Environmental Science and Policy, Bachelor of Science
(Students who plan to transfer a completed Associate's degree should review the Environmental Science and Policy Completion Degree information below.)
A Degree for the Future
The Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy is classified as a STEM program. This interdisciplinary degree will draw upon undergraduate course offerings from the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the Colleges of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Technology, and Business. The expertise to preserve and protect our very limited and fragile natural resources is expected to be a continuously valuable skillset, both nationally and in the state of Delaware. The ES&P degree will provide students with the skills they need to tackle such challenges.
Program Philosophy and Objectives
Students in this program will be exposed to a variety of concepts and activities that address many science and policy related competencies including but not limited to oral communication and the delivery of professional presentations, scholarly writing, critical thinking strategies, and the use of scientific and digital tools to solve problems.
This ES&P degree is practical and career-oriented, though adaptable enough to be used as a step towards graduate education. Environmental science is inherently an applied study, while the policy aspect extends the practical nature of this degree. Aligning with the University's mission of exemplary career-oriented degrees, graduates of this degree can market themselves to local, state, and federal agencies, private and non-profit organizations, as well as academia, for a range of environmental positions. Courses will be offered at a variety of locations and times, and students will have the option to complete the full degree face-to-face, online, or a combination of the two.
Program Competencies
In addition to the University’s undergraduate graduation competencies, students will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities related to:
Hi-Tech Literacy
Use technology to effectively locate and communicate information.
Social Responsibility
Demonstrate an increase in personal commitment to, and understanding of, one's role in a global society.
Environmental Science and Policy Program Competencies
Identify cellular structure and function.
Apply the concepts of cell division and heredity to examine the evolutionary process.
Demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts in environmental science and biodiversity including animal and plant structure and function, ecological interactions, and human impacts on the environment.
Demonstrate competency in basic laboratory skills.
Apply quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.
Demonstrate knowledge of how science is both used and impacted by policy.
Curriculum
General Education Requirements (39 Credits)
A minimum passing grade of "C" is required for ENG 121, ENG 122, ENG 131, MAT 205, and SCI 310.
Environmental Science Core (36 Credits)
SCI courses in the Environmental Science Core require a minimum passing grade of a "C." A minimum passing grade of a "C-" is required for MAT 308.
Public Policy Core (18 Credits)
Public Policy Core courses require a minimum passing grade of a "C."
Core Electives (Choose 9-11 credits from the following options)
Cooperative Education Core (6 credits)
Field experience should be considered for the student who is not already working in the ES&P field. A 15 credit semester would cover the 6 credit requirement for Co-op and 9 credits of Free Electives.
| SCI 441 | Co-op Education Experience for Science | 3 |
| SCI 442 | Co-op Education Experience for Science | 3 |
Free Electives
Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits to earn a Bachelor's degree in ES&P. Students with less than 16 transfer credits are required to take FYE 101 as one of their electives. Because of the mixture of 3 and 4 credit courses, students must be diligent and seek advice as they work through the program.
Suggested Course Sequence
Freshman
Semester 1
| CTA 206 | Computer Applications | 3 |
| ENG 121 | English Composition I | 3 |
| PHI 100 | Introduction to Critical Thinking | 3 |
| BIO 251 | Biology I (with Lab) | 4 |
| FYE 101 | First Year Experience Seminar | 3 |
OR
| | |
| Free Elective | 3 |
Semester 2
| ENG 122 | English Composition II | 3 |
| HIS 315 | The Green Revolution: History of the Environmental Movement in America | 3 |
| MAT 205 | Introductory Survey of Mathematics | 3 |
| BIO 252 | Biology II (with Lab) | 4 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
Sophomore
Semester 1
Semester 2
Junior
Semester 1
| GIS 300 | Geographic Information Systems Science & Technology | 3 |
OR
| | |
| CTA 326 | Integrating Excel into Business Problem Solving | 3 |
| SCI 312 | Physics (with Lab) | 4 |
| OR | |
| BIO 337 | Genetics (with Lab) | 4 |
| POL 300 | American Politics | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 |
Semester 2
| LES 216 | Environmental Compliance | 3 |
| POL 326 | Public Policy and Social Issues | 3 |
| SCI 315 | Applied Chemistry (with Lab) | 4 |
| SCI 441 | Co-op Education Experience for Science | 3 |
| SCI 442 | Co-op Education Experience for Science | 3 |
Senior
Semester 1
| POL 370 | Energy and Environmental Policy | 3 |
| POL 402 | Analysis of Public Policy | 3 |
| Core Elective | 3 |
| Core Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 |
Semester 2
| CAS 495 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| POL 403 | Writing for Public Policy | 3 |
| Core Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 |
Environmental Science and Policy Completion Degree
What is a Completion Degree?
A completion degree is a personalized version of a bachelor's degree created exclusively for students who have completed an associate's degree at an accredited institution. (Students who have not completed an associate's degree should return to the full Environmental Science and Policy, Bachelor of Science degree information.) Completion degrees are available for most Wilmington University Bachelor of Science degrees. A student who expects to transfer a completed associate's degree should communicate with a Wilmington University academic advisor before registering for courses. A transcript with documentation of the conferred degree must be received by Wilmington University to confirm eligibility.
Environmental Science and Policy Completion Degree Requirements
A minimum passing grade of "C" is required for LES 206, LES 216, SCI 252, SCI 337, SCI 310, PHI 300, HUM 381, POL 326, POL 370, POL 402, and POL 403. MAT 308 requires a minimum passing grade of "C-."
Additional course work as needed to meet 120 credits for graduation.
The following courses or their equivalents are pre-requisites for the Environmental Science and Policy completion degree. If you have transfer credits that do not include equivalents to the classes below, you are expected to complete them prior to taking the core course for which they are pre-requisites.
ENG 121 English Composition I
ENG 122 English Composition II
ENG 131 Public Speaking
MAT 122 College Math II or MAT 205 Introductory Survey of Mathematics
MAT 200 Pre-Calculus
SCI 251 Biology I
SCI 305 Earth and Space Science (with lab)
SCI 312 Physics (with lab)
SCI 315 Applied Chemistry (with lab)
POL 300 American Politics