Environmental Studies

Undergraduate Degrees

Common Core Experience for All Undergraduate Degrees

Required core courses (48 units) Units
BISC 103Lx General Biology for the Environment and Life 4
CHEM 103Lx General Chemistry for the Environment and Life 4
ENST 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies 4
ENST 320ab Water and Soil Sustainability; Energy and Air Sustainability 4-4
ENST 387x Economics for Natural Resources and the Environment 4
ENST 495 Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies 4
GEOL 160L Introduction to Geosystems 4
IR 323 Politics of Global Environment 4
MATH 125 Calculus I 4
POSC 270 Introduction to Environmental Law and Politics 4
PSYC 274 Statistics I 4

Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies

Concentration in Sustainability, Energy and Society (56 units)

In addition to the 48-unit core:

TWO OF THE FOLLOWING COURSES UNITS
ENST 370 Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy 4
ENST 450 Case Studies of Green Business 4
ENST 485 Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies 4
Concentration in Oceans, Life and People (56 units)

In addition to the 48-unit core:

REQUIRED COURSES UNITS
BISC 427 The Global Environment 4
ENST 370 Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy 4
Concentration in Climate, Earth and Environment (56 Units)

In addition to the 48-unit core:

REQUIRED COURSES UNITS
ENST 445 Earth Climate: Past, Present, and Future 4
GEOL 470L Environmental Hydrogeology 4

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies

Concentration in Sustainability, Energy and Society (72 units)

In addition to the 48-unit core:

TWO OF THE FOLLOWING COURSES UNITS
ENST 370 Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy 4
ENST 450 Case Studies of Green Business 4
ENST 485 Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies 4
FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTIVE COURSES UNITS
BISC 427 The Global Environment 4
ENST 445 Earth Climate: Past, Present, and Future 4
ENST 485 Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies 4
GEOG 255 American Environmentalism 4
GEOG 360 Environmental Disasters 4
GEOG 482L Principles of Geographic Information Science 4
GEOL 450L Geosystems 4
GEOL 470L Environmental Hydrogeology 4
IR 422 Ecological Security and Global Politics 4
POSC 436 Environmental Politics 4
PPD 461 Sustainable Communities, Policy and Planning 4
Concentration in Oceans, Life and People (72 units)

In addition to the 48-unit core:

REQUIRED COURSES UNITS
BISC 427 The Global Environment 4
ENST 370 Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy 4
FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTIVE COURSES UNITS
BISC 315L Introduction to Ecology 4
BISC 320L Molecular Biology 4
BISC 447L Island Biogeography and Field Ecology 4
BISC 456L Conservation Genetics 4
BISC 469L Marine Biology 4
ENST 485 Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies 4
GEOL 320L Surficial Processes and Stratigraphic Systems 4
GEOL 412 Oceans, Climate, and the Environment 4
GEOL 450L Geosystems 4
GEOL 470L Environmental Hydrogeology 4
Concentration in Climate, Earth and Environment (72 units)

In addition to the 48-unit core:

REQUIRED COURSES UNITS
ENST 445 Earth Climate: Past, Present, and Future 4
GEOL 470L Environmental Hydrogeology 4
MATH 126 Calculus II 4
PHYS 151L Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics 4
TWO OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTIVE COURSES UNITS
BISC 427 The Global Environment 4
ENST 485 Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies 4
GEOL 315L Minerals and Earth Systems 4
GEOL 412 Oceans, Climate and the Environment 4
GEOL 425L Data Analysis in the Earth and Environmental Sciences 4
GEOL 450L Geosystems 4

Progressive Degree Program in Environmental Studies

This progressive degree program allows superior USC undergraduates completing a bachelor’s degree in a related natural science or environmental policy area to also complete a master’s degree in environmental studies in as little as five years. An overall GPA of 3.2 or higher in all courses taken at USC is preferred. A 3.2 GPA does not guarantee acceptance. For more information about progressive degrees, see here.

Requirements for the Minor in Environmental Studies

Required core courses Units
ENST 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies 4
ENST 320ab Water and Soil Sustainability: Energy and Air Sustainability 4-4
Two elective SOCIAL SCIENCES COURSES CHOSEN FROM: units
ENST 370 Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy 4
ENST 387x Economics for Natural Resources and the Environment 4
ENST 445 Earth Climate: Past, Present and Future 4
ENST 450 * Case Studies of Green Business 4
IR 323 Politics of Global Environment 4
One elective course chosen from: Units
BISC 103Lx General Biology for the Environment and Life 4
CHEM 103Lx General Chemistry for the Environment and Life 4
GEOL 160L* Introduction to Geosystems 4
Total units: 24

*ENST 387x is a prerequisite for ENST 450. ENST 100 is a corequisite for GEOL 160L.