Environmental Sustainability: Science & Natural Resources, B.A.

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Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 40


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.25

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.25

Program Code: B408 P591

Major Requirements

  • Courses required for the major may also fulfill University-Wide General Education Requirements.
Core
GEOG 1203Global Environmental Issues3
GEOG 3233Principles of Sustainability3
GEOG 3443Environment and Society3
GEOG 3773Geography of the United States3
GEOG 3924Quantitative Methods4
GIS 2023Introduction to Spatial Thinking and Computer Mapping3
GEOG 4523Life Cycle Analysis3
GEOG 4893Research Methods and Professional Development3
GEOG 4953Capstone3
Science & Natural Resources
Choose a minimum of 12 hours12
Total Credit Hours40


Major Support Requirements

  • Courses required for major support may not also fulfill University-Wide General Education Requirements.
Advisor-Approved Electives
Choose twenty-four hours of advisor-approved coursework relevant to the student’s field(s) of study. These 24 hours are to be outside the student’s major School or Department, and must include six hours at the upper-division level (3000-4000-level)24
Total Credit Hours24

Science & Natural Resources Course List

A minimum of 12 hours of Science & Natural Resources coursework is required in the major, to be chosen from the following courses or other advisor-approved courses, with no more than two courses from one department.

BIOL 3563Biological Conservation3
BIOL 4423Stream Ecology3
CEES 4243Water Technologies for Emerging Regions3
GEOG 3023Principles of Physical Geography3
GEOG 3253Environmental Conservation3
GEOG 3890Selected Studies in Geography (Water and Society)3
GEOG 4200Internship in Geography1-6
GEOG 4283Biogeography3
GEOG 4293Hydrologic Science3
GEOG 4343Climate, History, and Society3
GEOG 4583Energy Systems and Sustainability3
METR 4553Climate and Renewable Energy3
PBIO 3453Principles of Plant Ecology3
SOC 3643Population and Society3

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and college requirements must be from the approved General Education course lists at http://www.ou.edu/content/gened/courses.htmlCourses graded P/NP will not apply. 

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS

At least three hours of Upper-Division General Education coursework must be completed outside the major.

Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-10 hours)
(0-10 hours) Students who have not completed two years of the same language in high school are required to take two college courses in the same language
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Mathematics (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list3
Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, 2 courses)
Choose two courses including one laboratory component7
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities
Artistic Forms (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list3
Western Culture (3 hours)
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (excluding HIST 1483 & 1493)3
World Culture (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours37-47

ADDITIONAL COLLEGE B.A. REQUIREMENTS

Humanities and Social Science Electives (3 hours must be Upper-Division)
Choose one course from Arts & Humanities Gen Ed lists3
Choose one course from the Social Science Gen Ed list3
Natural Science Elective
Choose one Gen Ed-approved course with or without a laboratory component3-4
Language
Choose one course at the intermediate level 23
Total Credit Hours12-13
1

If the student successfully places beyond the second intermediate course, the 13 hours of required language will become free electives. 

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees

Total Hours: A minimum of 120 semester hours acceptable toward graduation must be completed.
Upper-Division Hours: A minimum of 40 upper- division semester hours acceptable toward graduation must be completed. OU courses numbered 3000 or above are upper- division. Transfer work is counted as lower-division or upper-division credit depending on the level at which it was offered at the institution where it was earned. Two-year college work is accepted only as lower-division credit.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

  • A minimum of two semesters must be spent in residence in the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences.
  • At least 36 of the last 48 hours must be completed in residence at OU.

Individual Studies: No more than six hours of independent study or directed readings may be applied toward degree requirements.
Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum overall 2.25 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU.

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in four years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and/or Department of Geography academic advisors to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy university, College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
Beginning Language (Core I) 5
GEOG 1203 Global Environmental Issues (Core III) 3
General Education Math (Core I) 1 3
 Credit Hours14
Second Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
Beginning Language continued (Core I) 5
P SC 1113 American Federal Government (Core III) 3
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
 Credit Hours14
Sophomore
First Semester
General Education Natural Science with lab (Core II) 1 4-5
GIS 2023 Introduction to Spatial Thinking and Computer Mapping 3
General Education Artistic Forms (Core IV) 1 3
Intermediate Language (College elective) 3
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
 Credit Hours16-17
Second Semester
General Education Natural Science (Core II) 1 3-4
General Education Western Culture (Core IV) 1 3
General Education World Culture (Core IV) 1 3
General Education Social Science Elective 1 3
GEOG 3924 Quantitative Methods 4
 Credit Hours16-17
Junior
First Semester
GEOG 3233 Principles of Sustainability 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
Science & Natural Resources Concentration Elective 3 3
General Education Arts & Humanities Elective 1 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
GEOG 3443 Environment and Society 3
GEOG 4523 Life Cycle Analysis 3
College Elective 2 3
Science & Natural Resources Concentration Elective 3 3
Natural Science Elective 1 3-4
 Credit Hours15-16
Senior
First Semester
GEOG 3773 Geography of the United States 3
GEOG 4893 Research Methods and Professional Development 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
Science & Natural Resources Concentration Elective 3 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
GEOG 4953 Capstone 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
Science & Natural Resources Concentration Elective 3 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours120-123
1

To be chosen from the University-Wide General Education Approved Course List. Three hours of general education must be upper-division outside the major. 

2

Twenty-four hours of advisor-approved coursework relevant to the student’s field(s) of study. These 24 hours are to be outside the student’s major School or Department, and must include six hours at the upper-division level (3000-4000-level).

3

A minimum of 12 hours, to be chosen from the following concentration, with no more than two courses from one department:

Science and Natural Resources: BIOL 3563, BIOL 4423; CEES 4243GEOG 3023, GEOG 3253, GEOG 3890 (Water and Society), GEOG 4200, GEOG 4283, GEOG 4293, GEOG 4343; METR 4553; PBIO 3453; SOC 3643.