Sep 26, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Environmental Science, B.S.

Geosciences
Racha El Kadiri, program coordinator
615-494-7641
Racha.ElKadiri@mtsu.edu

The Environmental Science major is an interdisciplinary degree that integrates knowledge from various scientific fields. It features a strong foundation in the geosciences with support courses from chemistry, physics, biology, and math. Coursework includes such topics as environmental issues and impacts, energy resources and recovery, climate and climate change, and geographic information systems.

Students will find career opportunities within both the private and public sector. Typical employment opportunities exist in various local, regional, and national government agencies, and as environmental consultants in air and water quality oversight, pollution control and mitigation, environmental analysis and resource assessment, and hazardous and sanitary waste management.

The degree program includes a capstone experience with opportunities for academic research, study abroad, field courses to a variety of locations, or an internship in local government or industry. Students can choose the best fit for their career goals with the guidance of their faculty mentor.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Environmental Science, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

True Blue Core (TBC)	41 hours
Major Requirements	29-30 hours*
Math/Science Cognate	24 hours*
Capstone Experience	6-8 hours
ES Major Supporting Coursework	20-24 hours
Electives	0-8 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the True Blue Core curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill True Blue Core requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

True Blue Core (41 hours)

True Blue Core (TBC) requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in the Foundational Skills areas of Written Communication (WC), Information Literacy (Info Lit), Non-Written Communication (NWC), and Quantitative Literacy (Quant Lit). Knowledge Domains include Human Society and Social Relationships (HSSR), Scientific Literacy (Sci Lit), Creativity and Cultural Expression (CCE), and History and Civic Learning (HCL), which include Discovery and Explorations categories. Students must choose at least one course from each Discovery category.

The following courses required by the major meet True Blue Core requirements:

GEOL 1040 /GEOL 1041 (Sci Lit)
MATH 1730 or MATH 1910 (Quant Lit) required in cognate; MATH 1710 is a prerequisite for MATH 1730 .
BIOL 1110 /BIOL 1111 (Sci Lit) or CHEM 1110 /CHEM 1111 (Sci Lit), or PHYS 2010 /PHYS 2011 (Sci Lit) may be applied to cognate

Major Requirements (29-30 hours)

ENVS 2810 - Introduction to Environmental Science 3 credit hours
GEOL 3030 - Geoscience of Energy Resources 3 credit hours
GEOL 3060 - Computer Methods in Geology 3 credit hours
PGEO 4000 - Climatology and Climate Change 3 credit hours
PGEO 4020 - Environmental Issues, Impacts, and Sustainability 3 credit hours
PGEO 4530 - Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
GEOL 1040 - Physical Geology 4 credit hours AND
GEOL 1041 - Physical Geology Lab 0 credit hours
GEOL 4120 - Environmental Geology 4 credit hours OR
GEOL 4130 - Hydrogeology 5 credit hours
GEOL 3010 - Oceanography 3 credit hours OR
PGEO 4010 - Biogeography 3 credit hours

Math/Science Cognate (24 hours)

NOTE: BIOL/CHEM/MATH/PHYS may also count in the True Blue Core. Students must complete 16 hours in BIOL/CHEM/PHYS including a two-term sequence in one discipline.

CSCI 1170 - Computer Science I 4 credit hours
BIOL 1110 - General Biology I 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 1111 - General Biology I Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 1110 - General Chemistry I 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours
PHYS 2010 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics I 0 credit hours AND
PHYS 2011 - Physics Problems Laboratory I 4 credit hours
MATH 1730 - Pre-Calculus 4 credit hours OR
MATH 1910 - Calculus I 4 credit hours
BIOL 1120 - General Biology II 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 1121 - General Biology II Lab 0 credit hours
OR
CHEM 1120 - General Chemistry II 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 1121 - General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
OR
PHYS 2020 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics II 0 credit hours AND
PHYS 2021 - Physics Problems Laboratory II 4 credit hours

Capstone Experience Courses (6-8 hours)

After earning 90 credit hours toward the Environmental Science program, students must complete a capstone experience including at least 6-8 upper-division credit hours from the courses below. The capstone experience must be approved by the Environmental Science faculty mentor.

Environmental Science Major Supporting Coursework (20-24 hours)

A minimum of 8 hours at 3000 and/or 4000 level. NOTE: Major supporting coursework may not be PGEO or GEOL courses. Advisor and student will need to appropriately manage course selection from this list and verify that prerequisites are met.

ANTH 3310 - Biological Anthropology 3 credit hours
BIOL 2230 - Microbiology 4 credit hours
BIOL 2231 - Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 3210 - Environmental Microbiology 3 credit hours
BIOL 3211 - Environmental Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 3250 - Genetics 4 credit hours
BIOL 3251 - Genetics Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 3400 - General Ecology 4 credit hours
BIOL 3500 - Evolution 3 credit hours
BIOL 4090 - Forest Ecology 4 credit hours
BIOL 4140 - Invertebrate Zoology 4 credit hours
BIOL 4180 - Vertebrate Zoology 4 credit hours
BIOL 4181 - Vertebrate Zoology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4220 - Ichthyology 4 credit hours
BIOL 4221 - Ichthyology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4420 - Plant Ecology and Evolution 4 credit hours
BIOL 4500 - Plant Physiology 4 credit hours
BIOL 4570 - Principles of Toxicology 3 credit hours
BIOL 4571 - Principles of Toxicology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4580 - Marine Biology 4 credit hours
BIOL 4581 - Marine Biology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4590 - Principles of Environmental Toxicology 4 credit hours
CCM 3500 - Land Surveying 3 credit hours
CHEM 2230 - Quantitative Analysis 3 credit hours
CHEM 2231 - Quantitative Analysis Lab 2 credit hours
CHEM 3010 - Organic Chemistry I 3 credit hours
CHEM 3011 - Organic Chemistry I Lab 1 credit hour
CHEM 4400 - Inorganic Chemistry I 3 credit hours
CHEM 4600 - Introduction to Environmental Chemistry 3 credit hours
CHEM 4610 - Environmental Chemistry 3 credit hours
CMT 3000 - Commercial Construction and Materials 3 credit hours
CMT 3150 - Residential Building Construction and Materials I 3 credit hours
CMT 3180 - Construction and Materials II 3 credit hours
CMT 3195 - Sustainable Construction 3 credit hours
CMT 3210 - Construction Codes and Regulation 3 credit hours
ENGR 1100 - Engineering Fundamentals 3 credit hours
ENGR 2100 - Introduction to Engineering Design 3 credit hours
ENGR 2110 - Statics 3 credit hours
ENGR 2120 - Dynamics 3 credit hours
ENGR 2130 - Electrical Circuit Analysis I 3 credit hours
ENGR 2210 - Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering 3 credit hours
ENGR 3510 - Electrical Circuit Analysis II 3 credit hours
ENGR 3520 - Digital Circuits Fundamentals 3 credit hours
ENGR 3530 - Electronics and Instrumentation 3 credit hours
ENGR 3540 - Introduction to Feedback Control 3 credit hours
ENGR 3550 - Fluid Mechanics 3 credit hours
ENGR 3560 - Mechanics of Materials 3 credit hours
ENGR 3915 - Technical Project Management and Soft Skills 3 credit hours
ENGR 3920 - Engineering Safety 3 credit hours
ENGR 3970 - Engineering Economy 3 credit hours
ET 2310 - Computer-Assisted Drafting and Design I 3 credit hours
ET 3601 - Electrical Circuit Analysis I 3 credit hours
ET 3602 - Electrical Circuit Analysis II 3 credit hours
ET 3610 - Introduction to Electricity and Electronics 4 credit hours
ET 3630 - Electronics 3 credit hours
ET 3640 - Digital Circuits Design 3 credit hours
ET 3650 - Introduction to Microprocessors 3 credit hours
ET 3810 - Engineering Thermodynamics 3 credit hours
ET 3860 - Strength of Materials 3 credit hours
ET 4450 - Industrial Hygiene 3 credit hours
ET 4815 - Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning 3 credit hours
ET 4830 - Vibration 3 credit hours
ET 4850 - Fluid Power 3 credit hours
ET 4860 - Robotics 3 credit hours
GEOG 4340 - Historical Geography 3 credit hours
GEOG 4370 - Urban Geographies: Key Trends, Problems, and Solutions 3 credit hours
GEOG 4550 - Global Issues 3 credit hours
GS 4150 - Ecotourism, Geotourism, and Sustainable Development 3 credit hours
HLTH 3260 - Environmental Health 3 credit hours
HSC 4460 - Global Topics in Human Sciences 3 credit hours
MATH 1530 - Applied Statistics 3 credit hours
MATH 1910 - Calculus I 4 credit hours
PHIL 3340 - Environmental Ethics 3 credit hours
PLSO 3340 - Fundamentals of Soil Science 3 credit hours
PLSO 3350 - Soil Fertility and Fertilizer 3 credit hours
PLSO 3360 - Irrigation and Drainage 3 credit hours
PLSO 3370 - Soil Analysis 3 credit hours
PLSO 4340 - Genesis of Soil Landscapes 3 credit hours
PLSO 4350 - Soil Survey and Land Use 3 credit hours
PLSO 4370 - Soil and Water Conservation 3 credit hours
PLSO 4500 - Agroecology 3 credit hours
PLSO 4730 - Soil Physical Properties 3 credit hours

Electives (0-8 hours)

Curriculum: Environmental Science

Students should consult their advisors each semester to plan their schedules.

Freshman Fall

Written Communication 3 credit hours
Quantitative Literacy 3 credit hours (MATH 1530 or MATH 1710 recommended)
ENVS 2810 - Introduction to Environmental Science 3 credit hours
CHEM 1110 - General Chemistry I 4 credit hours (Sci Lit) AND
CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours (Sci Lit)

Subtotal: 13 Hours

Freshman Spring

Information Literacy 3 credit hours
GEOL 1040 - Physical Geology 4 credit hours AND
GEOL 1041 - Physical Geology Lab 0 credit hours
MATH 1730 - Pre-Calculus 4 credit hours OR
MATH 1910 - Calculus I 4 credit hours
BIOL 1110 - General Biology I 4 credit hours (Sci Lit) AND
BIOL 1111 - General Biology I Lab 0 credit hours (Sci Lit)

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Sophomore Fall

CSCI 1170 - Computer Science I 4 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression Literature 3 credit hours
Human Society and Social Relationships 3 credit hours
Major (PGEO) course 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 13 Hours

Sophomore Spring

PHYS 2010 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics I 0 credit hours AND
PHYS 2011 - Physics Problems Laboratory I 4 credit hours
History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
Major (GEOL) course 3 credit hours
Major (PGEO) course 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 13 Hours

Junior Fall

Non-Written Communication 3 credit hours
Major (GEOL) course 3 credit hours
Major supporting courses 7 credit hours
BIOL 1120 - General Biology II 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 1121 - General Biology II Lab 0 credit hours
OR
CHEM 1121 - General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours AND
CHEM 1120 - General Chemistry II 4 credit hours
OR
PHYS 2020 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics II 0 credit hours AND
PHYS 2021 - Physics Problems Laboratory II 4 credit hours

Subtotal: 17 Hours

Junior Spring

History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
Major (GEOL) or (PGEO) course 3 credit hours
Major (GEOL) course 4 to 5 credit hours
Major (PGEO) course 3 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 16-17 Hours

Senior Fall

Major supporting courses 10 credit hours
Capstone experience 3 to 4 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 16-17 Hours

Senior Spring

General elective 2 credit hours
Major supporting course 3 credit hours
General or major supporting course 4 credit hours
Capstone experience 3 to 4 credit hours
Human Society and Social Relationships 3 credit hours

Environmental Science, B.S.

Academic Map

Degree Requirements

True Blue Core (41 hours)

Major Requirements (29-30 hours)

Math/Science Cognate (24 hours)

Capstone Experience Courses (6-8 hours)

Internship

Field Course

Undergraduate Research

Environmental Science Major Supporting Coursework (20-24 hours)

Electives (0-8 hours)

Curriculum: Environmental Science

Freshman Fall

Subtotal: 13 Hours

Freshman Spring

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Sophomore Fall

Subtotal: 13 Hours

Sophomore Spring

Subtotal: 13 Hours

Junior Fall

Subtotal: 17 Hours

Junior Spring

Subtotal: 16-17 Hours

Senior Fall

Subtotal: 16-17 Hours

Senior Spring

Subtotal: 15-16 Hours