ENVS Single Major

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Environmental Studies Major

In addition to comprehensive classroom-based learning, a number of our students engage in field studies, internships, independent research, study abroad, and volunteer work.  Our students are highly encouraged to seek out these opportunities to “get out into the field” during their time at UCSC.  These “academic extras” are an excellent supplement to rigorous traditional courses, and are a great way to beef up your resume and prepare for the career world or future schooling.

Special note about advising:  Questions directly pertaining to the ENVS major should be directed to the environmental studies academic advisor.  For general UCSC academic guidance and academic difficulty issues, please visit your college academic advisors. 

Students choosing to single major are strongly encouraged to develop disciplinary depth by pursuing a minor or, at the minimum, a concentration of courses from another department.

Degree awarded for the major is the Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies.

Click here to download the ENVS Study Plan.

Lower-Division Requirements

6 lower-division courses for the single major:

1. ENVS 23: The Physical and Chemical Environment (offered Spring quarter)
2. ENVS 24: General Ecology (offered Summer and Fall quarters)
3. ENVS 25: Environmental Policy and Economics (offered Summer and Winter)
4. Pre-calculus or Pre-statistics (offered quarterly) Math 3 or AMS 2 or AMS 3 (AP Credit or a score of 31 or higher on the Math Placement Exam satisfies this requirement)
5. AMS 7/L: Biostatistics (offered Summer, Fall, and Winter quarters)
6. Cultural Anthropology/Sociology/Ethics: Anth 2; Socy1 or 15, Phil 21,22,24,28 or 80G

Transfer Students can substitute the following courses for 5 of the six lower-division required courses. For more information use www.assist.org or contact the ENVS Office at 4th floor ISB.

1. Introduction to Chemistry - (For ENVS 23)
2. General Ecology - (For ENVS 24)
3. Intro to Political Science and Introductory Economics - (Must have both courses, for ENVS 25)
4. Pre-calculus or Pre-statistics
5. Statistics - NO STATS WIll TRANSFER (Must be taken at UCSC; AMS 7/L)
6. Cultural Anthropology or Intro to Sociology  or Ethics – (see assist.org for the most up-to-date transferable course listings)

Upper-division Requirements

9 upper-division courses (the core course, seven electives, and the senior comprehensive requirement):

• ENVS 100/L, Ecology and Society (CORE COURSE: FALL TERM ONLY)
• 7 environmental studies upper-division elective courses (one based in the social sciences, and one based in the natural sciences)
  • Natural Science courses: ENVS 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 120, 122, 123, 129, 130A, 131, 133, 138, 143,160, 161, 162, 163, 166, 167, 168.  Envs 107 and 109 apply as multiple electives/senior exit with prior approval.
  • Social Science courses: ENVS 110, 130B, 140, 141, 142, 144, 148, 149, 150, 151, 158, 172, 173
• One course may be an internship (ENVS 183) or independent study (ENVS 193).
• Senior comprehensive requirement

In developing the upper-division curriculum, we highly encourage students to investigate the wide range of courses our department offers under the guidance of a faculty member early in their UCSC academic career.  Faculty members make themselves very available to our students in an effort to formulate stellar study plans that are most appropriate for achieving career, personal and academic goals.

ENVS 100/L Core Course (FALL ONLY)

After you have completed the lower-division prerequisites and filed your declaration of major form, you begin the upper-division courses with the core class, Environmental Studies 100/L, Ecology and Society, and its associated writing laboratory. The goals of this course are: 1. To model the interdisciplinary use of natural science (especially ecology) and policy analysis to understand complex environmental problems; 2. To help students articulate, challenge, and justify their assumptions or positions about environmental problems, their causes, and appropriate responses; and 3. To develop and apply different kinds of analytical and learning tools to environmental issues.  Course 100/L is offered in the fall quarter only.

7 ELECTIVE COURSES

Students are required to develop a broad, interdisciplinary foundation of academic skills provided by the lower-division prerequisites and the core course. Beyond this, they should pursue a focus within the major. Although the program provides students considerable flexibility in defining areas of emphasis, the faculty are best prepared to support students with interests in several disciplines.  With the help of the faculty, students have the opportunity, and the flexibility, to pursue any and all of their academic interests.  Students do not declare a focus within the major, but it is important to outline a solid study plan early in one’s academic career that will help to make the most of the collegiate experience.