The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Systems Science provides students with a strong foundation in the natural sciences and their application to today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Through course work in biology, chemistry and geoscience, together with electives in the social sciences, students gain the scientific knowledge and analytical skills needed to understand complex environmental systems. Emphasizing fieldwork, laboratory research, data analysis and problem-solving, the program prepares graduates for careers in environmental consulting, conservation, sustainability, natural resource management and environmental regulation, as well as for advanced study in graduate or professional programs.

This degree program is run primarily by the Department of Earth Sciences and the Program in Environmental Studies, with opportunities to participate in both communities. Courses are drawn from across the natural sciences at USC. If you are interested in this degree and would like more information, contact the Faculty Lead, Prof. Josh West (joshwest@usc.edu). For advising questions or support, please visit USC Dornsife Advising.

Bachelor of Science Environmental Systems Science

USC Catalogue Requirements

  • Gateway Experience:

    GEOL 160Lg Introduction to Geosystems

    Capstone Experience:

    GEOL 450L Geosystems

  • BISC 103Lgx General Biology for the Environment and Life

    CHEM 103Lgx General Chemistry for the Environment and Life

    ENST 320a Water and Soil Sustainability; Energy and Air Sustainability

    ENST 320b Water and Soil Sustainability; Energy and Air Sustainability

    GEOL 415 Fundamentals of Environmental Data Science

    MATH 125g Calculus I

    MATH 126g Calculus II

  • Choose three:

    BISC 457L Methods in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography

    CHEM 300L Analytical Chemistry

    GEOL 315L Minerals and Earth Systems

    GEOL 320L Surficial Processes and Stratigraphic Systems

    GEOL 351L Climate Systems

    GEOL 425L Data Analysis in the Earth and Environmental Sciences

    GEOL 470L Environmental Hydrogeology

    SSCI 301L Maps and Spatial Reasoning

    SSCI 402 GIS and Sustainable Development

  • Choose at least three, for a total of 12 or more units:

    BISC 315L Introduction to Ecology

    BISC 473L Biological Oceanography

    BISC 474L Ecosystem Function and Earth Systems

    BISC 483 Geobiology and Astrobiology

    CE 363L Environmental Chemistry and Analysis

    CE 410L Environmental Engineering Microbiology

    ENE 440 Machine Learning for Climate Change and Sustainability

    ENST 310 Sustainable Fisheries Management

    ENST 335 Science, Health and the Environment

    ENST 413 Sustainable Aquaculture and Food Security

    ENST 445 Earth Climate: Past, Present, and Future

    ENST 483L Coastal Zone Sustainability

    GEOL 412 Oceans, Climate, and the Environment

    GEOL 433L Paleontology and Evolution in Deep Time

    GEOL 460L Geochemistry

    GEOL 465L Field Geology

    Up to 4 units of 490 environmental research credit in a science discipline: 

    BISC 490x Directed Research

    CHEM 490x Directed Research

    GEOL 490x Directed Research

    PHYS 490x Directed Research

  • Choose two of the following:

    ANTH 202g Archaeology: Our Human Past

    ANTH 302 Humans and Ancient Environments

    COMM 475 Environmental Communication

    ENST 344 Environmental Ethics

    ENST 360 Public Policy for Sustainability

    ENST 370 Marine and Coastal Environmental Policy

    ENST 387 Economics for Natural Resources and the Environment

    HP 408 Environmental Health in the Community

    HP 448 Global Environmental Changes and Health

    IR 323 Politics of Global Environment

    MOR 466 Business and Environmental Sustainability

    POSC 347 Environmental Law

    POSC 436 Environmental Politics

    PPD 348 Sustainable Infrastructure

    PPD 361 Sustainable Communities, Policy and Planning

    PPD 420 Environmental Impact Assessment