Environmental Science and Sustainability Major (B.S.)

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Major code BS2109

College of Arts and Sciences
Environmental and Plant Biology
Porter Hall 315
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1126
Fax: 740.593.1130
plantbio@ohio.edu

Dr. Sarah Wyatt; Faculty Contact
wyatts@ohio.edu

Program Overview

Environmental Science and Sustainability is a multi-disciplinary program that provides scientific knowledge of the natural world, the living organisms that inhabit it, and social sciences at the core of sustainability. Students learn the scientific principles that underlie environmental issues, the effects of human actions, and the public policies and regulations that influence those actions.

The program is unique in its multi-disciplinary approach, drawing major requirements and electives from courses and expertise in 10 departments and programs across the College of Arts & Sciences, the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, and the College of Business. Students complete a core curriculum from a range of disciplines to provide a broad foundation in environmental science and sustainability issues and choose major electives from a variety of departments to tailor the program to their interests. Courses examine:

Biological and ecological systems
Global warming and effects of climate change
Land use and water management
Sustainability from different perspectives, from local issues in Appalachia to problems at the global level

***Note: This program was added in August 2021 upon ODHE Approval after the original publish date of the 2021-22 catalog.***

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Change of Program Policy

No selective or limited admission requirements.

External Transfer Admission

No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

Students who pursue this degree will be prepared for careers in environmental resource management, governmental and non-governmental agencies, companies committed to being socially responsible, and a wide range of roles in science as well as public policy. Besides providing core science skills, the multi-disciplinary focus of the program offers flexibility in exploring sustainable initiatives in business and entrepreneurship. And it prepares students for graduate studies, particularly in areas related to environmental law or the Master of Science in Environmental Studies at Ohio University.

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Requirements

Universitywide Graduation Requirements

To complete this program, students must meet all Universitywide graduation requirements .

Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirement

View the College and Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirements .

Required Courses

Complete the following courses for a total of 43 credits:

CAS 1415 - Introduction to Sustainability Credit Hours: 3
CHEM 1210 - Principles of Chemistry I Credit Hours: 4
or
CHEM 1510 - Fundamentals of Chemistry I Credit Hours: 4
CHEM 1220 - Principles of Chemistry II Credit Hours: 4
or
CHEM 1520 - Fundamentals of Chemistry II Credit Hours: 4
ECON 1030 - Principles of Microeconomics Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 1100 - Physical Geography Credit Hours: 4
GEOG 2400 - Environmental Geography Credit Hours: 3
GEOL 2150 - Environmental Geology Credit Hours: 3
and
GEOL 2020 - Introductory Geology Lab Credit Hours: 1
MATH 1350 - Survey of Calculus Credit Hours: 4
PBIO 1000 - Plants and the Global Environment Credit Hours: 3
PBIO 1140 - Foundations of Plant Biology Credit Hours: 4
or
BIOS 1700 - Biological Sciences I: Molecules and Cells Credit Hours: 3
and
BIOS 1705 - Biological Sciences I Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
PBIO 2090 - Plant Ecology Credit Hours: 3
SOC 1000 - Introduction to Sociology Credit Hours: 3