COURSE CURRICULUM

The Environmental Science curriculum at The University of Akron is structured to provide students with a comprehensive foundation in the natural sciences while integrating general education and elective courses to develop well-rounded professionals. In the first year, students begin with GEOL 101 Introductory Physical Geology, MATH 149 Precalculus Mathematics, writing, and beginning language courses in the fall, followed by GEOL 102 Introductory Historical Geology, CHEM 151 Principles of Chemistry I and its laboratory, Writing II, and second language courses in the spring, totaling 30 credit hours. The second year emphasizes core scientific knowledge with GEOL 230 Mineral Science, BIOL 111 Principles of Biology I, intermediate language, and speech in the fall, and an upper-level geology elective, BIOL 112 Principles of Biology II, arts, and domestic diversity courses in the spring. In the third year, students study GEOL 310 Geomorphology, additional upper-level geology electives, BIOL 217 General Ecology, and statistics alongside arts and humanities in the fall, followed by service learning in environmental science, further geology electives, and PHYS 261 College Physics I in the spring, with a summer field/lab course in GEOL 451. The fourth year focuses on GEOL 470 Geochemistry, upper-level geology electives, global diversity, social sciences, and complex issues in the fall, concluding with additional upper-level geology electives, social sciences, and humanities in the spring, completing a total of 121 credit hours and preparing students for careers in environmental science or further study.