The forensic science track will turn students into sleuths who look at a mysterious environmental situation and work on the issue of who or what did it.
This forensic science track will allow students to earn a BS in Environmental Science with a focus on coursework that will prepare them for careers with environmental forensics components, such as determining or confirming environmental liability in working for government agencies, consulting firms or industry. These students will be the sleuths to look at a mysterious environmental situation and work on the issue of who or what did it.
The goal of this emphasis is to allow students to develop strong analytical skills and an understanding of the legal framework for this type of science. For example, students will take a microscopy course that will allow them to test trace evidence without destroying it. These skills are integral when cases are consistently retried and evidence retested with new methods; traditionally, environmental science classes do not focus on maintaining the integrity of the sample after analysis. A course focused on toxicology provides instruction related to environmental law and regulation, as well as determination of sources and effects of toxic chemicals in the environment.
The ES Forensic Science program will attract students interested in essentially any and all environmental science professions and career tracks, and not just those who plan to work specifically as environmental forensic technicians or scientists. For example, many environmental scientists perform Phase I and Phase II investigations of sites for a variety of reasons, from due diligence for land or facility purchases to determining whether closed or operating sites have environmental challenges that may require remediation. The skills and knowledge learned in the concentration are most helpful in those types of investigations, and students are expected to be competitive for a wide variety of positions working for environmental labs, regulatory agencies, industry, consulting firms, law firms and non-governmental organizations.
The B.S. in Environmental Science, Forensic Science Concentration is a program in the Department of Physical Sciences at Lander University. Click here to learn more about the department.
The Department of Physical Sciences is housed in Lander University’s College of Science and Mathematics. For more information on the college, click here.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Note: The information below provides convenient links to some of the courses required for this degree; however, it should not be used as a course registration guide. Please refer to the official Lander University Academic Catalog for the most accurate and up-to-date program requirements.
| GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS1 | CREDIT HOURS |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Core Skills |
|
||
| ENGL 101 | Writing and Inquiry I | 3 | |
| ENGL 102 | Writing and Inquiry II | 3 | |
| MATH 123 | Calculus and its Applications OR MATH 121 Mathematical Applications |
3 | |
|
B. Humanities and Fine Arts |
6 | ||
| C. Behavioral and Social Perspectives (6 hours selected from 2 different disciplines) |
6 | ||
| D. Scientific and Mathematical Reasoning | |||
| MATH 211 | Statistical Methods I | 3 | |
| PHYS 201 | Introductory Physics I | 4 | |
| E. Founding Documents of the United States | |||
| HIST 111R2 | United States History to 1877 OR HIST 112R2 United States History since 1877 OR POLS 101R2 American National Government |
3 | |
| F. World Cultures | |||
| CHEM 381 | Cultural Perspectives of Pollution | 3 | |
| G. LINK 101 | 1 | ||
| Total General Education Requirements | 35 | ||
1 For approved courses see the General Education section
2 If you already have credit for HIST 111, do not take HIST 111R; if you already have credit for HIST 112, do not take HIST 112R; if you already have credit for POLS 101, do not take POLS 101R
| MAJOR PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS | CREDIT HOURS |
|
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 111 | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| BIOL 306 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 415 | Limnology | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 331 | Chemical Instrumentation | 5 |
| CHEM 420 | Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
| ES 111 | Environmental Sustainability OR ES 265 Field Methods |
3 |
| ES 301 | Introduction to Environmental Science 1 OR ES 355 Geographic Information Systems |
4 |
| ES 302 | Introduction to Environmental Science 2 OR ES 445 Environmental Data Science |
4 |
| PSCI 112 | Earth and Space Science | 4 |
| PSCI 499 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| MAJOR PROGRAM ELECTIVES | CREDIT HOURS |
|
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 101 | Introduction to Criminalistics | 3 |
| CHEM 260 | Microscopical Methods | 3 |
| CHEM 360 | Toxicology | 3 |
Choose 3: BIOL 112: Foundations in Cellular and Molecular Biology BIOL 213: Botany BIOL 214: Zoology BIOL 303: Evolution BIOL 403: Molecular Genetics BIOL 409: Undergraduate Research or CHEM 409: Undergraduate Research BIOL 421: General Microbiology CHEM 222: Organic Chemistry II CHEM 301: Biochemistry CHEM 330: Analytical Chemistry CHEM 341: Inorganic Chemistry CHEM 401: Physical Chemistry I CRIM 101: Introduction to Criminology POLS 308: Law, Politics, and Society POLS 313: Judicial Process POLS 379: Emergency Management PUBH 415: Epidemiology and Biostatistics SOCI 363: Environmental Sociology |
9-12 |
|
| Total Major Program Requirements | 66-70 | |
| Additional Electives | 15-19 | |
| TOTAL FOR B.S. DEGREE | 120 | |