Associate in Science

Environmental Science (2166)

The Environmental Science program is designed to provide and to enrich the student's basic skills, knowledge and abilities in the fields of environmental compliance and technology, and to enable the student to gain entry-level employment in the field. This program focuses on federal regulations for environmental protection, worker health and safety, homeland defense, and the transportation of hazardous materials. Credit can be obtained through completion of the required degree courses and/or evaluation of government/military/industry training.

This program will instruct students in the analysis, handling, storage, transportation, and dispensing of hazardous materials in accordance with appropriate federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing proper chemical management. The program will cover industry standards such as those included in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29CFR1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Standard, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.

Graduates of this program should be able to research applicable local, state, and federal regulations and implement methods and strategies to ensure compliance; to maintain records as required by OSHA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the DOT; to develop and implement hazardous materials handling procedures; to plan for emergency response to hazardous materials incidents; and to protect employees/workers/communities from hazardous material exposures. There are specialized A.A.S. degree programs available in environmental science as well.

Expected Job Growth: Average estimated growth rate is 22.34%

Average salary: $34,777 per year

Certification and Licensing
Students can qualify to receive a 40-hour HAZWOPER certification.

Curriculum:

General Education Courses
ENC 1101 English Composition I (3)
ENC 1102 English Composition II: Writing About Non-Fiction Prose (3)
MAC 1105 College Algebra - or equivalent (3)
SYG 2000 Introductory Sociology (3)
HUM 2211 Humanities: The Foundations (3)

Credit hours: 15

Professional Courses
MAC 1114 College Trigonometry (3)
CHM 1025C Introduction to General Chemistry (4)
EVR 1030 Environmental Compliance (3)
EVR 1190 Environmental Sampling Procedures (3)
EVR 1640 Hazardous Materials Regulations I (3)
ETI 1700 Occupational Safety (3)
BSC 2010C Principles of Biology I (4)
BSC 2011C Principles of Biology II (4)
CHM 2045C General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis I (4)
MAC 1140 Precalculus Algebra (4)
PHY 2053C General Physics I (4)
EVR 2805 Hazardous Materials Health Effects (3)

Credit hours: 42

Professional Electives

*Military Service Credits (ACE Guide) or any combination of such credit and the following courses:
CHM 2046C General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis II (4)
ENC 2210 Technical Report Writing (3)
EVR 1015 Hazardous Material and the Environment (3)
EVR 1633 Hazardous Materials Emergency Response I (4)
EVR 1635 Hazardous Communication Standard (3)
EVR 1639 Hazardous Material Transportation, Storage and Disposal (3)
EVR 2630 Hazardous Materials Risk Analysis (3)
EVR 2890 Instrumentation Monitoring Systems and Analysis (3)
MAC 2311 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (4)
PHY 2054C General Physics II (4)

Credit hours: 7

Total Credit Hours: 64

Refer to A.S. degree General Education Requirements.
*Military Service Credits (ACE Guide) or any combination of such credit and the following courses. Credits awarded by evaluation of appropriate military paperwork (DD214, DD295, DD2586, SMART document, AARTS document, and/or Community College of the Air Force transcript), using ACE Guide.

Notes
Employers involved with the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Committee may offer internships to students in this program. There are opportunities for students to have training (military and corporate) evaluated for college credit toward this program. The Environmental Science degree program is a part of the SOCCOAST degree network.

For students who wish to pursue a bachelor degree in Environmental Science, this associate in science degree will provide a strong lower division background for transfer to a four-year school. Environmental specialists with a bachelor degree earn an average of $46,550 in Florida depending on areas of specialization, experience level, and place of employment.

Cost
Estimated cost of tuition is $3,900 (tuition rated for Florida residents, as of 7/04)