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Academic Catalog 2021-2022

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  • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Chemistry, BS

Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Chemistry, BS

2021-2022 Edition

  • Undergraduate
    • Admission
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    • University Academics
    • College of Arts, Media and Design
    • D'Amore-​McKim School of Business
    • Khoury College of Computer Sciences
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    • Bouvé College of Health Sciences
    • College of Science
      • Behavioral Neuroscience
      • Biochemistry
      • Biology
      • Chemistry and Chemical Biology
      • Linguistics
      • Marine and Environmental Sciences
        • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, BS
        • Environmental Studies, BA
        • Marine Biology, BS
        • Computer Science and Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, BS
        • Data Science and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, BS
        • Data Science and Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Chemistry, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Economics, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Landscape Architecture, BS
        • Environmental Studies and History, BA
        • Environmental Studies and International Affairs, BA
        • Environmental Studies and Philosophy, BA
        • Environmental Studies and Political Science, BA
        • Sociology and Environmental Studies, BA
        • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Minor
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Minor
        • Environmental Studies, Minor
        • Geosciences, Minor
        • Marine Sciences, Minor
      • Mathematics
      • Physics
      • Psychology
      • Interdisciplinary
      • Accelerated Bachelor/​Graduate Degree Programs
    • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
    • Faculty
    • Appendix
  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

The Departments of Marine and Environmental Sciences and Chemistry provide education in basic environmental and sustainability sciences (ESS) and chemistry-related disciplines. The overall objective of this combined major is to provide the fundamental scientific background and practical training for students as they prepare for environmental and chemically related careers or advanced study in fields including the traditional specialties such as toxicology, pollution, bioremediation, environmental protection, education, law, and other endeavors that may draw upon an understanding of the chemical basis of the environment and the changes that will likely result from global environmental change.

Key general objectives are the development of qualitative and quantitative problem-solving skills and effective communication skills. This combined major includes the development of conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities in the fundamental dynamics between the environment and its chemistry, be it analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. Students will have the opportunity to perform quantitative measurements; learn proper laboratory practices, including safety; develop proficiency with modern instruments and computers for data acquisition and analysis; and learn the relevance of chemistry within the context of the abiotic and biotic environments.

Students also have the opportunity to participate in the cooperative education program and thereby gain invaluable professional experience to augment their classroom and laboratory work. Not only does that experience add immensely to the overall education received, it also has the potential to provide contacts and references for later employment or graduate school admissions. Students in this major may also undertake research projects for at least one semester under the supervision of a faculty member. Sufficient electives are available in the program either to take more advanced courses or research within the department or to add courses in an area of special interest.  

There are a number of interdisciplinary opportunities involving ESS. Due to curricular overlap, combinations of any ESS major, including combined majors, cannot occur with majors or minors in ecology and evolutionary biology or environmental studies or with the minor in geoscience. ESS and chemistry combined majors are also restricted from a minor in environmental chemistry.

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 and Sustainability Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Core Courses
ENVR 1400
and ENVR 1401
Foundations in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences
and Lab for ENVR 1400
5
ENVR 2200Earth's Changing Cycles4
or ENVR 1200 Dynamic Earth
EEMB 2302
and EEMB 2303
Ecology
and Lab for EEMB 2302
5
ENVR 2515Sustainable Development4
Complete one skills course:4-5
ENVR 1500
and ENVR 1501
Introduction to Environmental, Social, and Biological Data
and Lab for ENVR 1500
ENVR 3300
and ENVR 3301
Geographic Information Systems
and Lab for ENVR 3300
EEMB 3555
Networks and Natural Systems
Complete four courses from the list below. Three of four must be above the 3000 level:16
EEMB 2400
Introduction to Evolution
EEMB 3460
Conservation Biology
EEMB 4001
Landscape and Restoration Ecology
ENVR 2310
and ENVR 2311
Earth Materials
and Lab for ENVR 2310
ENVR 2340
Earth Landforms and Processes
ENVR 3125
Global Oceanic Change
ENVR 3150
Food Security and Sustainability
ENVR 3200
Water Resources
ENVR 3410
Environmental Geochemistry
ENVR 3600
Oceanography
ENVR 4500
and ENVR 4501
Applied Hydrogeology
and Lab for ENVR 4500
ENVR 4505
Wetlands
ENVR 5150
Climate and Atmospheric Change
ENVR 5190
Soil Science
ENVR 5210
Environmental Planning
ENVR 5220
Ecosystem-Based Management
ENVR 5350
Sustainable Energy and Climate Solutions
ENVR 5450
Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling
POLS 2395
Environmental Politics and Policy
PPUA 5260
Ecological Economics
SOCL 2485
Environment, Technology, and Society

Chemistry Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Chemistry
Complete the following lecture and lab:
CHEM 1161General Chemistry for Science Majors4
or CHEM 1151 General Chemistry for Engineers
CHEM 1162Lab for CHEM 11611
Intermediate-Level Chemistry
CHEM 2161
and CHEM 2162
Concepts in Chemistry
and Lab for CHEM 2161
5
CHEM 2311
and CHEM 2312
Organic Chemistry 1
and Lab for CHEM 2311
5
CHEM 2313
and CHEM 2314
Organic Chemistry 2
and Lab for CHEM 2313
5
CHEM 2321
and CHEM 2322
Analytical Chemistry
and Lab for CHEM 2321
5
Advanced-Level Chemistry
Complete two of the following:10
CHEM 3331
and CHEM 3332
Bioanalytical Chemistry
and Lab for CHEM 3331
CHEM 3401
and CHEM 3402
Chemical Thermodynamics and Kinetics
and Lab for CHEM 3401
CHEM 3403
and CHEM 3404
Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy
and Lab for CHEM 3403
Math Requirement
Complete two of the following:8-9
MATH 1241
Calculus 1
or MATH 1251
Calculus and Differential Equations for Biology 1
or MATH 1341
Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering
MATH 1242
Calculus 2
or MATH 1252
Calculus and Differential Equations for Biology 2
or MATH 1342
Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering
ENVR 2500
and ENVR 2501
Biostatistics
and Lab for ENVR 2500
or ECON 2350
Statistics
or POLS 2400
Quantitative Techniques
or SOCL 2321
Research Methods in Sociology

Integrative Requirement

Course List
Code Title Hours
Integrative Requirement
Complete two of the following:8
CHEM 3410
Environmental Geochemistry
CHEM 4750
Senior Research
ENVR 4050
Solving Emerging Environmental Challenges through Capstone
ENVR 4504
Environmental Pollution
ENVR 5190
Soil Science

Major Credit Requirement

89 total semester hours required in the major

Program Credit Requirement

137 total semester hours required in the major

Four Years, Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ENVR 1200
and ENVR 1201
5ENVR 25154General elective4General elective4
CHEM 1161
and CHEM 1162
5CHEM 2161
and CHEM 2162
and CHEM 2163
5General elective4General elective4
General elective #14General elective #24  
ENVR 1400
and ENVR 1401
5EEMB 2302
and EEMB 2303
5  
 19 18 8 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
CHEM 2311
and CHEM 2312
5CHEM 2313
and CHEM 2314
5General elective #54Co-op
General elective #34ENVR elective; 2 of 44Math requirement, 2 of 24 
Math requirement; 1 of 24ENVR skills requirement4  
ENVR elective; 1 of 44General elective #44  
 17 17 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-opENVR elective; 3 of 44General elective #74Co-op
 Advanced CHEM elective 1 of 25General elective #84 
 Advanced Chem elective 2 of 25  
 General elective #64  
 0 18 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-opENVR elective; 4 of 44  
 Integrative course 1 of 24  
 Integrative course 2 of 24  
 General elective #94  
 0 16  
Total Hours: 137
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  • 2021-22 Undergraduate PDF

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