Environmental Studies, 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: B406

Major Requirements

  • Courses required for the major may also fulfill University-Wide General Education Requirements.
  • A Grade of C or better must be earned in each course counted for major credit.
Core
ENST 2813Environmental Studies Cornerstone3
ENST 3891Environmental Studies Learning Community (three semesters) 13
ENST 3893Environmental Studies Research Project3
ENST 4883Environmental Studies Seminar3
ENST 4893Environmental Studies Capstone3
Major Electives
Group I - Interdisciplinary
Choose two courses that span two or more disciplines 26
Group II - Single Discipline
Choose three courses, one each from three of these four categories: 29
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities
Applied Disciplines
Total Credit Hours30
1

ENST 3891 is taken as a corequisite with ENST 2813 and ENST 3893, and one additional semester, for a total of three semesters.

2

Chosen from an approved course list posted by the department or as approved by faculty advisor.

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)

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 in the same language)
(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 component 17
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 Sciences
GEOG 1114Physical Geography4
Lanuage
Choose one course at the intermediate level 13
Total Credit Hours13
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 advisers to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy University, College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences, and Environmental Studies major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
Beginning Language (Core I) 5
General Education Natural Science (Core II) 1 3
General Education Math (Core I) 1 3
 Credit Hours14
Second Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
General Education Natural Science with lab (Core II) 1 4
Beginning Language continued (Core I) 5
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore
First Semester
ENST 2813 Environmental Studies Cornerstone 3
ENST 3891 Environmental Studies Learning Community 1
Major Elective, Group I 2 3
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
GEOG 1114 Physical Geography 4
Intermediate Language (College Elective) 3
 Credit Hours17
Second Semester
ENST 3893 Environmental Studies Research Project 3
ENST 3891 Environmental Studies Learning Community 1
P SC 1113 American Federal Government 3
Social Sciences (Core III) 1 3
Artistic Forms (Core IV) 1 3
Western Culture (Core IV) 1 3
 Credit Hours16
Junior
First Semester
Major Elective, Group II 3 3
Major Elective, Group II 3 3
General Education Arts & Humanities Elective 1 3
World Culture (Core IV) 1 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENST 3891 Environmental Studies Learning Community 1
Major Elective, Group II 3 3
General Education Social Science Elective 1 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours16
Senior
First Semester
ENST 4883 Environmental Studies Seminar 3
Major Elective, Group 1 2 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENST 4893 Environmental Studies Capstone 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours120
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

Choose two courses that span two or more disciplines from an approved course list posted by the department, or as approved by the departmental faculty advisor.

3

Choose three courses, one each from three out of four categories (Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Applied Disciplines) from an approved list of courses posted by the department, or as approved by the departmental faculty advisor.