The Washington State University Vancouver Catalog

Environmental Science

The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective.

Environmental Science

cas.vancouver.wsu.edu/environmental-science
Science & Engineering Building (VSCI), Room 130
360-546-9620

Academic Director: Amy Wharton, Ph.D.; Academic Coordinator: Emily Earhart; Faculty: Michael Berger, Ph.D.; Stephen M. Bollens, Ph.D.; John Harrison, Ph.D.; Steve Henderson, Ph.D Marc Kramer, Ph.D.; Kevan Moffett, Ph.D., Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Ph.D.

Environmental science is the study of natural and modified environments and their interactions with biological (including human) systems. Environmental science students gain a comprehensive understanding of the environmental/ecological context, acquire an ability to assess beneficial and disruptive impacts, and learn the methods used to analyze these complex systems.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at WSU Vancouver benefit from a "living laboratory" on our 351-acre campus, complete with streams, meadows, forests and wetlands in close proximity to the Columbia River, old growth forests, the Cascade Mountains, and the Washington and Oregon coastlines.

The environmental science minor emphasizes the complex interactions between human societies and their environments, especially problems caused by the growth of human communities and economies. The program allows students to specialize in areas such as environmental preservation and remediation, environmental impact assessment, pollution prevention, and waste management.

 




Schedules of Studies

Honors students complete the Honors College requirements which replace the UCORE requirements.


Environmental and Ecosystem Sciences (120 Credits)

A student may be admitted to the Environmental and Ecosystem Sciences major upon making their intention known to the School of the Environment.

A student maintains eligibility for the major by completing each of the following courses with a C or better by the end of the fourth semester in the major: MATH 106, MATH 108, BIOLOGY 106, BIOLOGY 107, CHEM 101 or 105, CHEM 102 or 106, SOE 101 or 102, and SOE 110. In addition, admitted students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

A student who does not meet these minimum requirements for maintaining eligibility in the major may be released by the School of the Environment after two semesters of failing to meet minimums. A student may be eligible to re-enter into the same major when minimum requirements are met.
First Year
First TermCredits
BIOLOGY 106 4
HISTORY 105 [ROOT]3
MATH 106 or electives13
SOE 110 [BSCI]4
Second TermCredits
Arts [ARTS]3
CHEM 101 [PSCI] or 105 [PSCI]4
ENGLISH 101 [WRTG]3
MATH 108 or electives12
SOE 101 or 1024
Second Year
First TermCredits
BIOLOGY 107 4
ECONS 101 [SSCI]3
SOE 210 or 25023 or 4
Foreign Language, if needed30 - 4
200-level Required Electives42 or 3
Second TermCredits
CHEM 102 or 106 4
Humanities [HUM]3
SOE 300 or BIOLOGY 372 [M]23 or 4
STAT 212 [QUAN], MATH 140 [QUAN], or 171 [QUAN]4
Foreign Language, if needed30 - 4
Complete Writing Portfolio
Third Year
First TermCredits
COM 102 [COMM] or H D 205 [COMM]3 or 4
Equity and Justice [EQJS]3
SOIL SCI 3683
Professional Electives57
Second TermCredits
Diversity [DIVR], if needed, or Electives63
SOE 312 [DIVR] or POL S 43063
SOE 315 or 4613
SOE Experiential Requirement or Electives73
Professional Electives54
Fourth Year
First TermCredits
SOE 403, STAT 360, 370, or 412 83
SOE 404 [CAPS] [M], 454 [CAPS] [M], or 477 [CAPS] 93
Writing in the Major [M] or Electives103
Professional Electives57
Second TermCredits
Writing in the Major [M] or Electives103
Professional Electives5,913
Exit Survey 11

Footnotes
1MATH 106 and 108 are required courses. However, if students have tested into or taken MATH 140, 171, 172 or ALEKS with an 80% or better, MATH 106 and 108 will be waived. If waived, students may need to take additional credits to meet the University minimum of 120 credits.
2Students who take SOE 250 must also take BIOLOGY 372.
3Two years of high school foreign language or at least two semesters of college-level foreign language are required by the College of Arts and Sciences for graduation.
4Approved 200-level required electives include SOE 204, 230, 250, 275, 285. Not all courses available on all campuses.
5Environmental and Ecosystem Sciences Professional Electives (31 credits) are courses selected by students in concert with their advisor and pertain to their major and/or to a specific sub-discipline of interest. Professional electives may also include courses from outside of their major as needed to complete a minor in another field of study. Approved courses include but are not limited to: ECONS 330, or any 300-400-level SOE or SOIL SCI course, or as approved by advisor.
6SOE 312 satisfies both the [DIVR] and the Society and Environmental Management requirements.
7SOE Experiential Requirement: Students in the School of the Environment are required to fulfill the SOE Experiential Requirement before graduation. This requirement is designed to give students experience they will not receive in the traditional classroom-oriented course, and to better prepare them for a successful career after graduation. Students may choose 3 credits of coursework from SOE 492 or 495, or as approved by advisor. As an alternative to coursework, students may meet the requirement by documenting at least 135 hours of relevant practical experience. Students choosing the practical experience option may need an additional 3 credits of electives to meet the University requirement of 120 total credits.
8MATH 172 is a prerequisite for STAT 360 and 370.
9Students who take SOE 477 [CAPS] may need to take an [M] course within their Professional Electives to fulfill the requirement for 3 [M] courses.
10The School of the Environment requires students to complete 3 [M] courses. Check with advisor for course recommendation.
11Students must complete a School of the Environment exit survey, administered during the final semester.


Minors

Earth Sciences

An Earth Sciences minor requires a minimum of 17 credits. Required courses: SOE 101 or 102, and SOE 210. Restricted electives: at least 9 credits from SOE 303, 315, 322, 340, 350, 356, 357, 390, 405, 412, 474, 475, 480.  The minor must include 9 credits of 300-400-level course work taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses.


Environmental Science

A minor in Environmental Science requires a minimum of 16 credits. Students must complete SOE 110, 444, and a minimum of 9 additional credits selected from SOE 230, 275, 280, 285, 300, 312, 411, 412, 438, 450, 454, and 477, or any advisor approved elective. Of these 16 credits, 9 must be in upper-division work taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses. This minor is not open to students majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Sciences or in Environmental and Ecosystem Sciences.


The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective. Courses showing two entries of the same number indicate that the course information is changing. The most recently approved version is shown first, followed by the older version, in gray, with its last-effective term preceding the course title. Courses shown in gray with only one entry of the course number are being discontinued. Course offerings by term can be accessed by clicking on the term links when viewing a specific campus catalog.

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