Requirements
Department of Environmental Science and Management and the Department of Geography are collaborating to offer a degree in Environmental Studies. The degree prepares the students for more sophisticated upper division courses at the interface between science and policy by requiring them to take some foundational courses in natural sciences, geography, and environmental policy.
A summary of the requirements are listed below:
- 28 credits in the Environmental Studies Core
- 24-26 credits in Foundation courses including the subjects of biology, chemistry, and geography
- 22 credits from a list of "Skills" that includes quantitative analysis, visualization of spatial data, field methods, and communication
- 20 credits in Environmental Systems (12 credits) and Geography & Human Systems (8 credits)
There is a minimum of 94 credits required for this major.
Courses taken under the undifferentiated grading option (pass/no pass) will not be accepted toward fulfilling major requirements except for ESM 150 and ESM 407, which are only available as pass/no pass courses. Additional courses may be required as prerequisites. All courses used to satisfy the Environmental Studies major requirements, whether taken in the department or in other departments, must be graded C- or above.
Environmental Studies Core Courses
| ESM 150 | Orientation to Environmental Sciences and Management | 1 |
| ESM 220 | Introduction to Environmental Systems | 4 |
| ESM 221 | Applied Environmental Studies: Problem Solving | 4 |
| ESM 222 | Applied Environmental Studies: Policy Consideration | 4 |
| ESM 330 | Environmental and Ecological Literacy | 4 |
| ESM 333 | Methods of Data Collection, Analysis, Representation, and Modeling for Environmental Managers | 4 |
| ESM 334 | Methods of Data Collection, Analysis, Representation, and Modeling for Environmental Managers Lab | 2 |
| ESM 335 | Introduction to Environmental Management | 4 |
| ESM 407 | Environmental Seminar | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 |
Environmental Studies Foundation Courses
Biology (8-10)
Take one of the following sequences:
| Bi 212 | Principles of Biology: Development, Evolution & Ecology | 4 |
| Bi 215 | Principles of Biology Lab II | 1 |
| | And | |
| Bi 213 | Principles of Biology: Organisms, Biodiversity & Conservation | 4 |
| Bi 216 | Principles of Biology Lab III | 1 |
| | or | |
| Sci 341U | Biology Concepts and Applications I | 4 |
| Sci 342U | Biology Concepts and Applications II | 4 |
Take all of the following
| ESM 230 | Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry I | 4 |
| ESM 231 | Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry II | 4 |
| Geog 210 | Physical Geography | 4 |
| Geog 230 | Environment and Society: Global Perspectives | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24-26 |
Skills
Students must take a total of 22 credits of skill courses, across four areas, including the following:
Quantitative Analysis (4)
| Stat 243 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics I | 4 |
GIS and Mapping (8)
Field Methods (2)
Communications (8)
| Wr 327 | Technical Report Writing | 4 |
| Comm 410 | Environmental Communication | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 22 |
Environmental and Human Systems (20)
Students must take at least 3 400-level courses in Environmental Systems and 2 400-level courses in Geography/Human Systems from an approved list of focus areas (http://www.pdx.edu/esm/environmental-studies).