Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies
Overview
Develop Solutions to Environmental Issues
With a growing number of companies, agencies, and organizations focusing on environmental issues, career opportunities for environmental studies graduates are at an all time high. To prepare you for a career in this burgeoning field, Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies offers the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies degree program.
Through its interdisciplinary approach, this comprehensive BS program equips you to investigate and develop technical, economic, institutional, and behavioral solutions to environmental problems.
The carefully composed undergraduate curriculum includes courses in biology, statistics, economics, environmental science, geology, microeconomics, chemical principles, geographic information systems, and research methods. Electives in urban ecology, health issues, physical anthropology, disasters, and wetlands and coastal ecology enable you to focus your studies in your area of interest.
Core Curriculum
College of Professional Studies degrees* integrate a core set of course requirements that ensure all of our graduates possess a well-rounded educational background and understanding of the world. The core courses allow students to gain insights into disciplines other than their field of study, as well as develop expertise in written and oral communication and critical thinking.
Written Communication (9 q.h.)
Complete the following three courses:
| ENG 1004 | College English 1 | 3 q.h. |
| ENG 1005 | College English 2 | 3 q.h. |
| ENG 3006 | College English Workshop | 3 q.h. |
Diversity (3 q.h.)
Complete one of the following courses:
| CMN 2002 | Intercultural Communication | 3 q.h. |
| MGT 1503 | Managing in a Diverse and Changing World* | 3 q.h. |
| POL 2230 | Civil Liberties | 3 q.h. |
| SOC 1110 | Diversity | 3 q.h. |
| SOC 1635 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 q.h. |
| SOC 2440 | Gender and Work Roles in Society | 3 q.h. |
Information Literacy (3 q.h.)
| ITC | Information Technology Elective | 3 q.h. |
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Suggested courses: |
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| ITC 1001 | Intro to PC Productivity Tools | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1002 | Technology and Information Fluency | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1120 | Website Design | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1235 | Internet Essentials | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1255 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 q.h. |
Mathematics (6 q.h.)
Complete a minimum of six quarter hours from the following courses:
| MTH 1001 | College Algebra 1 | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 2002 | College Algebra 2 | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 2512 | Finite Mathematics | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 2101 | Precalculus | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 3005 | Calculus 1 | 4 q.h. |
| MTH 3010 | Calculus 2 | 4 q.h. |
| MTH 3015 | Calculus 3 | 4 q.h. |
| ECN 2001 | Statistics 1 | 3 q.h. |
| ECN 2002 | Statistics 2 | 3 q.h. |
Ethical & Political Perspectives (3 q.h.)
Complete one of the following courses:
| LDR 3230 | Ethical Decision Making | 3 q.h. |
| PHL 1001 | Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics | 3 q.h. |
| PHL 2160 | Bioethics | 3 q.h. |
| PHL 2180 | Business Ethics | 3 q.h. |
Science Perspectives (3 q.h.)
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Choose one course with any one of the following prefixes: BIO, BTC, CHM, ESC, PHY |
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Suggested courses: |
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| BIO 1010 | Biology 1 | 3 q.h. |
| BIO 1825 | Biology Today: An issues Approach | 3 q.h. |
| CHM 1011 | Chemical Principles 1 | 3 q.h. |
| CHM 2105 | Chemistry and the Environment | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1525 | Energy for Today and Tomorrow | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1121 | Introduction to Meteorology and Weather Forecasting | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1123 | Observational Astronomy | 3 q.h. |
| PHY 2301 | Physics 1 | 3 q.h. |
Historical Perspectives (3 q.h.)
| HST | History Elective | 3 q.h. |
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Suggested courses: |
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| HST 1001 | Civilization of the Ancient & Medieval Worlds | 3 q.h. |
| HST 1002 | Civilization of the Early Modern World | 3 q.h. |
| HST 1003 | Civilization of the Modern World | 3 q.h. |
| HST 3213 | Contemporary America | 3 q.h. |
| HST 2205 | Coming to America: The American Immigrant Experience |
3 q.h. |
Total Core Curriculum: 30 q.h.
*Lowell Institute School degree requirements vary.
See curriculum pages for more information.
Curriculum
Core Curriculum (30 q.h.)
We require all bachelor's degree students to complete required core curriculum, allowing you to gain insight into disciplines other than your field of study.
Major Courses (70/66 q.h.)
Complete all of the following courses:
| BIO 1010 | Biology 1 (Principles) | 3 q.h. |
| BIO 1825 | Biology Today: An Issues Approach | 3 q.h. |
| CHM 1011 | Chemical Principles | 3 q.h. |
| ECN 1002 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 q.h. |
| ESC 1525 | Energy for Today and Tomorrow | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1535 | Science, Technology, and Society | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1110 | Environmental Science | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1105 | Physical and Historical Geology | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1845 | Environmental Planning | 3 q.h. |
| GIS 5101 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 q.h. |
| GIS 5102 | Fundamentals of GIS Analysis | 3 q.h. |
Complete one of the following courses:
| ESC 2120 | Wetlands and Coastal Ecology | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 2121 | Urban Ecology | 3 q.h. |
Complete all of the following courses:
| ECN 2001 | Statistics 1 | 3 q.h. |
| ECN 2002 | Statistics 2 | 3 q.h. |
| SOC 3631 | Research Methods: Generating and Investigating Research Problems | 3 q.h. |
Complete three of the following courses:
| ESC 2015 | Disasters, Nature's Violence & the Human Threat | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 2435 | Air Quality & Human Respiratory Problems | 3 q.h. |
| HSC 2101 | Health Issues of Environmental Problems | 3 q.h. |
| ANT 1010 | Physical Anthropology | 3 q.h. |
Science Specialization
Complete all of the following courses:
| CHM 1012 | Laboratory for Chemical Principles 1 | 1 q.h. |
| BIO 1011 | Laboratory for Biology Principles 1 | 1 q.h. |
Complete three of the following courses:
| ESC 2010 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 2105 | Geology of the Boston Area | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 3221 | Environmental Geophysics | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 3015 | Introduction to Hydrology and Related Health Issues | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 3009 | Geochemistry of Natural Waters | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 3241 | Environmental Practices and Applications | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 3435 | Water Resources Management | 3 q.h. |
| GIS 5201 | Advanced Spatial Analysis | 3 q.h. |
Policy Specialization
Complete five of the following courses:
| BIO 1210 | Biology 2 (Diversity) | 3 q.h. |
| CHM 1015 | Chemical Principles 2 | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 2010 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 3435 | Water Resources Management | 3 q.h. |
| HSC 2100 | Public Health | 3 q.h. |
| HSC 2200 | Epidemiology | 3 q.h. |
| GIS 5201 | Advanced Spatial Analysis | 3 q.h. |
Both Specializations
Complete twelve credits of Social Science electives from the following prefixes:
Open Electives (48/52 q.h.)
Total Quarter Hours: 160
Admissions Requirements
Below are the official Admissions Requirements for this program.
- Online application
- Academic transcripts: submit one of the following
- Official high school degree
- Official GED
- Official associate degree showing degree conferral and date
- Transfer credit documentation: should be submitted with your application material
- Academic transcripts from each institution you previously attended:
- Official U.S. transcripts: if you applied previously earned credit toward your earned associate degree, you must request transcripts from each institution you attended.
- Official foreign transcripts: must include English translation. We encourage you to submit a course-by-course evaluation of your diploma(s) and transcript(s)
- College-level examinations: official examination score(s)
- Military evaluation
- Academic transcripts from each institution you previously attended:
- Proof of English language proficiency: ONLY for students for whom English is not their primary language: English language proficiency guidelines
For general admissions information and recommended admissions deadlines, Undergraduate Admissions.
All requirements must be received prior to review.
Tuition
Estimated total tuition for this program is $52,000.00.
Tuition for individual courses is based on the number of quarter hours. Most courses are 3-6 quarter hours. See Undergraduate Tuition Rates for details.
Use our Tuition Calculator below to see if transfer credit or tuition reimbursement from your employer could reduce your total tuition.
Tuition Calculator
Please note: The estimated total tuition is based on tuition rates for Academic Year 2011-12 and does not include any fees or other expenses. Some courses and labs have tuition rates that may increase or decrease total tuition. Tuition and fees are subject to revision by the president and Board of Trustees at any time.
Student Profile
Who Will Your Classmates Be?
This program is well suited for individuals who wish to pursue a career in the environmental field.
Careers to consider include:
- Environmental scientist
- Environmental specialist
- Forestry or conservation scientist
- Biological scientist
Graduates may also wish to consider jobs in agriculture, fishing industries, as well as in construction trades.
Career Outlook
Put Your Degree to Work
The job outlook for environmental careers is very favorable and expected to grow at a rate that is much faster than the average for all occupations. This especially holds true for those seeking positions with the State or local government.
Talk to an Enrollment Coach
We can walk you through your program options and the application process.
- Call Toll Free:
- 877.668.7727
- Email:
- Contact Us
Upcoming Academic Term Dates
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Spring Term
April 9, 2012 (6- & 12-week classes)
May 21, 2012 (6-week classes) -
Summer Term
July 2, 2012 (8-, 6-, and 4- week classes)
July 30, 2012 (4-week classes)