2025-2026
Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science in Science (Reynolds Community College)
Associate degree
Associate of Science in Science (G3 program)
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
Program description
VCU’s undergraduate Environmental Studies program is interdisciplinary in nature and combines traditional lecture and hands-on experiential approaches to expose students to the key concepts in and critical links between environmental life sciences, earth sciences, and technology.
The program offers considerable flexibility and students are able to individually tailor their course of study by completing multiple electives focused on topics of interest. Areas of emphasis could include, for example, environmental policy, geospatial and quantitative analysis, outdoor leadership, river studies, and sustainability. Students are strongly encouraged to gain internship experience, actively participate in undergraduate research, and participate in our domestic and/or international field courses as undergraduates in our program.
Graduates of our undergraduate program should be able to demonstrate the following: comprehension of the foundational scientific concepts that underpin understanding of the environment; comprehension of basic environmental policies that govern society's interactions with the environment; comprehension of quantitative and technological skills required in environmental research, policy development and education; and the ability to communicate about environmental issues in a variety of contexts.
Career opportunities
Upon completion of this program, students should have developed the quantitative, technological, and practical skills needed to excel in a variety of entry-level field and research positions in government service, environmental management, and private industry. Because the environmental field is so broad, the career path that our graduates choose to pursue depends heavily upon their individual skills, interests, and experiences.
Additional career-building opportunities in Environmental Studies may be pursued in one of our undergraduate certificates in Outdoor Leadership or Sustainable Innovation.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Conservation Scientists and Foresters
- Energy Engineers
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Environmental Engineering Technicians
- Environmental Restoration Planners
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Forest and Conservation Workers
- Foresters
- Geographic Information Systems Technicians
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Attorney
- Climate Change Analyst
- Environmental Engineer
- Environmental Project Manager
- Environmental Research Manager
- Hydrologist
- Industrial Ecologist
- Policy Advisor
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:
- Completion of the associate degree
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 151 and ENVS 343
Science required
- 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
- Yes
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2025-2026
Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Science)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 101.
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor and review your Reynolds advising workbook.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Find out if you are eligible for the NEXT STEP VCU program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Familiarize yourself with Handshake and explore Career Pathways on the VCU Career Services’ Website.
- Browse careers and occupations related to environmental studies.
- Explore iGrad to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Take a career assessment to explore job options.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor.
- Meet with your NEXT STEP advisor or submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
- Explore the accelerated BS to MEnvs program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Submit the NEXT Step Interest Form.
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Life Sciences and Sustainability, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or VCU School of Life Sciences and Sustainability-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Use Handshake to explore jobs and internships that match your interests and skills.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2025-2026
Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Science)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||||
| SDV 101 | Orientation to STEM Disciplines | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| MTH 161 | Precalculus I | MATH 141 | 3 | General education |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| CHM 111 | General Chemistry I | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| History | Select one: HIS 101 Western Civilizations pre-1600 CE or HIS 121 United States History to 1877 | HIST 101 or HIST 103 | 3 | General education |
| ITE 152 | Introduction to Digital Literacy | BUSN 1XX | 3 | Elective |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 162 | Precalculus II | MATH 151 | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| CHM 112 | General Chemistry II | CHEM/Z 102 | 4 | Major |
| Humanities/Fine Arts/Literature elective. Select one: ART 101 History of Art, ENG 255 World Literature, or PHI 220 Ethics | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| MTH 245 | Statistics I | STAT 210 | 3 | Elective |
| Year 2 | ||||
| History | Select one: HIS 102 Western Civilizations post-1600 CE or HIS 122 United States History since 1865 | HIST 102 or HIST 104 | 3 | General education |
| BIO 107 | Biology of the Environment | BIOL 103 + BIOZ 1XX | 4 | Major (Elective) |
| BIO 101 | General Biology I | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Social/Behavioral elective (select one): ECO 201 Principles of Macroeconomics or PSY 200 Principles of Psychology | ECON 211 or PSYC 101 | 3 | General education | |
| Health/Personal Wellness Elective (select one): HLT 105 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, HLT 106 First Aid and Safety, or DIT 121 Nutrition I | VCU equivalent | 1 to 3 | Elective | |
| BIO 102 | General Biology II | BIOL/Z 152 | 4 | Major |
| BIO 206 | Cell Biology | BIOL 300 + BIOZ 391 | 4 | Elective |
| Humanities/Fine Arts/Literature elective. Select one (must be from a different category than first Humanities/Fine Arts/Literature Elective): MUS 121 Music in Society, ENG 246 American Literature, or PHI 111 Logic I | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| Select one: CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking or CST 110 Introduction to Human Communication | SPCH 221 or SPCH 121 | 3 | General education | |
| SOC 200 | Principles of Sociology | SOCY 101 | 3 | General education |
| Reynolds credits transferred to VCU | 65 to 67 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | |||
| ENVS 101 | Introduction to Environmental Studies I | 3 | Major |
| ENVS 222 | Electronic Portfolios | 1 | Major |
| ENVS 105 or URSP 204 | Physical Geology or Physical Geography | 3 | Major |
| BIOL 317 | Ecology | 3 | Major |
| PHYS 201 | General Physics I | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| ENVS 102 | Introduction to Environmental Studies II | 3 | Major |
| ENVS/POLI 311 | Politics of the Environment | 3 | Major |
| ENVS 330 | Environmental Pollution | 3 | Major |
| Major electives | 6 | Major (Electives) | |
| Year 4 | |||
| ENVS 321 | Cartography | 3 | Major |
| ECON 325 | Environmental Economics | 3 | Major |
| ENVS 343 | Data Literacy | 4 | Major |
| ENVS 355 | Water | 3 | Major |
| ENVS 401 | Meteorology and Climatology | 3 | Major |
| ENVS 499 | Environmental Studies Capstone Experience (taken with capstone appropriate corequisite) | 0 | Major |
| Major electives | 3 | Major (Electives) | |
| Open electives | 5 to 7 | Elective | |
| Credits completed at VCU | 53 to 55 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||