Environmental Studies and Sustainability BA

Major: Environmental Studies and Sustainability
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 183.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 03.0103
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-2041

About the Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Sustainability (ENSS) is for students who want to address contemporary environmental issues from a perspective that foregrounds the social sciences and humanities. ENSS students learn from nationally and internationally acclaimed scholars in environmental politics, environmental sociology, environmental philosophy, global studies, and science and technology studies. As contributors to faculty-led, policy-relevant research projects, they engage with decision-makers, environmental advocates, and grassroots groups working to protect people and ecosystems from environmental hazards.

Housed in the Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES), the B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sustainability equips students with the foundational scientific understandings necessary to communicate persuasively about environmental issues and promote evidence-based environmental policies. ENSS students graduate as interdisciplinary thinkers, capable of translating across scientific, humanistic, and policy realms, and building diverse coalitions.

Additional Information

For more information about the program, visit the Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science's webpage, or contact

Gwen Ottinger, Ph.D.
Director, B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sustainability
Professor, Politics and BEES
Email: ottinger@drexel.edu

Florette Press
Senior Academic Advisor
College of Arts and Sciences
Email: flp24@drexel.edu

Degree Requirements

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Students not participating in co-op will not take COOP 101; 1 credit of Free Elective will be added in place of COOP 101.

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

5 year, 3 co-op

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Students not participating in co-op will take an extra Free Elective credit in place of COOP 101

4 year, No co-op

 4 year, 1 co-op

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Students not participating in co-op will take an extra Free Elective credit in place of COOP 101

Career Opportunities

Environmental Studies and Sustainability majors find work in a variety of sectors, including governmental agencies, non-profits, NGOs, consulting and assessment firms, and corporate sustainability offices. They work in fields such as environmental education, environmental communication and journalism, urban planning, conservation, community organizing, ecotourism, renewable energy, climate mitigation and adaptation, and environmental policy. ENSS majors are well prepared to pursue graduate study in social science and humanities disciplines (e.g., sociology, geography, philosophy) and interdisciplinary environmental programs, or to pursue professional degrees in fields such as planning, policy, law, and environmental health.

Program Level Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be prepared to:

Environmental Studies and Sustainability Faculty