Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree with a Major in Environmental Science and a Major Concentration in Earth Science
Program Learning Outcomes for the BS Degree with a Major in Environmental Science
Upon completing the BS degree with a major in Environmental Science, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge in the natural sciences that is fundamental to Environmental and Earth sciences, including the ability to apply scientific method and apply Earth systems thinking (e.g. feedback processes). (Critical Thinking)
- Integrate knowledge of natural and applied sciences to understand and be able to communicate about complex natural environmental systems and cycles. (Communication)
- Synthesize knowledge and skills from natural sciences and understand how it applies to the study of the environment, including via research and/or field studies in environmental science. (Research, Design, or Scholarly Pursuits)
- Understand environmental issues from scientific and interdisciplinary perspectives (e.g., social sciences, economics, humanities, and/or architecture). (Critical Thinking, Communication)
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in research and/or field studies in environmental science.
Requirements for the BS Degree with a Major in Environmental Science
For graduation requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BS degree with a major in Environmental Science must complete:
- A minimum of 26-29 courses (76-82 credit hours), depending on course selection, to satisfy major requirements.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 5-7 courses (15-24 credit hours), depending on declared major concentration, taken at the 300-level or above.
- An advanced field or research experience requirement.
- A capstone senior seminar requirement.
- The requirements of a major concentration. When students declare the major in Environmental Science, students must additionally identify and declare one of two major concentrations, either in:
Because of the common core requirements, it is possible for students to change their major concentration at any time, even after initially declaring the major. To do so, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary major that addresses environmental issues in the context of what we know about earth, ecology, and society. In addition to its science core, the major also seeks to provide students with some appreciation of social, cultural, and policy dimensions of environmental issues.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor, or where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Environmental Science | 76-82 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the BS Degree with a Major in Environmental Science | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Foundation Coursework | ||
| BIOS 201 | INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | 3 |
| BIOS 202 | INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | 3 |
| BIOS 332 | ECOLOGY | 3 |
| CHEM 121 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| or CHEM 111 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY I | |
| CHEM 123 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I | 1 |
| or CHEM 113 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I | |
| CHEM 122 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | 3 |
| or CHEM 112 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | |
| CHEM 124 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II | 1 |
| or CHEM 114 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II | |
| MATH 101 | SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS I | 3 |
| or MATH 105 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS I | |
| MATH 102 | SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS II | 3 |
| or MATH 106 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS II | |
| STAT 280 | ELEMENTARY APPLIED STATISTICS 1 | 4 |
| or STAT 305 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS FOR BIOSCIENCES | |
| Select 1 course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| MECHANICS (WITH LAB) and MECHANICS DISCUSSION | ||
| HONORS MECHANICS (WITH LAB) | ||
| GENERAL PHYSICS (WITH LAB) | ||
| CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS I | ||
| Data and Quantitation | ||
| Select 1 from the following: | 3-4 | |
| ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL DATA | ||
| COMPUTATION WITH BIOLOGICAL DATA | ||
| CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT | ||
| COMPUTATIONAL THINKING | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO DATA SCIENCE | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTATION IN THE EARTH, ENVIRONMENT AND PLANETARY SCIENCES | ||
| REMOTE SENSING | ||
| GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | ||
| ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) and ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM DISCUSSION | ||
| HONORS ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) | ||
| GENERAL PHYSICS II (WITH LAB) | ||
| CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS II | ||
| Core Courses 2 | ||
| BIOS 213 | INTRODUCTORY LAB IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION | 2 |
| ENST 100 / ARCH 105 | ENVIRONMENT, CULTURE AND SOCIETY | 3 |
| Any course (minimum 3 credit hours) from Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (EEPS) courses offerings at the 100-level (any course offerings between course numbers EEPS 100 and EEPS 199) | 3 | |
| EEPS 321 | EARTH AND PLANETARY SURFACE ENVIRONMENTS | 4 |
| EEPS 325 | OCEANS, ATMOSPHERES AND CLIMATE | 4 |
| Field Experience | ||
| Select 1-2 courses from the following: | 2-3 | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: THE DESIGN & PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE 3 | ||
| LAB MODULE IN ECOLOGY | ||
| LAB MODULE IN BEHAVIOR | ||
| TROPICAL FIELD BIOLOGY | ||
| ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF BRAZILIAN WETLANDS LABORATORY | ||
| BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY | ||
| INSECT BIOLOGY LAB | ||
| FIELD BIRD BIOLOGY LAB | ||
| FIELD TRIPS FOR THE EARTH | ||
| VISUALIZING NATURE | ||
| THE EARTH LABORATORY | ||
| Major Concentration | ||
| Select 1 from the following Major Concentrations (see below for Major Concentration requirements): | 9-12 | |
Earth Science | ||
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | ||
| Advanced Electives 4 | ||
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select 1 course from the following: | 3 | |
| FOOD, CULTURE, CLIMATE: EATING AND GROWING IN TIMES OF ECO-UPHEAVAL | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE | ||
| ZOOARCHAEOLOGY | ||
| ANTHROPOLOGIES OF NATURE | ||
| PEOPLE AND ANIMALS IN THE PAST | ||
| SPACE, PLACE, AND LANDSCAPE | ||
| MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY | ||
| THE ECONOMICS OF SUSTAINABILITY, CONSERVATION, AND PANDEMICS | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: RICE INTO THE FUTURE | ||
| JUSTICE IN THE FOOD SYSTEM | ||
| THE SOCIAL LIFE OF CLEAN ENERGY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| ENERGY ECONOMICS | ||
| URBAN POLITICS | ||
| COMPARATIVE URBAN POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| DEMOGRAPHY | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF DISASTER | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF FOOD | ||
| Humanities and Architecture | ||
| Select 1 course from the folowing: | 3 | |
| SCIENCE FICTION AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| NONFICTION NATURE WRITING | ||
| CONSUMPTION AND CONSUMERISM | ||
| STUDIES IN LITERATURE AND ECOLOGY | ||
| CULTURE, ENERGY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT: AN INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY HUMANITIES | ||
| RECKONING WITH THE ANTHROPOCENE | ||
| CASE STUDIES IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | ||
| CASE STUDIES IN SUSTAINABILITY: THE REGENERATIVE REPOSITIONING OF NEW OR EXISTING RICE CAMPUS BLDGS | ||
| LITERATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| SEMINAR IN URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND LIVABILITY RESEARCH METHODS AND APPLICATIONS | ||
| LAB IN ENGAGED URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND LIVABILITY RESEARCH | ||
| FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SUSTAINABLE: ART, ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE | ||
| US ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY | ||
| ENCOUNTERING THE ENVIRONMENT: CASE STUDIES FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO THE SPACE AGE | ||
| LITERATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| Natural Sciences and Engineering 5 | ||
| Select 1 course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND REPORTING | ||
| SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS | ||
| SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO AIR POLLUTION CONTROL | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING | ||
| SUSTAINABLE WATER PURIFICATION FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD | ||
| APPLIED SUSTAINABLE PLANNING AND DESIGN | ||
| CHEMISTRY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE | ||
| ATMOSPHERIC PARTICULATE MATTER | ||
| ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND CLIMATE | ||
| HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING | ||
| COASTAL HAZARDS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION RESTORATION | ||
| CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT | ||
| FATE AND TRANSPORT OF CONTAMINANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT & HUMAN HEALTH | ||
| INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY DISCUSSION I | ||
| UNDERSTANDING ENERGY: ENERGY LITERACY AND CIVICS | ||
| ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | ||
| ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW | ||
| Advanced Field or Research Experience Requirement | ||
| Independent Research (see the Opportunities tab for additional information). 6 | ||
| Select 1 course from the following: | 3 | |
| INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FOR BIOSCIENCES UNDERGRADUATES | ||
| UNDERGRADUATE HONORS RESEARCH | ||
| GEOLOGY FIELD CAMP | ||
| PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN EARTH, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PLANETARY SCIENCE | ||
| UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN EARTH, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PLANETARY SCIENCES | ||
| Capstone Senior Seminar Requirement | ||
| BIOS 495 / EEPS 495 | SEMINAR: TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Environmental Science | 75-82 | |
| Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements * | 7-13 | |
| University Graduation Requirements * | 31 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: University Graduation Requirements include 31 credit hours, comprised of Distribution Requirements (Groups I, II, and III), FWIS, and LPAP coursework. In some instances, courses satisfying FWIS or distribution requirements may additionally meet other requirements, such as the Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement, or some of the student’s declared major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements include general electives, coursework completed as upper-level, residency (hours taken at Rice), and/or any other additional academic program requirements. |
| 1 | |
| 2 | The Core Courses acquaint students with a range of environmental topics encountered by scientists, engineers, managers, and policy makers. Core Courses stress the components of the global environment and their interactions, culminating with a tropical seminar that integrates across the field. |
| 3 | BIOS 204 Environmental Sustainability: The Design & Practice of Community Agriculture (1 credit hour) may only be applied once toward the Field Experience Requirement. |
| 4 | Students may also petition to complete alternative courses to be applied toward the Advanced Electives requirement. |
| 5 | In addition to the courses in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Advanced Electives list, students may complete 1 course listed in the major concentration requirements outside of the student's declared major concentration. |
| 6 | Students are encouraged, but not required, to undertake independent research on environmentally related topics. |
Major Concentration: Earth Science
Students must complete a total of 3 courses (minimum of 10-12 credit hours, depending on course selection) as listed below to satisfy requirements for the major concentration in Earth Science.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select 2 courses from the following: | 7-8 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTATION IN THE EARTH, ENVIRONMENT AND PLANETARY SCIENCES | ||
| EARTH AND PLANETARY CHEMISTRY AND MATERIALS | ||
| EARTH AND PLANETARY STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS | ||
| GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES | ||
| Elective Requirement | ||
| Select at least 1 course from the following: 1 | 3-4 | |
Any course from Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (EEPS) courses offerings at the 300-level (or above) designated as Lecture in the course catalog | ||
| EARTH AND PLANETARY SURFACE ENVIRONMENTS | ||
| EARTH AND PLANETARY CHEMISTRY AND MATERIALS | ||
| EARTH AND PLANETARY STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS | ||
| GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES | ||
| GEOCHEMISTRY OF EARTH’S SURFACE | ||
| TRACE-ELEMENT AND ISOTOPE GEOCHEMISTRY FOR EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE | ||
| ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY | ||
| GEOMORPHOLOGY | ||
| MECHANICS OF SEDIMENT TRANSPORT | ||
| PALEOCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| FLUID FLOW IN FRACTURED ROCKS | ||
| CLIMATE DYNAMICS | ||
| CLIMATE OF THE COMMON ERA | ||
| REMOTE SENSING | ||
| GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | ||
| EARTH’S NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION | ||
| GEOMICROBIOLOGY | ||
| GEOMECHANICS | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 10-12 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Please note that the course not completed in the Core Requirements list for the major concentration in Earth Science may be completed and applied towards the major concentration’s Elective Requirement. Courses previously used to meet Core Requirements cannot be counted a second time as an Elective Requirement. |
Policies for the BS Degree with a Major in Environmental Science and a Major Concentration in Earth Science
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the BS Degree with a Major in Environmental Science and a Major Concentration in Earth Science should be aware of the following program restrictions:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates under Declaring Majors, Minors and Certificates, students may not obtain both a BA and a BS in the same major. Students pursuing the BS Degree with a Major in Environmental Science and a Major Concentration in Earth Science may not additionally pursue the BA Degree with a Major in Environmental Science.
- Students pursuing the major in Environmental Science may pursue only one major concentration within the major.
- Students pursuing the major in Environmental Sciences and a major concentration in Earth Science may not additionally declare the minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the following websites:
Opportunities for the BS Degree with a Major in Environmental Science and a Major Concentration in Earth Science
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Independent Research
Students are encouraged to undertake independent research on environmentally related topics as part of their degree programs, in cooperation with one or more faculty. Course options for independent research, repeatable for credit, include: BIOS 401, BIOS 402, and EEPS 481.
Students also can enroll in senior honors thesis programs within their major concentrations, or by arrangement with other departments, and/or through the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program. Students completing a thesis will also be eligible for the Distinction in Research and Creative Work, a university honor. Details for each program can be found here:
- BIOS Honors Research
(https://biosciences.rice.edu/research-overview)
- EEPS Explore Research
(https://eeps.rice.edu/eeps.explore.research)
- EEPS Senior Honors Thesis
(https://eeps.rice.edu/eeps-honor-thesis)
- Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the following websites: