Environmental Science

Minor in Environmental Science:

At Roosevelt University, students pursuing sciences degrees in chemistry or biology may take a minor sequence of courses in environmental science in order to prepare themselves to address growing concerns over the relationship of humans to their environment.

The minor is appropriate for individuals who wish to enhance their career prospects in government agencies such as OSHA or EPA, or in similar positions in nonprofit organizations and industries that work in managing environmental change. In the freshman year, students start with Geog 102 Physical Geography II that emphasizes a physically-based approach to
understanding cause and effect relationships of land/water interactions and associated impacts on the biosphere. In the second year, students may take either Biol 202 Ecology, Evolution, and Genetics or Chem 237 Quantitative Environmental Analysis. Students must take at least one field sampling course, either one semester hour sampling lab with Chem 237 or two semester hours field laboratory with Biol 315. In the third year, environmental minor students take Geog/Envs 314 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and an
ecosystems course. Each summer, ecosystem/science courses are offered that focus on an environmental topics and include discussion of local environmental issues and applied field experiences. In the final year, students select an advanced elective from the list below. An internship with a government or private agency in environmental science can also be arranged.

Students are also encouraged to participate in off-campus field or laboratory programs. Student may simultaneously fulfill the requirements of the GIS certificate course by choosing advanced GIS and GIS capstone courses as their advanced electives while completing the environmental minor sequence.

Students earn a minor in environmental science by completing a total of at least 15 semester hours as follows:

Geog 102 Physical Geography II  ................................................... 3
Biol 202 Ecology, Evolution, and Genetics
  or Chem 237 Quantitative Environmental Analysis
  with Quantitative Environmental Analysis Sampling Laboratory .......... 4
Envs/Geog 314 Introduction to GIS  ............................................... 3
One ecosystem course chosen from the list below ............................ 2-3
Biol 315 Ecology Laboratory
Biol/Envs 323 Tropical Marine Biology
Biol/Envs 330 Wetlands Delineation
Biol/Envs 332 Ecology of Tallgrass Prairies
Biol/Envs 333 National Parks Field Experience
Biol/Envs 335 Great Lakes

One or more of the advanced courses listed below ........................... 3-5
Biol 315 Ecology with Field Laboratory ............................................ 5
Biol 360 Microbioloogy ................................................................. 5
Chem 337 Instrumental Analysis .................................................... 4
Envs/Geog 316 Advanced GIS ....................................................... 3
Envs/Geog 380 GIS Capstone Project ............................................. 3
Envs 391 GIS/Environmental Internship ........................................... 3

Students who have transferred three or more equivalent courses may earn a minor in environmental science by completing at least two additional required courses at Roosevelt University. Students must complete all courses counted towards the environmental science minor with a grade of C or higher.

Regulations

Students must satisfactorily complete at least 15 semester hours in acceptable biology or chemistry or geography or environmental science courses at Roosevelt University.

Courses used for the minor may not be counted towards the major.

Students must meet the University minimum enrollment requirement of 30 semester hours in the junior and senior year. Off-site internships do not count toward this requirement.

Only courses passed with a letter grade of C or higher may be counted toward
the major.

With the exception of the internship Envs 391, courses applying to the major must be taken on a letter grade basis. The internship may be taken on a pass/fail basis (see policies applying to the pass/fail option in this catalog).

Because internships require outside placement, students must consult with an advisor at least six months in advance of target placement dates. Students become eligible for internship placement after at least one semester of enrollment and satisfactory completion of 15 semester hours in the major.

Internships may be paid or unpaid and must include 200 hours of onsite work. Ordinarily a student’s routine work will not be deemed to constitute an internship. This does not preclude internships carried out under the auspices of a student’s employer (or by a student self-employed in the environmental field), if such internships conform to departmental guidelines.