McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
School of Earth, Ocean & Environment
Bulletin Year: 2026-2027

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Semester One (16-17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 101	Critical Reading and Composition (CC-CMW)	3	C
		Carolina Core ARP Requirement3 (CC-ARP)	3-4
		Carolina Core SCI Requirement4 (CC-SCI)	4
		Foreign Language5 or other Carolina Core Requirement3 (CC-GFL)	3
		UNIV 101 The Student in the University or Carolina Core Requirement3 (PR/CC)	3

Semester Two (16-17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 102	Rhetoric and Composition (CC-CMW, CC-INF)	3	C		C or better in ENGL 101
		Carolina Core ARP Requirement3 (CC-ARP)	3-4
		Carolina Core SCI Requirement4 (CC-SCI)	4
		Carolina Core Requirement3 (CC)	3
		Foreign Language5 or other Carolina Core Requirement3 (CC-GFL)	3

Semester Three (17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	ENVR 201	Environmental Science & Policy I (fall only) (MR, CC-INT)	4	C
		Additional Science Course4 (PR)	4
		Carolina Core Requirement3 (CC)	3
		History6 (CR)	3
		Foreign Language5 or other Carolina Core Requirement3 (CR/CC-GFL)	3

Semester Four (16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	ENVR 202	Environmental Science and Policy II (spring only) (MR, CC-INT)	4	C
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	3	C
		Humanities or Fine Arts (CR)	3
		Social Science (CR)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement3 or Elective8 (CC/PR)	3

Semester Five (13 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	3	C
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	4	C
		Humanities or Fine Arts (CR)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement3 or Elective8 (CC/PR)	3

Semester Six (15-17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	3-4	C
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	3-4	C
		Humanities or Fine Arts (CR)	3
		Elective8(PR)	3
		Elective8(PR)	3

Semester Seven (14-17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	2-4	C
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	3-4	C
		Elective8(PR)	3
		Elective8(PR)	3
		Elective8(PR)	3

Semester Eight (13-15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	3-4	C
		Environmental Studies Major Course7 (MR)	3-4	C
		Elective8(PR)	3
		Elective8(PR)	3
		Elective8(PR)	1

Graduation Requirements Summary

Minimum Total Hours	Minimum Major Requirements Hours	College & Program Requirements Hours	Carolina Core Hours	Minimum Institutional GPA
120	35	40-52	32-44	2.000

1. Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.000 cumulative GPA.
2. Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses. Courses indicated in this column are included in the major GPA for this program of study.
3. The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students.
4. Required Science courses (12 hours): 8 hours must be Carolina Core approved*. Choose from the following: BIOL 101/101L (or MSCI 102), 102/102L (or MSCI 311); CHEM 111/111L; ENVR 101/101L; GEOG 201; GEOL 101, 103; MSCI 101, 210/210L; PHYS 201/201L (or PHYS 211/211L).
5. Students in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit or the corresponding foreign language placement score.
6. The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S. History course, both of which must be chosen from the approved Carolina Core GHS courses. Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled through this college requirement.
7. Environmental Studies Major Courses: students must take the required courses from each category below, as well as 12 hours of major electives (see course options in the Bulletin). Students, in consultation with their advisor, will develop a program of study to meet their educational goals in environmental studies courses. For the 12 hours of major electives, at least 6 credit hours must be at the 400-level or above and at least 6 credit hours must have an ENVR designator above ENVR 230. The list of courses from which a student may select their additional major courses, in consultation with their advisor, is located in the Bulletin. 
   1. Environmental and Society (6 hours), select 2: ENVR/ENHS 321, ENVR/PHIL 322, ENVR 331, ENVR/ANTH 342, ENVR 348, ENVR/GEOG 538, HIST 360, 448, POLI 478, MSCI 390, ENGL 434, GEOG 321, 343, 347, 560, ANTH 525
   2. Laboratory Science (4 hours), select 1: BIOL 301/301L*, GEOL/MSCI 335, GEOL 315*, GEOG 202
   3. Skills (3-4 hours), select 1: ENVR 460, GEOG 263, 551, JOUR 507, MART 371*, POLI 475, SCHC 486, SOCY 391
   4. Culminating Experience (2-4 hours): ENVR 480, ENVR 460/MSCI 460, ENVR/GEOL/MSCI 495, or any 500+ level class from the major electives options).
   5. *See Bulletin for listed prerequisites. 
8. No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences.

Program Notes

• Courses identified as “critical” must be completed in the student’s first 60 semester hours of work in order for these courses to be credited toward graduation.
• All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin. 
• Environmental Studies majors may enroll in a major course a maximum of twice to earn the required grade of C or higher. For the purposes of progression, withdrawal with a W does not constitute enrollment.
• The last 30 credit hours toward your degree must be earned in residence at the University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Code Definitions

University Requirements: Bachelor’s degree-seeking students must meet Carolina Core (general education) requirements.

Code	Definition
CC	Carolina Core
CC-AIU	Carolina Core – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding
CC-ARP	Carolina Core – Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving
CC-CMS	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component
CC-CMW	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written Component
CC-GFL	Carolina Core – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language
CC-GHS	Carolina Core – Historical Thinking
CC-GSS	Carolina Core – Social Sciences
CC-INF	Carolina Core – Information Literacy
CC-INT	Carolina Core – Integrative Course
CC-SCI	Carolina Core – Scientific Literacy
CC-VSR	Carolina Core – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
CR	College Requirement
MR	Major Requirement
PR	Program Requirement