The Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental and Conservation Biology is designed for students interested in a career in the environmental sciences. This program provides an interdisciplinary education in biology and the supporting fields of geology, geography and chemistry. Environmental and conservation biologists work to sustainably manage or restore ecosystems, develop and implement environmental policies, or conduct research on how ecological processes affect biological diversity.
Environmental and Conservation Biology - B.S.
Contact Us
- Program Coordinator: Edgar Kooijman | ekooijma@kent.edu | 330-672-8568
- Speak with an Advisor
- Chat with an Admissions Counselor
Program Information
-
Program Description
Full Description
The Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental and Conservation Biology is designed for students interested in a career in the environmental sciences. This program provides an interdisciplinary education in biology and the supporting fields of geology, geography and chemistry. Environmental and conservation biologists work to sustainably manage or restore ecosystems, develop and implement environmental policies, or conduct research on how ecological processes affect biological diversity.
Potential careers for graduates include wildlife ecologists, environmental educators, forest managers, environmental consultants and personnel at public environmental regulatory or land use planning agencies. The Department of Biological Sciences has several mechanisms to help students prepare for their future careers.
The Environmental and Conservation Biology major comprises the following concentrations:
- The Conservation Biology concentration provides a strong background in applied ecology, restoration ecology and habitat management strategies used to sustain biological diversity.
- The Environmental Policy and Management concentration provides opportunities to learn about the development and implementation of habitat management methods and public policies that promote the sustainable use of natural resources and address environmental problems.
-
Admissions
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog.
Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.
-
Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental biological principles.
- Acquire fundamental skills necessary for laboratory and field investigations.
- Demonstrate an understanding of proper experimental design, analysis of biological data and communication of research results.
- Demonstrate a greater knowledge and appreciation of the role that biology plays in societal issues, such as those related to the environment, biodiversity, ethics, human health and disease.
-
Coursework
On This Page
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) BSCI 10110 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4 BSCI 10120 BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4 BSCI 30156 ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3 BSCI 30360 GENERAL ECOLOGY 4 BSCI 40163 EVOLUTION 3 BSCI 40600 WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 1 1 CHEM 10060 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4 CHEM 10061 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) 4 CHEM 10062 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 CHEM 10063 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 ESCI 11040 HOW THE EARTH WORKS (KBS) 3 ESCI 11041 HOW THE EARTH WORKS LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 ESCI 42035 DATA ANALYSIS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES 3 or GEOG 39002 STATISTICAL METHODS IN GEOGRAPHY GEOG 49070 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE 4 MATH 12002 ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) 5 Geography Electives, choose from the following: 6 GEOG 31062FUNDAMENTALS OF METEOROLOGY GEOG 31064CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT GEOG 41066GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE GEOG 41073CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES GEOG 41074RESOURCE GEOGRAPHY GEOG 41082GEOGRAPHY OF SOILS GEOG 49080ADVANCED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE GEOG 49230REMOTE SENSING Geography (GEOG) Upper-Division Courses (30000 or 40000 level) with biology advisor approvalEarth Science Electives, choose from the following: 6-8 ESCI 32066GEOMORPHOLOGY ESCI 41077GEOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL PARKS ESCI 43042ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY ESCI 43044ENVIRONMENTAL ISOTOPES ESCI 44074PALEOCEANOGRAPHY Earth Science (ESCI) Upper-Division Courses (30000 or 40000 level) with biology advisor approvalAdditional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) 8 Kent Core Composition 6 Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) 9 Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) 6 General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credits hour, including 39 upper-division credit hours) 7 Concentrations Choose from the following: 26 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 - 1
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
Conservation Biology Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) BSCI 40374 CONSERVATION BIOLOGY (ELR) 4 CHEM 20481 BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I 4 CHEM 20482 BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II 1-2 or CHEM 30475 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR) Concentration Electives, choose from the following: 1 16 ANTH 48835PRIMATE ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION BSCI 30105CAREER PATHWAYS IN BIOLOGY BSCI 40191SENIOR SEMINAR BSCI 40192INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (ELR) BSCI 40196INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION (ELR) BSCI 40199SENIOR HONORS THESIS (ELR) POL 10300PUBLIC POLICY POL 40440U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICIES Biological Sciences (BSCI) Upper-Division Courses (30000 or 40000 level) 2Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) General Elective 1 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 26 - 1
No more than 4 credit hours of electives may be S/U graded. Minimum 1 credit hour must come from a Biology (BSCI) course option.
- 2
Students cannot select Biological Sciences (BSCI) courses that will be used to meet the major or concentration requirements. Students should consult with their advisor to determine the most appropriate courses given their disciplinary interests and career aspirations.
Environmental Policy and Management Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) BSCI 40375 ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT 4 Economics, Policies, Resources Electives, choose from the following: 6 ECON 22060
& ECON 32084PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS (KSS)
and ECONOMICS OF THE ENVIRONMENTPOL 10300
& POL 40440PUBLIC POLICY
and U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICIESRPTM 26081
& RPTM 36082PRINCIPLES OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
and INTERPRETATION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCESRPTM 26081
& RPTM 36083PRINCIPLES OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
and ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND CONSERVATIONConcentration Electives, choose from the following: 1 16 BSCI 30105CAREER PATHWAYS IN BIOLOGY BSCI 40191SENIOR SEMINAR BSCI 40192INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (ELR) BSCI 40196INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION (ELR) BSCI 40199SENIOR HONORS THESIS (ELR) CHEM 20481BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I CHEM 20482BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II CHEM 30475ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR) Biological Sciences (BSCI) Upper-Division Courses (30000 or 40000 level) 2Minimum Total Credit Hours: 26 - 1
No more than 4 credit hours of electives may be S/U graded. Minimum 1 credit hour must come from a Biology (BSCI) course option.
- 2
Students cannot select Biological Sciences (BSCI) courses that will be used to meet the major or concentration requirements. Students should consult with their advisor to determine the most appropriate courses given their disciplinary interests and career aspirations.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Summary Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA 2.000 2.000 The following Biological Sciences (BSCI) courses may NOT be used in the elective category for majors or minors in the Department of Biological Sciences:
Course List Code Title Credit Hours BSCI 10001 HUMAN BIOLOGY (KBS) 3 BSCI 10002 LIFE ON PLANET EARTH (KBS) 3 BSCI 10003 LABORATORY EXPERIENCE IN BIOLOGY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 BSCI 10005 ANATOMY FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS 5 BSCI 11010 FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 3 BSCI 11020 FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (KBS) (KLAB) 3 BSCI 16001 HORTICULTURAL BOTANY 3 BSCI 20019 BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION 4 BSCI 20021 BASIC MICROBIOLOGY 3 BSCI 20022 BASIC MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY 1 BSCI 21010 ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 4 BSCI 21020 ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II 4 BSCI 26002 ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF PEST MANAGEMENT 3 BSCI 26003 PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION I 3 BSCI 26004 PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION II 3 BSCI 30050 HUMAN GENETICS 3 BSCI 40020 BIOLOGY OF AGING 3 Foreign Language College Requirement, B.S.
- Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 8 credit hours of foreign language.1
- The Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science is exempt from this requirement.2
- Minimum Elementary I and II of the same language
- 1
All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University; or (3) demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 8 credit hours and two courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.
- 2
The Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science exemption exists under another college policy (Three-Plus-One Programs).
-
Roadmap
Roadmaps
Conservation Biology Concentration
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Plan of Study Grid Semester One Credits ! BSCI 10110 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4 ! CHEM 10060 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4 ! CHEM 10062 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 16 Semester Two ! BSCI 10120 BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4 ! CHEM 10061 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) 4 ! CHEM 10063 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 Kent Core Requirement 3 General Elective 2 Credit Hours 14 Semester Three ! BSCI 30360 GENERAL ECOLOGY 4 CHEM 20481 BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I 4 CHEM 20482 or CHEM 30475BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)0-2 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Four ! BSCI 30156 ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3 CHEM 20482 or CHEM 30475BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)0-2 GEOG 49070 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE 4 ! MATH 12002 ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) 5 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Five BSCI 40374 CONSERVATION BIOLOGY (ELR) 4 ESCI 11040 HOW THE EARTH WORKS (KBS) 3 ESCI 11041 HOW THE EARTH WORKS LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 ESCI 42035 or GEOG 39002DATA ANALYSIS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES or STATISTICAL METHODS IN GEOGRAPHY3 Foreign Language 4 Credit Hours 15 Semester Six BSCI 40600 WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 1 Concentration Elective 3 Geography Elective 3 Foreign Language 4 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 14 Semester Seven ! BSCI 40163 EVOLUTION 3 Concentration Electives 4 Earth Science Elective 3-4 Geography Elective 3 General Elective 3 Credit Hours 16 Semester Eight Concentration Electives 9 Earth Science Elective 3-4 General Elective 3 Credit Hours 15 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 Environmental Policy and Management Concentration
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Plan of Study Grid Semester One Credits ! BSCI 10110 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4 ! CHEM 10060 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4 ! CHEM 10062 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 16 Semester Two ! BSCI 10120 BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4 ! CHEM 10061 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) 4 ! CHEM 10063 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Three ! BSCI 30360 GENERAL ECOLOGY 4 ! MATH 12002 ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) 5 Economics, Policies, Resources Elective 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Four ! BSCI 30156 ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3 BSCI 40375 ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT 4 GEOG 49070 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE 4 Economics, Policies, Resources Elective 3 General Elective 2 Credit Hours 16 Semester Five ESCI 11040 HOW THE EARTH WORKS (KBS) 3 ESCI 11041 HOW THE EARTH WORKS LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1 ESCI 42035 or GEOG 39002DATA ANALYSIS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES or STATISTICAL METHODS IN GEOGRAPHY3 Foreign Language 4 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 14 Semester Six BSCI 40600 WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 1 Concentration Electives 4 Geography Elective 3 Foreign Language 4 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Seven ! BSCI 40163 EVOLUTION 3 Concentration Electives 6 Earth Science Elective 3-4 Geography Elective 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Eight Concentration Electives 6 Earth Science Elective 3-4 General Electives 5 Credit Hours 14 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 -
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Delivery:
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries
-
Conservation scientists
5.1%
faster than the average
24,500
number of jobs
$64,020
potential earnings
-
Forest and conservation technicians
0.6%
little or no change
21,200
number of jobs
$38,940
potential earnings
-
Foresters
3.8%
about as fast as the average
11,600
number of jobs
$63,980
potential earnings
-
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
2.2%
slower than the average
2,100
number of jobs
$87,400
potential earnings
-
Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.