College of Science & Mathematics
Department of Biological Sciences
Minor in Environmental Science

Brief introduction and Summary of the Environmental Science Minor
Environmental Science education is critically important to UVI students and is supported by UVI’s strategic plan, “Pathways to Greatness.”  Currently, many of our courses include some environmental science component, but there is no formal acknowledgement that our students have expertise in this area.  The Environmental Science minor is an interdisciplinary minor, incorporating courses from a variety of UVI’s colleges and schools and making the minor accessible to students in most of the University’s degree programs.  Students in the minor take four core courses (Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, Introduction to Environmental Science, Topics in Environmental Science, and Introductory Statistics with Applications), plus two additional courses(one at the 300-level), from a pre-selected and evolving list, provided in the course catalogue.

At this time there are no concentrations or specializations in the Environmental Science minor.  Entry level courses can be completed on either campus, but the minor must be completed on St. Thomas campus.

  • Career Options & Pathways:
    • Students graduating with an Environmental Science minor will be prepared for a wide-range of career options, including jobs with:
      • Government (e.g., National Park Service, USVI Department of Natural Resources)
      • Environmental non-profit organizations (e.g., The Nature Conservancy, The Ocean Conservancy)
      • Private, for-profit entities (firms that conduct environmental impact studies)
      • Higher education degree programs (e.g., Masters and Ph.D. programs)
  • Other advising information:
    • ENV 3XX must be taken on the St. Thomas campus.


Required Courses:

REQUIRED PREREQUISITE(S) CREDITS
CJU/SSC/SCI 220 Introduction to Geographic information Systems --- 3
ENV 200 Introduction to Environmental Science & Policy SCI 100, MAT 024, ENG 101/RCA 021 3
ENV 365 Topics in Environmental Science ENV 200 4
MAT 235 Introductory Statistics with Applications MAT 140, 143 4
Two classes, chosen from the following, one of which must be at the 300 level:
ENG 300 Scientific Writing ENG 201 & one semester BIO, CHEM or PHY 3
COM 325  Web Publishing COM 230 4
SSC 327 & 328 Quantitative Research Methods MAT 140-235, SSC 327, SSC 328 4
MAT 332 Mathematical Statistics MAT 242 3
MAT 352 Mathematical Modeling MAT 261 3
MAT 361 Bioinformatics BIO 141-142, CSC 117-118, MAT 143-153, either (BIO 245 and BIO 223) or (8 credits of 200-level CSC) or (MAT 233 and MAT 261) 4
BIO/MBI 220 Marine Invertebrate Zoology BIO 142  5
BIO 224 Population Biology  BIO 223 4
BIO 349 Aquatic Plant Biology BIO 142 4
BIO 350 Terrestrial Plant Biology BIO 142 4
BIO 370 Evolution BIO 245 3
BIO/MBI 430 Coral Reef Biology  BIO 223 & one of BIO 220, MBI 222, BIO 349 4
BIO 495 Directed Independent Research 20 credits in some combination of BIO, MBI, CHE, PHY, CSC, & MAT 1-6
BIO 496 Internship/Field Studies 20 credits in some combination of biology courses 1-4
CHE 251 Quantitative Analysis CHE 152 4
CHE 252 Instrumental Analysis CHE 152 4
CHE 253 &/or 254 Organic Chemistry I-II  CHE 152  5, 5
CHE 348 Biochemistry CHE 254 5
MBI 222 Ichthyology  BIO 141-142 4
MBI 424  Marine Ecology BIO 223 & one of MBI 220, MSC 239, BIO 349 or MBI 222 4
MSC 239 Oceanography BIO 141-142 4
GOG 232 Geography of the Caribbean none 3
BIO 223 Ecology BIO 141 – 142 4
MSC 465 or 466 Selected Topics (must be approved) TBA with ea. topic  1-4
DSC 325 Statistics for Management Decisions MAT 232 & CIS 101 3
PHY 211/212 Intro to Physics I-II MAT 153 4,4
PHY 241 and/or PHY 242 General Physics I-II MAT 241-242 5,5
SCI 200 Changes in the Natural World SCI 100, ENG 120 3
SCI 210 Introduction to Meteorology SCI 100, ENG 120, MAT 140 or 143 4
SCI 301 App. of Principles from the Natural World MAT 140 or 143 3
Other Requirements:
  • Students must complete the 18-30 credits above with a grade C or higher.

For More Information Contact

Title Name
Dean Michelle Peterson, Ph.D.
Department Chair Donna Nemeth, Ph.D.
Administrative Assistant STX Julene Chapman
Administrative Specialist STT Marlene Parrot-Gokool