Minors in Environmental Science
Environmental Science majors can select optional minors in Geology, Meteorology, Engineering Physics, or Mathematics. Non-majors can select a minor in Environmental Science.
Geology Minor
Geology is a science involving the study of the Earth's origin, evolution, and continued development through time. Knowledge of the Earth requires understanding the physical, chemical, and biological processes that shape the Earth's surface, and the physical and chemical processes that operate beneath the Earth's surface. The uniqueness of life on this planet is explored through the study of the origin and evolution of life on Earth.
| Course Listing | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 1401 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 1420 | Oceanography | 4 |
| GEOL 3410 | Geohydrology | 4 |
| GEOL 3450 | Environmental Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 3460 | Geomorphology | 4 |
Total hours in minor: 20 hours
Meteorology Minor
The Meteorology minor will provide students a comprehensive education into the following areas: dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere, weather analysis, and weather forecasting. The minor includes course work on the impact of air pollution on people and the environment, the threat of changing climate due to global warming, as well as severe weather, and world climates. Meteorology is an interdisciplinary program and includes applications in mathematics, hydrology, physics, and chemistry for academic research into weather modeling and forecasting, air pollution studies, hydrology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications in meteorology, and education. Students are encouraged to take additional courses in statistics and mathematics as part of the preparation in operational meteorology, modeling and forecasting in some of the upper-division Meteorology courses but these math courses are not required for successful completion of the upper-division Meteorology courses.
| Course Listing | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| METR 1430 | Meteorology | |
| METR 3310 | Remote Sensing | |
| METR 3320 | Forecasting | |
| METR 3330 | Forecasting II | |
| METR 3315 | Snyoptic Meteorology I | 3 |
| METR 3350 | Synoptic Meteorology II | |
| METR 3360 | Satellit Meteorology, or | |
| METR 3335 | Severe Weather | 3 |
Total hours in minor: 22 hours
Engineering Physics Minor
| Course Listing | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 2305 | Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS 2105 | Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 2306 | Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS 2106 | Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
| ENGR 3350 | Statics and Dynamics | 3 |
and any two out of the three course options listed below:
| ENGR 3455 Strength of Materials and Laboratory | 4 |
| ENGR 4375 Thermodynamics | 3 |
| ENGR 4470 Fluid Mechanics and Laboratory | 4 |
Total hours in minor: 18-19 hours
Students may substitute ENGR 4399 Special Topics in Engineering for one of the upper-level engineering course options only with permission from the Chair of the Engineering Department
Mathematics Minor
| Course Listing | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 1311 | Precalculus | 3 |
| MATH 2312 | Calculus I | 3 |
| MATH 2313 | Calculus II | 3 |
| MATH 3314 | Calculus III | 3 |
| MATH 3350 | Introduction to Real Analysis | 3 |
| MATH 3355 | Intro. to Numerical Analysis | 3 |
Total hours in minor: 18 hours
Environmental Science Minor (for non-majors)
The Environmental Science minor is designed for students who wish to explore and receive a comprehensive education in a natural science that covers topics and issues of local, national, and global importance on air, soil, and water resources. Note: The Environmental Science minor is distinct and separate from the Environmental Science minor in Biology, and the Environmental Science minor in Chemistry. The Environmental Science minors in Biology and Chemistry have their own unique upper-division requirements, and the course work is designed specifically for Biology or Chemistry majors.
| Course Listing | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| METR 1325 | Natural Hazards | |
| ENSC 1410 | Environmental Science | |
| ENSC/BIOL 3410 | Soil Conservation and Laboratory | |
| GEOL 3450 | Environmental Geology | |
| ENSC/BIOL 4460 | Research in Water Quality |
BIOL 1401 can substitute for ENSC 1410, and ENSC 4415 can substitute for one of the above junior level or senior courses.
Total hours in minor: 19 hours
