Major-Field Requirements

All majors must take 56-58 credits of core courses and 16 elective credits in one of the special environmental foci described below.

Environmental Science with Secondary Teacher License

The CSUteach Program offers an integrated science license. This licensure program requires coursework from the College of Science and College of Education and Human Services. Contact the CSUteach Program for education courses required for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate secondary Teacher Licensure Programs (216-687-4625, JH 170).

See also Education, Adolescent and Young Adult with Licensure, Grades 7-12 .

Environmental Science Honors Program

Environmental Science Honors students will undertake three or four credits of research (EVS 491 ) in a supervising faculty member’s laboratory on a project approved by the faculty member and by the department’s Honors Program Committee. A written report on the research project must be defended before a three-person faculty review committee. Honors Seminar (EVS 492 ) must be taken twice, and an oral report on the project must be given as a research seminar when the student takes EVS 492 for the second time. To remain in the program the student must sustain the grade-point averages required for admission to the program, as well as the approval of the faculty member supervising the student’s honors research.

Environmental Science for University Scholars

University scholars, who are Biology majors, are required to perform 8 credits of specialized coursework within the upper division electives required for their degree. Scholars who qualify for the departmental honors program and obtain a faculty mentor may satisfy this requirement by completing the EVS Honors Program. Alternatively, they fulfill this requirement by taking 8 credits of any combination of EVS courses taken as a “contract” course. All of these require the prior agreement of the course’s instructor. A course becomes a contract course if, before the course begins, the student makes an agreement with the course instructor to prepare extra topical assignments related to the course. Students may link this assignment in the contract course with enrollment in EVS or BIO 391, which is a WAC course in the major field of study thereby satisfying this general education requirement.

Requirements for University Scholars majoring in Environmental Science

1. Fulfill the requirements for the Environmental Science honors program OR
2. 8 credits of the following courses:

• EVS 496 Independent Study in Environmental Science
• EVS 497 Independent Research in Environmental Science
• Upper level BIO or EVS courses (300 level or 400 level) as a “contract course”, with additional exercises, library research and writing under the supervision of the course instructor.