Bachelor of Science: Environmental Science
Environmental science professionals are committed to studying the effects of humans, industry, production and other sources of pollution on nature and the environment. Environmental scientists also help develop ways to eliminate and curb environmental damage; for example, environmental scientists were the first to encourage recycling, the use of solar power, and the development of hybrid automobiles.
Calls for stricter governmental environmental policies and regulations of corporate practice will continue to open doors for environmental scientists—to supervise the quality of the environment and guide efforts to conserve, recycle and live more sustainably.
Program Overview
Our coursework from a variety of related disciplines will prepare you for the vast array of opportunities in this fast-growing field, with career options in corporations and industry, government, research and education. Areas of specialization include environmental ecology, biology, chemistry, conservation, fisheries science and geoscience.
At Concordia, Chicago is your classroom. Many of our courses include field trips to places such as the Morton Arboretum, Chicago Botanical Garden, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Brookfield Zoo, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Museum of Science and Industry.
General Course Information
In the College of Arts and Sciences at CUC, students can choose to earn a bachelor of science degree by completing 52 required semester hours. The required hours are in core courses in biology, ecology, chemistry, meteorology and climatology, hydrology and physical geology.
Environmental science majors also must complete 2 hours in a seminar in physical science; 3-4 hours through internship; and 10 hours in support courses in general physics, natural resource management and statistics.
For details on required courses and course descriptions, please visit our online catalog pages.
Opportunities
There are many opportunities for environmental consultants, environmental science managers, geoscientists and science educators. Through their work, environmental scientists impact policy and practice by informing public understanding of the interdependent relationship between man and nature.
The Department of Natural Sciences and Geography offers a range of unique opportunities. For example, “Life in the Biosphere” is a January Term travel course that takes students to unusual locations to explore flora and fauna, and study biogeochemical processes. The class has traveled to Arizona to work in Biosphere II, the famed 3.14-acre center for research, outreach, teaching and lifelong learning about Earth, its living systems and its place in the universe.
Students can also take part in opportunities such as Aqualytica, part of the Concordia University Chicago Student Operated Undergraduate Laboratory (SOUL) program. Aqualytica is a community outreach water testing laboratory that provides analysis of local water samples to local residents while giving students real-world experience.
Along with departmental offerings, Concordia science students participate in consortium-type seminars and botany course experiences through the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA), a partnership of 15 liberal arts universities and government laboratories. Students also learn on site at such venerable institutions as Shedd Aquarium and the Morton Arboretum.