Course Planning

Course Planning for Environmental Studies Majors

The Environmental Studies major is composed of three main groups of requirements: Core Courses, Integrating Disciplines, and Capstone Experience. We are a minimum requirements major so it is important to prioritize taking ENVIR 100 along with any 200-level or higher course to officially declare the ENVIR major. It is also recommended that students explore taking several Integrating Disciplines courses early in their academic plan, as they will also satisfy many General Education requirements. For help with course planning, view or print our Core and Capstone Progress Map!

Core Courses

Note: ENVIR 301 also satisfies Reasoning and ENVIR 302 also satisfies Writing General Education requirements!

ENVIR 100 – Introduction to Environmental Studies (NSc or SSc, DIV)
ENVIR 101 – Orientation to Environmental Studies
ENVIR 301 – Research Methods for Environmental Studies (NSc, RSN)
ENVIR 302 – Communication for Environmental Studies (A&H or SSc, W)
ENVIR 401 – Analysis of Environmental Cases (SSc or NSc)

Integrating Disciplines

One pre-approved course must be taken from each of the 8 disciplines, and at least 2 must be at the 300- and/or 400-level. Note: Most all of the Integrating Disciplines courses not only satisfy General Education requirements but may additionally be used to explore interest in a minor or double major!

PDF OF AUTUMN 2025 COURSES

PDF OF WINTER 2026 COURSES

Analytical Methods

Course	Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
ARCHY 208	Introduction to Archaeological Data Science	NSc	5
ENVIR 310	Data Analysis in Environmental Studies	NSc, RSN	5
ESRM 250	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems in Forest Resources	NSc, RSN	5
ESRM 304	Environmental and Resource Assessment	NSc, RSN	5
ESS 420	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems for the Earth Sciences		5
FISH/OCEAN 452	Marine Geospatial Information Science	NSc	3
GEOG 258	Digital Geographies	SSc	5
GEOG 326	Quantitative Methods In Geography	SSc, RSN	5
GEOG 360	GIS and Mapping	SSc, RSN	5
Q SCI 381	Introduction to Probability and Statistics	NSc, RSN	5
STAT 220	Statistical Reasoning	NSc, RSN	5
STAT/CS&SS/SOC 221	Statistical Concepts and Methods for the Social Sciences	NSc, RSN	5

Biological Systems

Course	Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
BIOL 180	Introductory Biology	NSc	5
BIOL 315	Biological Impacts of Climate Change	NSc	3
ENVIR 240	The Urban Farm	NSc	5
ENVIR 280	Natural History of the Puget Sound Region	NSc	5
ENVIR/ESRM 362	Introduction to Restoration Ecology	NSc or SSc	5
ESRM 350	Wildlife Biology and Conservation	NSc	5
ESRM 458	Management of Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive Species	NSc	5
ESRM 473	Restoration in North America	NSc	5
FHL 275	Natural History of the Salish Sea	NSc	5
FISH 200	Freshwater Ecology and Conservation	NSc	3/5
FISH 323	Conservation and Management of Aquatic Resources	NSc	5
FISH/OCEAN/BIOL 250	Marine Biology	NSc	5

Earth Systems Literacy

Course	Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
ATMOS 211	Climate and Climate Change	NSc or SSc	5
ATMOS 350	Ecological Climatology	NSc	3
CHEM 120	Principles of Chemistry I	NSc, RSN	5
ENVIR 240	The Urban Farm	NSc	5
ENVIR 280	Natural History of the Puget Sound Region	NSc	5
ESS 201	Earth’s Climate System	NSc	3
ESS 212	Plate Tectonics and Materials of the Earth	NSc	5
ESS/ENVIR 315/313	Environmental Earth Science	NSc or SSc, DIV	5
GEOG 205	Our Global Environment: Physical and Human Dimensions	NSc	5
OCEAN 200	Introduction to Oceanography	NSc	3
OCEAN 450	Climatic Extremes	NSc	4

Economics/Business

Course	Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
CM 335	Sustainable Construction		3
ECON 200	Introduction to Microeconomics	SSn, RSN	5
ESRM 320	Marketing and Management from a Sustainability Perspective	NSc or SSc	5
ESRM 321	Finance and Accounting from a Sustainability Perspective	NSc or SSc	5
ESRM 403	Forest and Economic Development in the Developing World	NSc	4
ESRM 461	Forest Management and Economics	NSc or SSc	5
ESRM 465	Economics of Conservation	NSc or SSc	3
ESRM/ENVIR/ECON 235	Introduction to Environmental Economics	NSc or SSc	5
FISH/ECON 230	Economics of Fisheries and Oceans	NSc or SSc, RSN	5
JSIS B 352	Sustainability and Global Business: Leading in a Changing World	SSc	5

Environmental Justice

Course	Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
AES/ANTH 487	Cultures and Politics of Environmental Justice	SSc, DIV	5
AIS 380	Indigenous Food Sovereignty	SSc, DIV	5
AIS 385	Indigenous Ecology & Climate	SSc, DIV	5
ANTH/CHSTU 325/322	Indigenous Knowledge and Public Health in Mexican and Latinx Origin Communities	SSc, DIV	5
ANTH/AES/ENVIR 211	Environmental Justice	SSc, DIV	5
ENGL 265	Introduction to Environmental Humanities	A&H or SSc, DIV	5
ENVIR 315	Environmental Pedagogy	NSc or SSc, DIV	5
ENVIR 380	Wilderness in the Anthropocene	SSc or DIV	5
ENVIR 439	Attaining a Sustainable Society	NSc or SSc, DIV	5
ENVIR/ESRM 460	Power, Privilege, and Preservation	SSc, DIV	5
GEOG 272	Geographies of Environmental Justice	SSc, DIV	5
HSTAA/ENVIR 221	U.S. Environmental History: Ecology, Culture, Justice	SSc	5
PHIL/ENVIR 243	Environmental Ethics	A&H, SSc	5

Policy/Governance

Course	Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
AES/ANTH 487	Cultures and Politics of Environmental Justice	SSc, DIV	5
ARCTIC 200	Indigenous Diplomacies and International Relations in the Arctic	SSc	5
ARCTIC 400	Integrating Policy and Science in Arctic Studies	NSc or SSc	3
ENV H 473	Environmental Health Policy and Practice	SSc	4
ENVIR 430	Environmental Issues: Regional Perspectives	SSc	5
ENVIR/ESRM 460	Power, Privilege, and Preservation	SSc or DIV	5
ESRM 400	Natural Resource Conflict Management	NSc or SSc	3
ESRM 470	Natural Resource Policy and Planning	NSc or SSc	5
FISH 323	Conservation and Management of Aquatic Resources	NSc	5
G H/ENV H 418	Understanding and Managing the Health Risks of Climate Change	SSc	3
JSIS B 455	International Environmental Policy	SSc	5
JSIS B/SCAND 350, ENVIR 360	Environmental Norms in International Politics	SSc	5
POL S/ENVIR 384	Global Environmental Politics	SSc	5
PUBPOL 201	Introduction to Public Policy and Governance	SSc	5
SMEA/ENVIR 201	Climate Governance	NSc or SSc, DIV	5

Sustainability

Course	Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
ENV H 306	Health and Sustainability	NSc or SSc, DIV	3
ENVIR 239	Sustainability: Personal Choices, Broad Impacts	NSc or SSc	5
ENVIR 420	People, Planet, and Profit in Sustainable Cannabis Production	SSc	5
ENVIR 439	Attaining a Sustainable Society	NSc or SSc, DIV	5
ENVIR 480	Sustainability Consulting Practicum		5
ESRM/PSYCH/ENVIR 431	Ecopsychology	SSc	5
FISH/BIOL/ENVIR 478	Topics in Sustainable Fisheries	NSc or SSc	3
G H/ ENV H 220	Global Environmental Change and Public Health	SSc	3
GEOG 473	Geographies of Energy and Sustainability	SSc	5
JSIS B 352	Sustainability and Global Business: Leading in a Changing World	SSc	5
NUTR/ENVIR 312	Food System Sustainability and Resilience	NSc or SSc	3

Values & Cultures

Prefix (dept)	Course Title	Gen Ed Req	Credits
AIS 307	Indigenous Literature and the Environment	A&H, DIV	5
ANTH 210	Introduction to Environmental Anthropology	NSc or SSc	5
ANTH 458	Ethnobiology: Plants, Animals, and People	SSc	5
ENGL 265	Introduction to Environmental Humanities	A&H or SSc, DIV	5
ENGL 365	Literature and Discourse on the Environment	A&H and DIV	5
ENVIR 315	Environmental Pedagogy	NSc or SSc, DIV	5
ENVIR/SOC 379, ESRM 371	Environmental Sociology	NSc or SSc	5
ENVIR 400	Professional Environmental Communication	SSc	5
ENVIR 430	Environmental Issues: Regional Perspectives	SSc	5
HSTAA/ENVIR 221	US Environmental History: Ecology, Culture, Justice	SSc	5
HSTAS/JSIS A 440	Japanese History in Ecological Perspective	SSc	5
JSIS B 351	The Global Environment	SSc	5
JSIS B/ARCTIC 391	Climate Change: An international perspective: Science, Art, and Activism	A&H or SSc	5
PHIL/ENVIR 243	Environmental Ethics	A&H or SSc	5

Capstone Experience

The Capstone Experience is a three-quarter long series of courses: ENVIR 490, ENVIR 491, and ENVIR 492. Being eligible to start ENVIR 490, which is only offered in the Autumn and Spring, depends on well-timed progress in Core Courses. Note: ENVIR 492 also satisfies Writing General Education requirement!

ENVIR 490 – Environmental Studies Capstone: Preparation
ENVIR 491 – Environmental Studies Capstone: Internship and Research
ENVIR 492 – Environmental Studies Capstone: Synthesis and Communication (W)

It is recommended that students meet with an ENVIR academic advisor early in their academic experience to explore course planning options and discover customized pathways that support post-graduation goals!

Program on the Environment