Bachelor of Environmental Sciences at University of California, Berkeley

Bachelor of Science (BS)

The Environmental Sciences (ES) major is designed for students interested in studying environmental problems from a scientific perspective. The ES major prepares students to deal with issues arising from the impact of human interaction on natural systems. To address these problems, all ES students acquire strong backgrounds in math, biological sciences, and physical sciences. Students may choose to specialize further in a biological or physical science field such as ecology, conservation biology, toxicology, geology, hydrology, meteorology, engineering, or a social science field such as planning, policy analysis, economics, environmental justice, or education. Each ES student completes a year-long senior research project with the support of a mentor in a biological, physical, or interdisciplinary research area.

Graduates are well-prepared for careers in fields such as environmental consulting, education, health, or law as well as community, urban, or regional planning and other related areas of environmentalism in public agencies, non-profit conservation organizations, and private companies. Graduates are well-qualified for a variety of graduate programs, including environmental policy and management, law school, medical school (and other pre-health programs), and environmental engineering.

For more information, visit the Environmental Sciences webpage. 

Admission to the Major

Advice on admission for freshmen and transfer students can be found on the Rausser College of Natural Resources Admissions page or the Prospective Students page. Freshman students may apply directly to the major, or they may select the college's undeclared option and declare the major by the end of their fourth semester. Transfer students may apply directly to the major through the UC application and must meet the the minimum requirements outlined in the Transfer Admission Guidelines. 

Information for current Berkeley students who would like to declare the major after admission, including information on a change of major or change of college, please see chapter 6 of the Rausser College Undergraduate Student Handbook. 

Honors Program

Students with a GPA of 3.6 or higher may enroll in the Honors Program once they have reached upper division standing. To fulfill the program requirements, students design, conduct, and report on an individual research project working with a faculty sponsor. Qualified ES students enroll in ESPM H175A and ESPM H175L fall of their senior year, and ESPM H175B and ESPM H175L spring of their senior year. In this course series, students design, conduct, and report on an individual research project working with a faculty sponsor.

Minor Program

There is no minor program in environmental sciences.

Other Majors Offered by the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM)

Conservation and Resource Studies (Major and Minor)
Ecosystem Management and Forestry (Major, Forestry Minor)
Molecular Environmental Biology (Major only)
Society and Environment (Major only)

Visit Department Website

1. Develop a broad, interdisciplinary framework for approaching complex, interconnected environmental problems facing our world at multiple scales.
2. Develop strong analytic and quantitative skills needed to identify problems, develop a program to address the problem, execute a rigorous analysis of the issue, and reach independent conclusions.
3. Develop a rigorous scientific base across multiple disciplines (social, biological, and physical sciences) but with a strong concentration in one area so as to develop depth of expertise in that field.
4. Learn how to communicate findings effectively to the scientific community, government agencies, non-government environmental organizations, and the public.

Skills

1. Recognition of and knowledge about environmental problems and areas of research.
2. Comprehensive training in basic mathematics and the biological and physical sciences (calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics).
3. Introduction to the social science concepts and methods (environmental economics, a course in human environment interactions).
4. Training in sampling and experimental design, and quantitative methods of data analysis and interpretation (statistics, introduction to estimation and modeling techniques).
5. Development of critical thinking and evaluation skills.
6. Training in general research methods.
7. Training in written communication, especially scientific writing.
8. Training in oral and visual communication skills.
9. Additional training in specialized research methods in the student's area of concentration.