Environmental Science and Policy, BS

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The interdisciplinary Environmental Science and Policy major is designed to promote student understanding about environmental issues and to enable students to make meaningful contributions toward the management of the world’s natural resources. The major focuses on conservation education through course work in natural and social sciences with emphasis on student research, case-study, and project-based learning. Internships and study abroad field and research experiences are strongly encouraged. The Environmental Science and Policy major offers two tracks: science and policy. The Environmental Science and Policy major earns a B.S. degree.

General Education Requirements (37 hours)

Graduation Requirements (4 hours)

General Education Requirements

Technical Requirements (17-18 hours)

BIO 121 - Principles of Biology I Hours: 4
ECO 122 - Principles of Economics Microeconomics Hours: 3
POL 120 - American Government Hours: 3

Choose one math course:

MAT 129 - Pre-calculus Mathematics Hours: 4
MAT 165 - Calculus I Hours: 4

Choose one statistics course:

MAT 215 - Applied Statistics Hours: 4
POL 215 - Statistics for Political and Social Research Hours: 3

Major Requirements (54-56 hours)

BIO 122 - Principles of Biology II Hours: 4
BIO 310 - General Ecology Hours: 4
ECO 262 - Economics of the Environment Hours: 3
EAR 110G - Physical Geology Hours: 3
ENV 120G - Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy Hours: 4
ENV 200 - Environmental Seminar Hours: 1
ENV 231 - Environmental Policy Hours: 3
ENV 250 - Introduction to GIS Hours: 3
ENV 250L - Introduction to GIS Lab Hours: 1
ENV 325 - Environmental Monitoring Hours: 4
PHI 251 - Environmental Ethics Hours: 3

Choose one of the following options:

Option 1 (4 hours):
ENV 470 - Problems in Environmental Science and Policy Hours: 4
Option 2 (6 hours)
ENV 498 - Senior Honors Research Hours: 3 and
ENV 499 - Senior Thesis Hours: 3

Choose one course:

POL 250 - Public Administration Hours: 3
POL 351 - Public Policy Hours: 3

Choose 12 hours from one Track below:

Policy Track

ECO 322 - Government and Business Hours: 3
ECO 424 - Contemporary Problems of the Developing Areas Hours: 3
ENV 210 - Environmental Education I Hours: 3
ENV 215 - Environmental Education II Hours: 3
POL 222 - State and Local Government Hours: 3
POL 427 - Congress and the Policymaking Process Hours: 3
SOC 200 - Social Problems Hours: 3
SOC 345G - Global Inequality Hours: 3
SOC 379 - Environment and Society Hours: 3

Science Track

Choose 4 hours from this list and then one 8-hour physics sequence below

BIO 212 - Biology of Microorganisms Hours: 4
BIO 260 - Natural History and Field Biology Hours: 4
CHE 103 - General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis I Hours: 3
CHE 103L - General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis Laboratory I Hours: 1
CHE 104 - General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis II Hours: 3
CHE 104L - General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis Laboratory II Hours: 1
CHE 201 - Organic Chemistry Hours: 3
CHE 202 - Organic Chemistry Hours: 3
EAR 210 - Climatology and Meteorology Hours: 3
EAR 240 - Map Construction and Reading Hours: 3
ENV 210 - Environmental Education I Hours: 3
ENV 215 - Environmental Education II Hours: 3

Choose one 8-hour physics sequence

PHY 121 - General Physics I Hours: 4
and
PHY 122 - General Physics II Hours: 4
or
PHY 211 - Analytical Physics I Hours: 4
and
PHY 212 - Analytical Physics II Hours: 4

General Elective Credits

General Electives (25-27 hours) as needed to reach 120 hours overall.

Total Credit Hours - Minimum 120 hours

On occasion, technical and/or program requirements may also meet specific General Education requirements. Please confer with your program advisor to determine which courses, if any, may be counted accordingly.

All bachelor’s degree programs at Lenoir-Rhyne require at least 120 credit hours. If, in combination, General Education, technical, and program requirements do not generate at least 120 hours, additional credits must be completed to achieve 120 hours. These classes may be general electives, or a student may complete a minor or additional major.

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