Integrated Environmental Science, B.S.

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The Bachelor of Science in Integrated Environmental Science (IES) is designed for students who are interested in careers that focus on environmental issues, particularly large-scale issues that require an interdisciplinary approach to their study and solution. The program is designed to provide the scientific core necessary for understanding environmental systems, plus coursework in supporting disciplines and integrative methods in preparation for work with multifaceted environmental topics. Coursework will include methodological courses, integrative courses, significant laboratory and field work, and research in association with IES faculty (much of which is service-based). Upon completion of the B.S. degree, the student will have met the minimum course requirements for admission to graduate and professional schools in environmental disciplines, or for entry-level environmentally-related positions in government, industry, or non-profits.

Requirements for the Major

Admission to the Program

Students who wish to enter the IES program are considered to be IES Candidates until they have:

Completed their Freshman year of General Education courses at BCU (or transferred in a year of General Education coursework) with a grade point average of 2.5 on a four-point scale or greater, and
Passed the Gateway Course for the IES program, ES241, Principles of Environmental Science, with a grade of “C” or better in both the lecture (ES241) and the laboratory (ESL241) sections

Once completed, the student can declare a Major in IES, take other IES course offerings, and access any available research or field opportunities (including potential associated funding).

Requirements:

As IES is a restricted major, a student must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average to remain a major. For course credit toward graduation, IES majors and minors must earn a grade of “C” or better in all required courses. An IES student who earns less than a “C” in a listed course and/or receives a GPA below 2.0 will be given a grace period of one retake or one semester to correct the deficiency, or the student will be withdrawn from the degree program. A student may take advantage of a grace period only once during their academic program in IES.

Integrated Environmental Science majors are required to complete all ES Departmental Seminars, including the successful completion, presentation, and defense of a research project in their senior year in association with the department’s Senior Seminar. The defense will include information and questions covering both the research project and program coursework from their studies at BCU.

Refer to the vertical curriculum for all course requirements.

Integrated Environmental Science = 129 Credit Hours

Freshman Year

First Semester

BI 141 - Principles of Biology I (For Science Majors) 3 Credit Hours ^GE
BIL 141 - Principles of Biology I Lab 1 Credit Hour ^GE
CH 141 - General Chemistry I 3 Credit Hours ^GE
CHL 141 - General Chemistry I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour ^GE
EN 131 - College English I 3 Credit Hours ^GE ^*
FC 110 - Freshman Seminar I 1 Credit Hour ^GE
MAT 135 - Pre-Calculus 3 Credit Hours ^GE ^*
PE 113 - Health and Wellness 1 Credit Hour ^GE ^**
SEM 111 - Fundamentals of Science I 1 Credit Hour

Total: 17

Second Semester

BI 142 - Principles of Biology II (For Science Majors) 4 Credit Hours
CH 142 - General Chemistry II 3 Credit Hours
CHL 142 - General Chemistry II Laboratory 1 Credit Hour
EN 132 - College English II 3 Credit Hours ^GE
FC 111 - Freshman Seminar II 1 Credit Hour ^GE
HI 130 - African American History 3 Credit Hours ^GE
MAT 136 - Analytical Trigonometry 3 Credit Hours ^GE

Total: 18

Sophomore Year

First Semester

BI 240 - Principles of Biology III 4 Credit Hours
CS 215 - Fundamentals of Scientific Computing 3 Credit Hours
FC 280 - Sophomore Seminar: Leadership 1 Credit Hour ^GE
MAT 241 - Calculus I with Analytic Geometry 4 Credit Hours
RELI 110 - Understanding Faith 3 Credit Hours ^GE
SC 230 - Introduction to Effective Oral Communication 2 Credit Hours ^GE

Total: 17

Second Semester

ES 215 - Environmetrics 3 Credit Hours
ES 233 - Environmental Ethics 3 Credit Hours ^GE
ES 241 - Principles of Environmental Science 3 Credit Hours
ESL 241 - Principles of Environmental Sciences Lab 1 Credit Hour
ES 246 - Environmental Microbiology 3 Credit Hours
ESL 246 - Environmental Microbiology Lab 1 Credit Hour
HU 225 - Interdisciplinary Humanities 3 Credit Hours ^GE
OR
SS 245 - Interdisciplinary Social Science 3 Credit Hours ^GE
SEM 222 - Fundamentals of Science II 1 Credit Hour

Total: 18

Junior Year

First Semester

BI 337 - General Ecology 4 Credit Hours
ES 240 - Environmental Chemistry 3 Credit Hours
ESL 240 - Environmental Chemistry Lab 1 Credit Hour
ES 311 - IES Junior Seminar 1 Credit Hour
ES 338 - Research Methods 3 Credit Hours
PH 241 - General Physics I 4 Credit Hours
PHL 241 - General Physics I Laboratory 0 Credit Hours
OR
PH 251 - College Physics I 3 Credit Hours
PHL 251 - College Physics I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour

Total: 16

Second Semester

ENT 300 - Junior Seminar: Entrepreneurship 1 Credit Hour ^GE
ES 332 - Environmental Human Ecology 3 Credit Hours
ES 345 - Freshwater Aquatic Systems 3 Credit Hours
ESL 345 - Freshwater Aquatic Systems Lab 1 Credit Hour
OR
ES 346 - Coastal Systems 3 Credit Hours
ESL 346 - Coastal Systems Lab 1 Credit Hour
ES 334 - Microclimatology 3 Credit Hours
ESL 334 - Microclimatology Lab 1 Credit Hour
OR
ES 339 - Hydrology 3 Credit Hours
ESL 339 - Hydrology Lab 1 Credit Hour
3 Credit Hour Free Elective (100/200 Level)

Total: 15

Senior Year

First Semester

ES 244 - Environmental and Ecological Economics 3 Credit Hours
ES 330 - Environmental Regulations 3 Credit Hours
ES 335 - GIS and Remote Sensing 3 Credit Hours
ESL 335 - GIS & Remote Sensing Lab 1 Credit Hour
ES 498 - IES Senior Seminar I 2 Credit Hours
ML_ 131 - Modern Language I 3 Credit Hours ^GE

Total: 15

Second Semester

ES 430 - Environmental Policy and Risk Management 3 Credit Hours
ES 450 - Ecosystems 3 Credit Hours
ES 499 - IES Senior Seminar II 1 Credit Hour
CSEM 300-400 Level Elective 3 Credit Hours
ML_ 132 - Modern Language II 3 Credit Hours ^GE

Total: 13

Notes:

All students MUST see a Student Success Coach to review the details of the vertical curriculum and prerequisites requirements.

GE = General Education Courses

*Based on your placement testing scores, these courses may require prerequisites which may extend the number of semesters needed to complete degree requirements. These prerequisites do not count towards the degree for graduation.

**Marching Band Members ONLY substitute PE Activity with MUB 110 - Marching Band . ROTC Member ONLY substitute PE Activity with MY 104 - Basic Military Science and MYL 104 - Basic Military Science Laboratory .