Environmental Studies

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Dean: Joel Kassiola

Environmental Studies Program
HSS 267
415-338-1149
Director: Barbara Holzman

Programs

B.A. in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice
B.A. in Environmental Studies: Concentration in The Urban Environment
B.A. in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Humanities and the Environment
B.S. in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Earth System Science
B.S. in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation


Program Scope

The Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies are interdisciplinary degrees for students interested in studying and working within the environmental field. The objective of the program is to produce exceptional graduates who are grounded in the study of contemporary environmental problems and solutions that transcend the existing academic disciplines and programs at San Francisco State University. The program provides students with the knowledge and skills required for understanding relationships between humans and the physical world. It examines how the environment is being used, abused, and perceived, and what individuals and organizations are doing and can do to protect it for themselves, future generations, and other living beings and ecosystems.

The major offers two degrees: a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. The major consists of a group of courses that will be required for all students declaring this major (36-46 units) and five areas of concentration from which the student will choose one. Two of these concentrations will lead to the Bachelor of Science (82-95 units in the major) and three will lead to the Bachelor of Arts (57-66 units in the major).

Career Outlook

The environmental studies field is diverse and includes opportunities for employment at many different venues. Private industry opportunities include solid waste management, resource recovery and recycling, hazardous waste management, water treatment and delivery, and air pollution control. Major local corporations have employment opportunities in environmental health and safety and environmental management. Environmental consultants who specialize in creating or reviewing environmental impact reports and statements and environmental regulations are needed at the federal and state agency level as well as in the private sector. Other employment opportunities include government agency level resource scientists and planners. In addition, local nonprofit activist groups provide a small number of full time positions in the environmental field.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

On-line course descriptions are available.

Core Curriculum Units
ENVS 300 Introduction to Environmental Studies 3
ENVS/
CHEM 380
Chemistry of Environmental Pollution 3
ENVS/
GEOG 600
Environmental Problems and Solutions 3
ENVS 680 Internship 1
ENVS 690 Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies 3
Select units from each category as indicated.
Physical Environment 3
GEOG 101 Our Physical Environment  
GEOL 270 Environmental Geology
Human Environment 3
GEOG 102 The Human Environment  
ANTH 120 Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
Environmental Justice/Urban Issues 3-4
ANTH 321 Endangered Cultures  
RAZA 450 Indigenisimo: Indigenous Cultures and Personality
URBS 514 Sustainable Development in Cities (4)
URBS 515 Race, Poverty, and the Urban Environment (4)
Economics and Public Policy 3-4
ECON/
GEOG 425
Economic Geography (4)  
ECON 550 Economics of Energy and the Environment
IR 331 Global Environmental Crisis: Challenges and Responses (4)
Ecology 3-10
BIOL 230 Introductory Biology I (5) and  
  BIOL 240   Introductory Biology II (5)1
BIOL 313 Principles of Ecology
Environmental Chemistry 5
CHEM 115 General Chemistry I: Essential Concepts of Chemistry (5)
Human Values and Environmental Ethics 3-4
BECA 502 Environmental Communication on the Electronic Media  
ENG 630 Literature and Ecology
NEXA 392 Nature, Culture, and Technology
PHIL 470 Environmental Ethics
PLSI 354 Politics, the Environment, and Social Change (4)
Total for core 36-46

Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice

This concentration enables students to participate in the conceptualization and design of institutions and social practices appropriate for an environmentally sustainable and just future. The communication of the role of values in the environmental crisis and the required transformation of both dominant values and social structures are objectives in this concentration.

Note: Fifteen units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to beginning courses in this concentration.

Program Units
Core requirements (see above) 36-46
PLSI 354 Politics, The Environment, and Social Change [if not taken in core] 0-4
SS 510 Socio-cultural Change: An Interdisciplinary Analysis 3
URBS 514 Sustainable Development in Cities (4) 3
Elective Courses
Units are to be selected so that each of the 3 themes below are represented with at least 1 course.
15
The Study of Values
AIS 310 American Indian Religion and Philosophy  
CST 300 Introduction to Critical Social Thought
GEOG 422 Environmental Perception
HUM 430 Postmodern Criticism
GPS 315 Introduction to Global Peace Studies
NEXA 200 Science and Culture
NEXA 281 Mythic and Scientific Thought
NEXA 394 Split Brain: Mythos and Logos
PHIL/PLSI 150 Contemporary Moral/Political Issues
PHIL 470 Environmental Ethics
SOC 362 The Social Construction of Deviance and Conformity (4)
WOMS 621 Feminist Thought
Possibilities and Limits of Technology
BIOL 349 Bioethics  
BECA 390 The Age of Information
BECA 502 Environmental Communication on the Electronic Media
BUS 450 The Greening of Business
GEOG 666 Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction
CIS 300 New Horizons in Science
NEXA 392 Nature, Culture, and Technology
PHIL 365 Science and Civilization
PHYS 600 Science and Society
Building a Global Sustainable and Just Future
ECON 620 Economic Development  
GEOG 421 Future Environments
GEOG 427 Agriculture and Food Supply (4)
GEOG 647 Geography of Water Resources (4)
GEOG 655 Urban Environmental Design (4)
HED 418 Environmental Health
IR 334 International Organizations: New World Order (4)
IR 520 Modernization and Third World Countries
NEXA 350 Explorations of the Future
SOC 471 Societal Change and Development (4)
SOC 477 Environmental Sociology (4)
SOC 483 Global Sociology (4)
SW/PLSI/
URBS 660
The Roles of Non-Profit Organizations in Urban Life
TPW 460 Grant Writing
URBS/HED/
SW 456
Urban Community Organizing and Citizen Action
WOMS 541 Women Writers and Social Change
WOMS 578 Third World Women and Ecology
Total for concentration 22-26
Total for degree 58-72

Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies: Concentration in The Urban Environment

This concentration provides students with a strong interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical foundation for understanding and dealing with environmental issues in urban settings. Courses provide students with the knowledge, information, skills, and fieldwork experience needed to establish this foundation. The concentration is designed to build on the university's mission as the city's urban university by developing linkages between students in the concentration and institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area. Students graduating with an urban environment concentration will have the opportunity to prepare themselves to work in the public, private, and non-profit sectors on local, national, and global environmental issues related to urban environments.

Note: Fifteen units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to beginning this concentration.

Program Units
Core requirements (see above) 36-46
IR 331 Global Environmental Crisis: Challenges and Responses 4
URBS 492 Research Methods 4
URBS 515 Race, Poverty, and the Urban Environment (if not taken as part of the core) 0-4
Elective Courses
Units selected from the following:
12-16
Urban Land Use Planning
GEOG 432 Urban Geography (4)  
GEOG 648 Management of National Parks and Resources (4)
GEOG 652 Environmental Impact Analysis (4)
GEOG 655 Urban Environmental Design (4)
GEOG/
URBS 658
Land-use Planning (4)
GEOL 270 Environmental Geology
URBS 530 Alternative Urban Futures
Urban Environmental Public Policy
BUS 450 The Greening of Business  
ECON 550 Economics of Energy and the Environment
GEOG 666 Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction
HED 418 Environmental Health
URBS 535 Urban Economics
The Urban Environment in Global Perspective
ANTH 555 Urban Anthropology  
BIOL 318 Our Endangered Planet
GPS 315 Introduction to Global Peace Studies
IR 302 International Political Economy (4)
SOC 480 City in a Global Society (4)
SOC 484 Population and Social Dynamics (4)
SS/IR 560 Energy in Global Perspective
URBS 514 Sustainable Development in Cities (4)
Total for concentration 20-28
Total for degree 56-74

Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Humanities and the Environment

This concentration has two components: Ways of Viewing the Environment and "Communicating About the Environment." The first explores the varied and complex ways that different cultures—past and present—view the environment. In the second, students will develop a forum for communicating ecological knowledge and wisdom. Each has its own requirements and goals.

Ways of Viewing the Environment examines questions such as: What do we mean by the word "nature" and what attitudes does it reveal about our surroundings? How has the concept of wilderness changed over time? How has it been possible for some cultures to idealize nature on one hand yet neglect the environment on the other? How do metaphors of the land influence the way we treat it? To what extent does our view of culture impede ecological progress? How do different arenas of public life—politics or the media, for example—view the environment? How is science open to the kind of analysis practiced in the humanities? What cross-fertilization is possible between cultural and scientific studies?

The goal of Communicating About the Environment is to prepare students to educate, enlighten, or persuade others regarding environmental issues. Working closely with an adviser, students develop an individualized study plan in a form of verbal or visual communication, including a culminating project in that same discipline. Students might choose to work in speech and communication studies, technical and professional writing, creative writing, journalism, photography, design and industry, cinema, or any other discipline dealing with verbal or visual communication.

Program Units
Core requirements (see above) 36-46
Ways of Viewing the Environment
BECA 502 Environmental Communication on the Electronic Media or 3
  PHIL 470   Environmental Ethics or
  ENG 535   Literature and Ecology
Units selected from the following on advisement: 9-12
AIS 450 American Indian Science  
AMST 410/
HUM 450
California Culture
ANTH 557 Ethnography of the Inner City (4)
BECA 502 Environmental Communication on the Electronic Media
ENG 514 Age of the Romantics
ENG 525 Modern American Mystics
ENG 526 Age of the American Renaissance: 1830-1860
GEOG 421 Future Environments
GEOG 422 Environmental Perception
GEOG 651 San Francisco Bay Area Environmental Issues (4)
PHIL/PLSI 150 Contemporary Moral and Political Issues
HED 418 Environmental Health
HH 382 Holistic Health and Human Nature
HH 383 Chinese Perspectives in Holistic Health
RAZA 590 Environmental Justice: La Raza Issues
NEXA 392 Nature, Culture, and Technology
PHIL 383 Ethics in Medicine
PHIL 520 Modern Religious Thought
PLSI 354 Politics, The Environment, and Social Change (4)
REC 230 Growth Through Adventure
REC 430 Ecology of Outdoor Recreation
SOC 477 Environmental Sociology (4)
SOC 483 Global Sociology (4)
URBS 515/ GEOG 667 Race, Poverty, and the Urban Environment (4)
WOMS 578 Third World Women and Ecology
Communicating About the Environment
Students take at least 9 units of upper division courses from the department of focus (on advisement) and a 3-unit culminating project.
12
Total for concentration 24-28
Total for degree 60-74

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

On-line course descriptions are available.

Core Curriculum Units
ENVS 300 Introduction to Environmental Studies 3
ENVS/
CHEM 380
Chemistry of Environmental Pollution 3
ENVS/
GEOG 600
Environmental Problems and Solutions 3
ENVS 680 Internship 1
ENVS 690 Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies 3
Select units from each category as indicated.
Physical Environment 3
GEOG 101 Our Physical Environment
GEOL 270 Environmental Geology
Human Environment 3
GEOG 102 The Human Environment  
ANTH 120 Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
Environmental Justice/Urban Issues 3-4
ANTH 321 Endangered Cultures  
ANTH 557 Ethnography of the Inner City (4)
RAZA 450 Indigenisimo: Indigenous Cultures and Personality
URBS 514 Sustainable Development in Cities (4)
URBS 515 Race, Poverty, and the Urban Environment (4)
Economics and Public Policy 3-4
ECON/
GEOG 425
Economic Geography (4)  
ECON 550 Economics of Energy and the Environment
IR 331 Global Environmental Crisis: Challenges and Responses (4)
Ecology 3-10

BIOL 230 Introductory Biology I (5) and  
  BIOL 240   Introductory Biology II (5)1
BIOL 313 Principles of Ecology
Environmental Chemistry 5
CHEM 115 General Chemistry I: Essential Concepts of Chemistry (5)
Human Values and Environmental Ethics 3-4
BECA 502 Environmental Communication on the Electronic Media  
ENG 630 Literature and Ecology
NEXA 392 Nature, Culture, and Technology
PHIL 470 Environmental Ethics
PLSI 354 Politics, the Environment, and Social Change (4)
Total for core 36-46

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Earth System Science

This concentration is for students interested in using scientific tools to address environmental issues. It provides students with a solid background in both quantitative and qualitative problem-solving techniques. Required courses provide basic skills in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and environmental regulations. Elective courses are chosen to reflect students' specific academic goals. Students completing this concentration will be familiar with a broad range of scientific approaches and will also obtain depth in a specific field by appropriate selection of electives. A goal of the concentration is to produce graduates who can understand our planet as an integrated system, and who can address environmental issues in this context.

Program Units
Core requirements (see above)

36-46
CHEM 215 General Chemistry II: Quantitative Applications of Chemistry Concepts 3
GEOG 652 Environmental Impact Analysis 4
MATH 226 Calculus 3
MATH 227 Calculus 3
PHYS 111/112 General Physics I/Laboratory or 4
  PHYS 220/222   General Physics with Calculus I/Laboratory
PHYS 121/122 General Physics II/Laboratory or 4
  PHYS 230/232   General Physics with Calculus II/Laboratory or
  PHYS 240/242   General Physics with Calculus III/Laboratory
Elective Courses
Students must consult with a faculty adviser prior to selection of elective courses in order to determine which courses are most appropriate for their particular program. Courses appropriate for sample specializations are provided below.
23-25
BIOL 401/402 General Microbiology/Laboratory (5)  
BIOL 411 Environmental and Industrial Microbiology (4)
BIOL 582 Biological Oceanography
BIOL 482 Animal Ecology (4) or
  BIOL 529   Plant Ecology (4) or
  BIOL 585   Marine Ecology (4)
BIOL 535/
GEOG 613
Remote Sensing of Wetlands (4)
CHEM 216 General Chemistry II Laboratory (2)
CHEM 320 Modern Methods of Quantitative Chemical Analysis (4)
CHEM 333/334 Organic Chemistry I/Laboratory (3/2)
CHEM 335/336 Organic Chemistry II/Laboratory (3/3)
CHEM 420 Instrumental Analysis of Environmental Samples and Complex Mixtures
ENGR 434 Principles of Environmental Engineering
GEOG 317 Geography of Soils (4)
GEOG 611 Remote Sensing of the Environment II (4)
GEOG 647 Geography of Water Resources (4)
GEOL 102/103 Introduction to Oceanography and Laboratory (3/1)
GEOL 450 Geomorphology (4) or
  GEOG 312   Geography of Landforms (4)
GEOL 452 Coastal Processes
GEOL 454 Quaternary Geology
GEOL 465 Introduction to Physical Oceanography
GEOL 475 Hydrogeology
GEOL 476 Groundwater Contamination
MATH 324 Probability and Statistics with Computing
METR 100/101 Introduction to Meteorology/Laboratory (3/1) or
  METR 200   Introduction to Atmospheric Physics and Thermodynamics (4)
METR 201 Introduction to Dynamic and Synoptic Meteorology (4)
METR 206 Introduction to Use of Computers in Meteorology (1)
METR 401 Introductory Atmospheric Physics (4)
BIOL/CHEM/ENGR/ ENVS/GEOG/GEOL/ METR 699 Special Study (1-3)
Total for concentration 44-46
Total for degree 80-92

Elective Courses for Sample Specializations:

Some examples of possible electives for specialization within the concentration are provided. Students consult with a faculty adviser in selecting appropriate courses.

Coastal Studies Units
BIOL 585 Marine Ecology 4
GEOG 611 Remote Sensing of the Environment 4
GEOL 102/103 Introduction to Oceanography/Laboratory 4
GEOL 452 Coastal Processes 3
GEOL 465 Introductory Physical Oceanography 3
GEOL 475 Hydrogeology 3
ENGR 434 Principles of Environmental Engineering 3

Hydrologic Studies Units
CHEM 114 General Chemistry II Laboratory 2
GEOG 647 Geography of Water Resources 4
GEOL 450 Geomorphology or 4
  GEOG 312   Geography of Landforms
GEOL 475 Hydrogeology and 6
  GEOL 476   Groundwater Contamination
ENGR 434 Principles of Environmental Engineering 3
METR 100/
101
Introduction to Meteorology/Laboratory (3/1) or 4-8
  METR 200   Introduction to Atmospheric Physics and Thermodynamics (4) and
  METR 201   Introduction to Dynamic and Synoptic Meteorology (4)

Climate Studies Units
GEOG 611 Remote Sensing of the Environment II 4
GEOL 450 Geomorphology (4) or 7-8
  GEOG 312   Geography of Landforms (4) and
  GEOL 454   Quarternary Geology or
  GEOL 475   Hydrogeology or
  GEOG 647   Geography of Water Resources (4)
GEOL 465 Introduction to Physical Oceanography 3
METR 200 Introduction to Atmospheric Physics and Thermodynamics 4
METR 201 Introduction to Dynamic and Synoptic Meteorology 4
METR 206 Introduction to Use of Computers in Meteorology 1
METR 401 Introductory Atmospheric Physics 4

Chemical Analysis Units
CHEM 216 General Chemistry II Laboratory 2
CHEM 320 Modern Methods of Quantitative Chemical Analysis 4
CHEM 420 Instrumental Analysis of Environmental Samples and Complex Mixtures 3
CHEM 333/
334
Organic Chemistry I/Laboratory 5
CHEM 335/
336
Organic Chemistry II/Laboratory 6
GEOL 476 Groundwater Contamination 3

Remediation Units
CHEM 216 General Chemistry II Laboratory 2
CHEM 320 Modern Methods of Quantitative Chemical Analysis 4
BIOL 401/
402
General Microbiology and Laboratory 5
BIOL 411 Environmental and Industrial Microbiology 4
GEOL 475 Hydrogeology and 6
  GEOL 476   Groundwater Contamination
ENGR 434 Principles of Environmental Engineering 3

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies: Concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation

This concentration is for students interested in using natural science and geographic tools to address environmental issues. It provides students with a solid background in both quantitative and qualitative problem-solving techniques. This concentration is designed to provide students with the theoretical and applied biological, geographic, and technical information and skills they will need to tackle problems and issues that involve natural resource use and management. Students completing the concentration will be familiar with a broad range of scientific approaches and will also obtain depth in a specific field by appropriate selection of courses. A goal of the concentration is to produce graduates who can understand our planet as an integrated system, and who can address environmental issues in an ecological and political context.

Note: Fifteen units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to beginning courses in this concentration.

  Units
Core requirements (see above) 36-46
CHEM 215/
216
General Chemistry II/Laboratory or 5
CHEM 130 Survey of Organic Chemistry  
BIOL 240 Introductory Biology II 5
BIOL 530 Conservation Biology 3
GEOG 652 Environmental Impact Analysis 4
One course in statistical methods 3-4
Elective Courses
Students must consult with a faculty adviser prior to selection of elective courses in order to determine which courses are most appropriate for the student's particular program. Within each theme, other courses may be selected on advisement. At least one course from each of the following themes must be included. Within each theme other courses may be selected on advisement.
23-27
Ecology
BIOL 482 Animal Ecology (4)  
BIOL 529 Plant Ecology (4)
BIOL 585 Marine Ecology (4)
BIOL 582 Biological Oceanography
Biodiversity
BIOL 460 General Entomology (4)  
BIOL 470 Natural History of Vertebrates (4)
BIOL 478 Ornithology (4)
BIOL 480 Mammalogy (4)
BIOL 504 Biology of the Fungi (4)
BIOL 514 Plant Taxonomy (5)
BIOL 556 Natural History of Marine Invertebrates (4)
BIOL 570 Biology of Fishes (4)
GEOG 316 Biogeography (4)
Resources
GEOG 317 Geography of Soils (4)  
GEOG 427 Agriculture and Food Supply (4)
GEOG 647 Geography of Water Resources (4)
GEOG 666 Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction
GEOL 305 Energy and its Environmental Issues
SOC 484 Population and Social Dynamics (4)
Economics Policy
BUS 450 The Greening of Business  
IR 302 Introduction to International Political Economy (4)
PLSI 354 Politics, The Environment, and Social Change (4)
GEOG 425 Economic Geography (4)
ECON 550 Economics of Energy and the Environment
Applied Methodology/Techniques
GEOG 603 Introduction to Geographic Information Analysis  
GEOG 685 Field Methods in Geography (4)
GEOG 658 Land-use Planning (4)
GEOG 611 Remote Sensing of the Environment II (4)
GEOG 613 Remote Sensing of Wetlands (4)
GEOG 620 Geographic Information Systems (4)
ENGR 434 Principles of Environmental Engineering
BECA 502 Environmental Communication on the Electronic Media
Additional Electives
GEOG 422 Environmental Perception  
GEOG 606 Cartography (4)
GEOG 699/ BIOL 699 Special Study
Any course listed in the above themes
Total for concentration 43-48
Total for degree 79-94


1. This choice is appropriate for those pursuing the B.S. degree.