Environmental Science, Bachelor of Science with a Concentration in Life Science
Environmental Science, Bachelor of Science with a Concentration in Life Sciences Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS - 34 Hours Required | ||
| Minimum of “C-“ required | ||
| Fundamental Skills | 15 | |
Writing – 6 hrs. | ||
| ENGLISH COMPOSITION I | ||
| COLLEGE RESEARCH AND INFORMATION LITERACY | ||
Oral Communication – 3 hrs. | ||
| PUBLIC SPEAKING FUNDS | ||
or CMST 2120 | ARGUMENTATION AND DEBATE | |
Quantitative Literacy – 3 hrs. | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING | ||
or MATH 1130 | QUANTITATIVE LITERACY | |
or MATH 1140 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS | |
or MATH 1300 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA WITH SUPPORT | |
Data Literacy – 3 hrs. | ||
Select one from the following: | ||
| DATA LITERACY AND VISUALIZATION | ||
| ELEMENTARY STATISTICS | ||
Until Fall 2028, students can satisfy this requirement with an approved data literacy course, or any approved natural or social science general education course. | ||
| Breadth of Knowledge | 13 | |
Social Science – 3 hrs. | ||
Humanities – 3 hrs. | ||
Natural & Physical Science (must complete a lab) – 4 hrs. | ||
Arts – 3 hrs. | ||
| Individual and Social Responsibility | 6 | |
Cultural Knowledge – 3 hrs. | ||
Civic Knowledge and Engagement – 3 hrs. | ||
| MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | ||
| **Course will satisfy UNO's General Education requirement | ||
| ^Course requires pre-requisite(s) | ||
| Environmental Science Major with a Concentration in Life Sciences - 74-87 Hours Required | ||
| Required coursework | 16-18 | |
| (Note that in the case of cross-listed courses, Environmental Science majors must enroll in the ENVN section) | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS (^) | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY (**) | ||
| HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT GEOGRAPHY (**) | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT (^) | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING (^) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & REGULATIONS (^) | ||
| Select one of the following Statistics courses | 3-4 | |
| STATISTICS FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (^) | ||
| STATISTICS FOR LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (^) | ||
| ELEMENTARY STATISTICS (** ^) | ||
| STATISTICAL METHODS I (^) | ||
| STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES (^) | ||
| SOCIAL STATISTICS (^) | ||
| Select one of the following GIS courses | 1-4 | |
| GIS APPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (^) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPATIAL SCIENCES (** ^) | ||
| CARTOGRAPHY AND DATA VISUALIZATION (^) | ||
| GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I (^) | ||
| Select one of the following courses on the Human Dimensions of Environmental Studies | 3 | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND NATIVE PEOPLES OF THE GREAT PLAINS (^) | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS STRATEGY (^) | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS (^) | ||
| SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE SPANISH-SPEAKING WORLD (^) | ||
| GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS (^) | ||
| THE NATURE OF THE PAST: AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY, PRE-HISTORY TO THE PRESENT (^) | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY (^) | ||
| Life Sciences Concentration | ||
| All of the following: | 25 | |
| BIOLOGY I (** ^) | ||
| BIOLOGY II (^) | ||
| GENETICS (^) | ||
| ECOLOGY (^) | ||
| FLORA OF THE GREAT PLAINS (^) | ||
| CONSERVATION BIOLOGY (^) | ||
| Select three additional upper division courses in Biology or Environmental Science from the approved list below). At least two courses must include a lab | 10-12 | |
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL (^) | ||
| BIOLOGY OF AFRICA (^) | ||
| FAUNA OF THE GREAT PLAINS (^) | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOLOGY (^) | ||
| DIRECTED READINGS IN BIOLOGY (^) 1 | ||
| SUPERVISED RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY (^) 1 | ||
| BIOGEOGRAPHY (^) | ||
| STATISTICS FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (^) 2 | ||
| FRESHWATER ECOLOGY (^) | ||
| FIRE ECOLOGY (^) | ||
| POPULATION BIOLOGY (^) | ||
| EVOLUTION (^) | ||
| MARINE BIOLOGY (^) | ||
| BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY (^) | ||
| WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (^) | ||
| RESTORATION ECOLOGY (^) | ||
| MEDICINAL USES OF PLANTS (^) | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF SYSTEMATICS (^) | ||
| TOXICOLOGY (^) | ||
| VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY (^) | ||
| MAMMALOGY (^) | ||
| HERPETOLOGY (^) | ||
| ENTOMOLOGY (^) | ||
| ADVANCED BOTANY (^) | ||
| ORNITHOLOGY (^) | ||
| MICROBIAL ECOLOGY | ||
| ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY AND HUMAN HEALTH (^) | ||
| 1 With approval from the Environmental Studies Program | ||
| 2 May be used to satisfy the statistics requirement or can count towards the required biology and environmental Science courses, but not both. | ||
| Required chemistry courses: | 3 | |
| CHEMISTRY IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY (** ^) | ||
or CHEM 3030 | ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY | |
| In addition, select one of the following chemistry sequences | 10-13 | |
| Sequence One: | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (** ^) | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (^) | ||
| Sequence Two: | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (** ^) | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (^) | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (^) | ||
| Complete one additional approved physical science course in Chemistry, Geology, Physical Geography, or Physics | 3-5 | |
| FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOCHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY (^) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS and INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS LABORATORY (** ^) | ||
| PHYSICS FOR LIFE SCIENCE I (** ^) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL GEOLOGY (** ) | ||
| GEOSCIENCE DATA ANALYSIS AND MODELING (^) | ||
| WATER QUALITY (^) | ||
| PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY (^) | ||
| SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION (^) | ||
| GEOCHEMISTRY (^) | ||
| CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE (^) | ||
| CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES (^) | ||
| CLIMATOLOGY (^) | ||
| WATER RESOURCES (^) | ||
| GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE (^) | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL REMOTE SENSING (^) | ||
| College Breadth | 0 | |
| College of Arts and Sciences' breadth requirement satisfied by this major | ||
| Bachelor of Science Cognate Requirement | 0 | |
| See major. | ||
| ELECTIVES | ||
| Elective hours as required to reach a total of 120 hours | ||
Environmental Science, Bachelor of Science with a Concentration in Life Sciences Four Year Plan
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BIOL 1450 | BIOLOGY I | 5 |
| ENGL 1150 | ENGLISH COMPOSITION I | 3 |
| GEOG 1050 | HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT GEOGRAPHY | 4 |
| MATH 1300 or MATH 1320 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA WITH SUPPORT or COLLEGE ALGEBRA | 3-4 |
Attend Durango Days; other campus events. Set up a Handshake account and take the Pathway U career assessment. Attend the Student Involvement & Volunteer Fair to explore student organizations. Make advising appointment for spring: Sept-Oct. Work with your advisor to develop your Pathway in Stellic. | ||
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 1750 | BIOLOGY II | 5 |
| CMST 1110 or CMST 2120 | PUBLIC SPEAKING FUNDS or ARGUMENTATION AND DEBATE | 3 |
| ENGL 1160 | COLLEGE RESEARCH AND INFORMATION LITERACY | 3 |
| ENVN 2010 | ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS | 2 |
| CHEM 1010 | CHEMISTRY IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY | 3 |
Attend campus events such as major exploration week to get an idea of interests and career paths. Schedule a resume review with UNO Career Services. Visit faculty office hours and ask about undergraduate research opportunities. Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 1140 & CHEM 1144 | FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 5 |
| GEOG 1090 | INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPATIAL SCIENCES | 4 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend the Career & Internship Fair to start networking with employers. Look for volunteer, research, or part-time work to gain experience. Join a student organization or club related to your field or interests. Make advising appointment for spring: Sept. - Oct. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 2140 | GENETICS | 4 |
| CHEM 2210 & CHEM 2214 | FUNDAMENTALS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 5 |
| GEOL 1010 | ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY | 3 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend a career fair for informational and networking purposes. Update your resume and LinkedIn profile with new experiences. Investigate and apply for summer internships, research, or study abroad programs. Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Approved BIOL/ENVN 3000/4000 Level elective with lab | 4 | |
| Approved Statistics Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Apply for a paid internship or research assistantship. Attend a mock interview workshop or use online interview tools with Career Services. Start researching and visiting graduate programs or professional schools. Visit Career Center, continue updating resume. Make advising appointment for spring: Sept-Oct. | ||
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 3340 | ECOLOGY | 4 |
| BIOL 4120 | CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | 3 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
Request letters of recommendation from faculty for jobs or grad school. Attend the All-Majors Career Fair with a plan to network. Meet with your advisor or submit for a graduation check-in to review remaining degree requirements. Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENVN 4800 | INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 3530 | FLORA OF THE GREAT PLAINS | 4 |
| ENVN 4610 | ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| ENVN 4820 | INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & REGULATIONS | 3 |
| Approved BIOL/ENVN 3000/4000 Level elective | 3 | |
| Approved physical science course | 3 | |
Check in with Career Center for networking tips. Finalize graduate school applications or job search strategy. Attend a career fair and start applying for full-time jobs. Prepare for interviews and salary negotiations with Career Services. Make advising appointment for spring: Sept. - Oct. | ||
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Approved BIOL/ENVN 3000/4000 Level elective | 4 | |
| An approved course focusing on the human dimensions of environmental studies | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
Complete your final advising check before graduation. Polish your resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn profile. Stay connected by joining alumni networks and professional organizations. Apply for graduation via MavLink. | ||
| Credits | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 120-121 | |
Upper Level Credits: Students need 27 upper level credits throughout the degree with at least 18 upper level credits within the major. Electives may need to be selected at the 3000-4000 level to reach these minimums.
Additional Information About this Plan:
University Degree Requirements: The minimum number of hours for a UNO undergraduate degree is 120 credit hours. Please review the requirements for your specific program to determine all requirements for the program. In order to graduate on-time (four years for an undergraduate degree), you need to take 30 hours each year.
Placement Exams: For Math, English, World Language, a placement exam may be required. More information on these exams can be found at https://www.unomaha.edu/enrollment-management/testing-center/placement-exams/information.php
Transfer credit or placement exam scores may change suggested plan of study
GPA Requirements: 2.0
Note: This plan provides a general guide, but your specific courses, experiences, and career goals may differ. Work with your academic advisor to ensure you’re meeting degree requirements and consult with career advisors to explore internships, research opportunities, and post-graduation plans. Regular check-ins will help you stay on track and make the most of your time at UNO!