Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, BS

Our Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences is designed to provide students comprehensive and transdisciplinary skills needed to tackle the pressing environmental problems we face. Our core curriculum is grounded in a solid foundation in Earth systems, ecology, sustainable development, and required skills courses in data management and geographic information systems. Students then diverge into one of four concentrations. For students interested in the interface of social and ecological systems and who want to view environmental problem solving through a social science lens, we have a concentration in environment and society. For students interested in the nexus of food, water, and energy, our concentration in sustainable development and planning might be most appropriate. Is the conservation of organisms and their ecosystems the area you are most interested in? Our concentration in conservation, restoration, and management may be the best choice. Lastly, for students interested in understanding environmental problem solving from an Earth systems perspective, courses in our Earth, oceans, and environmental change concentration will satisfy your curiosity. In the final semester, our students build teams that bring the skills developed across the varied concentrations back together to learn from each other and to work with our partners to solve specific environmental challenges presented by our stakeholders. Combined, this degree seeks to prepare students to work across a wide array of disciplines to help solve the environmental challenges of the future.

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

University-Wide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the University-Wide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Environmental Science Major Requirements

Introduction to College
ENVR 1000Marine and Environmental Sciences at Northeastern1
Core Curriculum
ENVR 1400
and ENVR 1401		Foundations in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences
and Lab for ENVR 1400		5
ENVR 1500
and ENVR 1501		Introduction to Environmental, Social, and Biological Data
and Lab for ENVR 1500		5
EEMB 2302
and EEMB 2303		Ecology
and Lab for EEMB 2302		5
ENVR 1200
and ENVR 1201		Dynamic Earth
and Lab for ENVR 1200		4
or ENVR 2200 Earth's Changing Cycles
ENVR 2515Sustainable Development4
ENVR 3300
and ENVR 3301		Geographic Information Systems
and Lab for ENVR 3300		5
ENVR 4000Science Communication and Professional Development4
ENVR 4050Solving Emerging Environmental Challenges through Capstone4
or ENVR 4997 Senior Thesis
or ENVR 4971 Junior/Senior Honors Project 2
Mathematics Requirements
MATH 1241Calculus 14
or MATH 1251 Calculus and Differential Equations for Biology 1
or MATH 1341 Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering
ENVR 2500
and ENVR 2501		Biostatistics
and Lab for ENVR 2500		4
or ECON 2350 Statistics
or POLS 2400 Quantitative Techniques
or SOCL 2320 Statistical Analysis in Sociology

Environmental Science Concentrations

Complete one of the following concentrations:

Concentration in Environment and Society 

Required Environment and Society Courses
SOCL 1246Environment and Society4
POLS 2395Environmental Politics and Policy4
SOCL 3485Environment, Technology, and Society4
ENVR 5450Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling4
PPUA 5260Ecological Economics4
Environment and Society Electives
Complete five of the following:20-24
INTL 2464
Natural Resources and Sustainable Development
EEMB 2420
Fisheries Biology, Policy, and Conservation
ENVR 3150
Food Security and Sustainability
EEMB 3460
Conservation Biology
EEMB 3470
Coastal Ecology and Sustainability
ENVR 5220
Ecosystem-Based Management
ENVR 5210
Environmental Planning
ENVR 5350
Sustainable Energy and Climate Solutions
PPUA 5264
Energy Democracy and Climate Resilience: Technology, Policy, and Social Change
CIVE 5275
Life Cycle Assessment of Materials, Products, and Infrastructure
PPUA 5268
International Environmental Policy
INTL 5100
Climate and Development
ENVR 3201
and ENVR 3202
Coastal Sustainability: Ecology and Coupled Human-Natural Systems in Southeast Asia
and Coastal Sustainability: The Blue Economy of the Gulf of Maine
EEMB 4000
and ENVR 3151
Applied Conservation Biology
and Food Sustainability in the Mediterranean - Abroad

Concentration in Sustainable Planning and Development 

Required Sustainable Planning and Development Courses
ENVR 3200Water Resources4
ENVR 3150Food Security and Sustainability4
ENVR 5210Environmental Planning4
PPUA 5268International Environmental Policy4
ENVR 5350Sustainable Energy and Climate Solutions4
Sustainable Planning and Development Electives
Complete five of the following:20-28
EEMB 2420
Fisheries Biology, Policy, and Conservation
INTL 2464
Natural Resources and Sustainable Development
EEMB 3460
Conservation Biology
EEMB 3470
Coastal Ecology and Sustainability
EEMB 4001
Landscape and Restoration Ecology
ENVR 5563
Advanced Spatial Analysis
ENVR 5220
Ecosystem-Based Management
ENVR 5450
Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling
ENVR 4500
and ENVR 4501
Applied Hydrogeology
and Lab for ENVR 4500
PPUA 5260
Ecological Economics
ENVR 5190
Soil Science
CIVE 5275
Life Cycle Assessment of Materials, Products, and Infrastructure
ENVR 3201
and ENVR 3202
Coastal Sustainability: Ecology and Coupled Human-Natural Systems in Southeast Asia
and Coastal Sustainability: The Blue Economy of the Gulf of Maine
EEMB 4000
and ENVR 3151
Applied Conservation Biology
and Food Sustainability in the Mediterranean - Abroad

Concentration in Conservation, Restoration, and Management 

Required Conservation, Restoration, and Management Courses
EEMB 2400Introduction to Evolution4
EEMB 3460Conservation Biology4
EEMB 3455Ecosystems Ecology4
or CIVE 3430 Engineering Microbiology and Ecology
EEMB 4001Landscape and Restoration Ecology4
ENVR 5220Ecosystem-Based Management4
Conservation, Restoration, and Management Electives
Complete five of the following:20-25
EEMB 2420
Fisheries Biology, Policy, and Conservation
EEMB 3466
Disease Ecology
ENVR 3150
Food Security and Sustainability
ENVR 3200
Water Resources
EEMB 3465
Ecological and Conservation Genomics
EEMB 3475
Wildlife Ecology
ENVR 4500
and ENVR 4501
Applied Hydrogeology
and Lab for ENVR 4500
ENVR 5190
Soil Science
EEMB 4000
and ENVR 3151
Applied Conservation Biology
and Food Sustainability in the Mediterranean - Abroad
ENVR 5350
Sustainable Energy and Climate Solutions
ENVR 5450
Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling
ENVR 5563
Advanced Spatial Analysis

Concentration in Earth, Oceans, and Environmental Change

Earth Systems
Complete one of the following:4-5
ENVR 1200
and ENVR 1201
Dynamic Earth
and Lab for ENVR 1200
ENVR 2200
Earth's Changing Cycles
Earth Materials and Landforms
Complete one of the following:5
ENVR 2340
and ENVR 2341
Earth Landforms and Processes
and Lab for ENVR 2340
ENVR 2310
and ENVR 2311
Earth Materials
and Lab for ENVR 2310
Freshwater
Complete one of the following:4-5
ENVR 3200
Water Resources
ENVR 4500
and ENVR 4501
Applied Hydrogeology
and Lab for ENVR 4500
Oceans
Complete one of the following:4
ENVR 3600
Oceanography
ENVR 3125
Global Oceanic Change
Environmental Change
Complete one of the following:4
ENVR 3125
Global Oceanic Change
ENVR 5150
Climate and Atmospheric Change
Chemistry
Complete one of the following:5
CHEM 1161
and CHEM 1162
and CHEM 1163
General Chemistry for Science Majors
and Lab for CHEM 1161
and Recitation for CHEM 1161
CHEM 1211
and CHEM 1212
and CHEM 1213
General Chemistry 1
and Lab for CHEM 1211
and Recitation for CHEM 1211
CHEM 1151
and CHEM 1152
and CHEM 1153
General Chemistry for Engineers
and Lab for CHEM 1151
and Recitation for CHEM 1151
Physics
Complete one of the following:5
PHYS 1145
and PHYS 1146
Physics for Life Sciences 1
and Lab for PHYS 1145
PHYS 1151
and PHYS 1152
and PHYS 1153
Physics for Engineering 1
and Lab for PHYS 1151
and Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1151
PHYS 1161
and PHYS 1162
and PHYS 1163
Physics 1
and Lab for PHYS 1161
and Recitation for PHYS 1161
Earth, Oceans, and Environmental Change Electives
Complete three of the following:12-15
ENVR 2310
and ENVR 2311
Earth Materials
and Lab for ENVR 2310
ENVR 2340
and ENVR 2341
Earth Landforms and Processes
and Lab for ENVR 2340
ENVR 3125
Global Oceanic Change
ENVR 3200
Water Resources
ENVR 3418
Geophysics
ENVR 3410
Environmental Geochemistry
ENVR 4500
and ENVR 4501
Applied Hydrogeology
and Lab for ENVR 4500
ENVR 3600
Oceanography
ENVR 5190
Soil Science
ENVR 5240
and ENVR 5241
Sedimentary Basin Analysis
and Lab for ENVR 5240
ENVR 5242
and ENVR 5243
Ancient Marine Life
and Lab for ENVR 5242
ENVR 5270
and ENVR 5271
Glacial and Quaternary History
and Lab for ENVR 5270
CIVE 5280
Remote Sensing of the Environment
CIVE 3435
Environmental Pollution Fate and Transport
ENVR 5201
and ENVR 5202
Geologic Field Seminar
and Environmental Science Field Seminar Abroad

Science Major Credit Requirement

Complete 81 semester hours in the major.

Program Requirement

136 total semester hours required

Four Years, One Co-op in Spring/Summer 1

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHours Summer 2Hours
ENVR 10001MATH 12414 Elective4
ENVR 1400
and ENVR 1401		5ENVR 1200
and ENVR 1201		5 Elective4
ENVR 1500
and ENVR 1501		5EEMB 2302
and EEMB 2303		5  
ENGW 11114ESS concentration core or elective 14  
Elective4   
 19 18  8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
EESC 20001Co-op0Co-op0Elective4
ENVR 25154  Elective4
ENVR 2500
and ENVR 2501		5   
ENVR 3300
and ENVR 3301		5   
ESS concentration core or elective 24   
 19 0 0 8
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHours  
ENGW 33074ESS concentration core or elective 64  
ESS concentration core or elective 34ESS concentration core or elective 74  
ESS concentration core or elective 44ESS concentration core or elective 84  
ESS concentration core or elective 54Elective4  
 16 16  
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
ESS concentration core or elective 94Elective4  
ESS concentration core or elective 104Elective4  
Elective4ENVR 40004  
Elective 4ENVR 40504  
 16 16  
Total Hours: 136

Four Years, One Co-op in Summer 2/Fall

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHours Summer 2Hours
ENVR 10001MATH 12414 Elective4
ENVR 1400
and ENVR 1401		5ENVR 1200
and ENVR 1201		5 Elective4
ENVR 1500
and ENVR 1501		5EEMB 2302
and EEMB 2303		5  
ENGW 11114ESS concentration core or elective 14  
Elective4   
 19 18  8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
EESC 20001ESS concentration core or elective 34Elective4Co-op0
ENVR 25154ESS concentration core or elective 44Elective4 
ENVR 2500
and ENVR 2501		5ESS concentration core or elective 54  
ENVR 3300
and ENVR 3301		5Elective4  
ESS concentration core or elective 24   
 19 16 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-op0ESS concentration core or elective 64  
 ESS concentration core or elective 74  
 ESS concentration core or elective 84  
 ENGW 33074  
 0 16  
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
ESS concentration core or elective 94ENVR 40004  
ESS concentration core or elective 104ENVR 40504  
Elective4Elective 4  
Elective4Elective4  
 16 16  
Total Hours: 136