Environmental Science BS / MS Dual Degree

The curriculum below outlines the typical course sequence(s) for this program.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallHours
BIOL-123 Introduction to Biology: Organisms and Ecosystems 3
BIOL-125 Introduction to Biology Laboratory: Organisms and Ecosystems 1
ENVS-101 Concepts of Environmental Science 3
ENVS-102 Environmental Concepts Lab 1
ENVS-111 Soil Science 4
YOPS-10 RIT 365: RIT Connections 0
General Education: Global Perspective 3
 Hours15
Spring
BIOL-124 Introduction to Biology: Molecules and Cells 3
BIOL-126 Introduction to Biology Laboratory: Molecules and Cells 1
MATH-161 Applied Calculus (fulfills General Education: Mathematical Perspective A) 4
General Education: Artistic Perspective 3
General Education: First Year Writing (WI) 3
 Hours14
Second Year
Fall
BIOL-240 General Ecology (WI-PR) 4
CHMG-141 General & Analytical Chemistry I (fulfills General Education: Natural Science Inquiry Perspective) 3
CHMG-145 General & Analytical Chemistry I Lab (fulfills General Education: Natural Science Inquiry Perspective) 1
ENVS-250 Applications of Geographic Information Systems 4
STSO-220 Environment and Society 3
 Hours15
Spring
ENVS-301 Environmental Science Field Skills 4
Select one of the following: 3
Introduction to Qualitative Policy Analysis  
Environmental Policy  
Great Lakes  
CHMG-142 General & Analytical Chemistry II (fulfills General Education: Scientific Principles Perspective) 3
CHMG-146 General & Analytical Chemistry II Lab (fulfills General Education: Scientific Principles Perspective) 1
General Education: Ethical Perspective 3
Open Elective 3
 Hours17
Summer
ENVS-499 Environmental Science Co-op 1 0
 Hours0
Third Year
Fall
CHMO-231 Organic Chemistry I 3
CHMO-235 Organic Chemistry Lab I 1
STAT-145 Introduction to Statistics I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B) 3
Environmental Science Concentration 2 3
General Education: Social Perspective 3
Open Elective 3
 Hours16
Spring
BIOL-675 Advanced Conservation Biology 3 3
ENVS-650
Hydrologic Applications of Geographic Information Systems 4
or Ecological Models in Geographic Information Systems
4
STAT-146 Introduction to Statistics II 4
Environmental Science Concentration 2 3
General Education: Immersion 1 3
 Hours17
Fourth Year
Fall
ENVS-551 Environmental Science Capstone Seminar I 3
ENVS-601 Environmental Science Graduate Studies I 5 2
IMGS-431 Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing 3
Environmental Science Concentration 2 3
General Education: Immersion 2 3
Open Elective 3
 Hours17
Spring
ENVS-500 Experiential Learning Requirement in Environmental Science 0
ENVS-552 Environmental Science Capstone Seminar II (WI-PR) 3
ENVS-602 Environmental Science Graduate Studies II 1
Environmental Science Concentration 2 3
General Education: Immersion 3 3
Open Elective 4 3
Select one of the following Culminating Experiences: 3
Environmental Science Graduate Research 6  
Professional Elective 7,8
 
 Hours16
Fifth Year
Fall
Graduate GIS Elective 9 3
Graduate PUBL/STSO Elective 10 3
Graduate Statistics Elective 11 3
Select one of the following based on selected Culminating Experience: 3
Environmental Science Thesis 6  
Professional Elective 7,8
 
 Hours12
Spring
Graduate Professional Elective 7 2
Select one of the following based on selected Culminating Experience: 3
Environmental Science Project 8  
Environmental Science Thesis 7  
 Hours5
 Total Hours144
1

Students are advised that they can count ENVS-640 Ecological Models in Geographic Information Systems or ENVS as their Graduate GIS Elective and instead take a Professional Elective

2

Students are advised that If ENVS-640 Ecological Models in Geographic Information Systems or ENVS-650 Hydrologic Applications of Geographic Information Systems is counted as a Graduate GIS Elective then an additional Professional Elective credit would need to be taken to meet the 6 (Research Pathway) or 12 (Professional Pathway) Professional Elective credit requirement.

 Notes:

1

ENVS-499 Environmental Co-op is only required for Co-op track students.

2

Students select one of the following concentrations: Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology & Field Biology, Organismal Biology & Evolution, Statistics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Remote Sensing & Digital Image Processing, Public Policy, or Economics.

3

Double-counted course

4

Double-counted course

5

This course fulfills two (2) credits of Environmental Science Concentration in the BS program.

6

Students who select Research Pathway as their Culminating Experience must complete three (3) credits of ENVS-795 Environmental Science Graduate Research and six (6) credits of ENVS-790 Environmental Science Thesis.

7

Select from Graduate Elective courses listed below.

8

Students who select Professional Pathway as their Culminating Experience must complete ENVS-780 Environmental Science Project and two additional Professional Electives.

9

See below for Graduate GIS Electives.

10

See below for Graduate Public Policy/STS Core Electives.

11

See below for Graduate GIS Electives.

 Environmental Science Graduate Electives

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Course List
Code Title Hours
Graduate Public Policy/STS Core Electives
ENVS-631Climate Change: Science Technology & Policy3
ESHS-755Corporate Social Responsibility3
PUBL-610Technological Innovation and Public Policy3
PUBL-630Energy Policy3
PUBL-631Climate Change: Science, Technology and Policy3
PUBL-700Readings in Public Policy3
PUBL-701Graduate Policy Analysis3
PUBL-702Graduate Decision Analysis3
PUBL-703Evaluation and Research Design3
PUBL-810Technology, Policy and Sustainability3
STSO-621Graduate Biodiversity and Society3
STSO-710Graduate Science and Technology Policy Seminar3
STSO-750Graduate Sustainable Communities3
Graduate Science Core Electives
BIOL-636Graduate Seminar in Life Sciences1
BIOL-655Biogeography3
BIOL-673Marine Biology4
BIOL-675Advanced Conservation Biology3
BIOL-798Grad Biology Independent Study1-4
ENVS-615Aquatic Ecology Seminar1
ENVS-631Climate Change: Science Technology & Policy3
ENVS-640Ecological Models in Geographic Information Systems4
ENVS-650Hydrologic Applications of Geographic Information Systems4
ENVS-670Advanced Concepts of Environmental Chemistry3
ENVS-798Advanced Environmental Science Independent Study1-4
IMGS-632Advanced Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing3
Graduate GIS Electives
ENVS-640Ecological Models in Geographic Information Systems4
ENVS-650Hydrologic Applications of Geographic Information Systems4
IGME-771Introduction To Geographic Information Systems3
ISTE-742Introduction To Geographic Information Systems3
Graduate Statistics Electives
BIOL-672Computational Statistics and Data Science Methods3
STAT-614Applied Statistics3
STAT-641Applied Linear Models - Regression3
STAT-670Design of Experiments3
Graduate Professional Electives
Any of the above Graduate Electives or:
ESHS-613Solid and Hazardous Waste Management3
ESHS-614Industrial Wastewater Management3
ESHS-615Air Emissions Management3
ISUS-704Industrial Ecology3

Environmental Science Concentrations

Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL-206Molecular Biology3
BIOL-216Molecular Biology Laboratory1
BIOL-265Evolutionary Biology3
BIOL-265REvolutionary Biology Recitation (WI-PR)1
BIOL-302Cell Biology3
BIOL-305Plants, Medicine and Technology4
BIOL-311Introduction to Microbiology4
BIOL-321Genetics3
BIOL-322Developmental Biology4
BIOL-345Molecular Ecology3
BIOL-365Introduction to Population Genetics3
BIOL-403Fundamentals of Plant Biochemistry and Pathology4
BIOL-460Infectious Disease: Impact on Society and Culture3
BIOL-536Seminar in Life Sciences1
BIOL-540Environmental Genomics4
BIOL-576Environmental Microbiology4
BIOL-599Research Based Writing2
Ecology & Field Biology Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL-205Animal Behavior4
BIOL-211Invertebrate Zoology4
BIOL-212Vertebrate Zoology3
BIOL-218Biology of Plants3
BIOL-220Biology of Fungi and Insects3
BIOL-265Evolutionary Biology3
BIOL-265REvolutionary Biology Recitation (WI-PR)1
BIOL-371Freshwater Ecology4
BIOL-372Biology Without Walls4
BIOL-385Seneca Park Zoo Internship4
BIOL-444Ornithology3
BIOL-455Biogeography3
BIOL-536Seminar in Life Sciences1
BIOL-573Marine Biology3
BIOL-599Research Based Writing2
ENVS-305Urban Ecology3
ENVS-311Wetlands4
ENVS-531Climate Change: Science Technology & Policy3
ENVS-540Ecological Models in Geographic Information Systems4
ENVS-550Hydrologic Applications of Geographic Information Systems4
ENVS-640Ecological Models in Geographic Information Systems4
ENVS-650Hydrologic Applications of Geographic Information Systems4
Organismal Biology & Evolution Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL-211Invertebrate Zoology4
BIOL-212Vertebrate Zoology3
BIOL-218Biology of Plants3
BIOL-220Biology of Fungi and Insects3
BIOL-265Evolutionary Biology3
BIOL-265REvolutionary Biology Recitation1
BIOL-311Introduction to Microbiology4
BIOL-313Comparative Animal Physiology4
BIOL-322Developmental Biology4
BIOL-372Biology Without Walls4
BIOL-414Animal Nutrition3
BIOL-444Ornithology3
BIOL-536Seminar in Life Sciences1
BIOL-573Marine Biology3
BIOL-599Research Based Writing2
BIOL-673Marine Biology4
ENVS-311Wetlands4
Statistics Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL-470Statistical Analysis for Bioinformatics3
STAT-305Regression Analysis3
STAT-325Design of Experiments3
STAT-335Introduction to Time Series3
STAT-345Nonparametric Statistics3
STAT-415Statistical Sampling3
STAT-425Multivariate Analysis3
STAT-521Statistical Quality Control3
Mathematics Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
MATH-221Multivariable and Vector Calculus4
MATH-231Differential Equations3
MATH-241Linear Algebra3
MATH-326Boundary Value Problems3
MATH-341Advanced Linear Algebra3
MATH-351Graph Theory3
MATH-381Complex Variables3
Chemistry Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
CHEM-201Clean Energy: Hydrogen Fuel Cells3
CHEM-203Clean Energy: Hydrogen Fuel Cells Laboratory1
CHEM-531Climate Change: Science Technology & Policy3
CHMA-311Instrumental Analysis3
CHMA-315Instrumental Analysis Lab1
CHMA-621Advanced Instrumental Analysis Lab3
CHMB-460Infectious Diseases: Impact Society & Culture3
CHMI-351Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry3
CHMO-232Organic Chemistry II3
CHMO-236Organic Chemistry Lab II1
CHMP-341Physical Chemistry I3
ENVS-670Advanced Concepts of Environmental Chemistry3
Remote Sensing & Digital Image Processing Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
IMGS-251Radiometry3
IMGS-261Linear and Fourier Methods for Imaging4
IMGS-361Image Processing3
IMGS-362Machine Learning for Image Analysis3
IMGS-371Imaging Systems Analysis4
IMGS-462Multivariate Statistical Image Processing3
IMGS-532Advanced Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing3
Public Policy Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
PUBL-301Public Policy Analysis3
PUBL-302Decision Analysis3
PUBL-530Energy Policy3
PUBL-531Climate Change: Science, Technology and Policy3
STSO-201Science and Technology Policy3
STSO-326History of Ecology and Environmentalism3
STSO-330Energy and the Environment3
STSO-421Environmental Policy3
STSO-521Biodiversity and Society3
Economics Concentration
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Course List
Code Title Hours
ECON-201Principles of Macroeconomics3
ECON-401Intermediate Microeconomic Theory3
ECON-403Econometrics I3
ECON-404Mathematical Methods: Economics3
ECON-406Global Economic Issues3
ECON-421Natural Resource Economics3
ECON-422Benefit-Cost Analysis3
ECON-444Public Finance3
ECON-448Development Economics3
ECON-520Environmental Economics3
Self-Designed Environmental Concentration

The self-designed concentration is for students who wish to focus on a theme that is interdisciplinary, such as sustainability or Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Students propose four (or more) advanced courses that focus on an interdisciplinary theme. Students submit a written proposal to the environmental science faculty team, explaining how the courses tie together and outlining how the courses will prepare them as an environmental professional. Faculty must approve the self-designed concentration.