Departments & Programs

Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies

The goal of the major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies is to provide students a broad introduction to the complex system- scale challenges of sustainability as well as the tools needed to address problems that transcend solely social or environmental domains. Although this is designed as a stand-alone major, students are encouraged to pursue this degree program as a second major opportunity. Pursuing two majors enables students a combination of depth in a core discipline and breadth across the range of topics that are inherent in environmental and sustainability studies. The Environmental and Sustainability Studies degree also emphasizes training in the area of human–environment interactions, objectives that may not be part of other degree programs.

The curriculum of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies major combines introductory course work with classes on environmental systems and research methods and techniques, and students then choose one of five concentrations.

Students must complete at least 30 credit hours to include:

1. One introductory sustainability course (3 cr.) chosen from List A.
2. An upper-level human–environment systems course (3 cr.) chosen from List B.
3. Three environmental studies skills/research methods courses (9 cr.) from List C. At least one course must be chosen from a list of Communication, Data Collection and Analysis courses in Group I; one course from a list of environmental science courses in Group II; and one must be chosen from a list of economics courses in Group III.
4. A series of courses from one of five defined concentration areas (12 cr.). Concentration areas are:
   
   • Sustainable Food Systems
   • Sustainable Energy and Resources
   • Environmental Ethics and Justice
   • Biodiversity and Sustainability
   • Sustainability Individualized Program
5. Elective courses to equal a total of 30 credit hours in the major. At least 18 credit hours of major courses must be at the 300–400 level.

Note: A single course that is co-listed as human–environment systems training, a skills/research methods course, or a concentration course may count toward two degree requirements.

Students must also satisfy all requirements for a B.A. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.