University of Richmond

Major & Minor Requirements

The Environmental Studies Major

Note: The grade point average of all the coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70) in all courses other than Calculus II.

For the Bachelor of Arts degree

12.5 units, including:

  • ENVR 201 Introduction to Environmental Studies
  • ENVR 230 Environmental Economics
  • ENVR 269 Environmental Ethics
  • ENVR 362 Environmental Law and Policy
  • ENVR 391 Environmental Senior Seminar
  • One course in environmental life science chosen from
    BIOL 109* Introduction to Ecology
    BIOL 207 Ecology
  • One course in physical environmental science chosen from
    CHEM 110* Pollutants in the Environment
    CHEM 316* Environmental Chemistry
    ENVR 250 Introduction to Earth Systems and Physical Geography
  • Introductory statistics requirement, chosen from
    MATH 119 (preferred) Statistics for Social and Life Sciences
    BUAD 201 Business Statistics I
    CHEM 300 Measurement Statistics
    PSYC 200 Methods and Analyses
    Or equivalent course approved by the environmental studies coordinator
  • One course in environmental research methods, chosen from
    ANTH 211 Introduction to Ethnographic Field Methods
    CHEM 301 Quantitative Chemical Analysis
    CHEM 302 Instrumentation and Spectroscopy
    CHEM 303 Chemical Separations
    ECON 340 Econometrics
    ENVR 260 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
    MATH 219 Introduction to the Design of Experiments
    MATH 324* Continuous Math Methods
    MATH 395* Math Models in Biology and Medicine
    PLSC 373 Methods for Public Policy Research
    SOC 211 Sociological Research Methods and Data Analysis
  • One-half unit of experiential learning chosen from ENVR 320 or ENVR 388
  • Three units of electives approved for environmental studies
 

For the Bachelor of Science degree

15.5 units, including:

  • ENVR 201 Introduction to Environmental Studies
  • ENVR 230 Environmental Economics
  • ENVR 269 Environmental Ethics
  • ENVR 362 Environmental Law and Policy
  • ENVR 391 Environmental Senior Seminar
  • One course in environmental life science chosen from
    BIOL 109* Introduction to Ecology
    BIOL 207 Ecology
  • One course in physical environmental science chosen from
    CHEM 110* Pollutants in the Environment
    CHEM 316* Environmental Chemistry
    ENVR 250 Introduction to Earth Systems and Physical Geography
  • Introductory statistics requirement: MATH 119 (preferred), BUAD 201, CHEM 300, PSYC 200, or equivalent course approved by the ES coordinator
  • One course in environmental research methods, chosen from
    ANTH 211 Introduction to Ethnographic Field Methods
    CHEM 301 Quantitative Chemical Analysis
    CHEM 302 Instrumentation and Spectroscopy
    CHEM 303 Chemical Separations
    ECON 340 Econometrics
    ENVR 260 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
    MATH 219 Introduction to the Design of Experiments
    MATH 324* Continuous Math Methods
    MATH 395* Math Models in Biology and Medicine
    PLSC 373 Methods for Public Policy Research
    SOC 211 Sociological Research Methods and Data Analysis
  • One-half unit of experiential learning chosen from ENVR 320 or ENVR 388
  • Three units of electives approved for environmental studies
  • MATH 212 or 232 Calculus II
  • Two units in biology, chemistry, or physics at or above the 300 level

* The following courses involve significant overlap in content: CHEM 110/316; BIOL 101/225; BIOL 109/207; and MATH 324/395. Credit toward the major can be given for only one course in each pair; for example, credit can be given for either CHEM 110 or CHEM 316 but not both.

Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the major. Prerequisites do not count toward the major unless otherwise noted.

 

Concentrations in Environmental Studies

Note: A student does not have to choose a concentration in order to receive a degree in environmental studies. Students may satisfy the elective units requirement of the degree by pursuing one of the following concentrations:

Environmental Science Concentration

Three units of electives, chosen from
BIOL 100 Biology of Plants
BIOL 101 Principles of Evolution
BIOL 108 Environmental Biology
BIOL 111 Marine Biology of the Chesapeake Bay
BIOL 225 Evolution
BIOL 306 Systematic Botany
BIOL 332 Tropical Marine Biology
BIOL 333 Microbial Ecology
BIOL 334 Oceanography
BIOL 344 Behavioral Ecology
BIOL 383 Tropical Biology and Conservation
CHEM 110 Pollutants in the Environment
CHEM 316 Environmental Chemistry
ENVR 250 Earth Systems and Physical Biology

Environment and Society Concentration

Three units of electives, chosen from
ECON 211 Economic Development in Asia, Africa and Latin America
ENGL 233 Contemporary Native American Literatures
ENVR 330 Environmental and Resource Economic Theory
ENVR 345 Society, Economy, and Nature: Global Perspectives on Sustainable Development.
GEOG 320 Power, Space, and Territory: Geographies of Political Change
GEOG 370 Geographies of Economic Development and Globalization
HIST 390 Food and Power in Africa and Asia
JOUR 304 Reporting on the Environment
MGMT 348 Environmental Management
PLSC 260 Introduction to Public Policy
PLSC 360 International Development Policy
PSYC 317 Applied Social Psychology

Experiential learning (ENVR 388, ENVR 320, or equivalent) and Special Topics (ENVR 300) may be counted towards a concentration with approval of the environmental studies coordinator.

 

The Environmental Studies Minor

Note: The grade point average of all the coursework comprising the minor in environmental studies must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70).

6 units, including:

  • ENVR 201 Introduction to Environmental Studies
  • ENVR 269 Environmental Ethics
  • Either ENVR 230 Environmental Economics or ENVR 362 Environmental Law and Policy
  • One course in environmental life science chosen from
    BIOL 109* Introduction to Ecology
    BIOL 207 Ecology
  • One course in physical environmental science chosen from
    CHEM 110* Pollutants in the Environment
    CHEM 316* Environmental Chemistry
    ENVR 250 Introduction to Earth Systems and Physical Geography
  • One approved elective in environmental studies

*Credit toward the Environmental Studies minor will be given for either CHEM 110 or CHEM 316, but not both, and either BIOL 109 or BIOL 207, but not both.

Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the minor. Prerequisites do not count toward the minor unless otherwise noted.

 

Environmental Studies Electives

ANTH 211 Introduction to Ethnographic Field Methods
BIOL 100 Biology of Plants
BIOL 101 Principles of Evolution
BIOL 108 Environmental Biology
BIOL 111 Marine Biology of the Chesapeake Bay
BIOL 225 Evolution
BIOL 306 Systematic Botany
BIOL 332 Tropical Marine Biology
BIOL 333 Microbial Ecology
BIOL 334 Oceanography
BIOL 344 Behavioral Ecology
BIOL 383 Tropical Biology & Conservation
CHEM 110 Pollutants in the Environment
CHEM 301 Quantitative Chemical Analysis
CHEM 302 Instrumentation and Spectroscopy
CHEM 303 Chemical Separations
CHEM 316 Environmental Chemistry
ECON 211 Economic Development in Asia, Africa & Latin America
ECON 340 Econometrics
ENGL 233 Contemporary Native American Literatures
ENVR 250 Introduction to Earth Systems and Physical Geography
ENVR 330 Environmental and Resource Economic Theory
ENVR 345 Society, Economy and Nature: Global Perspectives on Sustainable Development
ENVR 360 Advanced Spatial Analysis
ENVR 365 Environmental Remote Sensing
GEOG 320 Power, Space and Territory: Geographies of Political Change
GEOG 370 Geographies of Economic Development and Globalization
HIST 390 Food & Power in Africa and Asia
JOUR 304 Reporting on the Environment *
MGMT 348 Environmental Management
MATH 219 Introduction to the Design of Experiments
MATH 324 Continuous Math Models
MATH 395 Math Models in Biology and Medicine
PLSC 260 Introduction to Public Policy
PLSC 360 International Development Policy
PSYC 317 Applied Social Psychology
SOC 211 Sociological Research Methods