Department of Environmental Sciences

For information regarding the GRADUATE PROGRAM, click here.  

The Department of Environmental Sciences is a multidisciplinary research and academic unit whose mission is to provide the academic talents and knowledge needed to solve environmental problems that are important to Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico region, and comparable areas throughout the nation and the world.

The department is committed to undergraduate and graduate education and offers a variety of courses relating to the environment. Faculty from other academic units participate in teaching some of the department’s courses. Likewise, departmental faculty serve as adjunct faculty in several departments that offer bachelor, master, and doctoral programs.

At the graduate level, the Department offers the MS and PhD in environmental sciences and a PhD minor in environmental sciences. In order to provide students with a holistic training to meet today’s environmental challenges, the graduate curriculum is organized according to three priority areas: (a) Biophysical Systems (coupled biological and physical systems); (b) Environmental Planning and Management (coupled human and natural systems); and (c) Environmental Assessment and Analysis (coupled people and technology). The MS program consists of thesis and professional options.

In addition, the department jointly offers, with the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, a minor in wetlands science and management at the graduate level. Collaborative graduate programs with Southern University and LSU-Shreveport are also available.

Research activities within the department include environmental assessment and resource sustainability, environmental microbial ecology, molecular phylogenetics, water pollution and water quality, phytoplankton ecology, bioremediation, environmental management, environmental toxicology, genetic toxicology, environmental regulations, policy development, hazardous waste management, development of mobile analytical instrumentation, the environmental impact of toxic chemicals, remote sensing, geographic information science, environmental health, and environmental decision-making.

For additional information, see the section “The Graduate School ” in this catalog and the Department of Environmental Sciences website.

An undergraduate major in coastal environmental science (a Bachelor of Science degree) is offered through the department. The degree is jointly hosted with the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences.

Programs

• Coastal Environmental Science, B.S. CES.

• Environmental Sciences Minor
• Environmental Toxicology Minor