Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies

Catalog Year 2024-2026

Based on VCCS Curriculum for ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Transfer Guidance

Guaranteed Admission Agreement Requirements

• Earn a transfer associate degree.

• Earn a minimum GPA of 2.5 for your associate degree.

• Earn grades of “C” or higher in all community college courses. VCU will accept credit for repeated courses for “D” or “F” grades.

Important Links & Dates

• University Transfer Center: https://transfer.vcu.edu/.

• Register Intent to Transfer: By end of first semester at community college through the www.TransferVirginia.org portal.

• Admission Application: By March 15 for fall admission and November 1 for spring at https://www.vcu.edu/admissions/apply/.

• Financial Aid: https://semss.vcu.edu/our-services/financial-resources-and-guidance/.

• FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid: March 1 for fall semester at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

What Should I Consider When Selecting Courses?

• Complete your English courses and start your math sequence in your first year.

• Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered. For help, see Transfer Steps and Resource Center at www.TransferVirginia.org.

• Connect with an advisor at your community college and the VCU Transfer Center within your first semester through your account at www.TransferVirginia.org.

Is This Degree Right For Me?

• The VCU undergraduate Environmental Studies program is interdisciplinary in nature and combines traditional lecture and hands-on experiential approaches to expose students to the key concepts in and critical links between environmental life sciences, earth sciences, technology. The program offers considerable flexibility and students are able to individually tailor their course of study by completing multiple electives focused on topics of interest. Areas of emphasis could include, for example, environmental technology, environmental policy, geospatial and quantitative analysis, outdoor leadership, and river studies. Students are strongly encouraged to gain internship experience, actively participate in undergraduate research, and participate in our domestic and/or international field courses as undergraduates in our program.

What Is The Impact On My Degree Of Work I Have Already Completed?

• Associate Transfer Degree Completion: The completion of a transfer associate degree results in all lower-division general education requirements being met when you transfer to VCU.

• Dual Enrollment – Completion of Associate Degree in HS: The completion of an associate degree concurrent with high school results in 60 credits of coursework applied towards your degree and VCU’s general education courses will be satisfied. High school students must apply to VCU as freshman applicants for orientation and engagement purposes.

• Credit for Prior Learning: VCU accepts AP, IB, Cambridge, CLEP, DANTES, and military credits.

• Catalog Year: VCU will honor the degree requirements of the VCU Undergraduate Bulletin in effect at the time of the student’s first post-high school enrollment into an appropriate associate degree at the two-year institution. Students must stay enrolled at their community college and take no more than four years to complete their associate degree. Students must also enroll at VCU within one year of completing their associate degree.

Is This College Right For Me?

• Located in downtown Richmond, within two hours of the beach, the mountains and Washington DC, VCU provides top-ranked academic programs, research opportunities and an urban setting so students can live and learn in the real world.

• VCU is a large, public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of students and the Richmond community.

• Diversity, inclusion and equity are deeply ingrained core values at VCU. If you are looking to connect with a broad range of people, come join us!

• Learn more about our college at www.TransferVirginia.org.

Did You Know That…

• Completing your associate transfer degree satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the likelihood you will complete your bachelor’s degree?

• Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college could exhaust your financial aid there and reduce your future financial aid at VCU?

What Can I Do With This Degree?

• Explore possible careers, salaries, and job outlook at www.TransferVirginia.org

Program Successes & Highlights

• The B.S. in Environmental Studies is designed to give you real-world experiences. The degree program provides hands-on opportunities, mentorship, and learning that integrates policy, technology, and quantitative skills within real-world scenarios produces the most competent and competitive graduates. Experiences that Environmental Studies has offered include: an expedition on Idaho’s Lower Salmon River, traveling to South Africa, and studying bird migration from Virginia to Panama.

What Are My Chances For Getting Accepted?

• If you apply through general application instead of through the Guaranteed Admission Agreement, you will be considered for admission with all other transfer applicants.

• Learn more about applying at www.TransferVirginia.org.

Do More With Your Degree!

• Environmental Studies majors may specialize in environmental policy, geospatial and data analytics, applied field work, or earth sciences. All undergraduates will participate in hands-on field work as part of their program. The accelerated B.S. and M.Envs. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Environmental Studies and the Master of Environmental Studies in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program.

Other Than Classes, Are There Other Program Requirements?

• All students must complete at least one VCU “REAL” experiential learning activity in order to graduate from VCU. Examples of REAL activities include: internships, research, and service learning. This requirement may be satisfied by completing a 300-level (or higher) REAL course or through an approved REAL co-curricular experience.

• Learn more at https://real.vcu.edu/.