Overview

The Department of Earth and Environmental Science provides students the opportunity to study the Earth with a variety of traditional and environmental geology course work. The faculty work closely with students to give a combination of field-based experience and current laboratory and computational techniques.

The department offers the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. Students must select one of the following concentrations:

  • Applied Ecology
  • Climate
  • Environmental Geochemistry
  • Hydrology

Students in the Concentration in Environmental Geochemistry will be equipped with the scholarly background and intellectual skills to understand a wide range of pressing environmental issues, and they will come to appreciate the physical, economic, political, demographic and ethical factors that define those issues. Our graduates find employment with government environmental agencies, citizens' organizations, consulting firms and corporate environmental affairs departments.

Anthropogenic activities have disrupted natural geochemical cycles and introduced contaminants that may affect the environment and human health. Students completing the Environmental Geochemistry concentration will understand fundamental principles that control the composition and reactions of water and materials in the environment; learn and practice methods for collection and interpretation of geochemical datasets; and integrate such datasets into broader pictures of environmental change.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: ST-ENVS-BS

Distinction in Major

To graduate with distinction in this major, a student must satisfy the following criteria:

  • achieve a minimum 3.5 major GPA
    • if the difficulty of courses chosen as electives is high, then a 3.3 GPA will suffice. This determination will be made by the appropriate faculty
  • no grade below C in a major requirement

Undergraduate Contact Information

Sujith Ravi, Program Director
Beury Hall, Room 317C
215-204-7122
sravi@temple.edu

Steven Chemtob, Faculty Advisor, Environmental Science
Beury Hall, Room 325B
215-204-3958
chemtob@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Bachelor of Science Requirements

Summary of Requirements for the Degree

  1. University Requirements (123 total s.h.)
    • Students must complete all University requirements including those listed below.
    • All undergraduate students must complete at least two writing-intensive courses for a total of at least six credits at Temple as part of their major. The specific writing-intensive course options for this major are:
      EES 2096Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere4
      EES 2097Process Geomorphology4
      ENVS 4198Environmental Science Senior Seminar3
      ECON 3596Energy, Ecology, and Economy3
    • Students must complete the General Education (GenEd) requirements.
      • See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for the GenEd curriculum.
      • Students who complete CST majors receive a waiver for 2 Science & Technology (GS) and 1 Quantitative Literacy (GQ) GenEd courses.
    • Students must satisfy general Temple University residency requirements.
  2. College Requirements
    • A minimum of 90 total credits within the College of Science & Technology (CST), the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), and/or the College of Engineering (ENG).
      • A minimum of 45 of these credits must be upper-level (courses numbered 2000 and above).
    • Complete a one-credit first-year or transfer seminar.
      • SCTC 1001 CST First Year Seminar for every entering first-year CST student.
      • SCTC 2001 CST Transfer Seminar for every entering transfer CST student.
  3. Major Requirements for Bachelor of Science (74-78 s.h.)
    At least 10 courses required for the major must be completed at Temple.
    Chemistry
    Select one of the following:4
    General Chemistry I
    and General Chemistry Laboratory I
    Honors General Chemical Science I
    and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory I (F)
    Select one of the following:4
    General Chemistry II
    and General Chemistry Laboratory II
    Honors General Chemical Science II
    and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory II (S)
    Select one of the following:4
    Organic Chemistry I
    and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
    Organic Chemistry for Honors I
    and Organic Honors Laboratory I
    Earth & Environmental Science
    EES 2001Physical Geology4
    EES 2061Introduction to Geochemistry4
    EES 2067Introduction to Environmental Toxicology3
    EES 2096Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere4
    Select one of the following: 14
    Groundwater Hydrology (S)
    Physical Hydrology (F)
    EES 3065Nanoscience & the Environment4
    Environmental Health
    HRPR 1001Public Health: The Way We Live, Work and Play3
    ENVH 2102Environmental Health3
    Environmental Science
    ENVS 4198Environmental Science Senior Seminar3
    Environmental Science Electives
    Select 5 Environmental Science Electives chosen from the categories below: 2
    3-4 Science Electives9-16
    1-2 Policy Electives6-3
    Mathematics and Quantitative Methods
    MATH 1041Calculus I4
    or MATH 1941 Honors Calculus I
    SCTC 1013Elements of Data Science for the Physical and Life Sciences3
    Select one of the following:4
    Calculus II
    Honors Calculus II
    Introduction to Probability and Statistics for the Life Sciences
    Physics
    Select one of the following:4
    Elementary Classical Physics I
    Honors Elementary Classical Physics I
    General Physics I
    Honors General Physics I
    Total Credit Hours74-78
    (F) - Fall only course
    (S) - Spring only course
    1

    The hydrology course not selected may be taken as an Environmental Science Elective (Water Elective).

    2

    See the table below for a listing of specific courses within each Elective category.

    Science Electives: Biology and Chemistry, Land, and Water
    Biology and Chemistry Electives - Select up to two 1
    BIOL 2227Principles of Ecology3
    BIOL 3114Evolutionary Ecology (F)3
    BIOL 3244Experimental Marine Biology4
    BIOL 3245Marine Ecology (F)4
    BIOL 3254Animal Behavior (S)3
    BIOL 3275Ecology of Invasive Species (F)3
    BIOL 3307Conservation Biology (F)3
    BIOL 3316Tropical Marine Biology (F)4
    BIOL 3321Plant Community Ecology (F)3
    BIOL 3323Global Change Science: Analytics with R3
    BIOL 3336Freshwater Ecology (F)4
    BIOL 3389Field Research in Community Ecology3
    CHEM 3103Analytical Chemistry3
    Land Electives - Select up to three
    EES 2002Energy and Environment3
    EES 2021Sedimentary Environments4
    EES 2097Process Geomorphology4
    EES 3011Remote Sensing and GIS4
    EES 3042Coastal Processes and Geomorphology4
    Water Electives - Select up to one 2
    EES 3025Physical Hydrology (F)4
    EES 3021Groundwater Hydrology (S)4
    Policy Electives
    CDEV 2255Environmental Justice in Communities3
    CTRP 2251Sustainable Food Systems Planning3
    ECON 1101Macroeconomic Principles3
    ECON 3596Energy, Ecology, and Economy3
    ENST 2025Environmental Law and Regulation3
    ENST 2051The Urban Environment3
    ENST 3015The Geographic Basis of Land Use Planning3
    ENST 3051Environmental Policy Issues3
    ENST 3058Environment and Development3
    ENST 3314Food Studies: A Geographical Perspective3
    (F) - Fall only course
    (S) - Spring only course
    1

    All of the 3000-level Biology elective courses require BIOL 2227 as a prerequisite.

    2

    One hydrology course is a required course. The course not selected may be taken as an Environmental Science Elective (Water Elective).

Suggested Academic Plan

Please note that this is a suggested academic plan. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different.

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with Concentration in Environmental Geochemistry

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
Select one of the following: 4
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Laboratory I
 
Honors General Chemical Science I
and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory I (F)
 
MATH 1041
Calculus I
or Honors Calculus I
4
SCTC 1001 CST First Year Seminar 1
SCTC 1013 Elements of Data Science for the Physical and Life Sciences 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
Select one of the following: 4
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Laboratory II
 
Honors General Chemical Science II
and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory II
 
EES 2001 Physical Geology 4
Select one of the following: 4
Calculus II
or Honors Calculus II
 
Introduction to Probability and Statistics for the Life Sciences  
ENG 0802
Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW]
or Honors Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
4
 Credit Hours16
Year 2
Fall
Select one of the following: 4
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
 
Organic Chemistry for Honors I
and Organic Honors Laboratory I
 
EES 2061 Introduction to Geochemistry 4
IH 0851
Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]
or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]
3
GenEd Breadth Course 3-4
Elective 2-1
 Credit Hours16
Spring
EES 2096 Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere [WI] 4
Select one of the following: 4
Elementary Classical Physics I  
Honors Elementary Classical Physics I  
General Physics I  
Honors General Physics I  
Environmental Science Elective 1 - Science 1 3-4
IH 0852
Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]
or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]
3
Elective 1-0
 Credit Hours15
Year 3
Fall
Select one of the following: 2 4
Groundwater Hydrology (S)  
Physical Hydrology (F)  
EES 3065 Nanoscience & the Environment (F) 4
HRPR 1001 Public Health: The Way We Live, Work and Play 3
Environmental Science Elective 2 - Science 1 3-4
Elective 2-1
 Credit Hours16
Spring
ENVH 2102 Environmental Health 3
EES 2067 Introduction to Environmental Toxicology 3
Environmental Science Elective 3 - Policy 1 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Year 4
Fall
Environmental Science Elective 4 - Science 1 3-4
Environmental Science Elective 5 - Science or Policy 1 3-4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3-1
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENVS 4198 Environmental Science Senior Seminar [WI] 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours123
(F) - Fall only course
(S) - Spring only course
1

Select from the Environmental Science Electives lists under Requirements.

2

Either hydrology course EES 3021 or EES 3025 can be taken. One will be offered in the Fall and one in the Spring. The course not selected may be taken as an Environmental Science Elective (Water Elective).