Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences | Courses

312 Stockbridge Hall

Degree: Bachelor of Science

Contact: Sandy Barron

Office: 312 Stockbridge

Phone: 545-5226

E-mail: sbarron@fnr.umass.edu

Web site: www.umass.edu/envsci/

The Environmental Sciences major is a multidisciplinary program administered by the Academic Programs Office in the College of Food and Natural Resources. Cooperating disciplines are: College of Food and Natural ResourcesóEntomology; Food Science; Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning; Microbiology; Natural Resources Conservation; Plant and Soil Sciences; Resource Economics; Veterinary and Animal Sciences; School of Public Health and Health SciencesóEnvironmental Health Sciences.

Program Director: Professor Guy R. Lanza. Contributing faculty: EntomologyóProfessors Averill, Burand, Childs, Clark, Elkinton, Ferro, Prokopy, Stoffolano, Vittum, Yin; Food ScienceóProfessors Levin, Shetty; Landscape Architecture and Regional PlanningóProfessors Ahern, Ryan; MicrobiologyóProfessors Cooley, Goodwin, Leschine, Lovely, Manning, Mount, N¸sslein, Schumann, Wick; Natural Resources ConservationóProfessors Fuller, Griffin, Kelty, Kittredge, McComb, Muth; Plant and Soil SciencesóProfessors Barker, Bernatzky, Bhowmik, Boyle, Herbert, Simkins, Veneman, Xing; Public HealthóProfessors Calabrese, DiNardi, Kostecki, Moore, Nolan, Ortiz; Resource EconomicsóProfessors Field, Stevens, Stranlund; Veterinary and Animal SciencesóAssistant Professor Arcaro; Water Resources Research CenteróProfessor Godfrey; ExtensionóProfessor Coli. Adjunct Professor Long; Lecturers Tease, Weiss.

The Field

Contemporary society is being challenged by a diverse array of extremely complex environmental problems driven by rapid increases in population and the accompanying demands on our life-support systems. Increased environmental pollution from the physical, chemical, and biological contaminants generated by industrial activities, agriculture and food production, and poor natural resource management continues to threaten the ecological and economic stability of our planet.

Environmental Sciences students learn how to follow a rigorous interdisciplinary approach to measure, quantify, predict, and resolve serious environmental threats by integrating knowledge from appropriate disciplines. Students are prepared to respond to issues such as sensitive habitat protection, ecosystem restoration, global warming, waste management, ground and surface water contamination, pesticide toxicity, resistance, and degradation, and the effect of environmental stress on terrestrial and aquat-ic ecosystems.

The Major

All majors take required courses which provide a background in natural sciences, mathematics, and environmental studies. First-year students attend a required seminar to discuss critical environmental issues with faculty and outside speakers.

A core curriculum of four courses and a Junior Year Writing course are also required for all majors. These core requirements provide a solid foundation in the social and scientific aspects of environmental problems. Students learn how to apply scientific data to solve complex environmental problems and to establish coherent environmental policy options to protect and sustain the environment.

A diverse selection of upper-level courses allows students to work with their faculty adviser to design a unique curriculum tailored to their individual interests and needs. Students combine related courses in a General Track of study, or select a specific concentration in: Biology, Health Sciences, Toxicology and Chemistry, Policy, or Integrated Pest Management.

Environmental Biologyóprovides an ecological perspective on the relationships and interdependence of organisms in terrestrial and aquatic habitats, with emphasis on the effects of human activities on the biota.

Environmental Health Sciencesóstudies the impact of environmental stress on human health from a public health perspective, and with emphasis on the regulations, methods, and technology used to monitor and control environmental contaminants.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistryó focuses on the impacts of environmental contaminants on the biota with emphasis on the analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and ecotoxicology of pollutants in the air, water, and soil.

Environmental Policyóapplies scientific knowledge to address public policy issues on the environment using economic analysis, regulation, administration, enforcement, and law.

Integrated Pest Managementóuses scientific knowledge in entomology, plant pathology, and plant production to develop sustainable pest control strategies.

Basic science and math requirements:

BIOL 100, 101 Introductory Biology I, II, or equivalent

CHEM 111, 112 General Chemistry I, II

CHEM 261, 262/269 Organic Chemistry I, II/Lab

MATH 127, 128 Calculus I, II

RES EC 211 Introductory Statistics for the Life Sciences

RES EC 262 Environmental Economics

Also recommended: CMPSCI 105 or 121 or equivalent

Required department courses:

112 Fundamentals of the Environment

213 Introduction to Environmental Policy

214 Principles of Environmental Biology

315 Principles of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

380 Writing in Environmental Sciences

191, 194 Introductory Seminars

After completing core requirements, students choose four upper level courses in the environmental sciences concentration. Students desiring to concentrate within a specific area must select from approved courses within the concentration; students in the general environmental sciences area may select courses from among any approved offerings. Courses associated with the concentrations are:

Environmental Biology

BIOL 283 General Genetics

BIOL 421 Plant Ecology

BIOL 485 Aquatic Vascular Plants

BIOL 524 Coastal Plant Ecology

BIOL 528 Principles of Evolution

BIOL 534 Biological Limnology

BIOL 537 Ecology

BIOL 542 Ichthyology

CEE 575 Hazardous Waste Management

ENVSCI 303 Methods of Pollution Measurement

ENVSCI 397D Ecology

ENVSCI 504 Air Pollution Biology

ENVSCI 515 Microbiology of Soil

GEO 354 Climatology

MICBIO 310/312 General Microbiology/Lab

W&FCON 470 Ecology of Fish

W&FCON 564 Wildlife Habitat Management

W&FCON 565 Dynamics and Management of Wildlife Populations

Environmental Health Sciences

BIOEPI 540 Introductory Biostatistics

BIOEPI 630 Principles of Epidemiology

ENV HL 562 Air Quality Assessment

ENV HL 563 Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation

ENV HL 564 Principles of Industrial Hygiene

ENV HL 565 Environmental Health Practices

ENV HL 567 Environmental Compliance Regulations

ENV HL 571 Calculation Methods

ENV HL 660 Issues in Environmental Health Policy and Law

ENVSCI 515 Microbiology of Soil

MICBIO 310/312 General Microbiology/Lab

PHYSIC 131/3 and 132/4 Introductory Physics

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

BIOCHM 420 Elementary Biochemistry

BIOCHM 524 General Biochemistry

BIOL 283 General Genetics

BIOTCH 385 Laboratory in Agricultural Biotechnology

CHEM 312 Analytical Chemistry

CHEM 315 Quantitative Analysis

ENT 585 Toxicology of Insecticides

ENT 592 Chemicals and the Environment

ENVSCI 303 Methods of Pollution Measurement

ENVSCI 504 Air Pollution Biology

ENVSCI 515 Microbiology of Soil

ENVSCI 535 Methods in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

ENVSCI 575 Environmental Soil Chemistry

FD SCI 467 Food Microbiology

GEO 519 Aqueous and Environmental Geochemistry

MICBIO 310 General Microbiology

MICBIO 330 Microbial Genetics

MICBIO 560 Microbial Diversity

PLSOIL 555 Environmental Stress and Plant Growth

PLSOIL 597 Inorganic Contaminants in Soil, Water, and Sediment

PLSOIL 597 Organic Contaminants in Soil, Water, and Sediment

Environmental Policy

ECON 308 Political Economy of the Environment

ENVSCI 342 Pesticides, the Environment, and Public Policy

GEO 362 Land Use and Society

NRC 390A Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management

NRC 409 Natural Resources Policy and Administration

POLSCI 382 Environmental Policy

REG PL 553 Resource Policy and Planning

REG PL 558 Issues in Environmental Management

RES EC 263 Natural Resource Economics

RES EC 471 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Natural Resource Programs

W&FCON 564 Wildlife Habitat Management

W&FCON 571 Fisheries Science and Management

Integrated Pest Management

CMPSCI 105 Computer Literacy (may replace MATH 127/128)

ENT 326 Insect Biology

ENT 581 Integrated Pest Management

ENVSCI 390S Principles and Applications of Integrated Pest Management

ENVSCI 490S Capstone Course in Integrated Pest Management

FOREST 110 Introduction to Forestry

FOREST 332 Principles of Arboriculture

MICBIO 530 General Plant Pathology

PLSOIL 230 Introductory Turfgrass Management

PLSOIL 300 Deciduous Orchard Science

PLSOIL 305 Small Fruit Production

PLSOIL 315 Greenhouse Management

PLSOIL 325 Vegetable Production

PLSOIL 350 Crop Science

W&FCON 260 Fisheries Conservation

W&FCON 261 Wildlife Conservation

The Minor

The minor in Environmental Sciences is intended for students from related majors who wish to increase their awareness and understanding of the nature of environmental concerns and decision making. It is structured to expose students to the various perspectives of the field. A minor in Environmental Sciences can be earned by completing two core courses plus at least three courses selected from the concentration areasóEnvironmental Policy, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and Environmental Biology and Healthófor a minimum total of 15 credits. Students must take at least one course in each concentration area.

1) Select two of the four core courses:

112 Fundamentals of the Environment*

213 Introduction to Environmental Policy

214 Principles of Environmental Biology

315 Principles of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

*Substitution permitted: ENVSCI 101, NRC 100.

2) Select one course from each concentration:

A) Environmental Policy

ENVSCI 213 (if not already chosen as a core course)

NRC 409 Natural Resources Policy and Administration

POLSCI 280 Public Policy

POLSCI 382 Environmental Policy

REG PL 558 Issues in Environmental Management

RES EC 263 Natural Resource Economics

RES EC 471 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Natural Resource Programs

B) Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

ENT 585 Toxicology of Insecticides

ENT 592 Chemicals and the Environment

ENVSCI 303 Methods of Pollution Measurement

ENVSCI 315 (if not already chosen as a core course)

ENVSCI 504 Air Pollution Biology

ENVSCI 515 Microbiology of Soil

ENVSCI 575 Environmental Soil Chemistry

GEO 519 Aqueous and Environmental Geo-chemistry

PLSOIL 597 Organic Contaminants in Soil, Water, and Sediment

C) Environmental Biology

BIOL 421 Plant Ecology

BIOL 524 Coastal Plant Ecology

BIOL 534 Biological Limnology

ENVSCI 214 Principles of Environmental Biology (if not already chosen as a core course)

ENVSCI 397D Ecology

MICBIO 310/312 General Microbiology

MICBIO 597 Microbial Ecology

PLSOIL 555 Environmental Stress and Plant Growth

Further details on course work and electives are listed in the Environmental Sciences: Guide to Undergraduate Studies; copies are available from the Environmental Sciences Program, 312 Stockbridge Hall.

Career Opportunities

The B.S. degree in Environmental Sciences leads to a variety of career opportunities in private industry and governmental agencies concerned with environmental quality assessment, community environment programs, and interagency coordination in environmental quality maintenance. Many majors will continue studies at the graduate level in such diverse fields as environmental microbiology, ecotoxicology, environmental sciences education, environmental engineering, and environmental law.

Environmental Sciences | Courses