Requirements for the Environmental Sciences Major (B.S.)
Lower-Division Courses
One of the following options:
| Either these courses | ||
| CHEM 3A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 3B | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 3BL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 3C | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 3CL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| or these courses | ||
| CHEM 4A | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 4AL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 4B | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 4BL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
Note: This requirement may also be satisfied with prior completion of CHEM 1A, CHEM 1C, and CHEM 1N or equivalent.
Previous to July 1, 2023, the General Chemistry series, offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was listed in the General Catalog as CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B and CHEM 1C, with associated laboratories CHEM 1M and CHEM 1N. As of academic year 2023-24, this series was replaced with two distinct series: CHEM 3A, CHEM 3B and CHEM 3C, with labs CHEM 3BL and CHEM 3CL; or CHEM 4A and CHEM 4B with labs CHEM 4AL and CHEM 4BL. Descriptions of these two series are given here.
Plus one of the following options:
| Either these courses | ||
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 11B | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| or these courses | ||
| MATH 19A | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
| MATH 19B | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
Plus one of the following options:
| Either these courses | ||
| EART 5 | California Geology | 5 |
| EART 5L | California Geology Laboratory | 1 |
| or these courses | ||
| EART 10 | Geologic Principles | 5 |
| EART 10L | Geologic Principles Laboratory | 1 |
| or these courses | ||
| EART 20 | Environmental Geology | 5 |
| EART 20L | Environmental Geology Laboratory | 1 |
Plus all of the following courses:
| ENVS 25 | Environmental Politics, Economics and Justice | 5 |
| ESCI 30 | Biological Principles of Environmental Sciences | 5 |
| PHYS 6A | Introductory Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 6L | Introductory Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 6B | Introductory Physics II | 5 |
| PHYS 6M | Introductory Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
* ESCI 30 students who were formerly proposed or declared majors in biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, or other related majors may have other options to fulfill this requirement. Please inquire with the adviser.
Upper-Division Courses
All of the following courses:
| ESCI 100A | Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences | 5 |
| ESCI 100B | Fundamentals of Environmental Processes | 5 |
| ESCI 160 | Data Analysis in the Environmental Sciences | 5 |
At least five elective courses – see Curriculum Tracks
Students take five upper-division Earth sciences, ocean sciences, and/or environmental sciences courses of 5 credits or more, chosen from EART 100-199 (excluding EART 196B and 198), OCEA 100-199, and/or ESCI (100-189). No more than one quarter of EART 199 or OCEA 199 may be used as an elective. Lecture/lab combinations count as one course. If a lecture has a lab offered (required or optional), the lab must be passed to count for this requirement.
ENVS 115A and 115L, taken together, are approved as one elective. METX 150 is also allowed as an elective. Up to two courses from other departments may be considered for upper-division elective credit by permission of a faculty advisor. Please consult with an advisor for more details.
Students are encouraged to take more than the minimum number of elective courses and may craft an elective distribution from many areas of specific research and career interests.f specific research and career interests.
Environmental Sciences B.S. Major Planner
Students planning a professional career in environmental sciences should take more than the minimum number of courses required for the major if possible. Four-year students have ample flexibility to take additional electives if they begin with the required courses in their second year. Junior transfers also have flexibility if they have taken most of their lower-division preparatory courses before entry. Further advice can be obtained from the undergraduate adviser and from faculty members.
Note: Chemistry 3A, 3B/BL and 3C/CL and Mathematics 11A-B are offered every quarter. Physics 6A/L is offered every quarter but Physics 6B/M offerings vary.
| Year | Fall Quarter | Winter Quarter | Spring Quarter |
| 1st (frosh) | CHEM 3A | MATH 11A CHEM 3B/BL | CHEM 3C/CL MATH 11B |
| 2nd (soph) | ESCI 30 EART 5/L PHYS 6A/L | ESCI 100A PHYS 6B/M | ESCI 100B ESCI elective |
| 3rd (jr) | ESCI 160 ESCI elective(s) | ENVS 25 ESCI elective(s) | ESCI elective(s) |
| 4th (sr) | ESCI elective(s) | ESCI elective(s) | ESCI 191 or 195† ESCI elective(s) |