Environmental Science BS / Ecology, Evolution, and Earth Systems MS

Major: Environmental Science and Environmental Policy
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 225.5
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years)
BS Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code:
 03.0104
BS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-2041
MS Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code:
26.1310
MS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-9121

About the Program

The BSMS program in Ecology, Evolution and Earth Systems is designed to provide an opportunity for highly motivated and qualified undergraduates to begin pursuing a graduate degree prior to completion of their bachelor’s degree in a 4+1 year format with one coop.

The MS in Ecology, Evolution and Earth Systems builds on the knowledge undergraduates gain in their Environmental Science program and allows students to advance into higher level courses with greater depth. Students interested in a course-based program can choose to do the BSMS as a non-thesis student, which has advantages when seeking positions in consulting, government or nonprofit organizations. Students interested in research careers or future doctoral studies can opt to pursue the thesis option, which provides an opportunity to conduct independent research and gain valuable research experience. Students interested in the thesis option require early planning and a faculty mentor.

The 4+1 program combines the four-year undergraduate COOP program (4COP) with one year of graduate school. . The 4COP program provides students with the benefit of a coop in spring/summer of their third year while maintaining flexibility in course loads per term. Graduate coursework begins in year four (concurrent with the final year of the BS program) and the MS degree is completed at the end of year five.

Additional Information

For more information about the program, visit the Department of Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science's web page.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the BSMS program, students must apply between 90-120 credits and have a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA overall and in their math and science courses. Applicants should meet with their advisor to create a plan of study and submit a 1-page personal statement. After a review of the initial plan of study and personal statement, the applicant will meet with the Undergraduate and Graduate Chairs for an interview. If accepted, the student will receive an Accelerated Degree Program Application form and will use this form to obtain permission from all approving parties listed.  Students planning to pursue an MS Thesis as part of the BSMS program should have a defined project planned out with a faculty mentor.

Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements
Humanities and Social Science
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
COM 310 [WI] Technical Communication3.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
PHIL 340Environmental Ethics3.0
or PHIL 341 Environmental Philosophy
Humanities/Social Science electives6.0
UNIV S101The Drexel Experience1.0
UNIV S201Looking Forward: Academics and Careers1.0
Mathematics, Statistics & Computing21.0
Computer Programming I
Computer Science Principles
Introduction to Analysis I
Calculus I
Introduction to Analysis II
Calculus II
Mathematics for the Life Sciences
Calculus III
Scientific Data Analysis I
Scientific Data Analysis II
Physical Sciences
CHEM 101General Chemistry I3.5
CHEM 102General Chemistry II4.5
CHEM 103General Chemistry III4.5
Choose two chemistry electives from:5.0-7.0
Organic Chemistry I
Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
Introduction to Environmental Chemistry
Physics sequence
PHYS 152Introductory Physics I4.0
PHYS 153Introductory Physics II4.0
PHYS 154Introductory Physics III4.0
Biological Sciences
BIO 131Cells and Biomolecules4.0
BIO 132Genetics and Evolution4.0
BIO 133Physiology and Ecology4.0
BIO 134Cells and Biomolecules Lab1.0
BIO 135Genetics and Evolution Lab1.0
BIO 136Anatomy and Ecology Lab1.0
Geoscience Requirements
GEO 101Physical Geology4.0
GEO 201 [WI] Earth Systems Processes3.0
Environmental Science Core Requirements
ENVS 101Introduction to Environmental Science5.0
ENVS 102Natural History, Research and Collections2.0
ENVS 201Practical Identification of Plants and Animals2.0
ENVS 212Evolution4.0
ENVS 284Physiological and Population Ecology3.0
ENVS 286Community and Ecosystem Ecology3.0
ENVS 308GIS and Environmental Modeling3.0
ENVS 441 [WI] Issues in Global Change I: Seminar2.0
ENVS 442Issues in Global Change II: Research2.0
ENVS 443Issues in Global Change III: Synthesis2.0
Choose one of the following:3.0-4.0
Introduction to Environmental Policy
Delaware River Issues and Policy
Environmental Politics
Environmental Science Lab Requirements2.0
Microbiology Laboratory
Vertebrate Biology and Evolution Laboratory
Vertebrate Morphology & Physiology Lab
Tropical Field Studies
Molecular Ecology Laboratory
Field Ornithology Lab
Field Botany of the New Jersey Pine Barrens
Ecology of the New Jersey Pine Barrens
Restoration Ecology
Marine Field Methods
Entomology Laboratory
Environmental Concentration Requirements14.0-15.0
Ecology and Evolution Concentration (choose 5 from below)
Genetics I
Population Genetics
Tree of Life
Systematic Biology
Conservation Biology
Advanced Topics in Evolution
Applied Environmental Science Concentration
The Watershed Approach
Global Climate Change
Environmental Assessment
Environmental and Ecological Remediation
Environmental Geology
Environmental Electives *9.0
Microbiology
Form, Function & Evolution of Vertebrates
Vertebrate Morphology and Physiology
Native Plants and Sustainability
Global Warming, Biodiversity and Your Future
Energy and the Environment: Iceland
Plant Animal Interactions
Tropical Ecology
Molecular Ecology
Aquatic Ecology
Wetland Ecology
Aquatic Insects and Water Quality
Ornithology
Ichthyology
Biogeography
Urban Ecology
Animal Behavior
Systems Ecology
Marine Ecology
Freshwater and Marine Algae
Entomology
Atmospheric Chemistry
Physiological Ecology
Biophysical Ecology
Advanced Environmental GIS
Coastal Biogeochemistry
Biodiversity
Dinosaurs and Their World
Introduction to Oceanography
Mineralogy
Advanced Field Methods in Earth Science
Geochemistry
Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
Invertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoecology
Vertebrate Paleontology
Structural Geology
Volcanology
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
Geology of Groundwater
Plate Tectonics
Sociology of the Environment
Environmental Justice
Free Electives24.0
Graduate Courses
ENVS 501Chemistry of the Environment3.0
ENVS 506Biostatistics3.0
ENVS 511Evolutionary Ecology (Counts toward UG Environmental Elective) *3.0
Optional Research **12.0
Research
MS ENVS electives **24.0-36.0
Total Credits225.5-241.5
*

Up to two GEO or ENSS courses may count as ENVS electives. ENVS 511 counts as 1 undergraduate Environmental Elective.

**

Students interested in research careers or future doctoral studies can opt to pursue the thesis research option. Those students will take 24.0 credits of MS electives. Students who do not opt to pursue the thesis research option will take 36.0 credits of MS electives.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

4+1 (4COP), 1 co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CHEM 1013.5BIO 1324.0BIO 1334.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0BIO 1351.0BIO 1361.0 
ENVS 1015.0CHEM 1024.5CHEM 1034.5 
MATH 101 or 1214.0CIVC 1011.0COOP 1011.0 
UNIV S1011.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
 MATH 102 or 1224.0MATH 239 or 1234.0 
 16.5 17.5 17.5 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
BIO 1314.0ENVS 2863.0ENVS 2124.0COM 2303.0
BIO 1341.0ENVS 3083.0GEO 1014.0PHYS 1534.0
ENVS 1022.0GEO 2013.0PHYS 1524.0(UG) ENVS Lab elective2.0
ENVS 2012.0UNIV S2011.0(UG) Humanities/Social Science elective3.0(UG) Humanities/Social Science elective3.0
ENVS 2843.0(UG) ENVS Concentration course2.0(UG) Free elective3.0(UG) Free elective3.0
CS 150 or 1713.0(UG) Free elective3.0  
 15 15 18 15
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MATH 4103.0ENSS 283 or PSCI 2843.0-4.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
PHIL 340 or 3413.0MATH 4113.0  
PHYS 1544.0(UG) ENVS elective3.0  
(UG) ENVS Concentration course3.0(UG) ENVS Concentration course3.0  
(UG) CHEM elective3.0(UG) CHEM elective2.0  
 16 14-15 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COM 3103.0ENVS 4422.0ENVS 4432.0STUDENT CONVERTS TO GRADUATE STATUS
ENVS 4412.0(UG) ENVS Concentration course3.0(UG) ENVS electives3.0 
(UG) ENVS Concentration course3.0(UG) ENVS elective3.0(UG) Free elective7.0 
(UG) Free elective4.0(UG) Free elective4.0ENVS 5063.0 
ENVS 5013.0ENVS 511 (Counts as UG Environmental Elective)3.0(GR) Electives3.0 
(GR) Elective3.0(GR) Elective3.0  
 18 18 18 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
(GR) Electives9.0(GR) Electives9.0(GR) Electives9.0 
 9 9 9 
Total Credits 225.5-226.5