Students interested in exploring Environmental Science or who are concerned about their science background are encouraged to take EESC BC1001 with the lab course EESC BC1011. This course is an introductory course that gives students exposure to Environmental Science while also fulfilling various general education requirements. This is a great course for nonmajors as well. 

Students with a strong science background who are interested in majoring in Environmental Science are encouraged to take EESC UN2100, Earth’s Environmental Systems: Climate or UN2200, Earth’s Environmental Systems: Solid Earth. These required courses are offered in both semesters and students may begin with either of the courses. 

These courses are very content-heavy and are fast-paced so we do not advise that First-Years enroll in courses over the 2000-level in the first semester unless they are certain of the major.  

We encourage First-Year students considering a major to review the relevant Suggested Four-Year Program Worksheets, keeping in mind that these are samples used for planning purposes. Students should select courses in consultation with their Academic Adviser or an Environmental Science instructor in order to create a plan that best suits them.

Environmental Science Major 
      Program I Worksheet—beginning with EESC UN2100/UN2200
      Program II Worksheet—beginning with EESC BC1001

Environment and Sustainability Major
      Program Worksheet  

Environmental Biology Major
      Program Worksheet

Students should enroll in BC1500: Intro to Organismal and Evolutionary Biology and the lab course BC1501 in the fall semester. This course is mandatory for all majors.

Students should enroll in BC1502: Intro to Cellular and Molecular Biology and the lab course BC1502 in the spring semester. This course is mandatory for Env Biology majors but is an option for Env Science majors and Env Science & Sustainability majors. They can take other science courses to fulfill their requirements.

Students should enroll in BC2001: General Chemistry I and the lab course BC2012 in the fall semester. This course is mandatory for all majors. Students majoring in Env Science & Sustainability can replace the chemistry requirement with BC3016 Environmental Measurements AND one A-2 (Additional science) course OR one B-2 (Analysis/Skills) course. 

Students should enroll in BC3230 and the lab course BC3328 in the spring semester. This course is mandatory for Env Biology majors but is an option for Env Science majors who have other science courses as alternatives to fulfill their requirements. 

Students should enroll in BC1206 at Barnard or the UN201 sequence at Columbia. The difference between the two courses is that the Barnard course is smaller and more calculus-based while the Columbia course is large and more algebra-based.

AP credit or IB credit cannot be used to fulfill a major or minor requirement. For more information on credit, please refer to Barnard's External Credit page.