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Duluth Campus

Environmental Science Minor

D Earth & Environmental Sci
Swenson College of Science and Engineering
  • Program Type: Undergraduate minor related to major
  • Requirements for this program are current for Spring 2022
  • Required credits in this minor: 29 to 31
The environmental science minor enhances a student's understanding of the scope of environmental problems, the biochemical and physical processes of environmental degradation, the sciences of non-renewable and renewable resources, and economic and political issues surrounding environmental problems. The minor provides valuable background for many environmental careers and applications.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Minor Requirements
Introductory Earth Science (3 - 4 cr)
EES 1110 - Geology and Earth Systems [LE CAT, NAT SCI, SUSTAIN] (4.0 cr)
or EES 1610 - Oceanography [LE CAT, NAT SCI, SUSTAIN] (3.0 cr)
or GEOG 1414 - The Physical Geography [LE CAT, NAT SCI, SUSTAIN] (4.0 cr)
Chemistry I with lab (5 cr)
CHEM 1153 - General Chemistry I [LE CAT, NAT SCI] (4.0 cr)
CHEM 1154 - General Chemistry Lab I [LE CAT, NAT SCI] (1.0 cr)
Calculus I (5 cr)
MATH 1290 - Calculus for the Natural Sciences [LE CAT2, LOGIC & QR] (5.0 cr)
or MATH 1296 - Calculus I [LE CAT, LOGIC & QR] (5.0 cr)
Core Courses (10 - 11 cr)
Students majoring in Geological Sciences, cannot count GEOL 2110 towards minor.
ESCI 2010 {Inactive} (4.0 cr)
If majoring in Geological Sciences, cannot count GEOL 2110 towards minor.
Take 2 or more course(s) from the following:
· EES 2110 - Reconstructing Earth's Climate History (4.0 cr)
· EES 3201 - Environmental Resources and Remediation (3.0 cr)
· EES 3202 - Energy Resources (3.0 cr)
· EES 3203 - Environmental Hydrology (3.0 cr)
· EES 4102 - Environmental Assessment (3.0 cr)
Minor Electives (6 cr)
Take 2 or more course(s) totaling 6 or more credit(s) from the following:
· ESCI 3xxx
· ESCI 4xxx
· ESCI 5xxx
· GEOL 3xxx
· GEOL 4xxx
· GEOL 5xxx
 
More program views..
View college catalog(s):
· Swenson College of Science and Engineering

View future requirement(s):
· Fall 2022


View checkpoint chart:
· Environmental Science Minor
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EES 1110 - Geology and Earth Systems (LE CAT, NAT SCI, SUSTAIN)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: EES 1110 FST 1409
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Earth systems science is an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the processes operating within and the interactions between the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. In this course we investigate the changing nature of the Earth; its composition, architecture, and antiquity; the internal and external processes that shape it through time; cycles of energy and matter; the development of life and impact of human activity; and both local environmental issues and global change. For students using a 2012-2021 LEP catalog year, the GEOL subject is now EES. If you took GEOL 1610, EES 1110 will not fulfill the requirement of a different subject. Credit will not be granted if already received for GEOL 1110
EES 1610 - Oceanography (LE CAT, NAT SCI, SUSTAIN)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: EES 1610/FST 1512
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Origin and history of ocean basins, sea floor morphology, chemistry of sea water, currents, waves, tides, life in the sea, primary productivity, nutrient dynamics, human impact. For students using a 2012-2021 LEP catalog year, the GEOL subject is now EES. If you took GEOL 1110, EES 1610 will not fulfill the requirement of a different subject. Credit will not be granted if already received for GEOL 1610.
GEOG 1414 - The Physical Geography (LE CAT, NAT SCI, SUSTAIN)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer
The environment is highly dynamic and is continually modified by human and environmental processes. This course examines these processes to better understand how the Earth's landscapes were formed and how they are currently being transformed. Specifically, students will understand the fundamental processes that govern the physical environment including Earth-sun relations, water resources, landforms, weather and climate, natural vegetation, and soils.
CHEM 1153 - General Chemistry I (LE CAT, NAT SCI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: CHEM 1173/CHEM 1153/CHEM 1161
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Fundamental principles of chemistry exemplified by study of elements, compounds, and their reactions. Covers fundamental concepts of the atom, molecule, stoichiometry, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, gas laws, atomic structure, periodic table, chemical bonding, and other selected topics. The companion laboratory, CHEM 1154, should be taken concurrently. The combination of CHEM 1153 and CHEM 1154 meets the lab component of NAT SCI, LE CAT 4. prereq: One year high school chem, Math ACT 24 or higher or a grade of least C- in Math 1005, Credit will not be granted if already received for 1151 or 1161 or 1173. Fall semester, SCSE majors only.
CHEM 1154 - General Chemistry Lab I (LE CAT, NAT SCI)
Credits: 1.0 [max 1.0]
Course Equivalencies: CHEM 1174/CHEM 1154
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Basic laboratory skills while investigating the fundamental principles of chemistry. Covers fundamental concepts of the atom and molecule, stoichiometry, acid-base reactions, oxidation-reduction reactions, thermochemistry, characteristic properties of anions, gas laws and spectrophotometry. This laboratory accompanies lecture CHEM 1153. The combination of CHEM 1153 and CHEM 1154 meets liberal education category 4 requirements. prereq: Previous or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 1153 or 1173; credit will not be granted if already received for CHEM 1151, 1161 or 1174.
MATH 1290 - Calculus for the Natural Sciences (LE CAT2, LOGIC & QR)
Credits: 5.0 [max 5.0]
Course Equivalencies: Math1290/1296/1596
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Differential and integral calculus needed for modeling in earth and life sciences. Computational software. Not intended for students in mathematics, engineering, or physical sciences. prereq: Math ACT 27 or higher or a grade of at least C- in Math 1250 or department consent
MATH 1296 - Calculus I (LE CAT, LOGIC & QR)
Credits: 5.0 [max 5.0]
Course Equivalencies: Math1290/1296/1596
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
First part of a standard introduction to calculus of functions of a single variable. Limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals, and their applications. prereq: Math ACT 27 or higher or a grade of at least C- in Math 1250 or department consent
EES 2110 - Reconstructing Earth's Climate History
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: EES 2110/FST 2082
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
What is it that makes Earth habitable? What makes earth?s climate stable over geologic time? In this class, we will examine energy sources to earth?s surface and the processes that change them over geologic time. We will do this within a framework of mass balance ? comparing inputs to outputs at varying scales, investigating the evolution of climate, life and tectonics through time. Our goal is to identify, investigate, characterize, and assess the principal processes that shape earth?s surface environment from 4.54 billion years ago to present. To accomplish this aim, we will learn how geoscientists read Earth?s history, and what tools they use to do so. prereq: GEOL or EES 1110 or 1130 or 1610 or Ast 1040 or Geog 1414 or instructor consent; credit will not be granted if already received for GEOL 2110
EES 3201 - Environmental Resources and Remediation
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course ties together environmental science, geology, and environmental remediation technologies by examining consumption, extraction, processing, and disposal of environmental resources (mineral and non-mineral), environmental impacts from extraction to disposal, and environmental remediation technologies. Additional topics include the environmental footprint of resource mining, economic drivers, and the impact of technological and societal development. prereq: MATH 1290 or 1296 or instructor consent; credit will not be granted if already received for ESCI 3201
EES 3202 - Energy Resources
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Geologic principles of carbon-based energy resources, with emphasis on coal and conventional and unconventional (e.g. shale oil, oil-sands, ultra-heavy crude oil) petroleum and gas; fundamentals of nuclear energy; introduction to technologies associated with the extraction, production, refinement, consumption, and byproduct treatment/disposal of carbon-based and nuclear-energy resources; importance of carbon-based energy in global industrialization and associated population growth; limits of population growth imposed by energy requirements; principles and associated technologies of renewable energy and energy conversion, with focus on solar (direct and indirect), geothermal, tidal, and biofuel energy resources. prereq: MATH 1290 or 1296 or 1596 and PHYS 1001 or 2013 or 2017 or instructor consent; credit will not be granted if already received for ESCI 3202
EES 3203 - Environmental Hydrology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Water at the Earth?s surface is constantly exchanged between wetlands, streams, lakes and shallow groundwater reservoirs. Human activities alter drainage patterns and impact surface water, runoff, and infiltration. Drainage of wetlands and construction of impervious surfaces increases the rate of storm water runoff and can lead to increases in flood frequency. Agricultural activities introduce fertilizers and pesticides into the soil, which can then contaminate surface water and groundwater reservoirs. Surface water is intimately connected to ground water through complex hydraulic interactions that are difficult to observe and measure and therefore are often ignored in water management policy implementation. This course examines the natural processes of groundwater and surface water interaction; classification of lakes, streams, and wetlands; sources, measurement and interpretation of hydrologic and geochemical data; and, through numerous case studies, the impacts of human activities on surface water and groundwater. pre-req: pre-req: EES or GEOL 1110 or 1610 or GEOG 1414 and EES or GEOL 2010 or ESCI 2010 or instructor consent; credit will not be granted if already received for ESCI 3203
EES 4102 - Environmental Assessment
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Environmental issues identification and investigation. Review of case studies of environmental investigations and the components of environmental impact statements. Selection of local or regional environmental issues and evaluation of the environmental problems from a multidisciplinary perspective. Preparation of draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). prereq: instructor consent; no grad credit; credit will not be granted if already received for ESCI 4102