Environmental Science Curriculum

Curriculum Requirements

All bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 120 credit hours, inclusive of UD general education and major requirements as well as elective courses.

The Environmental Science major is an interdisciplinary area of study concerned with biological, hydrological, and geochemical processes and interactions that shape the natural environment. The increasing impact of human beings upon the natural world has resulted in a broad range of challenges involving climate change, natural resources, and environmental quality. Interdisciplinary in nature, the Environmental Science academic program is designed to integrate chemistry, geology, and biology.

The Environmental Science major consists of a minimum of 68 credit hours, including core requirements and approved electives, as follows:

Required Courses (51 credits):

  • BIO 138: Organisms and the Environment (4)
  • CHM 111: General Chemistry I (4)
  • CHM 112: General Chemistry II (4)
  • EVS 105: Introduction to Environmental Science (4)
  • EVS 195: DNAS Introductory Seminar (1)
  • EVS 214: Food and the Environment (3)
  • EVS 246: Ecology (4)
  • EVS 247: Environmental Chemistry (4)
  • EVS 248: Environmental Geology (4)
  • EVS 260: Environmental Policy (3)
  • EVS 295: DNAS Professional Preparation Seminar (1)
  • EVS 321: Climate Change (3)
  • EVS 333: Geographical Information Systems Applications (4)
  • EVS 430: Advanced Quantitative Methods (4)
  • EVS 495: Senior Seminar (1)
  • MATH 230: Introduction to Statistics (3)

Elective Courses from the Following (17 credits):

  • EVS 256: Environmental Field Studies (3-4)
  • EVS 306: AgroEcology (3)
  • EVS 335: Remote Sensing of Environment (4)
  • EVS 357: Special Topics in Environmental Science (1-4)
  • EVS 368: International Field Studies (3)
  • EVS 380: Environmental Toxicology (4)
  • EVS 401: Water Chemistry (4)
  • EVS 475: Science Research Techniques (1)
  • EVS 476: Fisheries and Wildlife Management (4)
  • EVS 485: Internship in Environmental Science (1-3)
  • EVS 491: Independent Research (3)
  • BIO 218: Invertebrate Zoology (4)
  • BIO 220: Vertebrate Field Zoology (4)
  • BIO 236: Genetics (4)
  • BIO 250: Conservation Biology (3)
  • Any BIO courrse listed at 300-level or above


Environmental Science Minor consists of 20 credit hours as follows:

Required Course (4 credits):

  • EVS 105: Introduction to Environmental Science (4)

Two Courses from the Following (8 credits):

  • EVS 246: Ecology (4)
  • EVS 247: Environmental Chemistry (4)
  • EVS 248: Environmental Geology (4)

Plus one 4-credit EVS 300+ level and four (4) additional credits from EVS courses or electives

Four-Year Plan of Study: Environmental Science