Colorado Community College System

to

College of Arts and Sciences; University of Colorado Boulder

Academic Course Map for Environmental StudiesÌý(B.A.)


Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies (ENVS) at CU Boulder trains students in the cause, scale, and remediation strategies of the major environmental problems in the United States and the world. Â鶹ÒùÔº will acquire an awareness of the complexity of factors relating to human interaction with the environment. They will become acutely aware of the fact that environmental problems have both human and biophysical components, and gain knowledge of the general principles of human- environmental interaction, global habitability, environmental change, and sustainable human societies.

The ENVS major provides a broad, but rigorous education in environmental issues and real-world problem solving, as opposed to a traditional, discipline-based training. The courses integrate the academic divisions of natural science, social science, and humanities, providing skill and knowledge applicable to the pursuit of solutions to environmental challenges faced globally, nationally, regionally, and locally.

An internship program offers ENVS majors the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge they possess and to gain new skills through practical experience working for an organization, government agency, research lab, planning group, advocacy organization, or other groups that solve problems and develop policies.


Admission Requirements

Â鶹ÒùÔº who begin at a Colorado Community College can transfer directly to CU Boulder to finish their degree in any of the programs offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.ÌýPlease see the CU Boulder College of Arts & Sciences’ÌýColorado Community College webpageÌýfor more information detailed information admissionsÌýrequirements for students transferingÌýfrom a Colorado Community College.Ìý


Transfer Recommendations

To graduate in a 4-year time frame, it is important that students follow the recommended schedule. Â鶹ÒùÔº who wish to continue their education at the community college beyond the number of credits specified below should explore with both community college and CU Boulder staff how their graduation timeline, COF stipend, and financial aid will be affected.Ìý


Suggested Four-Year Course Plan for the Environmental StudiesÌý(ENVS) major

This is a suggested guide of coursework only and is subject to change. Always consult your academic advisor for graduation planning purposes.ÌýDepending on a student’s situation, a different plan might be more applicable.

Community College (first two years)

Fall Semester 1

Course Course Title Credits
ENG 121/1021* English Composition I (GT-CO1) 3

ENV 101/1111

Environmental Science w/Lab (GT-SC1) 4

MAT 135/1260

Intro to Statistics (GT-MA1)

3
Ìý

Guaranteed Transfer Social & Behavioral Sciences Course (GT-SS1, GT-SS2, GT-SS3)

3
Ìý Guaranteed Transfer Arts & Humanities Course (GT- AH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH4) NOT GT-AH3 3
Ìý Total Credits 16

Spring Semester 1

Course Course Title Credits
ENG 122/1022 English Composition II (GT-CO2) 3

ECO 202/2002

Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) 3

PHI 218/2018

Environmental Ethics (GT-AH3)

3
Ìý

Guaranteed Transfer History Course (GT-HI1)

3
Ìý Transfer Elective 3
Ìý Total Credits 15

Fall Semester 2

Course Course Title Credits

BIO 111/1111 OR
GEO 111/1011 OR
GEY 111/1111**

General College Biology I w/Lab (GT-SC1) OR
Physical Geography: Landforms w/Lab (GT-SC1) OR
Physical Geology w/Lab (GT-SC1)

4-5

ECO 245/2045

Environmental Economics (GT-SS1) or a Transfer Elective if ECO 245/2045 is not available 3

COM 125/1250 OR
COM 220/2300

Interpersonal Communication (GT-SS3) OR
Intercultural Communication (GT-SS3)

3
Ìý

Guaranteed Transfer Social & Behavioral Sciences Course (GT-SS1, GT-SS2, GT-SS3)

3
Ìý Transfer Elective 3
Ìý Total Credits 16-17

Spring Semester 2

Course Course Title Credits

BIO 112/1112 OR
GEO 112/1012 OR
GEY 112/1112

General College Biology II w/Lab (GT-SC1) OR
Physical Geography: Weather and Climate w/Lab (GT-SC1) OR
Historical Geology w/Lab (GT-SC1)

4-5

CHE 111/1111 OR
PHYS 111/1111

General College Chemistry 1I with Lab (GT-SC1) OR
Physics: Algebra-Based I: With Lab (GT-SC1)

5

Ìý

Transfer electives***

3-5
Ìý Total Credits 12-13

Total credits at community college: 60

Completion of the four semesters of coursework listed above fulfills the requirements for an AssociateÌýof Arts Degree at a Colorado community college and fulfills the General Education requirements at CU Boulder.

Ìý

CU Boulder (last two years)

Fall Semester 3

Course Course Title Credits

ENVS 1001

Introduction to Human Dimensions of Environmental Studies

3

PSCI 2016 OR
PSCI 2116

Intro to Public Policy Analysis OR
Intro to Environmental Policy and Policy Analysis

4

ENVS 3020

Advanced Writing in ENVS

3
Ìý

Lower- or Upper-division Elective****

3
Ìý Lower- or Upper-division Elective 3
Ìý Total Credits 16

Spring Semester 3

Course Course Title Credits

ENVS 3520 OR
ENVS 3525 OR
ENVS 3621

Energy and Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Approach OR
Intermediate Environmental Problem Analysis: Topical Cornerstones OR
Energy Policy and Society

3

Ìý

ENVS Intermediate Social Science Major course 3

Ìý

ENVS Intermediate Natural Science Major course

4
Ìý

Non-major Elective (upper-division if needed)

3
Ìý Non-major Elective (upper-division if needed) 3
Ìý Total Credits 16

Fall Semester 4

Course Title Credits
ENVS Application Major course 3
ENVS Specialization Major course 3

ENVS Specialization Major course

3

Upper Division Non-Major Elective

3
Upper Division Non-Major Elective 3
Total Credits 15

Spring Semester 4

Course Course Title Credits

ENVS 3800 OR
ENVS 4800 OR
ENVS 4990

The Art of Research: The Essential Elements of Research in ENVS OR
Capstone: Critical Thinking in ENVS OR
Senior Thesis

3

Ìý

ENVS Specialization Major course 3

Ìý

ENVS Specialization Major course

3
Ìý Upper-Division Non-Major Elective 3
Ìý Total Credits 13

Total credits at CU Boulder: 60

Completion of all eight semester of coursework listed above fulfills the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Environmental Studies at CU Boulder.


*For community college courses, the first course number is previous to summer 2022, and the second course number is the new number starting in summer 2022.

**Â鶹ÒùÔº have to take these courses as a two-course sequence:Ìý 1) BIO 111/1111 & BIO 112/1112 OR 2) GEO 111/1011 & GEO 112/1012 OR 3) GEY 111/1111 & GEY 112/1112.

***If student completes the BIO 111/1111 & BIO 112/1112 sequence, they will need 3 credits of transfer electives to reach 60 credits.Ìý If they complete the GEO or GEY sequence, they will need 5 credits of transfer electives.

****Â鶹ÒùÔº who were unable to take ECO 245/2045 at their community college would need to replace this elective with ECON 3545 Environmental Economics.


NSFThis material was supported by NSF grant #1649201. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not nec​essarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.