WHY CHOOSE THE
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE?
If you are concerned about the environment and want to "make a
difference," Towson University's interdisciplinary Environmental
Science and Studies Program is a natural choice for you. You will
want to look at this Environmental Science concentration if your
talents and interests are primarily in the natural sciences.
If you are intrigued more by the challenges of regulation and
policy, take a look at the Environmental
Studies Concentration.
The Environmental Science Concentration draws extensively upon the
expertise of faculty in the College of Science and Mathematics . The
rigorous training provided in the environmental science concentration
prepares graduates for various entry-level environmental positions in
the public, private and nonprofit sectors and is excellent preparation
for advanced study.
Environmental scientists must be familiar with a broad range of perspectives and understand the interactions and potential for conflict between social systems and natural systems. Therefore, students in the environmental science concentration study with faculty representing a broad range of expertise including biology, chemistry, geology, ecology and mathematics as well as geography, philosophy, political science, economics and sociology. The faculty is committed to helping students integrate their various areas of study, thereby enhancing each student's ability to become a skillful environmental problem-solver. Further integration of the various disciplines and perspectives takes place during the senior seminar and the research or internship opportunity that all students complete toward the end of their program of study. Many classes and seminars will focus on specific environmental problems in the adjacent urban/suburban environment and their impact on surrounding regions and the Chesapeake Bay, but the lessons learned from analyzing these local problems are adaptable to other locales and situations. top
Towson University’s location allows students to take advantage of the diverse environmental and geographic resources of the mid-Atlantic region. The university is less than 30 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in North America. There are numerous environmental preservation, conservation and education organizations headquartered in the Baltimore-Washington area, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Gunpowder Valley Conservancy and many local watershed organizations. There are also many private environmental consulting firms in the region.
In addition to their interdisciplinary course work, students in the environmental science concentration complete a specialized course of study in one of four tracks. This disciplinary specialization ensures that our graduates are well prepared for the challenges and demands of the workplace. Environmental science graduates are prepared to enter graduate school or professional training programs and are qualified for positions in business, governmental agencies or nonprofit organizations involved in activities such environmental consulting, water quality assessment and monitoring, wetlands management, ecological restoration, environmental education, fisheries management, environmental toxicology, pollution prevention, environmental public outreach, air quality control and environmental planning. Environmental science graduates also are prepared to enter graduate school or professional training programs. top
THE CURRICULUM
The Environmental Science Concentration has a core of required courses. Students then can choose a track that provides advanced study in one of three different fields: Environmental Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Geology. In addition, students who choose not to specialize have an option to follow a fourth, more general track, Environmental Science. The Environmental Science tracks require a total of 71-78 credits. Up to 23 of these credits can also be used toward meeting the university's General Education requirements.
COMMON CORE REQUIREMENTS (46-48
credits):
All students in the program complete a common core of course work
establishing the scientific principles and mathematical skills needed as
a foundation for more specialized study. They also will complete a core
of courses in social sciences, a capstone course, and an upper-level
internship or research course. Of the total credits in program
requirements, up to 23 credits may be used to fulfill General Education
requirements (identified below by an asterisk following the course
number), effectively reducing the number of credits that apply solely to
the Environmental Science and Studies major. Click below
on headings to see
details.
 | Natural Sciences (16
credits)
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| Mathematics and Statistics
(6-8 credits)
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| Social Sciences/Humanities (18 credits)
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| Applications (3
credits)
One of the following
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FOUR TRACK OPTIONS (26-34
credits):
click on the track to see the requirements for that track
| Environmental Biology Track
(29-34 credits)
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| Environmental Chemistry
Track (35-41 credits)
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Environmental Geology Track (30-38 credits)
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Environmental Science Track (25-30 credits)
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