Environmental Science BS / Environmental Policy MS

Major: Environmental Science and Environmental Policy
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science in Environmental Policy (MSEP)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 227.5
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:
 44.0599
MS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-1031

About the Program

The BS/MS program in Environmental Science (BS) and Environmental Policy (MS) is designed to bring two distinct but mutually enhancing disciplines together in one program. It provides an opportunity for highly motivated and qualified undergraduates to begin pursuing a graduate degree prior to completion of their bachelor’s degree in the 4+1 co-op program.

Environmental policy pairs naturally with environmental science by helping students bridge the gap between their strength in science and their interest in making change through policy. Science without an effective avenue toward working with decision makers and supporting public policy runs short of its reach and potential benefit. The BS/MS in ENVS-ENVP prepares students both as scientists and professionals who can communicate science and translate environmental data into actionable environmental policy with tangible impact. Students can also conduct real-world research writing through a case study thesis, select elective courses tailored to their interests, or complete their degree with research experience.

The accelerated program is appropriate for Environmental Science majors interested in learning about public policy and who have a desire to work in environmental policy, such as in government, advocacy work, consulting, or the nonprofit sector. 

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 BS/MS program, students must apply between 90.0-120.0 credits and have a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA. Applicants should meet with their advisor to create a plan of study and email that plan of study and a one-page essay to the director of the ENVP program along with a short email of introduction including their current major and proposed ENVP track. After a review of the initial plan of study, the director and the student will have a 20-minute interview. If accepted, the student will receive an Accelerated Degree Program Application form and will use it to obtain permission from all approving parties listed on the form.

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 Development *1.0
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
UNIV S101The Drexel Experience1.0
UNIV S201Looking Forward: Academics and Careers1.0
Humanities/Social Science electives6.0
Mathematics, Statistics & Computing21.0
Select one of the following sequences:
Calculus sequence
Calculus I
Calculus II
Calculus III
Analysis sequence
Introduction to Analysis I
Introduction to Analysis II
Mathematics for the Life Sciences
Additional required math & computing courses:
Computer Programming I
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
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 103Introduction to Field Methods in Earth Science2.0
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
Introduction to Environmental Policy
Cities and Sustainability
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
Entomology Laboratory
Environmental Concentration Requirements14.0
See list of concentration requirements below.
Environmental Electives (plus 3.0 credits shared with ENVP 522)9.0
Microbiology
Form, Function & Evolution of Vertebrates
Vertebrate Morphology and Physiology
Population Genetics
Dinosaurs and Their World
Introduction to Oceanography
Mineralogy
Advanced Field Methods in Earth Science
Environmental Geology
Geochemistry
Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
Invertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoecology
Vertebrate Paleontology
Structural Geology
Geomorphology
Coastal Geology
Oceanography
Volcanology
Field Camp
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
Geology of Groundwater
Geophysics
Plate Tectonics
Sociology of the Environment
Introduction to Urban Planning
Environmental Movements in America
Environmental Justice
Native Plants and Sustainability
Global Climate Change
Global Warming, Biodiversity and Your Future
Energy and the Environment: Iceland
Systematic Biology
Plant Animal Interactions
Tropical Ecology
Molecular Ecology
Conservation Biology
Aquatic Ecology
Wetland Ecology
Aquatic Insects and Water Quality
Ornithology
Ichthyology
Biogeography
Urban Ecology
Animal Behavior
Environmental Assessment
Environmental and Ecological Remediation
Field Botany of the New Jersey Pine Barrens
Ecology of the New Jersey Pine Barrens
Systems Ecology
Restoration Ecology
Marine Field Methods
Marine Ecology
Freshwater and Marine Algae
Entomology
Chemistry of the Environment
Atmospheric Chemistry
Physiological Ecology
Advanced Environmental GIS
Coastal Biogeochemistry
Biodiversity
Advanced Topics in Evolution
Free Electives24.0
MS Environmental Policy
Public Policy Core Graduate Courses12.0
Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis
Methods of Policy Analysis
Institutional Dynamics of the Policy Process
Nonprofit Organizations
Environmental Core Graduate Courses9.0
Environmental Law
Environmental Policy
Biostatistics
Environmental Science or Environmental and Occupational Health Track6.0
Environmental Science Track (2 of the following courses):
Chemistry of the Environment
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity
Environmental and Occupational Health Track (EOH 510 and one of the following 600-level EOH courses):
Principles and Practice of Environmental and Occupational Health
Evidence Evaluation for Identification of Environmental Hazards
Environmental and Occupational Toxicology
Environmental and Occupational Health Policy
Quantitative Risk Analysis for Environmental Health
Economics Core6.0
Essentials of Economics
Managerial Economics
Public Finance and Cost Benefit Analysis
Research Experience and/or Approved Courses in Environmental Policy12.0
Case Study Sequence (optional 9.0 credits)
Approved Electives: The remaining 3-12 credits may be any graduate ENVP or PLCY courses. **
Total Credits227.5
*

Students not participating in co-op will not take COOP 101; 1 credit of Free Elective will be added in place of COOP 101.

**

In some cases, course substitutions may be made with courses from other departments. Elective courses taken outside the department must receive prior departmental approval in order to be counted toward the degree.

Environmental Science Concentrations
 

Ecology & Evolution Concentration14.0-15.0
Choose 5 from below:
Genetics I
Population Genetics
Tree of Life
Systematic Biology
Conservation Biology
Advanced Topics in Evolution
Total Credits14.0-15.0
Applied Environmental Science Concentration14.0-15.0
Required Courses
The Watershed Approach
Global Climate Change
Environmental Assessment
Choose 2 from below:
Environmental and Ecological Remediation
Chemistry of the Environment
Environmental Geology
Total Credits14.0-15.0

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.

Sample Plan of Study

4+1, 1 co-op (Accelerated program completed in 5 years)

Students complete undergraduate requirements in four years, then convert to graduate status in the fifth and final year.

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CHEM 1013.5BIO 1324.0BIO 1361.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0BIO 1351.0BIO 1334.0 
ENVS 1015.0CHEM 1024.5CHEM 1034.5 
MATH 101 or 1214.0CIVC 1011.0COOP 1011.0 
UNIV S1011.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0GEO 1032.0 
 MATH 102 or 1224.0MATH 239 or 1234.0 
 16.5 17.5 16.5 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
BIO 1314.0CS 1713.0ENVS 2124.0COM 2303.0
BIO 1341.0ENVS 2863.0GEO 1014.0PHYS 1534.0
ENGL 103 or 1133.0GEO 2013.0PHYS 1524.0(UG) ENVS Lab elective2.0
ENVS 1022.0UNIV S2011.0(UG) Free elective3.0(UG) Humanities/Social Science elective3.0
ENVS 2012.0(UG) ENVS Concentration course2.0(UG) Humanities/Social Science elective3.0(UG) Free elective3.0
ENVS 2843.0(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 3413.0ENVS 3083.0  
PHYS 1544.0MATH 4113.0  
(UG) CHEM elective3.0(UG) ENVS elective3.0  
(UG) ENVS Concentration course3.0(UG) CHEM elective2.0  
 (UG) ENVS Concentration course3.0  
 16 17-18 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COM 3103.0ENVS 4422.0ENVS 4432.0Student converted 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 
ENVP 522 (Counts as UG Environmental Elective)3.0ENVP 5723.0(GR) Elective3.0 
(GR) Track Elective3.0(GR) Track Elective3.0  
 18 18 18 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
PLCY 5063.0BUSN 5023.0ECON 6163.0 
(GR) elective6.0PLCY 5033.0PLCY 5043.0 
 (GR) Elective3.0PLCY 5073.0 
 9 9 9 
Total Credits 227.5-228.5
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