Since 1991 the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences has defined environmental awareness as a major theme in the College's Core Curriculum and asked Environmental Studies programs to deliver the course Introduction to Environmental Issues to all undergraduates regardless of major. The UNE College of Arts and Sciences is one of the few in the nation that requires formal instruction in Environmental Studies as a requirement for graduation.

CAS Core Requirements Credits
Total CAS Core Requirement Credits 42–46
Program Required Courses Credits
ENV 100 and 101 or ENV 104 – Introduction to Environmental Issues Credits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
BIO 105/105L – Biology I: Ecology/Evolution w/Lab Credits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
BIO 106/106L – Biology II: Cellular/Molecular w/Lab 4
LIT 121 and 122 or LIT 124 – Literature, Nature and The Environment Credits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
BUEC 104 and 105 or BUEC 106 – Economics in Context Credits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
CHE 110/110L – General Chemistry I w/Lab 4
CHE 111/111L – General Chemistry II w/Lab 4
MAT 151 – Statistics for Environmental Sciences Credits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
ENV 200 – Environment and Society: A Global Perspective Credits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
ENV 220/220L – Conservation and Preservation w/Lab 5
ENV 250 – Environmental Policy in Comparative Perspective 3
GIS 161 – GIS I: Fundamentals of Geospatial Science and Technology 3
BIO 350/350L – Ecology w/ Field Lab (third year) 4
Sixteen (16) Credits of Upper Division Science Electives* 16
Two (2) courses from different distribution groups in the list of Environmental Studies Distribution Requirements 6–8
Up to twelve (12) credits of ENV 295 and/or ENV 495 may be arranged with special permission from the Academic Director 3–12
ENV 499 – Senior Capstone in Environmental Studies 3
Total 55–65
Open Elective Courses (needed to reach 120 credits) Variable
Minimum Required Total Credits 120

*Upper-Division Science Electives – After consulting with their academic advisors, Environmental Science majors will choose at least sixteen (16) credit hours of upper-division science courses in Environmental Science, Biology, Marine Science, Chemistry, Physics, or Psychology. (This group of courses should be taken during the third and fourth years.)

Environmental Studies Distribution Requirements List

Group One (1) – Conservation, Preservation, Restoration Credits
ENV 309 – Sustainability and Ecological Restoration 3
ENV 312/312L – Wetland Conservation and Ecology with Field Lab 4
ENV 313/313L – Wetland Restoration: Science and Policy with Field Lab 4
ENV 316/316L – Land Conservation Practicum with Field Lab 4
ENV 317 – Case Studies in Preserving Biodiversity and Protected Areas 3
ENV 397 – Topics in Environmental Studies (meets ADV ST requirement for non-majors only) 3
ENV 398 – Topics in Environmental Studies 3
ENV 399 – Topics in Environmental Studies with Lab 4
Group Two (2) – Environmental Policy and Management Credits
BUEC 390 – Environmental Economics (can also meet ADV ST requirement) 3
BUEC 395 – Ecological Economics 3
ENV 204 – Urban Forestry 3
ENV 321 – Environmental Communication: Expert Practices for Ecosystem Management 3
ENV 328 – Environmental Pollution: Ecosystems, Wildlife and Human Health 3
ENV 357 – Sustaining Water: Social and Global Perspectives 3
ENV 362 – Climate Change Adaptation 3
ENV 397 – Topics in Environmental Studies (meets ADV ST requirement for non-majors only) 3
ENV 398 – Topics in Environmental Studies 3
ENV 399 – Topics in Environmental Studies with Lab 4
Group Three (3) – Arts, Humanities, and Values Credits
ENV 331 – Women and the Environment 3
ENV 333/333L – The Nature Writers with Field Lab 4
ENV 334/334L – Contemporary Nature Writing w/Lab 4
ENV 397 – Topics in Environmental Studies (meets ADV ST requirement for non-majors only) 3
ENV 398 – Topics in Environmental Studies 3
ENV 399 – Topics in Environmental Studies with Lab 4
Group Four (4) – Global Ecology and Social Justice Credits
ENV 340 – Environmental Movements and Social Change 3
ENV 341 – Indigenous Ecology, Conservation Biology, and the Politics of Knowledge 3
ENV 344 – Environmental Ethics 3
ENV 349/349L – Environment, Health, and Community Development in E. Africa w/Lab 4
ENV 376 – Caribbean Sustainable Development 3
ENV 397 – Topics in Environmental Studies (meets ADV ST requirement for non-majors only) 3
ENV 398 – Topics in Environmental Studies 3
ENV 399 – Topics in Environmental Studies with Lab 4

The Environmental Studies program also offers minors in the following areas:

Students wishing to pursue teacher certification in Life Science can complete a double major with Environmental Science and Secondary Education or a major in Secondary Education and a concentration in Environmental Science. For more information, see the Secondary Education catalog page.

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.