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2024-2025

Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science (Richard Bland College of William and Mary)
Richard Bland College
Richard Bland College
Associate degree

Associate of Science

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.

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

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • ENVS 343
  • MATH 151
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

View VCU Major Map for Environmental Studies

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2024-2025

Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of 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
Explore Year 1
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
Experience Year 2
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Environmental Studies department-related events
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Continue learning a foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships or job experiences before your senior year of college.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • 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.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Environmental Studies department-related events
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Continue learning a foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships or job experiences before your senior year of college.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • 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.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2024-2025

Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science)

Richard Bland College of William and Mary courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
ENGL 101 Rhetoric and Research I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENGL 102 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENGL 102 Rhetoric and Research II UNIV 200 3 General education
Language & Ideas Select 1: ENGL 203, 204, 205, 206, 210, 211, 214, 215, 216, PHIL 101, 201, 202, 203, 270, REL 201, 209, 210, 270, COMM 101, 102, 201. VCU equivalent 3 General education
Fine Arts Select 1: ART 201, 202, 231, MUS 103, MUS 123, THEA 201. VCU equivalent 3 General education
Human Experience Select 3: ANTH 103, PHIL 101, 121, 201, 202, 203, PSY 201-202, 217, 218, 240, 250, 292, 295, REL 201, 209, 210, SOC 201, 204, 208, 250, 253. VCU equivalent 9 General education
U.S. & World Cultures Select 3: ECON 201, 202, GEO 101, GEO 103, GOVT 201, GOVT 202, GOVT 203, HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 191, 192, HIST 201, HIST 202, HIST 240, REL 209, REL 210, REL 219, REL 220, REL 254 (at least one must be history). VCU equivalent 9 General education
MATH 151 Pre-calculus II MATH 151 4 Major (Ancillary)
MATH 217 Statistics STAT 210 3 Elective
BIOL 151 + Lab Biological Science I + Lab BIOL/Z 151 4 Major (Ancillary)
BIOL 152 + Lab Biological Science II + Lab BIOL/Z 152 4 Major
CHEM 101 + Lab General Chemistry I + Lab CHEM/Z 101 4 Major (Ancillary)
CHEM 102 + Lab General Chemistry II + Lab CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
Complete requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 7 Elective
Richard Bland credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
BIOL 317 Ecology 3 Major
ECON 325 Environmental Economics 3 Major
ENVS 101 Introduction to Environmental Studies I 3 Major
ENVS 102 Introduction to Environmental Studies II 3 Major
ENVS 222 Electronic Portfolios 1 Major
ENVS 311 Politics of the Environment 3 Major
ENVS 321 Cartography 3 Major
ENVS 330 Environmental Pollution 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 0 Major
ENVS 105 or URSP 204 Physical Geology or Physical Geography 3 Major
Select four major electives (see VCU advisor for course options) 12 Major
PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 General Physics I or University Physics I 4 to 5 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives 8 to 9 Elective
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120
The accelerated B.S. and M.Envs. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Environmental Studies and the Master of Environmental Studies in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours, an overall GPA of 3.0, and a GPA of 3.3 in courses required by the environmental studies major.