab courses satisfy the USP Disciplinary and Cross-Disciplinary requirements as a “designated sequence”, and
any 2 of the 3 GLY courses listed satisfy the USP Natural Science requirement

Social Sciences:
GEN 101 Economics of Food and Agriculture
ECO 101 Contemporary Economic Issues
ECO 201 Principles of Economics I
SOC 260 Population, Resources and Change
SOC 152 Modern Social Problems

Humanities:
HIS 106 Western Culture: Science and Technology I
HIS 107 Western Culture: Science and Technology II

Cross Disciplinary Requirement [Students select paired courses]:
BIO 102 (Human Ecology) with PLS 104 (Plants, Soils & People: A Global Perspective
GEO 210 (Pollution, Hazards, and Environmental Management) with FOR 100 (Introduction to Forestry)
BIO 102 (Human Ecology) with SOC 260 (Populations, Resources, and Change)

Arts & Sciences Requirements:
A&S requires an additional course in Natural Science, Social Science, and Humanities for the B.S. degree. However, there is considerable flexibility in selecting this course. See the University Bulletin for A&S degree requirements. Suggestions include the following courses:

Social Sciences:
GEO 172 Human Geography GEO 260 Third World Development
GEO 251 Weather and Climate GEO 285 Introduction to Planning
SOC 101 Introductory Sociology ECO 201/202 Principles of Economics I and II
SOC 380 Develop. Non-Western Societies ECO 471 International Economics
SOC 501 Population Analysis ECO 473 Economic Development
PS 235 World Politics ENS 200 Introduction to Environ. Studies
PS 280 Issues in Public Policy

Humanities:
PHI 333 Agricultural Ethics PHI 335 The Individual and Society

Potential Courses for the Major
The following are courses with environmental applications and could be applied to the major requirements.

BIO 208 Principles of Microbiology
BIO 325 Introduction to Ecology
BIO 452G Laboratory in Ecology
BCH 401G Fundamentals of Biochemistry
BCH 503 Plant Biochemistry
CHE 230/232 Organic Chem I and II
CHE 226 Analytical Chemistry
CHE 231/233 Organic Chem Lab I/II
CHE 440G Physical Chemistry
CE 250 Technology and the Environment
CE 351 Introduction to Env. Engineering
CE 506 Engineer, Law, and Environment
CS 221/222/223 Comp. Sci. for Engineers
FOR 315 Conservation Biology
FOR 340 Forest Ecology
FOR 530 Applications of GIS in Nat. Res.
GEO 409 Introduction to GIS
GLY 230/235 Fundmentals of Geology
GLY 341 Landforms GLY 360 Mineralogy
GLY 552 Sedimentary Petrology
GLY 420 Structural Geol
GLY 461 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
GLY 530 Low Temperature Geochemistry
GLY 585 Hydrogeology
NRC 301 Resource Management and Conservation
NRC 359 Global Positioning Systems
NRC450G Biogeochemistry
NRC 555 GIS and Landscape Analysis
PLS 366 Fundamentals of Soil Science
PLS 367 Soil and Water Analysis Lab
PLS 450G Biogeochemistry
PLS 455G Wetland Delineation
PLS 477G Land Treatment of Waste
PLS 501 Reclamation of Disturbed Land
PPA 503 Plant Biochemistry
STA 291 Statistical Methods

Additional Information...
may be obtained from the College of Arts & Sciences, 257 Patterson Office Tower, or Professor David Moecher, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (moker@pop.uky.edu; 859- 257-6939).