Environmental Studies, A.S.

Program Description

The Environmental Studies Program is recommended for students planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, environmental science, environmental policy, or related fields. This program requires fundamental biology, chemistry, and mathematics courses integral to the study of the environment, with additional course options in areas of economics, health, and policy. Students in this program are encouraged to consider the program requirements of their desired transfer institution as they make their course selections.

Graduates of the Environmental Studies A.S. will be able to:

• Describe key environmental principles in the discipline of biology, including the areas of ecology, evolutionary biology, cell biology, and molecular biology
• Describe key principles in the disciplines of chemistry, geography, and economics
• Demonstrate scientific laboratory skills
• Demonstrate written and oral communication skills
• Apply the scientific method and basic experimental design to interpret information and draw conclusions
• Apply principles of mathematics to problems in environmental studies
• Evaluate relationships among the various disciplines in the program
• Evaluate the impacts of policy decisions on the environment
• Identify positions on contemporary societal issues in environmental studies, including sustainability

General Education Courses

The list of general education courses appears in the General Education List . Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information.

Program Requirements

• PAS-1000 First Year Experience 1 Credit **
• BIO-1110 Environmental Biology 3 Credits
• BIO-1130 Principles of Biology: Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior 4 Credits
• BIO-1140 Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 4 Credits
• BIO-2010 Microbiology 4 Credits
• BIO-2330 Fundamentals of Soil Science 4 Credits
• CHM-2010 Organic Chemistry I 4 Credits
• GEO-1020 Physical Geography Laboratory 1 Credit

Sequence of Study - Environmental Studies A.S.

Below are the required courses for your program arranged in a suggested sequence. Please note that the sequence does not  include developmental coursework. See Academic Preparation  for the developmental course sequence if applicable to you.

Program Total: 60 Credits

¹ Students eligible for calculus should take MAT-2410 .

Asterisk (*) denotes a general education course.

Double asterisk (**) denotes a course that is an institutional requirement.

Transferability

Credit earned at any public institution in the state shall be transferable to any other institution if the:

• Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
• Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.00 or higher; and
• Acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the  same program. Refer to ARTSYS at artweb.usmd.edu and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.

Need Help?

For help selecting an academic program or courses, consider using Career Coach, available at www.pgcc.edu/go/careercoach.