Environmental Science

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary major offered on the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. Students who complete the requirements of this program will graduate with a B.S. degree in environmental science. A minimum grade of C- is required in all courses taken to fulfill the major.

The environmental science major provides students with a solid foundation in scientific principles and analysis, focusing on applications to the environment. The major emphasizes a rigorous curriculum, using an integrated approach that combines concepts and methods across the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and environmental science. Research and training opportunities exist within each of the contributing departments, the Louis Calder Center, and at major collaborative scientific institutions in the New York City area. Following a solid scientific grounding in the first two years, upper-level students choose science elective courses that allow them to tailor their interests toward an emphasis on a life or chemical sciences approach and complete an independent science research project on an environmental topic or an internship at an environmental firm or government agency.

Students majoring in environmental science may not double major in biology, chemistry, general science, or natural science. Students majoring in environmental science may choose any available minor at Fordham provided that they fulfill the requirements stipulated by the department or program offering the minor and have approval from the dean’s office.

For more information

Visit the Environmental Science program web page.

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Our Courses

ENVS 3000. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. (3 Credits)

(Formerly ENVS 1000.) This course covers the biological, chemical, and geological components of world ecosystems. The causes of both air and water pollution will also be covered. The interactions between the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere will be described. The relationship between global change and the effects of human activities will be addressed as well.

Attributes: ENST, ESNS, INST.

Prerequisites: BISC 1404 or NSCI 1404 and CHEM 1322 or NSCI 1322.

ENVS 4401. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE INTERNSHIP. (4 Credits)

Individually tailored research internship in an environmental institution. Placement will be in an environmental organization, government agency or business, under the supervision of a consenting faculty member, and with permission of the Environmental Science Program Faculty Committee. Grade and credits are given only upon the completion and successful defense of a final report integrating the practical internship experience with previous course work in environmental science is required. A weekly seminar that synthesizes previous environmental science coursework with practical experiences is also required. All students choosing this option must complete two semesters (4 credits each). Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

ENVS 4501. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE RESEARCH. (4 Credits)

Individually tailored laboratory or field research conducted throughout the senior year. The project will be on a specific environmental topic under the supervision of a consenting faculty member and with permission of the Environmental Science Program Faculty Committee. Grade and credits are given only upon the completion and successful defense of a final research paper that integrates the project findings with previous published studies in environmental science. A weekly seminar that synthesizes previous environmental science coursework with research experiences is also required. All students choosing this option must complete two semesters (4 credits each). Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

ENVS 4999. TUTORIAL. (1 to 4 Credits)

Courses in Other Areas

The following courses offered outside the program have the ENVS attribute and count toward the Environmental Studies major:

Course Title Credits
ANTH 4373ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN SURVIVAL4
ANTH 4722PRIMATE ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION4
BISC 1403INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I3
BISC 1404INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II3
BISC 2539GENERAL GENETICS3
BISC 2561ECOLOGY3
BISC 3244EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY3
BISC 3643MICROBIOLOGY3
BISC 4642ANIMAL BEHAVIOR4
CHEM 1321GENERAL CHEMISTRY I4
CHEM 1322GENERAL CHEMISTRY II4
CHEM 2521ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I4
CHEM 2522ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II4
CHEM 3622PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY II4
CHEM 3632PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LAB II2
CHEM 3721QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS4
CHEM 3722INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS4
CHEM 3990DIRECTED RESEARCH1
CHEM 4340ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY4
CHEM 4990INDEPENDENT RESEARCH1-3
ECON 3850ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS4
HIST 3990NORTH AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY4
MATH 1203APPLIED CALCULUS I3
MATH 1205APPLIED STATISTICS3
MATH 1206CALCULUS I4
MATH 1700MATHEMATICAL MODELLING4
NSCI 1321GENERAL CHEMISTRY LECTURE I4
NSCI 1322GENERAL CHEMISTRY LECTURE II4
NSCI 1403GENERAL BIOLOGY LECTURE I3
NSCI 1404GENERAL BIOLOGY LECTURE II3
NSCI 2010GLOBAL ECOLOGY LECTURE3
NSCI 2060ENVIRONMENT: SCIENCE, LAW, AND POLICY3
NSCI 2142PALEOECOLOGY LECTURE3
NSCI 3121ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LECTURE I4
NSCI 3122ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LECTURE II4
NSCI 3133GENETICS LECTURE3
NSCI 4112ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY LECTURE3
NSCI 4143ADVANCED MICROBIOLOGY LECTURE3
NSCI 4153BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY LECTURE3
NSCI 4222SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY VALUES4
PHIL 3109ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS4
PHIL 3990ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS AND ETHICS4
PHYS 1501GENERAL PHYSICS I3
PHYS 1511PHYSICS I LAB1
POSC 3307ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS4
VART 2050DESIGNING THE CITY4
VART 2055ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN4