Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies

The B.A. program introduces students to a wide range of research methods and techniques used in environmental careers from field techniques to geographic information systems.  There are extensive opportunities on and off-campus for internships and field experiences providing hands-on learning and real world training.  

If you are a student considering Environmental Studies, you will find that our majors are able to: 

• Describe the major physical processes affecting environmental resources. 
• Explain and analyze the impacts of human activity on the environment
• Critically analyze environmental problems and solutions from multiple perspectives including environmental justice. 
• Describe the process of environmental policy development locally, nationally, and globally.
• Evaluate environmental issues from an ethical and aesthetic standpoint  
• Collect, organize, interpret, write about and present research and information about historical and contemporary environmental issues.

Many of our graduates find work in environmental education, parks and recreation, environmental planning, restoration, and management, and sustainability.  They can be found in the private, non-profit, and public sectors.  The degree is also a great way to prepare for graduate school in a wide range of fields.  Check out the Student Video about the ENVS Program and Welcome to the ENVS Family!

• Environmental Studies Roadmap
• Environmental Studies GE Worksheet
• Environmental Studies Major Worksheet

• General Education Requirements (51 Units)
   General Education Requirements 
• Preperation for the Major (19 Units)
   

  • BIOL 105 - Introduction to Biology/Ecology Units: 3 *
  • ENVS 100 - Introduction to Environmental Studies Units: 3 **
  • GES 101 - Matter, Molecules, Life, and the Environment I [Physical Science] Units: 3 *** OR  GES 105 - Introduction to Physical Science Units: 3 ****
  • ENVS 210 - Research Methods in Environmental Studies Units: 3
  • GEOG 120 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Units: 4
  • ES 100 - The Earth and Its Place in the Universe Units: 3
    OR GEOG 110: Introduction to Physical Geography Units: 3*****

  Note:

  *BIOL 105 may also be used to meet the “B2 Life Sciences” lower-division General Education Requirements.

  **ENVS 100 may also be used to meet the “D7 Interdisciplinary Social Sciences” lower-division General Education Requirements.

  *** GES 101 may also be used to meet the “B1 Physical Sciences” and “B3 Laboratory” lower-division General Education Requirements.

  **** GES 105 may also be used to meet the “B1 Physical Sciences” lower-division General Education Requirements.

  ***** GEOG 110 may  be used to fulfill the B1 and B3 requirements if students also take GEOG 110L

• Language Proficiency Requirement (0-9 Units)

   This requirement can be met in one of the following ways:

  1. Intermediate 200-level (3rd semester) language course with a grade of C or higher or CR.
  2. CSUSM Language Proficiency Exam demonstrating intermediate-level language proficiency.
  3. AP Language other than English Examination with a score of 3 or higher.
  4. IB Higher-Level Language A Literature Exam or Language A Language and Literature Exam with score of 4 or higher.
  5. CLEP with the following minimum score: French Level II: 59; German Level II: 60; Spanish Level II: 63.
  6. TOEFL or other CSUSM-approved English language exam as a condition for admission to CSUSM.
  7. Completion at least 3 full-time years at a high school or university where English was not the principal language of instruction.
  8. Intermediate-level ASL may fulfill this requirement; see Catalog for conditions.
• Major Requirements (21 Units)

  Upper-Division Requirements 

  • ENVS 301 - Place, Power and The Environment
  • ENVS 310 - Environmental Impact Analysis Units: 3
  • ENVS 340 - Environmental Justice (Prerequisite: ENVS 100)
  • CHEM 311 - Chemicals and the Environment Units: 3
  • GEOG 310 - Climate and Life in the Antropocene (Prerequisite: B1)
  • PHIL 340 - Ethics and the Environment Units: 3
  • ENVS 490 - Capstone in Environmental Studies Units: 3 (Prerequisite: ENVS 310, CHEM 311)

  Upper-Division Electives 

  18 units chosen from courses listed in Arts and Humanities, Social Science, and Natural Sciences with at least six units completed in each area. Courses listed in multiple areas can only be counted as part of the six units in one area. 

• Arts and Humanities
  • AMD 313 - Digital Arts and the Environment Units: 3
  • AMD 316 - Art, Science and Technology Units: 3
  • AMD 422 - Art and Science: Historical and Contemporary Practice Units: 3
  • ANTH 325 - Ancient Mexican Society and Art Units: 3
  • ANTH 430 - Medical Ethnography Units: 3
  • ANTH 480 - Local Archaeological Practice Units: 3
  • ENVS 325 - Environmental Issues Through Film Units: 3
  • ENVS 390 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies Units: 3
  • ENVS 495 Units: 1-3 - Internship
  • ENVS 498 - Independent Study Units: 3
  • GEOG 450 - Parks and Public Lands Units: 3
  • HIST 340 - Environmental History of the United States Units: 3
  • LTWR 346 - U.S. Environmental Literature Units: 3
  • PHIL 342 - Philosophy of Technology Units: 3
• Social Sciences
   

  • ANTH 370 - Environment, Population, and Culture Units: 3
  • ANTH 379 - Environmental Health and Justice Units: 3
  • ANTH 430 - Medical Ethnography Units: 3
  • ANTH 470 - Community Ethnobotany Units: 3
  • ANTH 481 - Native American Archaeological Monitoring Units: 3
  • BRS 453 - Border Water Conflicts Units: 3
  • ECON 325 - Economics of the Environment and Natural Resources Units: 3
  • ENVS 305 - Resilience and Society Units: 3
  • ENVS 320 - Environmental and Land-Use Design Units: 3
  • ENVS 361 - Diet and Planet Units: 3
  • ENVS 390 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies Units: 3
  • ENVS 464 - Food, Politics and The Environment Units: 3
  • ENVS 495 - Internship Units: 3
  • ENVS 498 - Independent Study Units: 3
  • GEOG 320 - Patterns of San Diego County Units: 3
  • GEOG 341 - Nature and Society in California Units: 3
  • GEOG 352 - Environment, Development and Sustainability Units: 3
  • GEOG 460 - Food Systems and Emerging Markets Units: 3
  • HIST 340 - Environmental History of the United States Units: 3
  • LBST 307 - Children and the Environment Units: 3
  • LBST 362 - Technology and Social Change Units: 3
  • PSCI 321 - Making Public Policy Units: 3
  • PSCI 342 - Issues in Latin Amercian Poilitics
  • PSCI 396 - Green Planet Politics Units: 3
  • PSCI 420 - U.S. Environmental Policy Units: 3
  • PSCI 462 - Resource Wars Units: 3
  • PSYC 338 - Environmental Psychology Units: 3
  • SOC 439 - Social Justice and the Environment Units: 4
  • WMST 304 - Ecofeminism Units: 3
  • WMST 445 - Gender and Development Units: 3
• Physical/Life Sciences
   

  • ASTR 342 - Elements of Astronomy Units: 3
  • BIOL 318 - Plants and Society Units: 3
  • BIOL 336 - Coastal Environments Units: 3
  • BIOL 338 - Human Impact on the Environment Units: 3
  • BIOL 339 - Conservation Biology Units: 3
  • BIOL 463 - Principles of Conservation Biology Units: 3
  • BIOL 388 - Marine Communities Units: 3
  • ES 314 - The Geosphere in Context Units: 3
• Breadth Requirement
  Additional course in Upper-Division Social Sciences (DD designated) or Upper-Division Arts and Humanities (CC designated) outside the major.  This requirement can also count as the DD requirement or CC requirement (as appropriate) in Upper-Division General Education, but it must be a course in a program other than Environmental Studies.  Any course carrying the DD or CC designation outside of  Environmental Studies  can be used to fulfill this requirement.  If students choose to satisfy their UDGE DD or CC with a course outside the major, the breadth requirement will become 3 free elective units.