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 |