Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences

  • Man measuring water depth.
  • Highway over water.
  • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences students sitting on blocks in water.
  • Students kayaking.
  • Students working in water measuring.
B.S. Environmental And Sustainability Sciences

Coastal environments are critical for society. Although they only cover 10% of the land mass, coastal environments (fed by watersheds upstream and incoming ocean tides) are home to 40% of the world's population. The University of South  Alabama offers a B.S. in Environmental & Sustainability Sciences designed to address the need for a broad understanding of the natural world and its interaction with the demands of  human society and development. A key component of environmental science is its interdisciplinary nature and how an integrative approach can be used to develop mutually beneficial solutions to some of society's most pressing challenges.

Students in this program gain an understanding of science methodologies and applied analyses. The faculty consists of natural and social scientists that have extensive experience working on issues in coastal environments as well as working with communities to sustainably mitigate and manage interactions with them. Led by our world-renowned faculty, our students will apply field methods, instrumentation, and data analysis to study the natural and human environment.

 

Careers in Environmental & Sustainability Sciences

 

Career Fields

Sustainability
Renewable Energy
Conservation
Agriculture
Urban Planning and Development
Natural Resource Management
Education
Environmental Toxicology

Types of Employers

Environmental Consulting Firms
Health & Safety 
Nonprofit Agencies
Research Labs
Education & Outreach
Government Agencies

Environmental Protection Agency
Fish & Wildlife Service
Bureau of Land Management
Forest Service
Alabama Department of Environmental Management

Job Titles

Environmental Scientist
Environmental Technician
Environmental Consultant
Natural Resource Manager
Environmental Health  & Safety Officer
Biologist
Water Quality Scientist
Nature Conservation Officer
Environmental Educator
Conservation Technician
Ecologist
Research Assistant
Invasive Species Specialist

 

America's Amazon


The University of South Alabama is located near the edge of Mobile Bay and the Tensaw-River Delta. Students in the environmental and sustainability sciences undergraduate program have the opportunity to receive experiential learning in our Nation's most biodiverse ecosystem known as "America's Amazon."  Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences integrates hands-on learning with classroom instruction to aid students in understanding the complexities of environmental systems and human interactions and prepare them for careers in both the private and public sectors.

cypress trees reflecting on a body of water

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Sean Powers

cypress tree

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Molly Miller

Opportunities for Community Engagement

 

Take part in community engagement

Work at a local oyster farm 

Volunteer for local beach clean-up efforts

Help remove invasive species

Feed and care for local wildlife at the

Environmental Studies Center

Serve with local conservation groups:

Mobile Bay Keeper

Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

South Alabama Land Trust

Alabama Coastal Foundation

The Nature Conservancy

 

Course Offerings

▼   Core Courses (Required by all  Environmental & Sustainability Sciences Students)

Students must earn a "C" or higher in all Program Core Courses 


Course ID
Course Description Credit Hours
ENV 100 Gulf Coast Sustainability Seminar 1
ENV 101 Environment & Society 3
ENV 337 and ENV 337L Environmental Sciences I 4
ENV 339 Climate Change-W 3
ENV 335 and ENV 335L  Environmental Conservation & Sustainability-W 4
ENV 421  Environmental Policy 4
GIT 460                       Intro to Geographic Information Technology 4
 
▼   Additional Requirements for Environmental & Sustainability- Natural Sciences Concentration

STEM Requirements for Natural Sciences Concentration

Minimum GPA of 2.0 required

Course ID Course Description Credit Hours
BLY 121 & BLY 121L General Biology I with Lab 4
BLY 122 & BLY 122L General Biology II with Lab 4
plus
CH 131 & CH 131L General Chemistry I with Lab 4
CH 132 & CH 132 L General Chemistry II with Lab 4
plus one of the following physics courses
PH 114 & PH114L Physics with Algebra-Trig I with Lab 4-5
PH 201 & PH201L Calculus-Based Physics with Lab 4-5
plus one of the following math courses
MA 125 Calculus 3-4
ST 210 Stat Reason and Application 3-4
plus
GY 111 & GY 111L Physical Geology with Lab 4

 

 

Natural Sciences Electives
Requirements:  Must choose 16 hours from the following
Course Course Description
ENV 338 & ENV 338L Environmental Sciences II with Lab
ENV 334 & ENV 334L Environmental Monitoring and Assessment with Lab
ENV 420 Natural Resource Management
ENV 422 & ENV 422L Environmental Microbiology with Lab
ENV 490 Special Topics
GEO 332 Remote Sensing I
GEO 442 Remote Sensing II
GEO 410 Biogeography
GY 301 Geomorphology
GY 425 Hydrology
▼   Graduation Plan for B.S. Environmental & Sustainability Sciences-Natural Sciences Concentration

Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences-Natural Sciences
Total Hours:  120     

The Graduation Plan is an example of course progression.

Individual student plans may vary.

Students should consult with an academic advisor to create a personalized plan.

 *Note up to six (6) credits can be shared within the Major and Minor.

First Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
CAS 100 (Gen Ed) First Year Experience- College Success 2
BLY 121/121L (Gen Ed) General Biology I with Lab 4
CH 131/CH 131L (Gen Ed) General Chemistry I with Lab 4
MA 125 or ST 210 Calculus I  or Stat Reason & Application 3-4
EH 101 (Gen Ed) English Composition I 3
  Total Hours 17

First Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
BLY 122/BLY122L General Biology II with Lab 4
CH 132/ CH132L (Gen Ed) General Chemistry II with Lab 4
GY 111/GY 111L Physical Geology with Lab 4
EH 102 (Gen Ed) English Composition II 3
  Total Hours 15

Second Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
ENV 100 Gulf Coast Sustainability Seminar 1
ENV 101 Environment & Society 3
  Fine Arts Elective  3
PH 114/PH114L Physics I with Lab 5
ENV 337/ENV337L Environmental Sciences I with Lab 4
  Total Hours 16

Second Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
CA 110 (Gen Ed) Public Speaking 3
  History (US or West. Civ.) (Gen Ed) 3
*PHL 231 (Gen Ed) Humanities Elective Social Ethics 3
  Social/Behavioral Elective (Gen Ed) 3
ENV 421 Environmental Policy 4
  Total Hours 16

Third Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
Foreign Language I (Gen Ed) Foreign Language 1 3
 
Natural Sciences Concentration Elective
4
  Humanities & Fine Arts Elective 3
  Minor 4
  Total Hours 14

Third Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
  Natural Sciences Concentration Elective 4
Foreign Language II (Gen Ed) Foreign Language II 3
  English Literature 3
GY 425 Hydrology  4
  Total Hours 14

Fourth Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
ENV 339 Climate Change (Writing Course) 3
  History, Social & Behavioral Elective 3
GIT 460 Intro to GIT 4
ENV 334/ ENV 334L Environmental Monitoring and Assessment with Lab 4
  Total Hours 14

Fourth Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
  Social/Behavioral Elective (Gen Ed) 3
Minor (GY 112 & GY 112L)   4
  Humanities Elective (Gen Ed) 3
ENV 335/ ENV 335L Environmental Conservation and Sustainability with Lab 4
  Total Hours 15
▼   Additional Requirements for Environmental & Sustainability- Sustainability Concentration

STEM Requirements for Sustainability Sciences Concentration

Minimum GPA of 2.0 required

Course ID Course Description Credit Hours
BLY 101 & BLY 101L Life Science I with Lab 4
BLY 102 & BLY 102L Life Science II with Lab 4
CH 101 & CH 101L Survey of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry with Lab 4
ST 210 Stat Reason and Application 3

 

Sustainability Sciences Electives
Requirements:  Must choose 16 hours
Choose at least one course from each pillar of sustainability
Social Pillar  
AN 256 Anthropology of Food
AN 442 Cultural Resource Management
BLY 490 Special Topics (Global Change Biology and Psychology)

BMD 351

Global Health-w
EDF 335 Inern. Devel & Global Ed
GEO 414 Urban Geography & Planning
HY 310 American Environmental Hy-W
MGT 305 Organizational Comm-W
MGT 462 Negotiation/Dispute Resolution in Business
PSC 250 Comparative Politics
SY 401 Disasters and Society
SY 467  Environmental Sociology
Economic Pillar  
CE 412 Management & Sustainability of C.I.
CE 512 Management & Sustainability of Infr
ECO 390 Environmental Economics
EE 489 Renewable Energy
HTM 410 Sustainable and Eco-Tourism
SM 300 Global Tourism
Environmental Pillar
BLY 205 Intro Environmental Science
BLY 484 Conservation Biology
ENV 334 Enviro Monitoring and Assessment
ENV 420  Natural Resource Management
GEO 101 Environmental Geography
GEO 114 People, Places, Environment
GEO 405 Natural Hazards and Disasters
GEO 490 Special Topics
Remaining elective hours should be selected from any course in the above three groups not already taken
▼   Graduation Plan for B.S. Environmental & Sustainability Sciences-Sustainability Concentration

Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences-Sustainability Concentration
Total Hours:  120     

The Graduation Plan is an example of course progression.

Individual student plans may vary.

Students should consult with an academic advisor to create a personalized plan.

 *Note up to six (6) credits can be shared within the Major and Minor.

First Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
CAS 100 (Gen Ed) First Year Experience- College Success 2
BLY 101/101L (Gen Ed) Life Science I with Lab 4
CH 101/CH 101L (Gen Ed) Survey of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry with Lab 4
ENV 100 Gulf Coast Seminar 1
ENV 101 Environment & Society 3
EH 101 (Gen Ed) English Composition I 3
  Total Hours 17

First Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
BLY 102/BLY102L Life Science II with Lab 4
CA 110 Public Speaking 3
MA 112 Precalculus Algebra 3
  Humanities & Fine Arts Elective 3
EH 102 (Gen Ed) English Composition II 3
  Total Hours 16

Second Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
  Social Pillar Elective 3
  History, Social & Behavioral Sciences 3
  Humanities & Fine Arts Elective 3
  Foreign Language I 3
ENV 337/ENV337L Environmental Sciences I with Lab 4
  Total Hours 16

Second Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
  Sustainability Concentration Elective 3
  Foreign Language II 3
 

History, Social & Behavioral Sciences

3
  History, Social & Behavioral Sciences 3
  Humanities & Fine Arts 3
  Total Hours 15

Third Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
GIT 460 Intro to GIT 4
ENV 339 Climate Change-W 3
  Sustainability Concentration Elective 3
  Minor 3
  Literature 3
  Total Hours 16

Third Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
ENV 335 & ENV 335L Enviro Conserv/Sustainability-W with Lab 4
ENV 421 Environmental Policy 4
  Economic Pillar Elective 3
  Minor Course 3
  Total Hours 14

Fourth Year – Fall Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
ST 210 Stat Reason & Application 3
  History, Social & Behavioral Sciences Elective 3
  minor course 3
  minor course 3
  Total Hours 12

Fourth Year – Spring Semester

Course ID Course Description Hours
  Environmental Pillar Elective 3
  Sustainability Concentration Elective 3
  Minor Course 3
  Minor Course 3
  Elective 2
  Total Hours 15