Admission Requirements
The program's admission and prerequisites are consistent with the University's criteria. High school students who plan to major in one of the specializations in environmental sciences should complete at least three years of college preparatory mathematics (two years of algebra and one year of geometry), and one year each of chemistry and biology before entering the University. A fourth year of college preparatory mathematics (to include trigonometry) is strongly recommended.
Admission into the environmental sciences undergraduate program requires an application to declare a major. At the time of declaration students must select one of the three specializations and select a potential minor. Students may apply after they have completed their freshman year (or > 29 units). To be accepted into the program students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater, or approval of the program's admissions committee.
Transfer students follow the same procedures of admission and must meet the same criteria. Students who wish to be admitted with prerequisite course credits transferred from elsewhere must submit the following: (1) application, (2) official transcripts, and (3) course descriptions or syllabi (to ensure articulation agreements). This applies to both major and general education courses. A student who plans to take one or more classes from another institution and apply that credit to a SlUE degree should obtain prior approval for the courses from his/her academic advisor, to ensure the course is acceptable for program credit.
All international applicants are required to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate English proficiency. The TOEFL or IELTS must be taken within two years before the term for which admission is sought. Score requirements are: TOEFL 79 or higher on the Internet Based Test; 550 or higher on the Paper Test; IELTS: overall band score of 6.5 or higher.
To declare for the undergraduate major in environmental sciences, students need to contact the Environmental Sciences Program Office to schedule an initial advising appointment. The Program Director/delegate will assist students with their paperwork.