2016-17 Catalogs
BS in Environmental Science
Environmental science students receive a broad range of environmental courses. They may choose to focus on water resources, energy, or applied ecology. Students studying water resources focus on the flows and quality of water in various environments including streams, lakes, aquifers, and soils, and receive comprehensive training in the biology, chemistry, and ecology of soils and water bodies. The focus is on human-influenced and natural processes affecting soil quality and water quality. Courses emphasize watershed and groundwater hydrology and hydrogeology, water quality assessment and control, soil and water conservation, bioremediation and phytoremediation, and watershed management and planning. Students are often involved in faculty research programs, and present the results of their research at local and national conferences.
For students interested in becoming certified to teach science in Maine, a 7-12 Teacher Certification Track is offered as part of the BS in Environmental Science.
Students who focus on energy take courses in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy systems, in addition to their ecological and environmental courses.
Applied Ecology is the study of interrelationships between organisms and their environment, within the context of seeking to understand and mitigate the impacts of human activities on those systems. Students are provided with the core science background necessary to conduct environmental field and laboratory research. Students then gain familiarity with specific ecological systems, concepts, and methods through courses such as Water Quality Assessment, Forest Ecology, Wetlands Ecology, Field Methods, Environmental Entomology, and Limnology.
ESP courses tend to be laboratory-intensive and quantitative; a major goal being the acquisition of advanced skills in utilizing analytical tools - such as statistical software, mapping applications and geographic information systems (GIS). This combination of a strong science core with applied environmental technologies allows an Environmental Science graduate to pursue either graduate study in the sciences or immediate entry-level employment with an environmental engineering firm, government agency or non-governmental organization.
Program Requirements
The minimum number of credits required for the major is 72 (depending on course selections) plus the University's Core curriculum. Some of the departmental major requirements may overlap with the Core curriculum, allowing students to double-count and be very efficient in course selection. A student must achieve at least a 2.0 grade point average and must earn at least a C- in each course applied toward completion of the major.
Required courses for all majors in the department:
ESP 101 Fundamentals of Environmental Science
ESP 102 Fundamentals of Environmental Science Lab
ESP 125 Introduction to Environmental Ecology
ESP 126 Introduction to Environmental Ecology Lab
ESP 150 Field Immersion (a long weekend camping course)
ESP 197 Research Skills Lab
ESP 203 Environmental Communication
ESP 207 Atmosphere: Scence, Climate, and Change
ESP 280 Research and Analytical Methods
ESP 340 Environmental Regulations
ESP 400 Internship (between junior and senior year)
ESP 401 Environmental Impact Assessment and Lab (capstone)
Choose one tools course from the following:
MAT 120, MAT 220, GEO 108, GEO 308, ITC 100, ITP 210
Required courses specific to students in the BS in Environmental Science:
CHY 113 Principles of Chemistry I
CHY 114 Laboratory Techniques I
CHY 115 Principles of Chemistry II
CHY 116 Laboratory Techniques II
CHY 233 Analytical Chemistry with Lab
or CHY 251 Organic Chemistry and CHY 252 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
MAT 152 Calculus A
ESP 250 Soils and Land Use
ESP 360 Water Quality Assessment and Control
ESP 260 Soil and Water Conservation Engineering
or ESP 412 Field Ecosystem Ecology
Choose Physics or Biology lecture and lab:
PHY 111 Elements of Physics I
PHY 114 Introduction to Physics Lab
or
BIO 105 Biological Principles I: Cellular Biology
BIO 106 Laboratory Biology
Electives: Choose three environmental science classes 200-level or higher.
Course Sequence
Students should begin with ESP 101 and 102. Advanced environmental science courses may also have biology, chemistry, and/or mathematics prerequisites.