Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and College of Letters & Science (click here to learn the differences).

Advising: Advising information can be found on the Major’s website under the advising page. Varies for students declaring in CALS and L&S. The major is jointly housed

Chris Kucharik, an ecologist at the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, at left, takes various soil and vegetation measurements in a marked research plot at the UW Arboretum’s Curtis Prairie. (Photo by: Jeff Miller)

in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (L&S home) and Soil Science (CALS home). For more information, visit the Major’s website.

Field of Study: Four distinct characteristics underpin the Environmental Sciences curriculum:

  1. A rigorous foundation in the basic physical and biological sciences
  2. A common core understanding of the four key domains of Environmental Science
  3. Social science coursework intended to connect students to a societal context
  4. The ability to bring this broad knowledge to bear in an area of focus

As part of the major, students can choose to have a distributed focus or concentrate on Ecology, Physical Environment, Geospatial Sciences, or Environmental Policy & Social Perspectives.

Possible Careers
Review the possible career paths for Environmental Science majors here.

Special Opportunities & Additional Information

Selected Required Courses

  • Intro Biology: Biology 151-152; or Biocore; or Botany 130 and Zoology 101-102
  • Calculus: Math 221, Math 171 + 217, or 211
  • General Chemistry: Chem 103-104; or Chem 109
  • Organic Chemistry: Chem 341 or 343
  • Physics: Physics 207-208 (recommended); or Physics 201-202; or Physics 103-104
  • Statistics: Stat 224, 302, 309, or 311 or 371