Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines physical, chemical and biological sciences with social, political and economic understanding needed to study the environment and address environmental problems. The Environmental Science program integrates classroom work in biology, chemistry, geology and social sciences (economics and planning) with extensive field, lab and research experience. All students take a core of Environmental Science courses complemented by a concentration in one of the three core sciences (biology, chemistry, and geology). Motivated students have the opportunity to obtain a double major in both Environmental Science and their concentration area. Graduates leave Eastern with the necessary professional and technical skills for employment in the environmental profession or entry into graduate or professional school.

Major Requirements for Environmental Science

Each student should meet with an advisor when declaring environmental science as a major.

Note: some course options may not result in there being 60 upper division credits required for graduation within the major–advisor consultation is required.

Grade Requirements: students must maintain an average GPA ≥2.0 in the major to graduate from the program.

Note: may only count BIOL 380 once.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance Exams 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB

General Education Requirements (GER)

• Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
  • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
  • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
• Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences

University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
Foreign Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List

All admitted students must officially Declare a Major by the time they reach 90 credits (junior standing).
Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

SOAR calculates based on these two catalog years.

1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who successfully earn a BS in Environmental Science Major with Environmental Biology from EWU should be able to do the following:

• demonstrate effective oral, graphical, and written communication abilities, and critical thinking skills as related to the environmental sciences;
• demonstrate knowledge of the interrelationships among the physical and biological components of ecosystems;
• develop an integrated knowledge of major concepts in the area of environmental sciences and an understanding of fundamental roles that biology, chemistry, and geology play in environmental science;
• develop sufficient preparation in the environmental sciences to successfully compete in a graduate or professional program, or to realize employment in an environmental sciences-related career;
• use epistemologically sound quantitative techniques for the analysis of biotic and abiotic samples and systems.