Environmental Science, BS

Introduction

The Environmental Science/Studies program at Stockton prepares students to deal with the complex environmental problems that confront society. By providing an understanding of the interactions among the physical, biological, and human components of the environment, students build a strong foundation from which to explore their area of interest within the broader topics of environmental science/studies. The program offers both a B.S. (Environmental Science) and B.A. (Environmental Studies) degrees. Students can customize their path by selecting courses from many areas within Environmental Science/Studies via the general concentration, or they can specialize in one of several areas via a concentration. The following is a list of concentrations in Environmental Science/Studies and the professors to contact for more information. Students are encouraged to select upper-level courses carefully in consultation with their faculty preceptor. 

• Education: Program Chair

• Forestry: Dr. Olson

• Wildlife: Dr. Tredick

• Environmental Planning and Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Drs. Kim and Moscovici

• Soil Science and Hydrology: Drs. Witt, Chirenje, and Hallagan 

Students can also combine work in Environmental Science/Studies with programs in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics such as Sustainability, Geology, Marine Science, Chemistry or Biology. The University also offers an advanced degree, the Professional Science Masters (PSM), both in Environmental Science (PSM-ENSC) and in Coastal Zone Management (PSM-CZMT), which are described elsewhere in this Bulletin. The PSM-ENSC offers exceptional undergraduate students the option of completing a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in environmental science in five years under a 4+1 accelerated dual-degree program (BS/PSM degree). 

Students can combine work in ENVL with other schools within the University, including but not limited to:

• Education: Students can select the Education concentration in the Environmental Studies degree to prepare to teach science in the elementary, middle, or high school levels.

• Public Health: Students can major in Environmental Science or Environmental Studies and pursue a minor in Public Health to prepare for a career in Environmental Health.

• Criminal Justice: Courses from the Criminal Justice program may prepare students for a career focusing on environmental crime.

Students interested in such curricula should consult with a Faculty Preceptor from that program.

One of the hallmarks of Environmental Science/Studies program is student engagement. The program encourages cooperation between students and faculty in courses and in independent research that often involves extensive fieldwork and real-world applications. This hands-on work helps prepare students for careers or graduate education. Additionally, the program utilizes the latest technology as components of students’ learning experience to prepare them for their professional lives. The program requires an internship with government agencies, private consulting firms, natural resource industries, and environmental organizations as a practical approach to learning about the field. Alternatively, students pursuing the B.S. degree can elect to do a senior project, involving independent research with a faculty member to deepen the student’s experience in and understanding of the environment. 

Admission to the Program

The program is open to any student admitted to Stockton University. High school course work in the sciences and mathematics is recommended. Students transferring to Stockton in the junior year (≥ 64 credits) should consult with a program preceptor as soon as possible to determine whether credits beyond the 128-credit minimum are necessary to earn a B.S. or B.A. degree. This is less likely if prospective transfers have taken college biology, chemistry, and math courses. Students seeking a nontraditional degree, or a second bachelor’s degree are also encouraged to apply; however, it is not possible to earn an ENVL degree taking evening and online classes only. 

Mathematics provides tools and a foundation to our science programs. Before students can begin many courses required of Environmental Science/Studies majors, students must demonstrate math readiness in ONE of the following ways: 

• SAT Math score of 570 or above

• ACT Math score of 24 and above

• Transfer of college-level algebra course (or college-level Precalculus/Calculus)

• Advanced Algebra and Function (AAF) Accuplacer test score of 260 or higher

• Advanced Placement (AP) testing (refer to the AP credits policy)

• Successfully complete a sequence of math courses at Stockton to become eligible to take Precalculus (MATH 1100). 

Stockton University stands ready to assist students without this math preparation to develop a strong math foundation with our introductory and intermediate courses in Mathematics. These math courses are in addition to the courses required to complete a degree in Environmental Science and may require additional time for a student to complete their degree. A student with math preparatory needs may have to take math courses during summer to expedite progress toward the degree.  

Degrees Offered

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Environmental Science prepares students for scientific and technical careers. This degree requires 80 credits in program and cognate courses, and 48 credits in non-major courses: General Studies and At-Some Distance courses. Students desiring a university career that strongly emphasizes the sciences should consider this degree. It will also be excellent preparation for a variety of graduate degrees. Program courses are courses with an ENVL acronym. Courses are numbered as follows: 1000 level is introductory, 2000 level is intermediate, 3000 and 4000 levels are advanced.

• Cognate courses are those related to ENVL and include those in Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Geology, Marine Science, Mathematics, Physics and Sustainability. Cognate courses might also include courses outside of science and mathematics such as those in Computer Science, Economics and Political Science, if these are recommended as appropriate by the student’s preceptor.

• Non-major courses are those in General Studies and At-Some-Distance courses, which are courses outside of the sciences and mathematics that are unrelated to the student’s major. Examples of At-Some-Distance include courses taken in History, Philosophy, Art, Literature, and Language programs. 

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Environmental Studies is offered to students interested in fields in which a study of the environment is combined with work in areas outside of traditional sciences. Examples include law, criminal justice, communications, business, public school teaching and environmental education, planning, political science, public administration, and policy, among others. These students take 64 credits in program and cognate courses, and 64 credits in non-major courses. Students may also create a curriculum tailored to their own special needs (e.g., environment and the arts) by developing a liberal studies B.A., or LIBA degree. Please see LIBA requirements elsewhere in this Bulletin. 

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees require a standard core of 19 credits of ENVL courses at the introductory and intermediate level (ENVL 1100, 2100/05, 2200/05, 2400 and 2600), along with cognate courses in science and mathematics. Sophomores and juniors can then begin to take advanced courses, and in their senior year students finish their advanced courses, take Environmental Issues, and complete an internship. Compared to students earning a B.A. degree, students earning a B.S. must take 16 additional program and cognate credits, and they must take additional courses in Chemistry and Mathematics. All program and cognate courses should be taken for a letter grade. Pass/No Credit (P/NC) option is not accepted for these courses. 

Concentrations and the Minor

Within both the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees, students can choose to focus their upper-level courses and senior project/internship within a concentration. Options include Forestry, Environmental Planning & GIS, Soil Science & Hydrology, and Wildlife. Students may also choose a less specific concentration called the General concentration. Also, a minor in Environmental Studies is offered for students from other majors. 

The Environmental Studies minor consists of a minimum of 21 credits. It should include 4 credits at the introductory level (ENVL 1100 Introduction to Environmental Studies), and 5 credits at the 2000 ENVL level (Ecological Principles with lab, Physical Geography with lab, or a combination of Statistical Analysis of Ecological Systems + Environmental Seminar). No more than 10 credits should be earned at the 1000 or 2000 level. Next, students should complete a minimum of 12 credits at the 3000/4000 level (you may need to contact the professor of that course for a permit to register). No courses outside of ENVL, other than SUST 2100 or a course cross-listed with ENVL will be accepted for the minor. The courses will be selected in consultation with an ENVL faculty preceptor and should be approved in advance. Interested students should see the Program Chair for further information and the minor approval form. To earn a minor in Environmental Studies, each student must pass all minor courses with a minimum grade of C. 

Graduation Requirements

The minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Environmental Studies is 64 credits of program and cognate courses. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Environmental Science requires a minimum of 80 credits in program and cognate courses. These program credits, in combination with the University’s General Studies requirements and At-Some-Distance (ASD) courses, constitute the minimum of 128 credits necessary for a Stockton degree. University’s General Studies course requirements include the G-course distribution (32 credits), W, Q, R course requirements and AHVI attributes. For details on General Studies requirements, visit the relevant section in this Bulletin. The ASD course requirement for the B.A. degree is 32 credits and for the B.S. degree is 16 credits. These courses are not directly related to the program and would include G-courses or courses from other programs. W, Q, R and AHVI requirements could be met via G-course requirements, program course requirements, or ASD course requirements. Courses should be chosen carefully with frequent guidance from the preceptor, to meet graduation requirements and each student’s career goals. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all graduation requirements are met in a timely manner. 

In order to be able to graduate, a student must meet all University graduation requirements, including a minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0. University requirements for graduation can also be found in the relevant section of this Bulletin. Special graduation requirements apply to transfer students as detailed in the relevant pages of this Bulletin. All Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NAMS) majors are required to meet a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in all NAMS courses. In addition, a student must satisfy the Environmental Science/Studies program course distribution requirements and have a minimum grade of C for all program core courses.  

Students are expected to meet prerequisites specified for each required course on the course catalog. Students with deficiencies in incoming preparation may need to take additional courses as prerequisites, which may or may not count toward the degree requirements. A transfer student who wishes to major in Environmental Science/Studies should contact the Program Chair prior to registering for courses at Stockton. Some transfer students may take longer to fulfill degree requirements, particularly if they are deficient in the science background. Also, continuously maintaining a good standing as a student, including academic achievements and code of conduct as per University requirements is imperative to the success of a student in any major. 

Graduation with Distinction

A student can graduate with distinction with a B.S. or B.A. in ENVL provided she/he meets the University criteria and of the Environmental Science/Studies program. Students will be considered if their course work is of outstanding quality, demonstrating a breadth of knowledge of the fundamentals and some specialization in at least one area, as determined by the ENVL program faculty. Distinction will be awarded based on a majority vote of all ENVL faculty members. 

Educational Opportunities

The Environmental Science program is located on a campus of 1600 acres within the Pinelands National Reserve. The program is housed in the Arts and Sciences Building. Its facilities include the following.

• Soils, hydrology, ecology and environmental chemistry laboratories

• Biological and geological collections

• Environmental field monitoring stations

• A groundwater monitoring well field

• Greenhouse and arboretum

• Forest management area

• Prescribed fire experiment

• Soil profile pits

• Maple syrup sugarbush

• Two ‘dedicated’ Geographic Information Systems (GIS) computer laboratories. Campus-wide ArcGIS site licenses are available to all Stockton faculty and students and can be used in any computer lab on campus. 

The University is a leader in alternative energy research. It is heated and cooled with a closed loop, geothermal system containing more than 400 wells. This is the world’s second largest system, and it heats and cools most of the academic spaces on campus. The University also has photovoltaic facilities, one of which covers a portion of a parking lot and others of which are located on buildings. 

The University supports a vigorous field program that provides experience with field techniques in regular coursework as well as special courses that have included field trips to the Rocky Mountains, China, The Adirondack Park & Preserve, Brazil and other parts of the world. Students can also participate in an annual soil judging contest held throughout the Northeastern US. 

The University was the first State entity to have a comprehensive forest management plan approved by the Pinelands Commission in 2013. Since then, ENVL students have had a truly unique educational experience by participating in classes and research that are measuring and monitoring the short and long-term effects on ecosystem parameters from diverse silvicultural treatments like prescribed burns and thinning. 

Career Opportunities

Recent surveys indicate that most of Stockton’s Environmental graduates establish careers related to their major. They work in federal, regional, state, and local governmental agencies; in schools, colleges and universities; in engineering, consulting, and resource management and exploration companies; in a wide array of non-profit or nongovernmental organizations and in other related industries. ENVL students have been successful at some of the nation’s leading graduate schools, where they have gone on to complete doctoral degrees. Other students have begun successful businesses in environmental consulting, while others have risen to prominence in governmental and non-governmental agencies. 

Interested students may contact the Program Chair of the Environmental Science/Studies program or speak to their faculty preceptor for additional information. 

Preparation for Graduate Education

Some graduates attend graduate school immediately upon finishing their undergraduate degree and often are supported by teaching and research assistantships. Others attend graduate school while working or after a period of work experience. 

Graduate school can increase students’ professional options, salaries and opportunities for creative work. Students interested in graduate school are advised to talk to their preceptors early in their college careers. Graduate programs are highly variable and often have different requirements. Examples may include additional courses in Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology, or others. 

Accelerated Dual-Degree Program

The dual-degree BS/PSM program [also known as APSM (Accelerated PSM program)] is an intensive five-year curriculum that offers students the opportunity to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a Professional Science Master’s degree in Environmental Science. Students take the scheduled courses to satisfy all requirements for the undergraduate B.S. and then transition into the graduate program in their “senior” year, the fourth year of study. This program is designed as a terminal degree for students who want to obtain advanced skills that will prepare them for the workplace. Students interested in research leading to a doctoral degree should instead consider more traditional programs and are advised to enroll in the B.S. in Environmental Science and take basic and applied science courses that prepare them for a broad range of research opportunities typical of a conventional graduate program. 

High school students may apply for early, conditional admission to the dual-degree BS/PSM program as high school seniors. Stockton students may apply up to the beginning of the first semester of their “junior” year or as soon as they decide they want to join the accelerated program and approved by the APSM faculty coordinator. The sooner the better. Acceptance into this program requires a successful evaluation by the PSM Admissions Committee.

Transfer students may apply alongside their application for admission to Stockton. Transfer students will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis, depending on prerequisites met and the likelihood of completing upper level undergraduate ENVL courses by their senior year. Exceptional transfer students who do not have prerequisites may be conditionally admitted, in consultation with their preceptors. These students may require more time to meet the requirements of the BS/PSM program. Only students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 will be considered and require a successful evaluation by the PSM Admissions Committee. 

Maintenance of Academic Eligibility

To remain academically eligible to continue in the program, BS/PSM students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 with at least a B+ average in science and mathematics courses. Students’ academic records will be reviewed at the end of the second year and every semester thereafter to check their eligibility to continue in the dual-degree program.

The conditional admission of those who do not meet eligibility requirements will be suspended. They will be then eligible for a bachelor’s degree only. However, a student with a suspended conditional admission can request to be reinstated if he or she meets the eligibility requirements at or before the end of the third year of the program.

At the end of their junior year, each conditionally admitted dual-degree student must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and have their scores sent to Stockton University (code 2889). He or she must also complete the essay portion of the Stockton graduate degree application at the end of the fall semester and submit it to the Office of Enrollment Management. Upon receipt of the GRE scores, the essay and the student’s academic record at Stockton, the PSM Admissions Committee will evaluate the student’s progress and verify that the early, conditional acceptance to the dual-degree program would continue. The results of their decisions will be communicated to the student in writing. 

Curriculum for Dual-Degree BS/PSM Students

Students in the dual-degree program must have completed all their program requirements for core courses and their ENVL 3000/4000 level courses by the end of their junior year. By that time, they also must have completed all their General Studies and At-Some-Distance requirements, including the quantitative reasoning and writing requirements. In their fourth year, students complete Environmental Issues and Lab (4300/4305) and a Senior Project or Internship and also complete their core requirements in the Professional Science Master’s. During their fifth year, students complete the Graduate Capstone course and the remaining credits of graduate work necessary to complete their master’s degree. 

Geographic Information System (GIS) Certificate Program

The program objective is to certify a student’s satisfactory completion of a series of courses designed for professional GIS training and education at Stockton University. GIS is becoming increasingly important as a cost-effective means of data analysis and presentation in a wide range of specialties. GIS is also a necessary tool in the decision-making process for strategic planning and location selection. In addition to Environmental professionals, GIS is also used by politicians, public health officials, regional planners, first responders, business marketing professionals, and many others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, GIS and Geography related jobs are among the fastest growing fields, with a median annual salary of $61,880 and a 29% of growth rate from 2014 to 2024. Since 2002, 83 graduates have been awarded the GIS Certificate from Stockton University. They are currently playing important roles in the GIS field of the nation, especially in New Jersey. 

Who Should Participate?

• Professional Environmental Engineers

• Professional Planners

• Land Surveyors

• Environmental Consultants

• Geographers and Anthropologists

• Foresters

• Wildlife ecologists

• Public Health Officers

• Business Management and Marketing Personnel

• Emergency Management Officers

• Educators

• Computer Mapping and Graphics Design Professionals

• Anyone interested in new technologies.

Full degree curriculum and transfer audits for the environmental science/studies program can be explored using the Degree Works web based tool. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the Environmental Science/Studies website.