BA or BS in Earth and Environmental Science, Virginia Wesleyan College
Information for this profile was provided by Elizabeth Malcolm in 2009. Information is also available on the program website
Overview and Context
The Earth and Environmental Sciences program at Virginia Wesleyan College takes a "systems approach," in which all parts – lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere – are viewed as an integrated system. The curriculum also explores the many ways that humans have impacted this system.
The B.A. program is designed to provide a broad background in the fundamentals of Earth Science for students who intend to have careers in secondary education, business, law, other areas, or double major. The B.S. program is intended for students who plan to pursue a graduate degree in earth or environmental sciences and has additional mathematics requirements.
The B.A. program is designed to provide a broad background in the fundamentals of Earth Science for students who intend to have careers in secondary education, business, law, other areas, or double major. The B.S. program is intended for students who plan to pursue a graduate degree in earth or environmental sciences and has additional mathematics requirements.
These are the only two majors available in the Earth and Environmental Science Department.
Program Design
The earth and environmental sciences curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation in both earth science and environmental science as well as supporting coursework in chemistry, biology and physics. The BA prepares students for certification and a career in secondary education for earth science or a wide range of careers in the earth and environmental fields. The BS was recently created to better prepare students for graduate school.
Goals and Assessment
A primary goal is to provide students with hands-on skills, preparing them for their career or graduate school, including field methods, laboratory techniques, GIS and research.
We track the success of graduates through formal college-wide surveys and informal conversations.
Courses and Sequencing
Entry into the program
- Physical Geology with lab
- Environmental Geology with lab
Core courses
- Oceanography or Meteorology
- Environmental Chemistry or Analytical Chemistry
- Geology of Mountain Belts
- Energy and the Environment
- Geographic Information Systems
- Ecology
- Watershed Hydrology
- Global Environmental Cycles
Electives
Students are required to take at least 2 courses (6-8 credits) of electives, chosen from the following list:- Internship in the Natural Sciences
- Research in the Natural Sciences
- Climatology (Prerequisite: Oceanography or Meteorology)
- Limnology
- Marine Biology
- Microbiology (Prerequisite: Genetics)
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
Other required courses
- Principles of Biology I or Environmental Biology
- College Chemistry I
- College Chemistry II
- Physics
Additional requirements for the BS
- Calculus II
- Introduction to Statistical Modeling
