Environmental Science - Biology Concentration

The environmental science major’s biology concentration shows you how human actions affect living organisms and ecosystems.

Preparing You for Success

As an environmental science major, you gain a foundation in plant and animal life, environmental issues and organisms' interactions in natural environments. You learn research and applied skills valuable to graduate schools and future employers.

By the time you graduate, your experiences may include:

  • Research with faculty, including community-based projects off campus
  • Opportunities to publish research and share it at professional conferences
  • Professional development and networking through Tri Beta honor society and Bradley University Undergraduate Biology Society

Making Your Mark

Environmental science majors are valuable as scientists, government employees, environmental consultants and policy developers. Recent students attended graduate school at the University of Illinois, Texas A&M University and Indiana University, while many went directly into careers.

Major Requirements

Core Requirements

  • BIO 151: Molecules to Cells - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 152: Molecules to Cells Lab - 1 hr.
  • BIO 251: Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 252: Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Lab - 1 hr.
  • BIO 300: Populations, Resources and Environment - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 420: Ecosystems Ecology - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 110: General Chemistry I - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 111: General Chemistry I Lab - 1 hr.
  • CHM 116: General Chemistry II - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 117: General Chemistry II Lab - 1 hr.
  • CHM 252: Organic Chemistry I - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 253: Organic Chemistry I Lab - 1 hr.
  • CHM 416: Environmental Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • ENS 150: Introduction to Environmental Science - 2 hrs.
  • ENS 470: Environmental Science Capstone - 1 hr.
  • GES 101:Principles of Earth Science - 3 hrs.
    and GES 102: Principles of Earth Science Lab - 1 hr.
    or GES 110: Principles of Historical Geology - 3 hrs.
    and GES 111: Principles of Historical Geology Lab - 1 hr.
  • MTH 115: Brief Calculus With Applications I - 4 hrs.
  • PHY 107: General Physics I - 4 hrs.
  • PHY 108: General Physics II - 4 hrs.
  • ECO 100: Introduction to Economics - 3 hrs.
    or *ECO 221: Principles of Microeconomics - 3 hrs.
    or *ECO 222: Principles of Macroeconomics - 3 hrs.

*Both Micro and Macro Economics (221 and 222) are highly recommended.

Biology Concentration Required Courses

  • BIO 250: Organismic Biology - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 260: Biological Statistics I - 1 hr.
  • BIO 261: Biological Statistics II - 2 hrs.
  • BIO 385: Supervised Research - 3 hrs.
    or BIO 485: Research - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 460: Ecology - 4 hrs.
    or BIO 463: Plant Ecology - 4 hrs.
    or BIO 450: Conservation Biology - 3 hrs.
  • Biology course approved by advisor - 3-4 hrs.

Organismal Course Electives (choose two) - 7-8 hrs.

  • BIO 323: Comparative Anatomy - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 324: Plant Diversity - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 334: Reproduction and Identification of Flowering Plants - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 381: Comparative Animal Physiology - 3-4 hrs.
  • BIO 406: General Microbiology - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 419: Ethology - 4 hrs.