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 Hydrology 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.
Water is fundamental to life, but humans are altering the water cycles in ways never before measured. The Environmental Science with concentration in Hydrology offers coursework in geosciences, biology, chemistry, plus hydrology to train students in environmental monitoring approaches for tackling environmental problems.
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
- 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:
Course List Code Title Credit Hours EES 2096 Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere 4 EES 2097 Process Geomorphology 4 ENVS 4198 Environmental Science Senior Seminar 3 ECON 3596 Energy, Ecology, and Economy 3 - 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- Major Requirements for Bachelor of Science (75-79 s.h.)
At least 10 courses required for the major must be completed at Temple.Course List Code Title Credit Hours Biology BIOL 1111 Introduction to Organismal Biology 4 or BIOL 1911 Honors Introduction to Organismal Biology BIOL 2227 Principles of Ecology 3 Chemistry Select one of the following: 4 General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Laboratory IHonors General Chemical Science I
and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory I (F)Select one of the following: 4 General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Laboratory IIHonors General Chemical Science II
and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory II (S)Select one of the following: 4 Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory IOrganic Chemistry for Honors I
and Organic Honors Laboratory IEarth & Environmental Science EES 2001 Physical Geology 4 Select one of the following: 1, 2 4 Sedimentary Environments Process Geomorphology EES 3011 Remote Sensing and GIS 4 EES 3021 Groundwater Hydrology (S) 4 EES 3025 Physical Hydrology (F) 4 Economics ECON 1102 Microeconomic Principles 3 or ECON 1902 Honors Microeconomic Principles Environmental Science ENVS 4198 Environmental Science Senior Seminar 3 Environmental Science Electives Select 5 Environmental Science Electives chosen from the categories below. At least one Elective must be a writing-intensive course: 2 3-4 Science Electives, with at least one each from Climate and Geochemistry 9-16 1-2 Policy Electives 6-3 Mathematics and Quantitative Methods MATH 1041 Calculus I 4 or MATH 1941 Honors Calculus I SCTC 1013 Elements of Data Science for the Physical and Life Sciences 3 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 or PHYS 1961Honors Elementary Classical Physics I General Physics I or PHYS 2921Honors General Physics I Total Credit Hours 75-79 Course List Code Title Credit Hours (F) - Fall only course (S) - Spring only course - 1
The course not selected may be taken as an Environmental Science Elective (Land Elective).
- 2
See the table below for a listing of specific courses within each Elective category. One Elective must be a writing-intensive (WI) course if EES 2021 is taken instead of EES 2097 as one of the Earth & Environmental Science requirements above.
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Science Electives: Biology, Climate, Geochemistry, and Land Biology Electives BIOL 3114 Evolutionary Ecology (F) 3 BIOL 3244 Experimental Marine Biology 4 BIOL 3245 Marine Ecology (F) 4 BIOL 3254 Animal Behavior (S) 3 BIOL 3275 Ecology of Invasive Species (F) 3 BIOL 3307 Conservation Biology (F) 3 BIOL 3316 Tropical Marine Biology (F) 4 BIOL 3321 Plant Community Ecology (F) 3 BIOL 3323 Global Change Science: Analytics with R 3 BIOL 3336 Freshwater Ecology (F) 4 BIOL 3389 Field Research in Community Ecology 3 Climate Electives - Select at least one EES 2002 Energy and Environment 3 EES 2096 Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere 4 EES 4502 Ice and Global Climate 3 RMI 2101 Introduction to Risk Management 3 Geochemistry Electives - Select at least one EES 2061 Introduction to Geochemistry 4 EES 2067 Introduction to Environmental Toxicology 3 EES 3065 Nanoscience & the Environment 4 ENVH 2102 Environmental Health 1 3 CHEM 3103 Analytical Chemistry 3 Land Electives EES 2002 Energy and Environment 3 EES 2021 Sedimentary Environments 4 EES 2097 Process Geomorphology 4 EES 3042 Coastal Processes and Geomorphology 4 Policy Electives CDEV 2255 Environmental Justice in Communities 3 CTRP 2251 Sustainable Food Systems Planning 3 ECON 1101 Macroeconomic Principles 3 ECON 3596 Energy, Ecology, and Economy 3 ENST 2025 Environmental Law and Regulation 3 ENST 2051 The Urban Environment 3 ENST 3015 The Geographic Basis of Land Use Planning 3 ENST 3051 Environmental Policy Issues 3 ENST 3058 Environment and Development 3 ENST 3314 Food Studies: A Geographical Perspective 3 Course List Code Title Credit Hours (F) - Fall only course (S) - Spring only course - 1
HRPR 1001 is a prerequisite for this course.
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 Hydrology
Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit 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 or MATH 1941 | 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 Hours | 15 | |
| 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 Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 1111 or BIOL 1911 | Introduction to Organismal Biology or Honors Introduction to Organismal Biology | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Organic Chemistry for Honors I and Organic Honors Laboratory I | ||
| IH 0851 or IH 0951 | Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] | 3 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 1-0 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 2227 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| 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 1,2 | 3-4 | |
| IH 0852 or IH 0952 | Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] | 3 |
| Elective | 3-2 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| EES 3025 | Physical Hydrology (F) | 4 |
| Select one of the following: 3 | 4 | |
| Sedimentary Environments | ||
| Process Geomorphology [WI] (F) | ||
| Environmental Science Elective 2 - Science 1,2 | 3-4 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 2-1 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EES 3011 | Remote Sensing and GIS | 4 |
| EES 3021 | Groundwater Hydrology | 4 |
| ECON 1102 or ECON 1902 | Microeconomic Principles or Honors Microeconomic Principles | 3 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 1 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Environmental Science Elective 3 - Science 1,2 | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Science Elective 4 - Policy 1 | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3-2 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENVS 4198 | Environmental Science Senior Seminar [WI] | 3 |
| Environmental Science Elective 5 - Science or Policy 1,2 | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3-2 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 123 | |
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| (F) - Fall only course | ||
| (S) - Spring only course | ||
- 1
Select from the Environmental Science Electives lists under Requirements. One Elective must be a writing-intensive (WI) course if EES 2021 is taken instead of EES 2097 as one of the Earth & Environmental Science requirements.
- 2
For the Science Electives, at least one each from Climate and Geochemistry must be selected.
- 3
The course not selected may be taken as an Environmental Science Elective (Land Elective).