Environmental Studies Emphasis (AA Degree A0411)
Humanities and Social Sciences Division
An emphasis in Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary course of study that provides students with an integrated and critical understanding of the natural environment and human interactions with it. The coursework is designed to examine the interplay between natural and social systems and the ideological foundations of humanity’s attitudes and behaviors in relation to its ever-changing environment. This program is designed to prepare students to research, analyze, and propose solutions to the myriad environmental challenges facing the world today through a well-rounded curriculum combining classroom, laboratory, and field study instruction. Students who are interested in an Environmental Science major are advised to follow the AA in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in natural sciences and to work with a counselor to select major courses appropriate to their intended transfer institution.
This degree requires the completion of General Education coursework plus the following:
Required Courses
| Course Prefix | Course Name | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a combination of any 3 courses | 9-11 | |
| Humans and the Environment | ||
| Humans and the Environment Laboratory | ||
| Environmental Geology | ||
| Principles of Economics - Macroeconomics | ||
or BUSC 1AH | Principles of Economics - Macroeconomics - Honors | |
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Choose a minimum of three units from the following: | 3-5 | |
| General Biology | ||
| Ecology and Field Biology | ||
| Biology for Majors | ||
or BIOL 4H | Biology for Majors - Honors | |
| Marine Biology | ||
| Marine Biology Laboratory | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Plant Structures, Functions, and Diversity | ||
| Chemistry for Allied Health Majors | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
or CHEM 50H | General Chemistry I - Honors | |
| Physical Geography | ||
or GEOG 1H | Physical Geography - Honors | |
| Physical Geography Laboratory | ||
or GEOG 1LH | Physical Geography Laboratory - Honors | |
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Earth Science | ||
or GEOL 8H | Earth Science - Honors | |
| Earth Science Laboratory | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
or MATH 110H | Elementary Statistics - Honors | |
| Calculus for Business | ||
| Precalculus Mathematics | ||
| Calculus and Analytic Geometry | ||
| Weather and the Atmospheric Environment | ||
| Weather and Atmospheric Environment Laboratory | ||
| Special Projects in Biology | ||
| Introduction to Oceanography | ||
or OCEA 10H | Introduction to Oceanography - Honors | |
| Introduction to Oceanography Laboratory | ||
| Physics | ||
| General Physics | ||
| Engineering Physics | ||
| Energy Science | ||
| Physical Science | ||
| Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Social Science | ||
| Choose two of the following options: | 6 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Principles of Economics - Microeconomics | ||
or BUSC 1BH | Principles of Economics - Microeconomics - Honors | |
| Human Geography | ||
or GEOG 2H | Human Geography - Honors | |
| World Regional Geography | ||
| Geography of California | ||
or GEOG 30H | Geography of California - Honors | |
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
or PHIL 12H | Introduction to Ethics - Honors | |
| Introduction to American Government and Politics | ||
or POLI 1H | Introduction to American Government and Politics - Honors | |
| Contemporary Social Problems | ||
or SOC 2H | Contemporary Social Problems - Honors | |
| Recommended Electives | ||
| Geologic Field Studies: Central California | ||
| Geologic Field Studies: Southern California | ||
| Special Topics in Field Geology | ||
| History of the United States | ||
| World History: Early Modern to the Present | ||
| California History | ||
| Total Units | 18-22 | |
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, a student will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills in relation to environmental issues
- Demonstrate an ability to integrate the many disciplines and fields that intersect with environmental concerns
- Demonstrate an awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of ecological processes and their relationship they have with human communities
- Demonstrate an ability to integrate environmental issues within the concept of sustainability
Review Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for this program.
