Environmental Science and Sustainability BS

Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Minimum Required Credits: 120.0                           
Co-op Option(s): Two Co-op, One Co-op, No Co-op                                                       
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 03.0104
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-2041

About the Program

The Environmental Science & Sustainability major equips students to analyze and address the complex environmental challenges facing today’s world through an interdisciplinary, experiential curriculum. Drawing from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and applied fields, the program provides a strong foundation in environmental systems while allowing students to specialize through one of two concentrations: Environmental Science or Applied Sustainability. Across both concentrations, students develop core knowledge of ecosystem processes, climate change, biodiversity, natural resource use, environmental governance, and sustainable development.

Graduates gain strong analytical and quantitative skills, including field and laboratory techniques, data analysis, systems thinking, and evidence-based problem solving. The program emphasizes effective communication, collaboration, ethical reasoning, and civic engagement, preparing students to approach environmental challenges with professionalism, responsibility, and a commitment to sustainability.

The Environmental Science concentration focuses on the scientific study of environmental systems and the processes that shape them. Students build a rigorous grounding in the natural sciences through intensive fieldwork, laboratory research, and quantitative analysis. This concentration prepares graduates for careers in conservation and restoration; climate adaptation and mitigation; environmental consulting; data science; natural resource management; and environmental monitoring and regulation, as well as for graduate study in environmental, biodiversity-related, and earth sciences.

The Applied Sustainability concentration examines how environmental knowledge, social systems, and technological change intersect to shape a sustainable future. Students mobilize concepts from the social sciences and humanities to develop strategic, creative, and interdisciplinary responses to environmental challenges. This concentration prepares graduates to engage in sustainable planning, environmental policy development and implementation, environmental education and communication, community organizing, and further study in sustainability-related fields.

Students learn through distinctive, hands-on, and applied experiences that integrate theory and practice. Coursework incorporates field and laboratory research, geospatial and data-analytic tools, case-based learning, and project-driven classes focused on real-world environmental problems.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please contact the College of Arts and Sciences

Admission Requirements

Same as Drexel admission requirements.

Degree Requirements

¹

A complete list of eligible Introductory Core Competency courses can be found here.

Environmental Science Concentration

Applied Sustainability Concentration

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this program, students will be able to:

• demonstrate interdisciplinary understanding of environmental systems by integrating concepts and methods from the natural sciences, social sciences, and applied fields;
• analyze environmental problems using quantitative and qualitative approaches to identify causes, evaluate impacts, and propose evidence-based solutions;
• apply systems thinking to understand the interactions among ecological, economic, social, and technological components of sustainability challenges;
• evaluate sustainability strategies and policies in terms of their environmental effectiveness, social equity, and economic feasibility;
• communicate environmental information effectively to scientific, professional, and public audiences;
• engage in ethical and professional practice by recognizing the values, tradeoffs, and responsibilities involved in environmental decision-making;
• demonstrate applied and experiential competence through fieldwork, research, internships, or community-based projects that connect theory to practice.