Environmental Studies
Undergraduate Degrees
Common Core Experience for All Undergraduate Degrees
| Required core courses (48 units) | Units |
|---|
| BISC 103Lx | General Biology for the Environment and Life | 4 |
| CHEM 103Lx | General Chemistry for the Environment and Life | 4 |
| ENST 100 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 4 |
| ENST 320ab | Water and Soil Sustainability; Energy and Air Sustainability | 4-4 |
| ENST 387x | Economics for Natural Resources and the Environment | 4 |
| ENST 495 | Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies | 4 |
| GEOL 160L | Introduction to Geosystems | 4 |
| IR 323 | Politics of Global Environment | 4 |
| MATH 125 | Calculus I | 4 |
| POSC 270 | Introduction to Environmental Law and Politics | 4 |
| PSYC 274 | Statistics I | 4 |
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies
Concentration in Sustainability, Energy and Society (56 units)
In addition to the 48-unit core:
| TWO OF THE FOLLOWING COURSES | Units |
|---|
| ENST 370 | Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy | 4 |
| ENST 450 | Case Studies of Green Business | 4 |
| ENST 485 | Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies | 4 |
| GEOG 401 | Sustainable Cities and Regions | 4 |
Concentration in Oceans, Life and People (56 units)
In addition to the 48-unit core:
| REQUIRED COURSES | Units |
|---|
| BISC 427 | The Global Environment | 4 |
| ENST 370 | Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy | 4 |
Concentration in Climate, Earth and Environment (56 Units)
In addition to the 48-unit core:
| REQUIRED COURSES | Units |
|---|
| ENST 445 | Earth Climate: Past, Present, and Future | 4 |
| GEOL 412 | Oceans, Climate and the Environment | 4 |
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies
Concentration in Sustainability, Energy and Society (72 units)
In addition to the 48-unit core:
| TWO OF THE FOLLOWING COURSES | Units |
|---|
| ENST 370 | Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy | 4 |
| ENST 450 | Case Studies of Green Business | 4 |
| GEOG 401 | Sustainable Cities and Regions | 4 |
| FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTIVE COURSES | Units |
|---|
| BISC 427 | The Global Environment | 4 |
| ENST 445 | Earth Climate: Past, Present, and Future | 4 |
| ENST 485 | Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies | 4 |
| GEOG 255 | American Environmentalism | 4 |
| GEOG 350 | Race and Environmentalism | 4 |
| GEOG 360 | Environmental Disasters | 4 |
| GEOG 482L | Principles of Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| GEOL 450L | Geosystems | 4 |
| IR 422 | Ecological Security and Global Politics | 4 |
| POSC 436 | Environmental Politics | 4 |
| PPD 461 | Sustainability Planning | 4 |
Concentration in Oceans, Life and People (72 units)
In addition to the 48-unit core:
| REQUIRED COURSES | Units |
|---|
| BISC 427 | The Global Environment | 4 |
| ENST 370 | Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy | 4 |
| FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTIVE COURSES | Units |
|---|
| BISC 315L | Introduction to Ecology | 4 |
| BISC 320L | Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BISC 447L | Island Biogeography and Field Ecology | 4 |
| BISC 456L | Conservation Genetics | 4 |
| BISC 469L | Marine Biology | 4 |
| ENST 485 | Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies | 4 |
| GEOL 320L | Surficial Processes and Stratigraphic Systems | 4 |
| GEOL 412 | Oceans, Climate, and the Environment | 4 |
| GEOL 450L | Geosystems | 4 |
Concentration in Climate, Earth and Environment (72 units)
In addition to the 48-unit core:
| REQUIRED COURSES | Units |
|---|
| ENST 445 | Earth Climate: Past, Present, and Future | 4 |
| GEOL 412 | Oceans, Climate and the Environment | 4 |
| MATH 126 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 151L | Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics | 4 |
| TWO OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTIVE COURSES | Units |
|---|
| BISC 427 | The Global Environment | 4 |
| ENST 485 | Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Human Societies | 4 |
| GEOL 315 | Minerals and Earth Systems | 4 |
| GEOL 425 | Data Analysis in the Earth and Environmental Sciences | 4 |
| GEOL 450L | Geosystems | 4 |
Progressive Degree Program in Environmental Studies
This progressive degree program allows superior USC undergraduates completing a bachelor’s degree in a related natural science or environmental policy area to also complete a master’s degree in environmental studies in as little as five years. An overall GPA of 3.2 or higher in all courses taken at USC is preferred. A 3.2 GPA does not guarantee acceptance. For more information about progressive degrees, see
Progressive Degrees.
Requirements for the Minor in Environmental Studies
| Required core courses | Units |
|---|
| ENST 100 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 4 |
| ENST 320ab | Water and Soil Sustainability: Energy and Air Sustainability | 4-4 |
| Two elective SOCIAL SCIENCES COURSES CHOSEN FROM: | Units |
|---|
| ENST 370 | Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy | 4 |
| ENST 387x | Economics for Natural Resources and the Environment | 4 |
| ENST 445 | Earth Climate: Past, Present and Future | 4 |
| ENST 450 * | Case Studies of Green Business | 4 |
| IR 323 | Politics of Global Environment | 4 |
| One elective course chosen from: | Units |
|---|
| BISC 103Lx | General Biology for the Environment and Life | 4 |
| CHEM 103Lx | General Chemistry for the Environment and Life | 4 |
| GEOL 160L* | Introduction to Geosystems | 4 |
PDF reflects print version of the catalogue (beginning to East Asian Languages and Cultures)