Environmental Studies & Sustainability BA / Environmental Policy MSEP

Major: Environmental Studies & Sustainability and Environmental Policy
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Science in Environmental Policy (MSEP)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 225.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years)
BA Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code:
 03.0103
BA Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-2041
MS Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code:
 44.0599
MS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-1031

About the Program

The BAMS program in Environmental Studies and Sustainability (BA) and Environmental Policy (MS) is designed to provide an opportunity for highly motivated and qualified undergraduates to begin pursuing a graduate degree prior to completion of their bachelor’s degree. The MS in Environmental Policy builds on the knowledge that undergraduates gain in the Environmental Studies and Sustainability program and provides advanced training for careers in environmental law, research, advocacy, and more.

Creating public policy that supports environmental stewardship is a challenging and critical endeavor. The BAMS program prepares students to critically engage with complex environmental challenges; devise and communicate innovative policy solutions; and work with decision makers to effect policy change. Coursework spans the disciplines of law, political science, economics, engineering, business, and public health. Students have the opportunity to select elective courses tailored to their interests, gain hands-on research experience, and complete a case-based thesis with real-world impact.

The BAMS ENSS-ENVP program is appropriate for environmental studies and sustainability majors interested in advanced studies in public policy, and who have a desire to work in a range of environmental sectors.

For additional information about this program, contact Senior Academic Advisor Laurie Zinberg lgz23@drexel.edu.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the BAMS program, students must apply between 90.0-120.0 credits and have a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA. Applicants should meet with their advisor to create a plan of study and email that plan of study and a one-page essay to the Director of the ENVP Program along with a short email of introduction including their current major and proposed ENVP track. After a review of the initial plan of study, the director and the student will have a twenty-minute interview. If accepted, the student will receive an Accelerated Degree Program Application form and will use it to obtain permission from all approving parties listed on the form.

Degree Requirements

General Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
MATH 101Introduction to Analysis I4.0
MATH 107Probability and Statistics for Liberal Arts3.0
UNIV S101The Drexel Experience1.0
UNIV H201Looking Forward: Academics and Careers1.0
Social and Behavioral Sciences
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3.0
or ANTH 101 Introduction to Cultural Diversity
PSY 101General Psychology I3.0
PSCI 110American Government4.0
Social Behavior elective3.0
Physical and Natural Sciences
BIO 109Biological Diversity, Ecology & Evolution3.0
BIO 110Biological Diversity, Ecology and Evolution Laboratory1.0
ENVS 101Introduction to Environmental Science5.0
ENVS 230General Ecology3.0
ENSS 275Global Climate Change3.0
or ENVS 289 Global Warming, Biodiversity and Your Future
GEO 201 [WI] Earth Systems Processes3.0
Humanities and Fine Arts
Humanities & Fine Arts Electives6.0
COM 317 [WI] Environmental Communication3.0
or COM 320 Science Writing
PHIL 340Environmental Ethics3.0
or PHIL 341 Environmental Philosophy
Diversity Electives6.0
International Studies6.0
Foreign Language8.0
Students must complete at least 8 credits of a foreign language and, at minimum, must complete the 103 level of the target language (or beyond if they place higher).
ENSS Core Requirements
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics4.0
ECON 202Principles of Macroeconomics4.0
ENSS 120Introduction to Environmental Studies3.0
ENSS 244Sociology of the Environment4.0
ENSS 283Introduction to Environmental Policy3.0
ENSS 285Introduction to Urban Planning3.0
ENSS 326Cities and Sustainability3.0
ENSS 346Environmental Justice4.0
ENVS 260Environmental Science and Society3.0
PBHL 101Public Health 1013.0
PSCI 284Environmental Politics4.0
Modeling and Research
ENVS 308GIS and Environmental Modeling3.0
SOC 241Research Design: Qualitative Methods4.0
SOC 242Research Design: Quantitative Methods4.0
ENSS Electives (plus 3crs shared GR course ENVP 522)18.0
Senior Sequence
ENVS 441 [WI] Issues in Global Change I: Seminar2.0
ENVS 442Issues in Global Change II: Research2.0
ENVS 443Issues in Global Change III: Synthesis2.0
Free Electives24.0
MS Environmental Policy
Public Policy Core Graduate Courses12.0
Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis
Methods of Policy Analysis
Institutional Dynamics of the Policy Process
Nonprofit Organizations
Environmental Core Graduate Courses9.0
Environmental Law
Environmental Policy
Biostatistics
Environmental Science or Environmental and Occupational Health Track6.0
Environmental Science Track (2 of the following courses):
Chemistry of the Environment
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity
Environmental and Occupational Health Track (EOH 510 and one of the following 600-level EOH courses):
Principles and Practice of Environmental and Occupational Health
Evidence Evaluation for Identification of Environmental Hazards
Environmental and Occupational Toxicology
Environmental and Occupational Health Policy
Quantitative Risk Analysis for Environmental Health
Economics Core6.0
Essentials of Economics
Managerial Economics
Public Finance and Cost Benefit Analysis
Research Experience and/or Approved Courses in Environmental Policy12.0
Case Study Sequence (optional 9 credits)
Approved Electives: The remaining 3-12 credits may be any graduate ENVP or PLCY courses. In some cases, course substitutions may be made with courses from other departments. Elective courses taken outside the department must receive prior departmental approval in order to be counted toward the degree.
Total Credits225.0
*

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

4+1 (4COP), 1 co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENSS 1203.0BIO 1093.0COOP 1011.0VACATION
ENVS 1015.0BIO 1101.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0MATH 1073.0 
MATH 1014.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0SOC 101 or ANTH 1013.0 
UNIV S1011.0PSY 1013.0(UG) Foreign Language4.0 
 (UG) Foreign Language4.0(UG) Free elective3.0 
 16 15 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENSS 2833.0ENSS 2444.0ECON 2014.0ECON 2024.0
ENVS 2603.0ENSS 275 or ENVS 2893.0ENVS 2303.0(UG) ENSS elective3.0
PBHL 1013.0GEO 2013.0(UG) ENSS elective3.0(UG) Humanities/Fine Arts elective3.0
PSCI 1104.0(UG) ENSS elective3.0(UG) International elective3.0(UG) Diversity elective3.0
UNIV H2011.0(UG) Free elective3.0(UG) Diversity elective3.0(UG) Free elective4.0
 14 16 16 17
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENSS 2853.0COM 3173.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
PHIL 340 or 3413.0ENVS 3083.0  
SOC 2414.0PSCI 2844.0  
(UG) Humanities/Fine Arts elective3.0SOC 2424.0  
(UG) Free elective3.0(UG) Free elective3.0  
 16 17 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENSS 3464.0ENSS 3263.0ENVS 4432.0Student Classified as Graduate
ENVS 4412.0ENVS 4422.0(UG) ENSS elective3.0 
(UG) ENSS elective3.0(UG) ENSS elective3.0(UG) International elective3.0 
(UG) Social/Behavior Science elective3.0(UG) Free elective4.0(UG) Free elective4.0 
ENVP 522 (Counts as UG Environmental Elective)3.0ENVP 5723.0ENVS 5063.0 
(GR) Track Elective3.0(GR) Track Elective3.0(GR) Elective3.0 
 18 18 18 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
PLCY 5063.0BUSN 5023.0ECON 6163.0 
(GR) elective6.0PLCY 5033.0PLCY 5043.0 
 (GR) Elective3.0PLCY 5073.0 
 9 9 9 
Total Credits 225
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