The Environmental Science major is a designated capstone major. In collaboration with a local agency or nonprofit institution, students work individually and in groups to complete projects that require them to integrate many of the skills, principles, theories, and concepts they have learned throughout the curriculum and apply them to real systems. Students are expected to contribute meaningfully to the analysis and solution of particular environmental science issues involving multiple disciplines and stakeholders with different perspectives. Those completing the major should possess critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and familiarity with essential computational, data collection, and analysis skills, as well as demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills. Graduates should also be able to identify key ethical issues and analyze the consequences of various professional dilemmas, as well as work productively as part of a team.

Life Sciences

For the Environmental Systems and Society minor, one course from the following is also required. Students selecting Life Sciences 7C must also complete 23L.

Required for the Environmental Systems and Society Minor

Geography

Environment

Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Elective

Additional Course

For the Earth and Environmental Science minor, three additional courses as follows are also required:

 Earth and Environmental Science Minor

Life Sciences 30 series

Students may select Mathematics 31A or 31AL.

Mathematics 31 series

Mathematics 3 series

Mathematics

Statistics

Students selecting Life Sciences 7C must also complete 23L.

Geography Elective

For the Geography/Environmental Studies minor, three courses as follows are also required. Students should take these courses before enrolling in upper-division courses.

Geography/Environmental Studies Minor

Physics 1 series

Physics 5 series

Physics

For the Environmental Engineering minor, one additional course from the following is also required:

Environmental Engineering Minor

Chemistry 14 series

Chemistry 20 series

Chemistry

For the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences minor, one course selected from the following is also required:

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Minor

Chemistry 14C or 30A

Life Sciences 7C and 23L

For the Conservation Biology minor, one or two courses from one of the following options is also required:

Conservation Biology Minor

For the Environmental Health concentration, one additional course from the following is also required:

Environmental Health Concentration

Complete 12 required courses and additional required courses based on minor selection as follows:

Preparation for the Major

Practicum/Sustainability Talks Requirements

Complete Civil Engineering 153 and five additional courses.

Complete three required courses and two additional upper-division geography courses.

Geography/Environmental Studies  Minor

Environmental Systems and Society Minor

Complete Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 100, 116, and four to six additional courses.

Complete Epidemiology 100, two courses from Environmental Health Sciences, and three additional courses.

Complete seven 4-unit courses as follows. Other relevant courses from related disciplines may be substituted with prior approval of the department. At least five courses approved for the minor must be upper-division. One course may be taken on a Passed/Not Passed basis.

Earth and Environmental Science Minor

A minimum of 20 units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major requirements or another minor. Successful completion of a minor is indicated on the transcript and diploma.

Minor and Concentration Requirements

Additional Social Sciences and Humanities Courses

Social Sciences and Humanities Requirements

Select four courses from the following physical and life sciences areas. No more than two courses may be from any one department.

Additional Physical and Life Sciences Courses

Physical and Life Sciences Requirements

Complete the four requirements—physical and life science, social science and humanities, practicum/sustainability talks, and minor or concentration, as follows:

The Major

The honors program provides exceptional students an opportunity for advanced research and study, under the guidance of a faculty member, that leads to the completion of an honors thesis or research project. To qualify for graduation with honors, students must (1) complete all requirements for the major, (2) have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or better in upper-division coursework in the major and an overall GPA of 3.0 or better, (3) complete at least 8 units of Environment 198 taken over at least two terms, and (4) produce a completed satisfactory honors thesis. The honors thesis or research project is in addition to the requirement of the completed practicum in environmental science project. Contact the student affairs officer for more information.

Honors Program

Requirements

The Environmental Science BS program represents strong collaboration between the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the departments of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Environmental Health Sciences; and Geography. The program is designed for students who are deeply interested in the study of environmental science. There are two components to the program, and both must be completed to receive the degree. The first component, the Environmental Science major, requires completion of lower-division requirements grounded in basic natural sciences, a five-course upper-division environmental science requirement reflecting the disciplinary breadth of environmental science, three social sciences/humanities courses, participation in a sustainability-focused speaker series, and completion of an environmental science practicum. The second component is a minor or concentration in one of seven environmental science areas, each associated with a particular department. With assistance from IoES staff, students must formally apply to and be accepted by the associated department to receive the minor.

Each course applied toward requirements for preparation for the major must be passed with a grade of C- or better. Students receiving a grade below C- in two courses, either in separate courses or repetitions of the same course, are subject to dismissal from the major.

Each course applied toward requirements for the major, except Environment 185A, must be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain an overall grade-point average of 2.0 (C) or better in all courses applied toward the major.

Transfer applicants to the Environmental Science major with 90 or more units must complete as many of the following introductory courses as possible prior to admission to UCLA: two general chemistry courses with laboratory for majors, two general biology courses with laboratory for majors, two calculus courses, and two calculus-based physics courses.
Refer to the <a href="https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/transfer">UCLA transfer admission guide</a> for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission.

College of Letters and Science

Ability to work productively with others as part of a team

Ability to make meaningful contribution to analysis and solution of particular issues involving multiple disciplines and stakeholders with different perspectives

Ability to apply theories or concepts from coursework to analysis of issues in the field

Effective oral and written communication skills

Ability to analyze the consequences of various professional dilemmas

Critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and familiarity with computational and data collection and analysis procedures essential to the field

Ability to identify ethical issues raised by a particular issue