Environmental Science, B.S.

Juneau

UAS Environmental Science students are at the forefront of studying environmental processes and challenges in coastal Alaska and beyond. Real-world experience is a hallmark of our program, which takes advantage of the stunning natural laboratory, extending from the Juneau Icefield to the lush coastal rainforest that surrounds our campus. Program faculty are engaged in cutting edge research that crosses disciplines and offers program students valuable opportunities for hands-on research training. Graduates from our program are well prepared for graduate school or to enter the work force and tackle complex environmental issues in the public and private sectors. 

Admission Requirements

Students are admitted to the program after declaring an Environmental Science major and will then be assigned an academic advisor. Students should consult with their advisor for course selection and sequencing.

Candidates must complete all UAS General Education Requirements (GERs), the Alaska Native Knowledge Graduation Requirement, and the specific program requirements listed below for a minimum of 120 credit hours. Major requirements can be used to satisfy the Lab Science, Non-Lab Science, and Math GERs. 42 of the 120 credit hours must be at the upper-division level (300 or above), of which 24 must be completed at UAS.

Minimum Credit Hours 120
General Education Requirements 36
Alaska Native Knowledge Graduation Requirement 3
Program on the Environment Core 9
Major Requirements 36
Environmental Processes 17
Quantitative and Spatial Analysis 8
Electives 26
General Education Requirements
Complete all General Education Requirements. The Lab Natural Science, Non-lab Natural Science, and Math GERs are satisfied by degree requirements.
Program on the Environment Core
ENVI S120*Cultures and Environments3
ENVS S102*Earth and Environment4
Select at least 2 credits of capstone experience:
Environmental Science Internship
Environmental Science Seminar
Research in Environmental Science
Major Requirements
CHEM S105*General Chemistry I 3
CHEM S105LGeneral Chemistry I Laboratory1
CHEM S106*General Chemistry II3
CHEM S106LGeneral Chemistry II Laboratory1
ENVS S375Current Topics in Earth and Ecosystem Research 12
ENVS S422Earth's Climate System3
GEOL S104*Physical Geology4
GEOL S302Hydrology4
MATH S251*Calculus I 24
STAT S200*Elementary Statistics3
Select one of the following Physics sequences:8
*College Physics I
and *College Physics II
*General Physics I
and *General Physics II
Environmental Processes
Select 17 credits of the following:17
BIOL S349Biological Oceanography3
CHEM S321Organic Chemistry I4
CHEM S325Organic Chemistry II4
CHEM S350Environmental Chemistry4
ENVI S210Temperate Rainforest Ecosystems3
ENVI S313Sustainable Resource Management3
ENVI S350Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Climate Change3
ENVS S302Glaciology3
ENVS S380Natural Disasters3
ENVS S407Snow Hydrology4
ENVS S414Biogeochemistry3
ENVS S416Biogeography and Landscape Ecology4
ENVS S475Field Studies in Environmental Science 11-4
ENVS S496Juneau Icefield Research Program6
GEOL S301Geomorphology4
GEOL S320Mineral, Energy, and Renewable Resources3
Quantitative and Spatial Analysis
Select eight credits of the following:8
BIOL S355Experimental Design and Data Analysis4
ENVS S111Introduction to Differential GPS1
ENVS S309Mobile GIS Technology and Applications2
ENVS S338Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)3
ENVS S406Remote Sensing3
ENVS S410Advanced Geographic Information Systems3
MATH S252*Calculus II4
STAT S400Statistical Computing with R2
STAT S401Regression and Analysis of Variance4
Electives
Include upper division courses as needed to meet 42 upper division credits required for degree.26
1

May be repeated once for credit when topics vary

2

 Prerequisites include MATH S151, S152

By the time that they have completed their degree, students will be able to:
1. Describe the fundamental Earth system components, their organization, and how they interrelate,
2. Collect and quantitatively analyze environmental data,
3. Convey technical concepts in environmental science to other scientists and the public,
4. Explain how environmental science is incorporated into different professional fields,
5. Relate environmental science to broader societal issues and solutions, and
6. Conduct research in an environmental field and/or provide support for environmental resource
management.