Environmental Studies/Science at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
Program Design & Assessment
Overview
The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) provides students the highest quality environmental education with a special focus on urban environments and sustainability.
Impetus
We had been offering an MS degree program in "Urban Environmental Geology" since 1979; envisioning the need for a bachelor's program, we established the BA/BS degree in environmental studies in 1998.
Program Goals
In an era of global urbanization the program prepares students to address vital urban environmental issues through a foundation in Earth systems science and a broad multidisciplinary curriculum. Students gain essential life skills, an appreciation for environmental processes, and respect for the diversity of the urban environment.
Alumni Careers
We prepare students to work in the policy, economics and administration side, as well as science, research, and advanced graduate studies. Our graduates work in federal, state and local govt. offices, consulting engineering and environmental firms.
Other careers our alums have pursued:
Private environmental business, legal firm, and non-profit environmental organizations.
Program Assessment
Exit exam to evaluate knowledge competency of graduating seniors; feedback from employees, and communications from students.
Courses and Sequencing
B.A. Environmental Studies
Core Requirements (18 hrs.)
- ENV-SCI 110R/110L,Understanding the Earth w/lab 3/2
- ENV-SCI 210, Issues in Environmental Science 3
- ENV-STDY 499WI, Environmental Studies Practicum 3 (or GEOG 499WI or GEOLOGY 499WI or GEOG 403WI)
- STAT 235, Elementary Statistics 3
- ECON 420 Environment, Resources and Economic Growth 3
- GEOG 203 Intro to GIS or GEOG 317, Cartography or UPD 203 GIS for Urban Planning GEOG 406 Global Environmental Change or GEOG 449, Global Water and Sustainability HISTORY 365A Nature and Culture: American Environmental History
- PHILOS 370 Environmental Ethics UPD 432 Urban Environmental Planning and Design
BS students need a total of 60 hours of math and science (At least one course must be taken from each of the three divisions of learning: Natural Sciences (NS), Social Sciences (SS), & Ethics, Jurisprudence, & Culture (E). Core courses cannot also be counted for credit in this section.
Natural Sciences (NS)
- BIOLOGY 302 Ecology
- BIOLOGY 303 Invertebrate Zoology
- BIOLOGY 305 Marine and Freshwater Biology
- BIOLOGY 308 Vertebrate Zoology
- BIOLOGY 346 Plant Biology
- CIV-ENGR 401C Green Building and Sustainable Infrastructure
- CIV-ENGR 454 River Stability and Scour
- CHEM 211/211L Gen Chem I w/lab
- CHEM 212/212L Gen Chem II w/lab
- CHEM 387 Environmental Chemistry I
- ENV-SCI 310 Field Experience in Waste Mgmt
- ENV-SCI 332 CZ Environmental Sustainability
- ENV-SCI 430 Soil and Groundwater Remediation
- ENV-SCI 449 Global Water and Sustainability
- ENV-SCI 496 Environmental Internship
- GEOG 203 Introduction To Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG 314 Principles of Geomorphology
- GEOG 317 Cartography
- GEOG 319 Descriptive and Synoptic Meteorology
- GEOG 335 Introduction To Waste Management
- GEOG 360 Principles of Biogeography
- GEOG 401 Advanced Geographic Information Science
- GEOG 402 Environmental Remote Sensing And Digital Image Analysis
- GEOG 406 Global Environmental Change
- GEOG 430 Energy Resources
- GEOG 435 Geoarchaeology
- GEOG 442 Quaternary Environments
- GEOG 444 Spatial Data Analysis
- GEOG 448 Satellite Climatology
- GEOLOGY 302 Environmental Geology
- GEOLOGY 312 Mineralogy
- GEOLOGY 314 Geomorphology
- GEOLOGY 326 Archaeology of Ancient Disasters
- GEOLOGY 412 Geology and Hazardous Waste Management
- GEOLOGY 460 Geochemistry
- GEOLOGY 470 Hydrogeology
- ECON 420 Environment, Resources, and Economic Growth
- ENV-SCI 225 Animals and Society
- ENV-SCI 251 Women and the Environment
- ENV-SCI 332 Environmental Sustainability
- GEOG 309 Urban Geography
- GEOG 311 Economic Geography
- GEOG 333 Geographic Elements of Urban Planning
- GEOG 437 Population Geography
- GEOG 460 Transportation Geography
- GEOG 460 Transportation Geography
- HISTORY 356 Rise of the City
- HISTORY 356R KC: History of a Regional Metropolis
- PUB-ADM 497 Urban Environmental Policy
- PUB-ADM 497 Managing for Sustainability in an Urban Environment
- POL-SCI 380 Environmental Justice
- POL-SCI 435 Politics of the Environment
- PSYCH 403 Environmental Psychology
- UPD 280 Land Use Planning
- UPD 420 Transportation Planning
- UPD 430 Planning for Historic Preservation
- UPD 432 Urban Environmental Planning & Design
- UPD 340 Neighborhood and Community Development
- ENV-DSN 413 Environmental Systems in Architecture I
- ENV-STUDY 325 Cultural Perspectives on the Environment
- GEOG 200 World Regional Geography I
- GEOG 202 World Regional Geography II
- GEOG 210 Human Geography
- GEOG 329 World Political Geography
- GEOG 332 Cultural Geography
- GEOG 341 Geography of South America
- GEOG 342 Geography of Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean
- GEOG 340 Geography of the United States and Canada
- GEOG 350 Geography of Europe
- GEOG 355 Geography of Africa
- GEOG 403WI History and Philosophy of Geoscience
- GEOG 499WI Geography Seminar
- HIST 365 Nature and Culture: American Environmental
- History LAW 8725 Water Law
- LAW 8728 Law & the American Indian
- LAW 8729 Preservation Law
- LAW 8773 Environmental Law
- LAW 8782 Environmental Law Seminar
- PHILOS 334 Philosophy of Science
- PHILOS 338 Philosophy of Biology
- PHILOS 370 Environmental Ethics
- UPD 320 Planning Theory & Practice
- UPD 260 History of Planning and Urban Design
- UPD 450 Planning and Law Practices
BS: Environmental Science:
Core Requirements: (18 hrs.)- ENV-SCI 110R /110L, Understanding the Earth w/lab 3/2
- ENV-SCI 210 Issues in Environmental Science 3
- GEOG 215, Intro to Weather and Climate 4 or GEOG 319, Synoptic Meteorology 4
- GEOLOGY 250 or 251, Field Methods 3
- ENV-STDY 499WI, Environmental Studies Practicum 3 (or GEOG 499WI, GEOLOGY 499WI, or GEOG 403WI
Electives
The B.S. degree requires at least 60 credit hours of science and mathematics. In addition to the core courses and other required courses listed above, Environmental Studies majors seeking a bachelor of science degree and selecting a geosciences emphasis must take a minimum of an additional 12 credit hours in Geology or physical Geography.
- BIOLOGY 108/108L General Biology I w/lab 5
- BIOLOGY 109/109L General Biology II w/lab 5
- or GEOG 360 Principles of Biogeography w/lab 4
- CHEM 211/211L General Chemistry I w/lab 5
- CHEM 212R/212L General Chemistry II w/lab 5
- MATH 235 Elementary Statistics 3 or CJC 363 Statistics in Sociology 3
Capstone
ENV-STDY 499WI, Environmental Studies Practicum 3 (or GEOG 499WI, GEOLOGY 499WI, or GEOG 403WI)
Other requirements or key features
Students are encouraged to take elective courses in the Schools of Law, and Business and Public Administration.