The B.Sc. specialization in Environmental Sciences, offered in partnership by the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, is designed to prepare students to be environmental practitioners in fields relating to Earth Sciences, Life Science, Computational Science, Health Science and Sustainability Science. Core courses centre climate literacy through the study of climate science, ethics, policy, law and climate intersections with other environmental and societal concerns. The ENSC specialization provides opportunities to:
- Develop data analysis, computational, and problem-solving skills
- Explore the intersections of climate change with other environmental, health and equity concerns
- Gain expertise in 1 of 5 Areas of Concentration (Land Air Water, Ecology and Conservation, Energy Transitions and Sustainability, Environmental Impacts on Human Health, Environmental Analytics)
- Investigate different knowledge systems and make connections with complementary fields of study (Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives, Economics and Policy Analysis for Decision Making, Society and Governance, Environmental Humanities, Urban Environments)
- Engage with professionals from diverse environmental sectors
- Improve team-based skills and complete a capstone project
- Create a career plan and communicate a professional identity
Students wishing to enter second-year Environmental Sciences Major or Honours specializations must apply using the coordinated specialization admission process administered by the Faculty of Science. Due to the similarity between the Major and Honours Environmental Science specializations in second year, the Faculty of Science only admits students directly to the Majors. For Honours, students require a minimum 72% average in prior courses for admission, and must maintain at least a 68% average for continuation in the program. Qualified students wishing to transfer to Honours should contact the Undergraduate Advisor for advice.
The progress of continuing environmental science students will be reviewed at the end of each academic year. Students making satisfactory progress do not require annual specialization approval. The advisor will contact students with unsatisfactory standing in Honours.
A five-year Co-operative Education option is available in Environmental Sciences. The option is intended to help prepare interested and qualified students for careers in environmental sciences and related fields. This is achieved through a minimum of 14 months of approved work placement under the supervision of practicing professionals. To be eligible, students must be admissible into third year of the B.Sc. Major in Environmental Sciences. Admission is by application to the Co-op Office in term 2 of the second year. Selection of students will be based on academic performance and general suitability to the work environment as determined by resume and interview. Total enrolment in the option is subject to the availability of work placements. Work placements are arranged by mutual agreement between employers and students. Participating students must register for EOSC_V 398, 399, 498, and 499 as appropriate, and pay the required Co-operative Education fee per course (see Program and Course Fees). Graduation in the Co-operative Education option requires a student to complete each of EOSC_V 398, 399, 498, and 499, in addition to the normal requirements.
For additional information, see Environmental Sciences. Please contact Environmental Sciences at 604.822.2449 with any questions.
For details of other undergraduate Science specializations available in the department, see Atmospheric Science, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Geological Sciences, Geophysics, and Oceanography. The department also offers Geological Engineering as part of the B.A.Sc. program.
Specializations
Major (1263): Environmental Sciences (ENSC)
| First Year | |
| BIOL_V 1211 | 3 |
| ENVR_V 100 | 3 |
| CHEM_V 121 (or 111 or 141)2 | 4 |
| SCIE_V 113 | 3 |
| DSCI_V 100 | 3 |
| MATH_V 100 or 102 or 104 or 180 or 184 or 1203 | 3 |
| MATH_V 101 or 103 or 105 or 1213 | 3 |
| PHYS_V 100-level4 | 3 |
| Electives5,6 | 5 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
| Second Year | |
| ENVR_V 2007, 205, 240 | 7 |
| EOSC_V 340 | 3 |
| Tools Elective8 | 3 |
| Area of Concentration9,10 | 6 |
| ENVR_V 200 | 3 |
| One of STAT_V 200, 201, BIOL_V 30011 | 3 |
| Electives5,6 | 8 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
| Third and Fourth Years | |
| ENVR_V 300, 305, 350, 400, 450 | 16 |
| EOSC_V 345 | 3 |
| Complementary Studies12 | 9 |
| Electives5,6 | 17 |
| Area of Concentration9 | 17 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
| Minimum Credits for Degree | 120 |
| 1 Students without one of Biology 11 or Biology 12 must take BIOL_V 111 before attempting BIOL_V 121. | |
| 2 Students who do not have B.C. High School Chemistry 12 (or its equivalent) must write the UBC Chemistry Basic Skills Test and may be required to take CHEM_V 100. CHEM_V 110 and 115 may substitute for CHEM_V 111, CHEM_V 120 and 115 may substitute for CHEM_V 121, CHEM_V 130 and 135 may substitute for CHEM_V 123. | |
| 3 MATH_V 110 may substitute for any of the specified differential calculus courses listed by decreasing the electives by 3 credits. Choosing a 4 credit MATH_V course lowers the electives by 1 credit. All of the differential calculus courses are suitable prerequisites for later MATH_V courses. They differ in the expected student background and the types of examples used in the problems. | |
| 4 Chosen from 100-level PHYS_V courses, excluding PHYS_V 100 and PHYS_V 170. Students without Physics 12 must replace 3 credits of electives with PHYS_V 100 before taking any other 100-level PHYS_V course. Students may defer taking any other 100-level PHYS_V course to second year. | |
| 5 Elective credits together with required courses must fulfill the Faculty of Science’s: a) Foundational Requirement; b) Laboratory Science Requirement; c) Science Breadth Requirement; d) Science and Arts Requirements; e) Upper-level Requirement; f) General Degree Requirements. | |
| 6 Students interested in elective options in environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability see: www.sustain.ubc.ca/courses-degrees/courses. | |
| 7 ENVR_V 200 satisfies the Additional Communication Requirement. | |
| 8 Tools Elective: One of ATSC_V 303, CHEM_V 211, 311, EOSC_V 211, GEOS_V 270, 309, 370, 373, NRES_V 241, 340, 341. Must be completed before fourth year. | |
9 The Areas of Concentration are:
Courses that are used to meet the Area of Concentration requirements cannot be used to fulfill any other requirements of the specialization. | |
| 10 Students must take a minimum of 21 credits for Energy Transitions and Sustainability, Environmental Analytics, and Ecology and Conservation. Students must take a minimum of 22 credits for Land Air Water and Environmental Impacts on Human Health. For students completing Land Air Water or Environmental Impacts on Human health, electives credits will be reduced by 1 for a total of 7 in 2nd year. | |
| 11 STAT_V 201 is recommended for students interested in data science; STAT_V 200 or BIOL_V 300 are recommended for students interested in field ecology. | |
| 12 Complementary Studies courses should be chosen from approved courses listed on the ENSC website. | |
Majors Areas of Concentration Required Courses
Students must select one of the following five Areas of Concentration.
Students should be aware that some of the Areas of Concentration courses have prerequisites that are not explicitly listed here. Students should also check the Faculty of Science credit exclusion list before finalizing Area of Concentration courses.
Land, Air, and Water Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- CHEM_V 123
- ENVR_V 420
- EOSC_V 211
- One of APBI_V 200, ATSC_V 201, EOSC_V 220, 221, 222, 270, GEOS_V 200, 206
- Three of CHEM_V 301, 302, GEOS_V 300, 304, 305, 308, 309, 400, 401, 402, 403, 405, 406, 408, 409, 415, GEOG_V 412 or any 300-level or 400-level ATSC_V or EOSC_V course.
Ecology and Conservation Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- BIOL_V 230
- CONS_V 200
- ENVR_V 430, 440
- Three of APBI_V 200, 342, 401, 423, BIOL_V 203, 204, 205, 209, 210, 302, 303, 314, 320, 324, 327, 328, 336, 403, 406, 408, 409, 411, 412, 413, 416, 418, 420, 424, 425, 427, 437, EOSC_V 372, 373, 470, 475, 478, GEOG_V 318, GEOS_V 204, 207, 303, 306, 307, 407, 415, MICB_V 301, UFOR_V 403
Energy Transitions and Sustainability Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- ENVR_V 410, 440
- PHYS_V 333
- One of ARCL_V 309, ASIC_V 220, CONS_V 425, DES_V 230, ENVR_V 430, GEOG_V 302, 310, 318, ISCI_V 360, POLI_V 351, POLI_V 375A, SCIE_V 420, SOCI_V 230
- Three of APSC_V 366, ATSC_V 313, BEST_V 202, 301, 401, 402, CHBE_V 482, 483, 473, 488, CHEM_V 341, ECON_V 471, FRE_V 374, FRST_V 101, LFS_V 101.
Environment Impacts on Human Health Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- CHEM_V 123
- SPPH_V 303
- One of BIOL_V 201, BIOC_V 202, CHEM_V 203, 205, 233
- Four of BIOL_V 302, 314, 328, 403, CHEM_V 302, 341, CIVL_V 201, EOSC_V 474, GEOS_V 402, MECH_V 411, MICB_V 211, SPPH_V 301.
Environment Analytics Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- CPSC_V 203
- One of CPSC_V 103, EOSC_V 211
- One of EOSC_V 410, 440
- Four of ATSC_V 409, BIOL_V 301, CPSC_V 330, 430, DSCI_V 310, 320, 430, EOSC_V 250, 354, 410, 440, 471, FRE_V 326, 474, 490, GEOS_V 370, 373, MATH_V 200, 215, 221, 255, STAT_V 301
Specialization Objectives
Mastery of the curriculum will:
- Prepare students for employment in the environmental and sustainability sectors capable of working for NGOs and International Organizations, for Industry in technical, consulting and in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) roles, and for local, regional, national or international governments;
- Prepare students for graduate school in environmental and sustainability disciplines and related programs (i.e. Medicine, Law, Urban Planning, Data Science, Risk Management).
Learning Goals
Students completing this specialization will be able to:
- Explain the scientific basis and social drivers for environmental change, including climate change
- Source, analyze and synthesize multiple datasets relating to human-environment systems from local to global scales.
- Use a range of tools to evaluate policies and assess solutions to sustainability challenges from local to global scales.
- Synthesize and translate knowledge into action
- Communicate to various audiences in appropriate and compelling ways, the problems and solutions related to climate and other environmental challenges
- Engage with the priorities identified by Indigenous and land-based peoples in culturally appropriate, respectful and meaningful ways to understand environmental change and consider solutions.
- Collaborate effectively in teams with people from diverse knowledge perspectives on complex projects.
Honours (0589): Environmental Sciences (ENSC)
| First Year | |
| BIOL_V 1211 | 3 |
| CHEM_V 121 (or 111 or 141)2 | 4 |
| CHEM_V 1232 | 4 |
| DSCI_V 100 | 3 |
| ENVR_V 100 | 3 |
| MATH_V 100 or 102 or 104 or 180 or 184 or 1203 | 3 |
| MATH_V 101 or 103 or 105 or 1213 | 3 |
| PHYS_V 100-level4 | 3 |
| SCIE_V 113 | 3 |
| Electives5,6 | 4 |
| Total Credits | 33 |
| Second Year | |
| One 200-level BIOL_V OR CHEM_V | 3 |
| ENVR_V 2007, 205, 240 | 7 |
| EOSC_V 340 | 3 |
| One of STAT_V 200, 201, BIOL_V 3008 | 3 |
| Area of Concentration9,10 | 6 |
| Tools Electives11 | 3 |
| Electives5,6 | 8 |
| Total Credits | 33 |
| Third and Fourth Years | |
| ENVR_V 300, 305, 350, 449, 450 | 16 |
| One of ENVR_V 410, 420, 430, 440 | 3 |
| EOSC_V 345 | 3 |
| Complementary Studies12 | 9 |
| Tools' Electives11 | 3 |
| Electives5,6 | 14 |
| Area of Concentration9 | 18 |
| Total Credits | 66 |
| Minimum Credits for Degree | 132 |
| 1 Students without one of Biology 11 or Biology 12 must take BIOL_V 111 before attempting BIOL_V 121 or BIOL_V 180. | |
| 2 Students who do not have B.C. High School Chemistry 12 (or its equivalent) must write the UBC Chemistry Basic Skills Test and may be required to take CHEM_V 100. CHEM_V 110 and 115 may substitute for CHEM_V 111, CHEM_V 120 and 115 may substitute for CHEM_V 121, CHEM_V 130 and 135 may substitute for CHEM_V 123. | |
| 3 MATH_V 110 may substitute for any of the specified differential calculus courses listed by decreasing the electives by 3 credits. Choosing a 4-credit MATH_V course lowers the electives by 1 credit. All of the differential calculus courses are suitable prerequisites for later MATH_V courses. They differ in the expected student background and the types of examples used in the problems. | |
| 4 Chosen from 100-level PHYS_V courses, excluding PHYS_V 100 and PHYS_V 170. Students without Physics 12 must replace 3 credits of electives with PHYS_V 100 before taking any other 100-level PHYS_V course. Students may defer taking any other 100-level PHYS_V course to second year. | |
| 5 Elective credits together with required courses must fulfill the Faculty of Science’s: a) Foundational Requirement; b) Laboratory Science Requirement; c) Science Breadth Requirement; d) Science and Arts Requirements; e) Upper-level Requirement; f) General Degree Requirements. | |
| 6 Students interested in elective options in environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability see: www.sustain.ubc.ca/courses-degrees/courses | |
| 7 ENVR_V 200 satisfies the Additional Communication Requirement. | |
| 8 STAT_V 201 is recommended for students interested in data science; STAT_V 200 or BIOL_V 300 are recommended for students interested in field ecology. | |
9 The Areas of Concentration are:
Courses that are used to meet the Area of Concentration requirements cannot be used to fulfill any other requirements of the specialization. | |
| 10 Honours students must take a minimum of 24 credits to satisfy the Area of Concentration requirements. | |
| 11 'Tools’ Electives: Two of ATSC_V 303, CHEM_V 211, 311, EOSC_V 211, GEOS_V 270, 309, 370, 373, NRES_V 241, 340, 341. Consult credit exclusion list before choosing 'Tools'. | |
| 12 Complementary Studies courses should be chosen from approved courses listed on the ENSC website. | |
Honours Areas of Concentration Required Courses
Honours students must select one of the following five Areas of Concentration. Students should be aware that some of the Areas of Concentration courses have prerequisites that are not explicitly listed here. Students should also check the Faculty of Science credit exclusion list before finalizing Area of Concentration courses.
Land, Air, and Water Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must include at least one course in each of the four following categories:
- ENVR_V 420
- EOSC_V 211
- One of APBI_V 200, ATSC_V 201, EOSC_V 220, 221, 222, 270, GEOS_V 200, 206
- Five of CHEM_V 310, 302, GEOS_V 300, 304, 305, 308, 309, 400, 401, 402, 403, 405, 406, 408, 409, 415, GEOG_V 412 or any 300-level or 400-level ATSC_V or EOSC_V course.
Ecology and Conservation Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
Additional recommended courses for the Ecology and Conservation Area of Concentration include:
- BIOL_V 230
- CONS_V 200
- ENVR_V 430, 440
- Four of APBI_V 200, 342, 401, 423, BIOL_V 203, 204, 205, 209, 210, 302, 303, 314, 320, 324, 327, 328, 336, 403, 406, 408, 409, 411, 412, 413, 416, 418, 420, 424, 425, 427, 437, EOSC_V 372, 373, 470, 475, 478, GEOG_V 318, GEOS_V 204, 207, 303, 306, 307, 407, 415, MICB_V 301, UFOR_V 403
Energy Transitions and Sustainability Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- ENVR_V 410, 440
- PHYS_V 333
- One of ARCL_V 309, ASIC_V 220, CONS_V 425, DES_V 230, ENVR_V 430, GEOG_V 310, ISCI_V 360, POLI_V 351, POLI_V 375A, SCIE_V 420, SOCI_V 230
- Four of APSC_V 366, ATSC_V 313, BEST_V 202, 301, 401, 402, CHBE_V 482, 483, 473, 488, CHEM_V 341, ECON_V 471, FRE_V 374, FRST_V 101, LFS_V 101
Environmental Impacts on Human Health Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- SPPH_V 303
- Three of BIOL_V 200, BIOL_V 201, BIOC_V 202, CHEM_V 203, 205, 233, MICB_211
- Four of BIOL_V 302, 314, 328, 403, CHEM_V 302, 341, CIVL_V 201, EOSC_V 474, GEOS_V 402, MECH_V 411, SPPH_V 301.
Environmental Analytics Area of Concentration
Students in this Area of Concentration must take:
- CPSC_V 203
- EOSC_V 410
- One of CPSC_V 103, EOSC_V 211
- Five of ATSC_V 409, BIOL_V 301, CPSC_V 330, 430, DSCI_V 310, 320, 430, EOSC_V 250, 354, 440, 471, FRE_V 326, 474, 490, GEOS_V 370, 373, MATH_V 200, 215, 221, 255, STAT_V 301
Specialization Objectives
Honours will provide more depth than the Major. Mastery of the curriculum will:
- Prepare students for employment in the environmental and sustainability sectors capable of working for NGOs and International Organizations, for Industry in technical, consulting and in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) roles, and for local, regional, national or international governments;
- Prepare students for graduate school in environmental and sustainability disciplines and related programs (i.e. Medicine, Law, Urban Planning, Data Science, Risk Management).
Learning Goals
Students completing this specialization will be able to:
- Explain the scientific basis and social drivers for environmental change, including climate change
- Source, analyze and synthesize multiple datasets relating to human-environment systems from local to global scales
- Use a range of tools to evaluate policies and assess solutions to sustainability challenges from local to global scales
- Synthesize and translate knowledge into action
- Communicate to various audiences in appropriate and compelling ways, the problems and solutions related to climate and other environmental challenges
- Engage with the priorities identified by Indigenous and land-based peoples in culturally appropriate, respectful and meaningful ways to understand environmental change and consider solutions.
- Collaborate effectively in teams with people from diverse knowledge perspectives
- Complete an honours thesis under the supervision of a UBC faculty member
Minor (3085): Environmental Sciences (ENSC)
The Minor consists of 21 credits: ENVR_V 200, ENVR_V 300; 6 credits from: EOSC_V 340, EOSC_V 345, ENVR_V 240; and 9 credits from: ENVR_V 400, 410, 420, 430, 440, 450.