Environmental Science & Policy B.S. + Geology M.S.

Beach EDGE Program

Beach Expedited Degrees in Graduate Education (EDGE) programs merge existing baccalaureate and master's degree programs in similar disciplines into a single pathway. We will double count a specified number of units (no more than 12) in both programs so you can earn your graduate degree faster and with less cost! Learn more about Beach EDGE.

ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ in the Beach EDGE Environmental Science & Policy Program will complete the requirements for both the B.S. in Environmental Science & Policy and the M.S. in Geology. Beach EDGE students must double-count 9 units of M.S. electives towards both their B.S. and M.S. degrees.

Double-Counting of Courses

Beach EDGE students must double-count 9 units of M.S. electives towards both their B.S. and M.S. degrees and may double-count a maximum of 12 units of M.S. electives.  

Advisor/Staff Contacts

Graduate Advisor: Dr. Alyssa Abbey, Alyssa.Abbey@csulb.edu

Undergraduate Advisor: Dr. Monica Argandona, Monica.Argandona@csulb.edu

Lower Division Requirements

Take all the following courses:

  • BIOL 211 - Introduction to Evolution and Diversity (5 units)
  • BIOL 212 - Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology (4 units)
  • BIOL 213 - Introduction to Ecology and Physiology (4 units)
  • BIOL 260 - Biostatistics (3 units)
  • CHEM 111A - General Chemistry (5 units)
  • CHEM 111B - General Chemistry (5 units)
  • CHEM 227 - Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry (3 units)
  • ECON 101 - Principles of Microeconomics (3 units)
  • ES P 200 - ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñEnvironmental Issues (3 units)
  • ERTH 102 - Planet Earth (3 units)
  • ERTH 104 - Planet Earth Lab (1 unit)
  • ERTH 280 - Water Resources and Society (3 units)

Take one the following courses:

  • MATH 122 - Calculus I (4 units)
  • MATH 119A - Survey of Calculus I (3 units)

Take one the following courses:

  • PHYS 151 - Mechanics and Heat (4 units)
  • PHYS 100A - General Physics (4 units)

Upper Division Requirements

Take all the following courses:

  • BIOL 350 - General Ecology (3 units)
  • ES P 300 - Environmental Law and Policy (3 units)
  • ES P 400 - Environmental Science and Policy Capstone Project (3 units)
  • ERTH 300 - Earth Systems and Global Change (3 units)

Take one of the following courses:

  • GEOG 481 - Geographic Information Science for Natural Sciences (4 units)
  • GEOG 473 - Introduction to Earth Observation (4 units)

Take the following course:

  • ECON 306 - Environmental Issues of the World Economy (3 units)

Take 3 units of social science electives, chosen from the following:

  • GEOG 340 - Environmental Geography (3 units)
  • GEOG 355 - International Environmental Issues (3 units)
  • GEOG 440 - Land and Water Resources (3 units)
  • GEOG 446 - Land Use Planning (3 units)
  • GEOG 447 - Landscape Restoration (3 units)
  • GEOG 448 - Environmental Assessment (3 units)
  • GEOG 450 - Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice (3 units)
  • GEOG 455 - People as Agents of Environmental Change (3 units)
  • GEOG 458 - Hazards and Risk Management (3 units)
  • GEOG 460 - Population Geography (3 units)
  • GEOG 464 - Urban Geography: Sustainable Cities (3 units)
  • HIST 482 - Recent American Environmental History (3 units)
  • ENGL 444 - Literature and Environment (3 units)
  • ASAM 350 - Environmental Justice (3 units)
  • WGSS 424 - Gendering Environmental Justice (3 units)
  • ECON 462 - Environmental Economics (3 units)
  • ES P 450 - Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice (3 units)

Take 9 units of natural science electives, chosen from the following:

  • BIOL 312 - Evolutionary Biology (3 units)
  • BIOL 313 - Invertebrate Zoology (4 units)
  • BIOL 316 - General Entomology (4 units)
  • BIOL 324 - Vertebrate Zoology (4 units)
  • BIOL 342 - Human/Mammalian Physiology (3 units)
  • BIOL 345 - Comparative Animal Physiology (3 units)
  • BIOL 353 - Marine Biology (3 units)
  • BIOL 355 - Microbial Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 415 - Marine Microbiology (3 units)
  • BIOL 419 - Ichthyology (3 units)
  • BIOL 420 - Fisheries Ecology and Conservation (3 units)
  • BIOL 421 - Herpetology (3 units)
  • BIOL 423 - Mammalogy (3 units)
  • BIOL 424 - Ornithology (3 units)
  • BIOL 427 - Vascular Plant Systematics (4 units)
  • BIOL 439 - Plant Morphology (4 units)
  • BIOL 450 - Plant Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 451 - Wetlands and Mangrove Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 452 - Behavioral Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 454A - Research in Tropical Marine Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 454B - Research in Tropical Terrestrial Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 455 - Ecology of Marine Communities (3 units)
  • BIOL 456 - Population Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 457 - Field Methods in Ecology (3 units)
  • BIOL 459 - Conservation Biology (3 units)
  • BIOL 496 - Undergraduate Directed Research (1-3 units)
  • ERTH 303 - Coastal Systems and Human Impacts (3 units)
  • ERTH 339 - Introduction to Geomorphology (3 units)
  • ERTH 341 - Paleontology and Biostratigraphy (4 units)
  • ERTH 445 - Paleoclimatology (4 units)
  • ERTH 461 - Introduction to Geochemistry (3 units)
  • ERTH 465 - Physical and Chemical Oceanography (3 units)
  • ERTH 466 - Oceanography Laboratory and Ocean Studies (1 unit)
  • ERTH 474 - Physical Hydrology (3 units)
  • ERTH 477 - Hydrogeology (4 units)

Take an additional 3 units selected from the social science or natural science electives listed above if necessary to meet the university requirement for upper division units.

For official requirements, please see:

Electives that Double Count Towards the B.S. and M.S.

  • ERTH 445 - Paleoclimatology
  • ERTH 465 - Physical and Chemical Oceanography
  • ERTH 410/510 - Biogeochemical Cycles
  • ERTH 537 - ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñGeology
  • ERTH 541 - Seminar on Mass Extinctions
  • ERTH 543 - Seminar on Integrated Stratigraphy
  • ERTH 554 - Environmental Geochemistry
  • ERTH 555 - Stable Isotopes
  • ERTH 574 - Physical Hydrology
  • ERTH 577 - Hydrogeology
  • GEOG 448 - Environmental Assessment
  • GEOG 458 - Hazards and Risk Management
  • GEOG 475/575 - Geographical Applications in Remote Sensing
  • GEOG 481 - Geographic Information Science for Natural Sciences
  • GEOG 500 - Multivariate Geographical Analysis

Note other 400-level electives may be double counted with approval from research advisor and graduate advisor.

Required "Major" Courses

  • ERTH 500 - Intro Grad Seminar
  • ERTH 537 - ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñGeology

Required Research and Thesis Courses

  • ERTH 695 - Directed Reading (2-4 units)
  • ERTH 697 - Directed Research (2-3 units)
  • ERTH 698 - Thesis (6 units)                            

70% Must Be 500-600 Level

70% of the units (e.g., 21/30) must be 500-600 level courses.

  • ERTH 510 - Biogeochemical Cycles
  • ERTH 524 - Sedimentary Petrology
  • ERTH 530 - Seminar in Structural Geology and Tectonics
  • ERTH 531 - Tectonic Geomorphology
  • ERTH 537 - ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñGeology
  • ERTH 541 - Seminar on Mass Extinctions
  • ERTH 543 - Seminar on Integrated Stratigraphy
  • ERTH 554 - Environmental Geochemistry
  • ERTH 555 - Stable Isotopes
  • ERTH 574 - Physical Hydrology
  • ERTH 577 - Hydrogeology
  • Some GEOG courses with advisor approval    

30% May Be 300-400 Level

30% of the units may be 300, 400 (advisor approval required).

  • ERTH 410 - Biogeochemical Cycles
  • ERTH 445 - Paleoclimatology
  • ERTH 462 - Physics and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior
  • ERTH 465 - Physical and Chemical Oceanography
  • GEOL 460 - Introduction to Geophysics
  • GEOL 461 - Introduction to Geochemistry
  • GEOL 474 - Physical Hydrology 

Eligibility & Admissions

  • Be a matriculated undergraduate student at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ in one of the following degree options: Geology B.S., Earth System B.S. program, Environmental Science and Policy B.S.
  • Have completed 60 units.
  • Be enrolled in or completed 9 discipline-specific upper-division units in residence.
  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
  • Have consent of faculty M.S. advisor.
  • Follow the student application review and admissions procedures.

  • ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ must double-count at least 9 units
  • ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ must begin directed research (ERTH 496) on a clearly defined project with a faculty mentor in their junior year (or one year before completion of B.S. degree).
  • ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ will advance to candidacy at the end of their undergraduate program (either May or December) depending on semester of course completion for the B.S. degree.
  • ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ will need to conduct research during the summer or winter break after B.S. graduation to collect remaining data started in ERTH 496
  • A contract between the Student and Thesis Advisor will be created at the start of the program that states expectations of each party and provides a timeline for thesis completion.
  • Weekly meetings with Thesis Advisor will be required so progress can be monitored.
  • Semester meeting with Graduate Advisor will be required so that key metrics are met.

Deadline to apply is October 15 or April 15.

Environmental Science & Policy B.S. + Geology M.S. Recommended Roadmap for 2024-2025 (PDF)