Environmental Science, Area of Concentration in Arts & Sciences (AS)
Award: Associate of Science Degree
No. of credits required: 60
For more information: Contact Professor Tami Imbierowicz, 443-412-2122, timbierowicz@harford.edu or Associate Professor Andy Adams, 443-412-2283, anadams@harford.edu (August 15 – June 15); and stem@harford.edu or Admissions, 443-412-2019, admissions@harford.edu (year-round).
Program Description
The Environmental Science program prepares students to pursue a bachelor's degree in environmental science or a related field. The program provides students with foundational scientific knowledge, problem solving skills, and field and laboratory experiences. Students conduct field work to gain knowledge and solve problems in living and non-living aspects of ecosystems, including populations and communities of organisms; water, soil, and air quality; and weather and climate. Environmental Science is a diverse and interdisciplinary field of study. The program prepares students to pursue careers in wildlife, plant, or soil biology; law and policy; mapping and land planning; development of technology; sustainability; or environmental education.
Program Goals
At the successful completion of the AS Environmental Science degree program, the student will be able to:
- Apply the interdisciplinary principles of environmental science.
- Complete experiments and/or projects using scientific processes.
- Demonstrate safe laboratory and field techniques.
- Evaluate ethical issues in the discipline.
- Evaluate scientific information effectively.
- Apply quantitative skills to make informed decisions about environmental issues.
- Communicate scientific ideas and arguments effectively.
Transfer Information
Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university should check the degree requirements of that institution. If they differ significantly from those listed, students should consult with an advisor for academic guidance.
Employment Information
Federal, State, and local governments employ over half of all environmental scientists and specialists. The strongest job growth is expected to be in private-sector consulting firms. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average growth rate for occupations in this field is 11% from 2014-2024.
Diversity Requirement
To satisfy the diversity requirement: Associate degree students must complete one 3-credit diversity course (D). It is recommended that students select one of the 3-credit (GB), (GAH), (GI) course electives from those that also appear on the approved list of diversity course graduation requirements.
Degree Requirements
Recommended Course Sequence
| First Semester | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ENV 111 | Introduction to Environmental Science (GS) | 3 |
| ENV 112 | Environmental Science Laboratory (GL) | 1 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GL) | 4 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition (GE) | 3 |
| Select from: | 4 | |
| Introduction to Statistics (GM) | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| BIO 120 | General Biology I (GL) | 4 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II A (GL) | 4 |
| MATH 109 or MATH 203 | Precalculus Mathematics (GM) 1 or Calculus I (GM) | 4 |
| GEOG 101 | Physical Geography (GB) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| BIO 121 | General Biology II (GL) | 4 |
| Select from the following | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Geospatial Technology | ||
| Select from the following: | 3 | |
| Microeconomics (GB) | ||
| Core Elective 1,2 | 5 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| Select from the following: | 4 | |
| Principles of Environmental Analysis I | ||
| Select from the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Ethics (GAH) | ||
Arts/Humanities Elective (GAH) | ||
| PHYS 101 | Introductory Physics I (GL) | 4 |
| Physical Education Elective | 1 | |
| Arts/Humanities Elective (GAH) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
- 1
Consult Program Director to ascertain which course(s) best suit individual needs.
- 2
Core electives are chosen based on the transfer institution degree program. The student is encouraged to consult the transfer institution and HCC advisors to select core electives.
Core Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 110 | Introduction to Plant Sciences (GL) | 4 |
| BIO 107 | General Zoology | 4 |
| BIO 205 | Microbiology (GL) | 4 |
| BIO 208 | Genetics | 4 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II A (GL) | 4 |
| CHEM 207 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 208 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| DSCI 102 | Introductory Statistics with Programming Applications (GM) | 4 |
| ECON 102 | Microeconomics (GB) | 3 |
| ENV 122 | Introduction to Soil Sciences | 3 |
| ENV 191 | Indep Study: Environ Science | 1 |
| ENV 193 | Independent Study: Environmental Sciences | 3 |
| ENV 220 | Principles of Environmental Analysis I | 4 |
| ES 105 | Earth Science (GS) | 3 |
| ES 106 | Earth Science Laboratory (GL) | 1 |
| GEOG 203 | Fundamentals of Geospatial Technology | 3 |
| GEOG 204 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| GEOG 210 | Remote Sensing and Global Positioning Systems | 3 |
| GS 182 | Introduction to Research Methods | 2 |
| HLTH 104 | Environmental Health (GI) | 3 |
| MATH 204 | Calculus II (GM) | 4 |
| MATH 216 | Introduction to Statistics (GM) | 4 |
| PHIL 222 | Environmental Ethics (GAH) | 3 |
| PHYS 102 | Introductory Physics II (GL) | 4 |
General Education Degree Requirements
Note: The following codes identify courses which satisfy the General Education Degree Requirements:
Behavioral/Social Science (GB)
English Composition (GE)
Arts/Humanities (GAH)
Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues (GI)
Biological/Physical Laboratory Science (GL)
Mathematics (GM)
Biological/Physical Science (GS)