1. The following 4 courses with labs:
   Earth's Environmental Systems: Climate, EESC V2100
   Earth's Environmental Systems: Solid Earth, EESC V2200
   General Chemistry I, CHEM BC 2001
   Physiology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology, BIOL BC 2002 + Biodiversity Laboratory, BIOL BC 2003
2. 2 other courses in chemistry, physics and/or biology
   
3. 2 courses in calculus, statistics, data analysis, and/or economics
   
4. 4 elective courses
   
5. Senior Research Seminar EESC BC 3800x, 3801y (or Guided Research, EESC BC3997y, 3998x) provide credit for the senior thesis.
   

If you are interested in exploring Environmental Science or are concerned about your science background, you could take Environmental Science I (ENV BC1001x) in the fall. In the spring, you can decide to take Environmental Science II (ENV BC1002y) for non-majors, or shift into the major sequence of ENV V2100. Please note the following:

• ENV BC1001x is not required for the major, but does count toward the major as an elective.
• ENV BC1002y does not count toward the major.
• ENV BC1001x must be taken before ENV BC1002y.
  

We recommend that Environmental Science majors take General Chemistry (CHEM BC 2001) and Introduction to Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, BIOL BC1500x (formerly BC2002x) plus the corresponding lab, BIOL BC1503 (formerly BIO BC 2003), early in their academic career at Barnard in order to prepare for upper level courses with prerequisites. However, we do not recommend taking both these courses in the same semester. If you want advice on taking an Introductory Biology course, click Biology here, and for advice on taking an Introductory Physics course, click Physics here.

Students wishing to go on to graduate school or careers in the earth and physical sciences are recommended to take at least two semesters each of calculus, physics and chemistry. Those considering graduate school or careers in biological/chemical fields are recommended to take calculus, as well as upper level courses in biology and chemistry, and may wish to consider enrolling in minors in these fields or the Environmental Biology major.

Internships or some type of work or field experience are extremely valuable in preparing students for careers in Environmental Science. Go to Research Opportunities for listings. Studies have shown that students who have had related work experience are more attractive to employers and graduate schools. Students might want to consider a semester or summer program at might want to consider a semester or summer program at the SEE-U, SEA Semester at Woods Hole,the School for Field Studies, the Organization for Tropical Studies, or some other field or internship program. In addition, we recommend that those students planning to go abroad in the junior year elect to do so in the Fall Semester rather than the Spring Semester in order to take best advantage of senior seminar research planning and programming.

Students should check the catalogue and the department for additional information on the major, minor and courses offered by Barnard and Columbia. Classes with grades less than C- or taken pass/fail can not be counted towards the major.

See also Senior Research Seminar for information on senior thesis requirements.


Major Requirements Worksheet
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