Water-Related
Majors and Programs

BGSU has several programs and research initiatives dedicated to the protection and restoration of our planet, specifically in regard to fresh waters and watersheds in Ohio and around the world. This area of study has become increasingly important as we recognize our responsibility for pollution, resource depletion, and land abuse. Integrating interdisciplinary research, education, and community engagement, we address critical issues that threaten fresh waters and watersheds and the living organisms that depend on them.

School of Earth, Environment and Society

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Watershed Management Specialization

  • Environmental science at BGSU is an interdisciplinary major that places priority on the natural sciences to investigate, document, and solve environmental problems facing humans.
  • Environmental science encompasses important issues such as pollution and degradation of the environment related to human activities and impacts on biodiversity and sustainability.
  • Students may select a study abroad semester to provide an environmental experience within a different culture.
  • Students are prepared for employment in areas such as natural resource management, watershed management, conservation biology, and environmental remediation.
  • BGSU also offers a minor in environmental science.

Bachelor of Science in Geology, Hydrogeology Specialization

  • The BGSU Bachelor of Science in geology with a specialization in hydrogeology is the only hydrogeology specialization in Ohio.
  • The geology program features the study of global environmental changes and considers the earth in a broad context that integrates atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere using geospatial sciences and multidisciplinary views.
  • Students complete a required five-week summer field course in New Mexico and Colorado, and the department periodically offers trips to the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania and West Virginia; the Ozark Mountains in Missouri; Wisconsin; and many parts of Ohio.
  • Facilities include a GeoInformatics Lab, G-ECO Remote Sensing Lab, Paleontology Lab, and Aqueous and Terrestrial Geochemistry Lab.
  • Students are prepared for employment in areas such as hydrogeology, environmental engineering, and water resource management.

Biological Sciences

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology, Marine and Aquatic Biology Specialization

  • This biology specialization studies marine and freshwater organisms, their behaviors, and interactions with the environment.
  • The program offers hands-on experience with a variety of animals in the BGSU Marine Lab; field trips to the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Lab, Florida and North Carolina; and a partnership with the Toledo Zoo.
  • Students learn principles of performing field research by using scientific instruments and techniques from environmental sondes, flow meters, acoustic fish finders, seines, and thermographs to snorkeling and scuba diving.
  • Students are prepared for employment in areas such as coastal management and conservation, fisheries surveys, aquaculture, pollution control, and research.

Chemistry

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Biochemistry Specialization

  • The biochemistry specialization is designed for students interested in the chemistry/biology interface.
  • Biochemistry majors study the chemical processes within and relating to living organisms.
  • Students have opportunities to contribute to and lead undergraduate biochemistry research projects as summer projects or through an independent study course.
  • Students learn how to use highly sophisticated equipment such as mass spectrometers, gas and liquid chromatographs, ultracentrifuges, and laser systems.
  • Students are prepared for employment is areas such as water quality research, agricultural research, medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Research

Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies

The Center for Great Lakes & Watershed Studies (CGLWS) conducts collaborative, interdisciplinary research to advance the understanding of watershed science. The CGLWS researches not just Lake Erie, but the entire watershed – from agricultural fields, to wetlands, to freshwater ecosystems and the Great Lakes – to help further our understanding and management of biodiversity, ecosystem function, land use practices, and water quality and restoration.

Students have opportunities to be involved in this research through independent study courses, summer fellowships, or through the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (CURS).

Experiential Learning

The Marine Biology Lab is a 1,500 square-foot facility which contains over 4,000 gallons of seawater in over 60 aquaria. Animals in the Marine Lab are maintained by students for class study and research projects but are also present for the appreciation of visitors.

The Aquatic Research Lab is a 1,450 square-foot facility dedicated to fresh and saltwater aquatic research for undergraduate students.

The Greenhouse Complex consists of four greenhouses containing research projects and teaching collections. Highlights include a desert area, tropical floor planting, and aquaculture and aquaponics research projects.

For Information about these Programs, Contact:

Updated: 06/03/2024 09:28AM