Environmental Science Major (M)
The study of the environment clearly aligns with the University’s mission to prepare Christians for service in the world. In a society that too often sees faith and science in disagreement, the Christian understanding of stewardship clearly demonstrates alignment of Christian ethics and scientific principles in a way that reflects well on Christianity.
The combination of CUW’s Christian worldview, proximity to significant ecosystems (notably Lake Michigan), and CCES resources, including new showcase aquaponics and walleye breeding facilities, means that the student will have an opportunity to develop into competent scientists with a Christian worldview.
Program Learning Outcomes
By fulfilling all of the course requirements for the Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Science, students will be able to:
- Understand how and why a Christian practices stewardship of God's creation.
- Apply a foundational understanding of environmental science to current research questions.
- Fluently communicate environmental science information in both written and oral formats.
- Investigate ecological questions, utilizing appropriate field, laboratory, and data analysis techniques.
- Recognize the ethical basis and opportunities for service to Christ in vocations in the environmental sciences,
- Be equipped to pursue a career or advanced education in environmental science.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | 45 | |
| Major Requirements | 59-61 | |
| Electives (15 credits of electives may be used for MPH Fast Track) | 14-16 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Foundation: | ||
| Environmental Science (Required Core Course - Natural World: Lab Science) | ||
| Calculus I (Required Core Course - Natural World: Mathematics) | ||
| BIO 1401 & BIO 1402 | General Biology I and General Biology II | 8 |
| BIO 3760 & BIO 3761 | Ecology of the Tropics and Ecology of the Tropics-Lab (Required Core Culture Designation) | 4 |
| CHEM 1414 & CHEM 1424 | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II | 8 |
| ENV 2500 | Earth Science | 4 |
| MATH 2050 | Statistics I | 3 |
| PHYS 1514 | General Physics I | 4 |
| or PHYS 1714 | University Physics I | |
| Environmental tools: | ||
| CHEM 2204 | Analytical Chemistry | 4 |
| ENV 1400 | Introductory GIS | 4 |
| ENV 1500 | Remote Sensing from Satellites and Drones | 3 |
| or ENV 3200 | Environmental Data Analysis | |
| Policy and social perspective: (Required Core Course - Human Beings & Being Human) | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
or LEGL 2300 | Environmental Law & Politics | |
or SCI 2400 | Cosmogony | |
| Concentration areas: | 14-16 | |
Take at least four courses in your area of concentration. The course with an "*" must be taken as one of the four courses in the concentration. | ||
Ecological Concentration | ||
Environmental Chemistry Concentration | ||
| Capstone: | 3 | |
| Take at least 3 credits - not necessarily at the same time | ||
| Completion of the third credit requires a cumulative output and other summative assessments | ||
| Advanced Applied Field Research | ||
| Total Hours | 59-61 | |
Ecological Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 2400 | Botany | 4 |
| BIO 2500 | Zoology | 4 |
| BIO 2600 | Biology of Microorganisms | 4 |
| BIO 3400 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIO 4100 | Ecology (*) | 4 |
| ENV 1600 | Meteorology | 3 |
| ENV 2200 | Water Quality and Aquaponics | 4 |
| ENV 2400 | Native Plants of Wisconsin | 4 |
| ENV 2600 | Oceanography | 4 |
| ENV 3200 | Environmental Data Analysis | 3 |
| Other courses with approval of the department chair of Life & Earth Sciences | ||
Environmental Chemistry Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 2600 | Biology of Microorganisms | 4 |
| CHEM 2414 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 2424 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHEM 3214 | Biochemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 4524 | Instrumental Analysis (*) | 4 |
| ENV 2200 | Water Quality and Aquaponics | 4 |
| ENV 3200 | Environmental Data Analysis (if not taken above) | 3 |
| Other courses with approval of the department chair of Life & Earth Sciences | ||
MPH Fast Track for Environmental Sciences Majors
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MPH Fast Track for Environmental Sciences Majors (optional - will replace 15 elective credits) | 15 | |
| Foundations of Public Health | ||
| Healthcare Delivery in the U.S. | ||
| Leadership and Advocacy in Public Health | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
Plan - Environmental Science
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 1401 | General Biology I | 4 |
| CHEM 1414 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| ENG 1040 | Introduction to Writing | 3 |
| CCE 1010 | Christian Citizen | 3 |
| COMM 1100 or COMM 2100 |
Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication |
3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BIO 1402 | General Biology II | 4 |
| CHEM 1424 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| CCE 1040 | Science & Humanity | 3 |
| REL 1000 | The Bible | 3 |
| MATH 2050 | Statistics I | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| MATH 2010 | Calculus I | 4 |
| LEGL 2300 |
Environmental Law & Politics or Environmental Ethics or Cosmogony |
3 |
| ENV 1400 | Introductory GIS | 4 |
| CCE 1030 | Western Thought & Worldview | 3 |
| HHP 1100 | Stewardship of the Body | 1 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| CHEM 2204 | Analytical Chemistry | 4 |
| ENV 1800 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| CCE 1020 | Western Culture & Worldview | 3 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 4 | |
| ENV 2500 | Earth Science | 4 |
| REL 1100 | Christian Faith | 3 |
| HHP | 1 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| ENV 1500 or ENV 3200 |
Remote Sensing from Satellites and Drones or Environmental Data Analysis |
3 |
| ENV 4990 | Advanced Applied Field Research | 1 |
| BIO 3760 | Ecology of the Tropics | 3 |
| BIO 3761 | Ecology of the Tropics Lab | 1 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| PHYS 1514 or PHYS 1714 |
General Physics I or University Physics I |
4 |
| ENV 4990 | Advanced Applied Field Research | 1 |
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 4 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| ENV 4990 | Advanced Applied Field Research | 1 |
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Plan - MPH Fast Track for Environmental Science Majors
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 1401 | General Biology I | 4 |
| CHEM 1414 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| ENG 1040 | Introduction to Writing | 3 |
| CCE 1010 | Christian Citizen | 3 |
| COMM 1100 or COMM 2100 |
Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication |
3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BIO 1402 | General Biology II | 4 |
| CHEM 1424 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| CCE 1040 | Science & Humanity | 3 |
| REL 1000 | The Bible | 3 |
| MATH 2050 | Statistics I | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| MATH 2010 | Calculus I | 4 |
| LEGL 2300 |
Environmental Law & Politics or Environmental Ethics or Cosmogony |
3 |
| ENV 1400 | Introductory GIS | 4 |
| CCE 1030 | Western Thought & Worldview | 3 |
| HHP 1100 | Stewardship of the Body | 1 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| CHEM 2204 | Analytical Chemistry | 4 |
| ENV 1800 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| CCE 1020 | Western Culture & Worldview | 3 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 4 | |
| ENV 2500 | Earth Science | 4 |
| REL 1100 | Christian Faith | 3 |
| HHP | 1 | |
| PH 5100 | Foundations of Public Health | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| ENV 1500 or ENV 3200 |
Remote Sensing from Satellites and Drones or Environmental Data Analysis |
3 |
| ENV 4990 | Advanced Applied Field Research | 1 |
| BIO 3760 | Ecology of the Tropics | 3 |
| BIO 3761 | Ecology of the Tropics Lab | 1 |
| CORE | 3 | |
| CORE | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| PHYS 1514 or PHYS 1714 |
General Physics I or University Physics I |
4 |
| ENV 4990 | Advanced Applied Field Research | 1 |
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 4 | |
| PH 5200 | Healthcare Delivery in the U.S. | 3 |
| PH 5300 | Leadership and Advocacy in Public Health | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| ENV 4990 | Advanced Applied Field Research | 1 |
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| MAJOR ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| PH 5500 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PH 5600 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Course options and schedule are subject to change.