Home > Academics > Majors/Concentrations > Environmental Studies

Advisory Board: Dr. Jon Moore, Dr. William O'Brien, Dr. Jim Wetterer

Description: The Environmental Studies concentration is designed to provide an interdisciplinary education in environmental issues that draws from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. The required courses provide all environmental studies students the opportunity to ground themselves in relevant concepts and topics, as well as scientific methodologies and mapping skills that span the disciplines. Beyond these requirements, students who wish to explore the natural science aspects of these issues in more depth may pursue the Environmental Science track (23-27 credits in addition to Gateway courses), while those with greater interest in social science/humanities and policy themes may pursue the Environmental Studies track (18-19 credits in addition to Gateway courses). In addition to concentration requirements, students are strongly advised to complete an environmental studies internship to fulfill that graduation requirement. Environmental Studies graduates may also qualify to apply for and receive the Certificate in Environmental Studies from FAU.

Available Options: Environmental Science Track, Environmental Studies Track, Minor Concentration.

Required Courses
These courses are required for both tracks of the Concentration in Environmental Studies.

Environmental Science Track
In addition to the required courses listed above, Science Track concentrators must take the following courses.

*BSC 1005,L may not be counted as a science elective

Students are strongly encouraged to take Organic Chemistry II + Lab.

Environmental Studies Track: In addition to the required courses listed above, students on this track must also fulfill the following requirements:

Science Electives: Courses on this list may be used to fill the science electives section of both the Environmental Science and Environmental Studies tracks (except as indicated above). Please be aware that some courses on this list have prerequisites. Students are reminded that they need 45 upper-level (3000 or 4000-level) credits to graduate.

BCH 3033, 3033L H Biochemistry & Lab 4
BOT 3501,L H Introduction to Plant Biology & Lab 4
BSC 1010, L H Biological Principles 4
BSC 1933 H Freshman Seminar in Biology 3
BSC 4930 H Marine Conservation 3
CHM 1025C H Contemporary Chemical Issues 3
CHM 2046, L H General Chemistry 2 & Lab 4
CHM 2210, L H Organic Chemistry 1 & Lab 4
CHM 2211, L H Organic Chemistry 2 & Lab 4
CHM 2214, L H Introduction to Organic Spectroscopy & Lab 2
CHM 3080 H Environmental Chemistry 3
CHM 3609, L H Inorganic Chemistry & Lab 4
CHM 3120, L H Quantitative Analysis 4
CHM 4130, L H Instrumental Methods of Analysis & Lab 3
EVR 2001 H Introduction to Environmental Science 3

EVS 4414 H Conservation Biology 3
GEO 4930 H Special Topics in Geography 3*
OCB 3012, L H Marine Biology and Oceanography & Lab 4
OCB 2000 H Survey of Marine Biology 3
OCE 2001 H Introduction to Oceanography 3
PCB 3351, L H Tropical Rainforest & Lab 6
PCB 3411 H Animal Behavior 3
PCB 4043 H Principles of Ecology 3
PCB 4414 H Behavioral Ecology 4
PCB 4673 H Evolution 3
PHY 2048, 2048L H General Physics 1 & Lab 5
PHY 2049, 2049L H General Physics 2 & Lab 5
PHY 2020 H Conceptual Physics 3
PSC 2514C H Energy and the Environment 4
ZOO 2303, L H Vertebrate Zoology & Lab 4

# Available as a science elective for students on the Environmental Studies track
* Physical geography topics may count for science elective credit

Humanities/Social Science Electives: Courses on this list may be used to fill the social science and humanities electives section of both the Environmental Science and Environmental Studies tracks. Please be aware that some courses on this list have prerequisites.


AMH 3630 H American Environmental History 3
AML 3452 H Environmental Imagination in Amer Literature and Culture 3
ECO 2013 H Macroeconomic Principles 3
ECS 3013 H International Economic Development 3
ENC 3362 H Environmental Writing and Rhetoric 3
EUH 3618 H Sense of Place Across Time 3
EVR 1933 H Freshman Seminar in Environmental Studies 3*
EVR 4930 H Special Topics in Environmental Studies 3*
EVS 3403 H Global Environmental Issues 3
GEO 2370 H Conservation and Use of Natural Resources 3
GEO 3402 H Human Geography 3
GEO 4930 H Special Topics in Geography 3+
IDS 3932 H Ethics in Business, Government, & Society 3
PAD 3003 Public Management and Administration 3#
PAD 3104 Organizational Behavior and Administrative Communication 3#
PAD 4332 Managing for Excellence in Public and Non-profit Sectors 3#
PAD 4320 Program Evaluation in Public Management 3#
PAD 4604 Administrative Process and Ethics 3#
PAD 4806 State and Local Government Administration 3#
PHI 3644 H Obligations 3
POS 3691 H Law and American Society 3
POS 4603 H Constitutional Law 1 3
POS 4931 Law and Government Agencies 3#
PUP 4008 Policy Analysis 3#
PUP 4212 H Environmental Conflict 3
SOP 4716 H Environmental Psychology 3
SYD 4792 H Race, Gender, Class, Sexuality & Science 3
SYP 4803 H Gender and Technology 3
* Can count multiple times given different topics
+ Human geography topics may count for social science elective credit
# Non-Honors College course, taught on the Jupiter Campus

Minor Concentration The minor concentration in Environmental Studies consists of at least 18 credit hours from relevant courses in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, at least 9 of which must be upper division courses. To count toward the minor, a course must be guided by an explicit environmental theme. At least 6 credits must be in the social sciences and humanities, while at least 3 credits of the minor must be from a relevant natural science. Only 6 credits used to satisfy the student’s concentration may overlap with the minor concentration. At least 50 percent of upper level credits must be taken at the Wilkes Honors College. Students must maintain a 2.0 in courses taken for the minor concentration.
Courses that count for the Environmental Studies minor are listed below. Special Topics and Freshman Seminar courses, besides those in Environmental Studies, as well as relevant team-taught ICIS courses, must be approved by the Environmental Studies advisory Board to ensure that course content reflects an environmental theme.

Social Science/Humanities courses

Natural Science courses

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Updated 5/28/08