Undergraduate Certificate in Environmental Science

The Environmental Science Certificate is awarded in conjunction with an academic major in any college. It allows students to explore environmental issues through a broadly-based interdisciplinary program that introduces them to the major environmental issues facing our rapidly-changing society. Students conduct in-depth analyses in areas of vital concern such as as environmental health, environmental ethics, management strategies for our global and local natural resources, environmental planning and policies, and environmental economics.

Students who already hold a baccalaureate degree may pursue the certificate in conjunction with a second bachelor's degree or as non-degree seeking students. All courses taken in the curriculum may be applied toward other general and specific graduation requirements, and courses taken to fulfill other requirements may be applied to the certificate curriculum. All courses must be successfully completed with a grade of C or better to be counted toward the certificate.

If you are interested in completing the ES Certificate you should notify your academic advisor to add the certificate to your academic plan. 

You should add the certificate as early as possible: if certificate requirements change, you will be able to choose whether you want to meet the requirements in effect at the time you added the certificate, or at the time the certificate is awarded. 

If you have questions about the Environmental Science Certificate, contact Dr. Petersen, ES Coordinator: mpeter45@fau.edu, 561-297-0671, Sanson Science Room 248.

Program Course Requirements

Students should consult the  University Catalog  to verify the most current certification requirements. 

The ES Certificate consists of 18 credits:

1. One course from each of the three Core Areas (9 credits total).
2. One course from three of the five Focal Areas (9 credits total): Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Human-Environment Interactions, and Geographic Information Systems. 

Core Areas

Human-Environment Interactions Core EVR 2017 Environment and Society 3 PCB 3352 Issues in Human Ecology 3   Statistics Core STA 2023 Introductory Statistics 3 STA 3173 Introduction to Biostastics 3 PSY 3234 Experimental Design and Statistical Inference 3 GEO 4022 Quantatative Methods 3 Environmental Science Core EVS 4021 Critical Thinking in Environmental Science 3 Focal Areas Biology Focus BOT 3223 Vascular Plants 2 BOT 3223L Vascular Plants Lab 2 BOT 4404 Marine Botany 2 BOT 4404L Marine Botany Lab 2 BSC 1010 Biological Principles 3 BSC 1010L Biological Principles Lab 1 BSC 1011 Biodiversity 3 BSC 1011L Bioversity Lab 1 MCB 3020 General Microbiology 3 MCB 3020L General Microbiology Lab 1 OCB 4032 Marine Biodiversity 3 OCB 4032 Marine Biodiversity Lab 1 OCB 4043 Marine Biology Field Studies & Lab 2 OCB 4525 Marine Microbiology and Molecular Biology 3 OCB 4525L Marine Microbiology and Molecular Biology Lab 1 OCB 4633 Marine Ecology 3 OCB 4633L Marine Ecology Lab 1 OCE 4006 Marine Science 4 PCB 3063 Genetics 4 PCB 4043 Principles of Ecology 3 PCB 4414C Behavioral Ecology 4 PCB 4674 Evolution 3 PCB 4723 Comparative Animal Physiology 3 PCB 4723L Comparative Animal Physiology Lab 1 ZOO 2203 Invertebrate Zoology 3 ZOO 2203L Invertebrate Zoology Lab 2 ZOO 4402 Functional Biology of Marine Animals 3 ZOO 4402L Functional Biology of Marine Animals Lab 2   Chemistry Focus BCH 3033 Biochemistry 1 3 BCH 3034 Biochemistry 2 3 CHM 1020C Contemporary Chemical Issues 3 CHM 2045 General Chemistry 1 3 CHM 2045L General Chemistry 1 Lab 1 CHM 2046 General Chemistry 2 5 CHM 2046L General Chemistry 2 Lab 1 CHM 2083 Chemistry in Modern Life 3 CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry 1 3 CHM 2211 Organic Chemistry 2 3 CHM 3080 Environmental Chemistry 3   Earth Science Focus ESC 2070 The Blue Planet 3 ESC 3704 Environmental Issues in Atmospheric and Earth Science 3 GEO 2200C Introduction to Physical Geography 3 GEO 4300 Biogeography 3 GLY 2010 Physical Geology/Evolution of the Earth 3 GLY 2010L Physical Geology/Evolution of the Earth 1 GLY 2100 The History of the Earth and Life 3 GLY 3155C Geology of Florida 3 GLY 3164 Fire, Ice and Wind: The Geologic Formation of National Parks and Monuments 3 GLY 3165 Water, Waves and Caves: The Geologic Formation of National Parks and Monuments 3 GLY 3603C Paleontology 3 GLY 3730 Coastal and Marine Science 3 GLY 4200C Minerology and Crystal Chemistry 3 GLY 4241 Environmental Geochemistry 3 GLY 4310C Petrology of Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks 4 GLY 4400 Structural Geology 3 GLY 4400L Structural Geology Lab 3 GLY 4451 Solid Earth Geophysics 3 GLY 4500C Stratigraphy and Sedimentation 4 GLY 4700C Geomorphology 3 GLY 4750C Field Methods 3 GLY 4822 Hydrogeology 3 GLY 4830 Engineering Geology 3 GLY 4832C Introduction to Hydrogeology Modeling and Aquifer Testing 3 GLY 4948C Field Experience 1 MET 2010 Weather, Climate and Climate Change 3   Human-Environmental Interactions Focus AMH 3630 American Environmental History 3 ANT 3403 Culture and Ecology 3 ANT 4463 Environment and Disease 3 ANT 4419 Anthropology of Nature 3 ANT 4552 Primate Behavior 3 ECO 3003 Economic Principles and Policies 5 ECP 4302 Environmental Economics 3 GEA 4275 Human-Environment Interactions in South Florida 3 GEO 4280C Water Resources 3 GEO 4422 American Cultural Landscape 3 GEO 4542 Tourism and Commercial Recreation 3 GEO 4602 Urban Geography 3 GEO 4948C Field Experience 1 INR 4350 Global Environmental Politics and Policies 3 LIT 4434 Literature and the Environment 3 PHI 3640 Environmental Ethics 3 SCE 3442 Principles and Methods of Environmental Education 3 SYD 4510 Environmental Sociology 3 SYD 4513 Justice, Health and the Environment 3 WST 2351 Gender and Climate Change 3 URP 3000 Planning and Growth Management 3 URP 4403 Sustainable Cities 3 URP 4420 Enviromental Planning Methods 3   Geographic Information Science Focus GIS 3015C Introduction to Mapping and GIS 3 GIS 4035C Remote Sensing of the Environment 3 GIS 4037C Digital Image Analysis 3 GIS 4043C Principles of Geographic Information Systems 3 GIS 4138C Geovisualization and GIS 3