The major in environmental sciences is an interdisciplinary program among the departments of geology, biology, and chemistry at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Rutgers University-Newark. The goal of the program is to give students a well-rounded background in science as it relates to the environment. The program is rigorous and is designed either to prepare graduates for technical positions in the environmental industry, environmental health and safety industry, or to allow them to continue their education in graduate studies. The program also prepares students to pursue an environmental career through the fields of law, business, sociology, health, or political science.

The environmental science major (general track) requires at least 66 credits in the following courses:

Foundation Courses (26 credits)

21:120:200 Concepts in Biology (4)*

* Transfer students may substitute General Biology and Laboratory I and II if they earn a grade of B or better

21:120:201-202 Foundations of Cell and Molecular Biology and Lab (3,1)
21:160:113-114 General Chemistry Laboratory I,II (1,1)
21:160:115-116 General Chemistry I,II (4,4)
21:460:103 Planet Earth (3)
21:460:104 Planet Earth Laboratory (1)
21:460:206 Environmental Geology (3)

21:460:207 Environmental Geology Laboratory (1)

Quantitative Courses (11 credits)
21:460:375 Quantitative Methods in the Geosciences (4)
21:640:135 Calculus I (4)

21:640:327 Probability and Statistics (3)

Field Courses (6 credits)
21:216:333 Freshwater Ecology (4) or 21:120/216:380 Field Ecology (3) or 21:120/216:475 Ecological Field Methods (3)

21:460:311 Geologic Field Methods (3)

Senior Seminar (2 credits)

21:460:485,486 Senior Seminar (1,1)

Advanced Science Courses (21 Credits)
21:160:223 Analytical Chemistry (3)
21:160:227 Experimental Analytical Chemistry (2)
Chem 360 Environmental Chemistry (3) (NJIT course) or Chem 361 Environmental Chemistry (3) (NJIT course) or 21:460:401 Introduction to Geochemistry (3)
21:120/216:205 and 206 Foundations of Ecology and Evolution and Lab (4)
21:120/216:280 Ecology (3)
21:460:400 Introduction to Soil Science (3) or 21:460:325 Geographic Information Systems (G.I.S.) (3)

21:460:427 Hydrogeology (3)

Undergraduate Research Experience
21:460:415,416 Undergraduate Research in Geoscience (By Arrangement)
The department strongly encourages students to participate in faculty-led research with the approval of the chair.

Recommended Electives
Internship in environmental sciences recommended
21:460:225 Introduction to Oceanography (3) or 21:460:331 Oceanography (3)
21:460:230 Weather and Climate (3)
21:460:401 Introduction to Geochemistry (3)
21:460:406 Applied Geophysics (3)
21:750:203 General Physics (3)
21:750:205 Physics Laboratory (1)
21:920:350 Environmental Sociology (1)
21:460:309 or 28:460:309 (NJIT course) Geomorphology (3)
ENE 560 Chemistry for Engineers (3) (NJIT course)
STS 418 Environmental Economics (3) (NJIT course)
STS 560 Ethics and the Environment (3) (NJIT course)