The School of Natural Resources and Environment’s environmental science degrees approach complex environmental issues with multidisciplinary academic knowledge and interdisciplinary perspectives to prepare graduates for jobs in environmental consulting companies, government environmental offices, land and water management agencies, or non-government organizations. SNRE’s environmental science degrees are campus-wide programs, allowing students to learn from experts in multiple academic units at the University of Florida. Multiple course options are available to meet most degree requirements, giving students a large degree of flexibility in customizing their program of study to suit their individual interests with the assistance of the advising staff.

About half of Environmental Science students advance to graduate or professional degree programs. The combination of the school's broad undergraduate degree with a subsequent graduate or professional degree is highly marketable.

The school also offers a combination degree program that pairs a bachelor's degree in environmental science with a Master of Science in interdisciplinary ecology.

Requirements and Differences Between BA and BS Degrees

Both Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees prepare students for a wide range of careers in environmental science. The BS places greater emphasis on the natural sciences, whereas the BA is more focused on the social sciences and their application to economics, policy, and management.

BS students interested in seeking admission to a medical, veterinary, or similar professional school after graduation may pursue a Pre-Health track (subject to permission by the undergraduate coordinator). Students in either degree interested in advancing to law school after graduation are encouraged to review UF’s pre-Law resources.
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Subject to permission by the undergraduate coordinator, BS students interested in seeking admission to a medical, veterinary, or similar professional school after graduation may pursue a Pre-Health track. Students in either degree interested in advancing to law school after graduation are encouraged to review Pre-Law resources.
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The freshmen and sophomore years lay a foundation of coursework through critical-tracking courses for building later expertise. Students need to know the natural sciences of physics, chemistry, and biology. Study of microeconomics and macroeconomics is required to understand the human economy. Introductory statistics empowers students to independently evaluate quantitative data. College algebra (BA) and an introduction to calculus (BS) enable students to work with rates of change, the heart of ecological science.

In addition to the critical tracking requirements, students admitted as freshmen are responsible for completing State Core General Education as well as the university's General Education, Quest, and Writing Requirements.

Certain critical tracking and core courses simultaneously fulfill General Education and Writing Requirements, and students should seek to maximize the number of overlapping courses for efficiency. For most students, all but 15 credits of the General Education requirement are met through the BA and BS curriculum. Incoming credit (e.g. AP, AICE, IB, CLEP, etc.) may further reduce the number of General Education courses students need to complete.

Students should work closely with their academic advisor to ensure satisfactory progress towards degree completion throughout their academic career.

After General Education and most critical-tracking coursework is complete, students begin to take the degree’s core courses (41-46 credits for the BA, 41-47 credits for the BS), providing a base of common knowledge and experience in subjects essential to Environmental Science. During the fourth year, students enroll in SNRE’s capstone course that further develops and assesses critical thinking skills by confronting conflicts of ecological and economic paradigms, synthesizing across physical, biological, and social systems, and engaging diverse knowledge and views to help resolve key environmental problems.

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Students should select a combination of core courses not to exceed 44 credits. 

Beyond the core requirements, each student selects additional credits from a wide list of approved electives according to individual interest, allowing them to broaden their skillset or specialize in a particular aspect of environmental science.

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A minimum of 28 approved elective credits are required. Additional elective credits may be needed to reach 120 credit hours for degree completion.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

• Complete 2 of 9 critical-tracking courses, excluding labs: AEC 3030C or SPC 2608, BSC 2010/BSC 2010L, BSC 2011/BSC 2011L, CHM 2045/CHM 2045L, ECO 2013, ECO 2023, MAC 1147, PHY 2020 or PHY 2004, STA 2023
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 2

• Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 3

• Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 4

• Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses
• Complete at least 1 core course
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

• Complete all 9 critical-tracking courses
• Complete at least 2 core courses
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 upper division GPA required
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 6

• Complete at least 2 core courses
• 2.0 upper division GPA required
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 7

• Complete at least 2 core courses
• 2.0 upper division GPA required
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 8

• Complete EVS 4021 (capstone) and the remaining courses for the degree
• 2.0 upper division GPA required
• 2.0 UF GPA required

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

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One of the courses selected to meet the Quest 1, Quest 2, and State Core Humanities requirements should be chosen to simultaneously meet the International requirement.

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Required for all summer B and fall freshman admits, including HSAA students admitted as freshmen. Transfer students should enroll in ALS 4932 instead. PaCE and all other students should contact their academic advisor or undergraduate coordinator for alternate options.

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A minimum of 28 elective credit hours are required from the Approved Electives list or by approval from the undergraduate coordinator. Additional elective credit may be needed to reach 120 credit hours for degree completion.

BACHELOR OF ARTS

The Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental science focuses on the social sciences that connect the natural sciences and engineering to society. Emphasis is placed in the areas of environmental policy & law and resource economics, making the B.A. the preferred degree for students interested in the policy aspects of environmental consulting and public agency work or advancing to law school.

Core Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts

Students should select a combination of core courses not to exceed 44 credit hours.

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Required for all Summer B and Fall freshman admits, including HSAA students admitted as freshmen. Transfer students should enroll in ALS 4932 instead. PaCE and all other students should contact their academic advisor or undergraduate coordinator for alternate options.

Beyond the core requirements, each student selects additional credits from a wide list of approved electives according to individual interest, allowing students to broaden their skillset or specialize in a particular aspect of environmental science.

Elective Requirement

• Communication & Leadership 3-6 credits
• Additional Skills and Concepts 6-15 credits
• Biological Sciences 3-12 credits
• Human Dimensions 6-15 credits

A minimum of 28 approved elective credits are required. Additional elective credit may be needed to reach 120 credit hours for degree completion.

Students interested in taking courses not on the master list, including requirements for pre-Veterinary and pre-Medical students, must contact the undergraduate coordinator for approval.

Students can substitute appropriate graduate courses for electives with approval of the undergraduate coordinator and permission of the instructor. To substitute a 5000-level course or higher, the student must have senior standing and a minimum upper division GPA of 3.0.

Master List 

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Students should not enroll in more than one of the following courses: FNR 3400C, GIS 3043, GIS 3072C, URP 4273, SWS 4720C.

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No more than six credit hours from any combination of these courses (or equivalents) may be counted towards the degree.

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Not all classes offered under this course number may be eligible for Additional Skills and Concepts credit. Check with your advisor or undergraduate coordinator.

Environmental Science is the science of humanity's role in natural systems, the basis of our economy. This program accesses courses university-wide and provides numerous opportunities for international study. Students will acquire reliable knowledge and interdisciplinary perspectives of complex environmental issues, gaining the full range of knowledge relevant to a professional understanding of complex environmental problems in the biological and physical sciences, ethics, economics, policy, and law.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Complete at least one course in each of the foundation areas.
• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major will Learn To

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

1. Apply acquired knowledge of basic terminology, concepts, methodologies, and theories in the physical and biological sciences that describe environmental systems.
2. Apply acquired knowledge of essential concepts in the social sciences that describe human activity in the environment.

Critical Thinking

3. Develop reasoned solutions to environmental problems through application of the scientific method.

Communication

4. Communicate knowledge, ideas, and reasoning clearly, effectively, and objectively in both written and oral forms.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

ASSESSMENT TYPES

• Oral presentation or written essay