Department of Environmental Science

• Water quality analyses
• Field sampling: soil, sediment, water, plants, fish
• Mineral and rock identification in lab and field
• Mapping using GPS, drones and GIS
• Freshwater, saltwater and benthic community studies
• Plot, transect and point-quarter vegetation analyses
• Lab testing of environmental samples using GC/MS, ICP, Hg-analyzer (DMA), spectrophotometry, enzyme and chlorophyll analyses
• Geology and ecology field trips
• Tours of area environmental facilities

Our Facilities

• UHCL location near petrochemical industries and ecologically important landscapes (Armand Bayou Nature Center, Galveston Bay)
• Faculty dedicated to teaching
• Problem-solving focused training
• Unique interdisciplinary curriculum
• Opportunities for independent study research with faculty
• Small class sizes
• Field experiences
• Amazon expedition study abroad program

The multi-disciplinary approach of our program will prepare you for careers in:

• Petroleum industry
• Chemical and biochemical industry
• Environmental health and environmental safety
• Environmental consulting
• Environmental conservation
• Water resources and management
• Soil and groundwater remediation
• Wetland delineation
• Environmental toxicology
• Water/Wastewater treatment
• Marine biology
• Government/public sector
• Research and development
• Environmental analysis service and R&D labs
• Flood and subsidence?
• Regulatory compliance officers (emission inventories, permitting)

Environmental Biology

• Coastal, freshwater and wetland ecology studies
• Environmental toxicology
• Ecotoxicology in estuarine and coastal wetland communities
• Comparative vertebrate anatomy and physiology
• Coastal birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish
• Benthic macroinvertebrate community analyses
• Pollution studies
• Tropical rainforest ecology and water quality studies

Environmental Chemistry

• Water chemistry studies
• Sustainable remediation utilizing plants and microbes
• Analysis of emerging contaminants
• Biodegradation of surfactants, explosive chemicals, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds
• Soil and sediment studies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, explosives and endocrine disrupting compounds

Environmental Geology

• Water chemistry studies
• Sustainable remediation utilizing plants and microbes
• Analysis of emerging contaminants
• Biodegradation of surfactants, explosive chemicals, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds
• Soil and sediment studies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, explosives, and endocrine disrupting compounds

Physical Geology

• Structural Geology
• Natural Hazards
• Mineralogy and Petrography
• Planetary Geology

• Freshman Requirements
• Transfer Student Requirements
• International Student Requirements

• Environmental Science M.S.
• Admission Deadline

  Standard Graduate Admission Deadline

• Application
  A standard university application is required.
• Requirements
  • A GPA of 3.0 or higher on the applicant's last 60 hours of college credit is preferred, but a somewhat lower GPA may be accepted by some faculty committees, if the other criteria are favorable.
  • GRE waived for fall 2021 semester.
  • A personal statement outlining academic background, academic and career goals, and declaration of a specialization under the Environmental Science degree plan. Two letters of recommendation are suggested, but not required.
  • Additional Requirements – At least 34 undergraduate credit hours of natural science courses and 6 undergraduate credit hours of math courses prior to admission.

• Graduate Requirements
• International Student Requirements