Nov 23, 2024  
Xavier University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 2024-2025 
  
Xavier University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 2024-2025

Environmental Science, B.S.


The environmental science major includes the interdisciplinary study of the impact of human systems on our natural environment and how in turn these natural systems affect the human environment. 

Requirements for the Environmental Science Major


Core Curriculum:


  • Students must complete the Undergraduate Core Curriculum requirements.  Specific courses that must be taken to satisfy the core curriculum requirements include science courses and the following:

Mathematical Perspectives


  • MATH 140

Science, Flags:


  • Scientific Perspectives, Natural Science Elective, and Social Science Elective, as well as writing, quantitative and diversity flags included within the major.

Major Requirments


64 hours

Non-Science Electives: 6 Credit Hours Minimum


Students must complete a minimum of six credit hours in non-science courses with an Environmental Studies attribute, or as approved by the Environmental Science Director/Biology Chair.

Senior Capstone


  • 2 credits from BIOL 495-499 

A 2.000 cumulative average must be attained in the major.


TOTAL Minimum Hours Required for Degree: 120 Semester Hours


B.S. Environmental Science


Freshman Year


First Semester


  • BIOL 160 - General Biology I
  • BIOL 161 - General Biology I Lab
  • CHEM 160 - General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 161 - General Chemistry I Lab
  • CORE 100 1st Year Seminar or THEO 111 
  • ENGL 101 - English Composition or ENGL 115 - Rhetoric
  • CORE 101 - GOA

Total (14)

Second Semester


  • BIOL 162 - General Biology II
  • BIOL 163 - General Biology II Lab
  • CHEM 162 - General Chemistry II
  • CHEM 163 - General Chemistry II Lab
  • CORE 100 1st Year Seminar or THEO 111 
  • PHIL 100 - Ethics as Intro to Philosophy
  • CORE 102 - GOA

Total (14)

Sophomore Year


First Semester


  • BIOL 250 - Ecology
  • BIOL 251 - Ecology Lab
  • ENGL 205 - Literature & Moral Imagination
  • MATH 140 - Calculus or MATH 146 - Biostatistics       
  • Historical Perspectives Elective 
  • Second Language I

Total (16)

Second Semester


  • BIOL 260 - Intro to Environmental Science
  • BIOL 261 - Intro to Environ Science Lab
  • ECON 200 - Microeconomic Principles
  • ENVS - Non Science Elective
  • Theological Perspectives
  • Second Language II

Total (16)

Junior Year


First Semester


  • PHYS 160 - College Physics I
  • PHYS 161 - Introductory Physics Lab I
  • ENVS Non-Science Elective           
  • MATH 140 - Calculus or MATH 156 - General Statistics
  • Math or Science Elective 
  • PHIL 200 - Philosophical Perspectives Elective

Total (16)

Second Semester


  • PHYS 162 - College Physics II
  • PHYS 163 - Introductory Physics Lab II
  • Humanities Elective
  • Creative Perspectives Elective
  • General Elective
  • Social Science or General Elective

Total (16)

Senior Year


First Semester


  • BIOL 495, 497 or 498: Internship/Methods BR  I
  • ECON 320 - Natural Resource Economics
  • Science or Math Elective (5 credit hours)
  • General Elective (DCR)
  • General Elective

Total (15-16)

Second Semester


  • BIOL 396 or 397 or 398 - Environmental Studies SEM
  • BIOL 495, 496 or 499: Internship/Methods BR II
  • E/RS Course
  • General Elective
  • Science or Math Elective

Total (13-14)

Scheduling Notes:


  • Consult the “Undergraduate Core Curriculum” requirements of the Catalog.
  • All students must also satisfy five flags in addition to the 48 hours required by the core.  No single course can count for more than two flags.  Flagged courses often double-count for major and/or minor requirements.  The five flagged courses are: the Diversity (DCR), Ethics/Religion and Society (E/RS) oral communications, quantitative reasoning and writing-intensive flagged courses.  Many of these are available within the core or major; use “Attribute Type” when searching for courses.
  • 2.00 cumulative average is required in the major courses.  
  • A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for the degree. 2.00 cumulative average is required in the major courses.               

B.S. Environmental Science - Alternative Pathway


This block schedule serves as a guideline for progress toward a degree for students who start with a math placement in MATH 105. See your academic advisor. Courses with a † or †† can be swapped around with other courses with the same symbol.

Freshman Year


First Semester


  • BIOL 160 - General Biology I
  • BIOL 161 - General Biology I Lab
  • CHEM 160 - General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 161 - General Chemistry I Lab
  • CORE 100 1st Year Seminar or THEO 111 
  • MATH 105 Fundamentals of Mathematics
  • CORE 101 - 1st Year Co-Curricular Program I  

Total (14)

Second Semester


  • BIOL 162 - General Biology II
  • BIOL 163 - General Biology II Lab
  • CHEM 162 - General Chemistry II
  • CHEM 163 - General Chemistry II Lab
  • CORE 100 1st Year Seminar or THEO 111 
  • MATH 120 Elementary Functions
  • CORE 102 - GOA - 1st Year Co-Curricular Program II  

Total (14)

Sophomore Year


First Semester


  • BIOL 250 - Ecology
  • BIOL 251 - Ecology Lab
  • ENGL 205 - Literature & Moral Imagination††
  • MATH 140 - Calculus or STAT 146 - Biostatistics†       
  • ENGL 101 - English Composition or ENGL 115 - Rhetoric†
  • Second Language I†

Total (16)

Second Semester


  • BIOL 260 - Intro to Environmental Science (quantitative flag)
  • BIOL 261 - Intro to Environ Science Lab
  • ECON 200 - Microeconomic Principles
  • MATH 140 - Calculus or STAT 146 - Biostatistics††
  • Second Language II†
  • Recommended: BIOL 299 Professional Communication in the Sciences (oral comm flag)

Total (14)

Junior Year


First Semester


  • PHYS 160 - College Physics I
  • PHYS 161 - Introductory Physics Lab I
  • ENVS Non-Science Elective           
  • Theological Perspectives Elective††
  • Math or Science Elective
  • PHIL 100 - Ethics as Intro to Philosophy†

Total (16)

Second Semester


  • PHYS 162 - College Physics II
  • PHYS 163 - Introductory Physics Lab II
  • Humanities Elective††
  • Creative Perspectives Elective††
  • ENVS - Non Science Elective
  • Historical Perspectives Elective††

Total (16)

Senior Year


First Semester


  • BIOL Capstone
  • ECON 320 - Natural Resource Economics
  • Science or Math Elective (5 credit hours)
  • BIOL 396 or 397 or 398 - Environmental Studies SEM (writing flag) or General Elective
  • General Elective (DCR) ††

Total (15-16)

Second Semester


  • BIOL 396 or 397 or 398 - Environmental Studies SEM (writing flag) or General Elective
  • BIOL 495, 496 or 499: Internship/Methods BR II††
  • E/RS Elective
  • PHIL 200 - Philosophical Perspectives Elective††
  • Science or Math Elective

Total (13-14)

Notes:


  • 2.00 cumulative average is required in the major courses.  
  • A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for the degree.  A second Bachelor’s degree requires 150 credit hours (30 additional credit hours).