Tackle emergencies and manage resources to avert disaster with an online environmental management degree.

Environmental issues like global warming, air quality, and water scarcity are central to the safety, health, and security of our nation and its citizens. In University of Maryland Global Campus's award-winning, hands-on Bachelor of Science in environmental management program, you'll learn to plan, implement, and control all facets of environmental management, using professional models and techniques.

These program requirements are for students who enroll in the 2019–2020 academic year. For prior year academic requirements, visit the catalog archive in the Current Students section.

This program is also available as a minor.

About the Environmental Management Bachelor's Degree

In your online environmental management courses, you'll learn how to mitigate environmental management issues, including air pollution, water pollution, solid waste, and hazardous waste. You'll also have the chance to use software tools and practice key technologies related to risk management, geographic information systems, and environmental economics.

The curriculum provides an interdisciplinary approach that includes air, land, and water environmental management; pollution control; policies; regulations; and environmental health and safety.

What You'll Learn

Through your coursework, you will learn how to

  • Use the risk assessment process (identify, analyze, eliminate, and control hazards and risk factors) to evaluate potential risks to human health, safety, and the environment in a variety of settings
  • Develop environmental management plans that comply with safety, health, and environmental regulations and policies; incorporate scientific principles; and manage risk to human health and the environment
  • Evaluate and use information and data obtained through field inspections, monitoring, and public and private data sources to assess risks to human health and the environment
  • Apply scientific knowledge and principles, quantitative methods, and technology to think critically and solve complex environmental management problems
  • Communicate orally and in writing on environmental issues, principles, and practices in a clear, well-organized manner that effectively informs or persuades interested parties
  • Identify and evaluate current and future air, water, land, and energy resource needs to make recommendations for sustainable solutions and practices

Coursework Examples

In past projects, students have had the opportunity to

  • Conduct risk assessments; collect, analyze, and interpret data; and characterize potential adverse effects of chemical, physical, and biological agents
  • Evaluate environmental and health hazards to formulate strategies for controlling hazards
  • Anticipate, recognize, and evaluate occupational hazards

Environmental Management Bachelor's Degree Requirements

Our curriculum is designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars. You'll learn theories combined with real-world applications and practical skills you can apply on the job right away.

Courses in the Major

This program requires 33 credits of coursework in the major.

  • ENMT 301
  • BIOL 301
  • ENMT 303
  • ENMT 307
  • ENMT 321
  • ENMT 322
  • ENMT 340
  • ENMT 495
  • Any upper-level ENMT courses (9 credits): Focused study in either toxicology and hazard control or sustainability is recommended; see Degree Focus tab

Related Required Courses

The following may be applied to general education or elective requirements:

  • CHEM 297
  • MATH 115
  • STAT 200

Degree Focus

Choose from one of these recommended groups of classes or mix and match to align with your career goals and interests.

Toxicology and Hazard Control Focus

  • ENMT 310
  • ENMT 380
  • ENMT 390

Sustainability Focus

  • ENMT 360
  • ENMT 365
  • ENMT 405

Electives

This program requires 46 credits of minor and/or elective coursework.

General Education Requirements

This program requires 41 credits of general education coursework.

Research and Computing Literacy

  • PACE 111S or other PACE 111 course
    (to be taken in first 6 credits)
  • LIBS 150, CAPL 398A, or other general education elective
  • IFSM 300 or another computing course appropriate to the major

Communication

  • WRTG 111 or other writing course
  • WRTG 112
  • SPCH 100 or other communication, writing, or speech course
  • WRTG 394 or other advanced upper-level writing course

Mathematics

  • MATH 115
    (related requirement for the major)  

Arts and Humanities

  • HIST 125 or other arts and humanities course
  • HUMN 100 or other arts and humanities course

Behavioral and Social Sciences

  • ECON 103 or other behavioral and social sciences course 
  • BEHS 103 or other behavioral and social sciences course 

Biological and Physical Sciences

  • One of the following pairs of lecture and laboratory courses in the same session:
    • BIOL 101 and BIOL 102
    • NSCI 100 and NSCI 101
    • Other paired science lecture and laboratory courses taken in the same session
  • CHEM 297
    (related requirement for the major)

Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may require you to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Consult an advisor whenever taking advantage of other options. Please also see more information on alternate courses (where allowable) to fulfill general education requirements.

Overall Bachelor's Degree Requirements

In addition to the general education requirements and the major, minor, and elective requirements, the overall requirements listed below apply to all bachelor's degrees.

  • You must complete a minimum of 120 credits.
  • You must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 overall and a minimum grade of C for any class applied to the academic major or minor.
  • Within the 120 credits required, the following coursework must be taken through UMGC:
    • 30 credits (normally the final 30)
    • Half of the required number of credits within both the major and the minor
    • 15 credits at the upper level (earned in classes numbered 300 to 499), preferably within the major or minor
  • At least 45 credits must be upper level and include at least half of the credits required for the major. The remaining upper-level credits can be earned in any part of the curriculum.
  • At least half the required number of credits for any academic major or minor must be earned through graded coursework. Credit earned by examination, portfolio assessment, or noncollegiate training does not count as graded coursework.

Double majors: You can earn a dual major upon completion of all requirements for both majors, including the required minimum number of credits for each major and all related requirements for both majors. The same class cannot be used to fulfill requirements for more than one major. Certain restrictions (including use of credit and acceptable combinations of majors) apply for double majors. You cannot major in two programs with excessive overlap of required coursework. Contact an admissions advisor before selecting a double major.

Second bachelor's degree: To earn a second bachelor's degree, you must complete at least 30 credits through UMGC after completing the first degree. The combined credit in both degrees must add up to at least 150 credits. You must complete all requirements for the major. All prerequisites apply. If any of these requirements were satisfied in the previous degree, the remainder necessary to complete the minimum 30 credits of new classes should be satisfied with classes related to your major. You may not earn a second bachelor's degree in general studies and may not obtain a second associate's degree within the second bachelor's degree. Contact an admissions advisor before pursuing a second bachelor's degree.

Electives: Electives can be taken in any academic discipline. No more than 21 credits can consist of vocational or technical credit. Pass/fail credit, up to a maximum of 18 credits, can be applied toward electives only.

Career Preparation

This program is designed to help prepare you to mitigate environmental management issues, including air pollution, water pollution, solid waste, and hazardous waste.

Student Clubs and Organizations

  • Environmental Management Club

    • Type: Student organization
    Available To: Undergraduate and Graduate

    The Environmental Management Club offers its members opportunities to communicate with professionals in environmental management through a variety of activities. Past activities include webinars with professionals and alumni in the field, field trips, assisting in local cleanups, newsletters, and a P3 grant competition.

Awards & Recognition

  • Best Buy | GetEducated.com | 2014


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