Sustainability and Innovation BS

Major: Sustainability and Innovation
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum required credits: 181
Co-op Option: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 52.0701

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-1011, 11-1021

About the Program

The BS in Sustainability and Innovation offers a unique multidisciplinary perspective on current-day social and environmental challenges and provides students with the tools needed to create responsive, market-based solutions. This degree embeds the Charles D. Close School’s unique approach to teaching entrepreneurship as a habit of mind within the framework of environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic sustainability. Graduates of this degree will be prepared to innovate in a variety of contexts including established companies, new or growing ventures, social enterprises, educational institutions, and other nonprofits. 

Sustainability is the simultaneous pursuit of human flourishing, environmental quality, and economic well-being for current and future generations. In accordance with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this degree challenges students to recognize the complex nature of solving problems at the intersection of civil society, the marketplace, and the natural environment. This degree includes courses in the arts, sciences, and business, to provide a deeper understanding of the fields in which you will innovate, and requires you to pursue a minor outside of the Charles D. Close School to further fuel your passion and knowledge.

What will you learn?

  • Critical Thinking: Examine the interconnected relationships between social, environmental, economic, and natural environments informed by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
  • Ethical Decision Making: Apply ethical frameworks to the ideation, process, and practice of entrepreneurship.
  • Resilience: Build the personal strengths required to respond to uncertainty and failure in an innovative environment.
  • Effective Communication Skills: Communicate effectively and dynamically in a range of situations associated with an innovative environment.

Who should enroll?

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), new jobs in sustainability and innovation are poised to grow by 24 million globally by 2030. The marketplace is undergoing a radical and permanent shift towards sustainability in all aspects of operations. With a degree in Sustainability and Innovation, you will be ready to: 

  • Apply your foundational understanding of major social and environmental problems to become an impact entrepreneur and agent of change.
  • Start your own business or enter existing and emerging job markets in industry sectors poised for impact innovation, including, but not limited to: 
  • Transportation 
  • Construction and Engineering
  • Energy and Environmental Stewardship
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Fashion
  • Agriculture and Forestry
  • Governmental and Regulatory Administration
  • Arts and Entertainment
  • Job Training and Development
  • This program is designed for individuals who are passionate about making the world a better place. Students who are interested in using entrepreneurship and innovation to create impactful solutions to society’s most pressing problems are encouraged to apply.

Additional Information

If you have any questions or would like to speak with an advisor, please contact:

Justin Fithian
Assistant Director of Academic Advising and Student Success
Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship
3230 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Email:​​ jmf465@drexel.edu 

Admission Requirements

Please visit this link for admission requirements: https://drexel.edu/undergrad/apply/freshmen-instructions/

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 181Public Relations Principles and Theory3.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics4.0
ECON 202Principles of Macroeconomics4.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research ( )3.0
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
FIN 150Financial Literacy4.0
PHIL 105Critical Reasoning3.0
PHIL 301Business Ethics3.0
PSY 101General Psychology I3.0
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3.0
UNIV C101The Drexel Experience1.0
Select ONE of the following sequences8.0
Introduction to Analysis I
and Introduction to Analysis II
Calculus I
and Calculus II
Culture, Diversity, Global Perspectives (2 courses)6.0
Choose from any 100-499 level Africana Studies (AFAS), Anthropology (ANTH), Criminology and Justice Studies (CJS), Global Studies (GST), Jewish Studies (JWST), Women's & Gender Studies (WGST) courses.
Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts (3 Courses)9.0-12.0
Choose from any 100-499 level Communications (COM), Economics (ECON), English (ENGL), History (HIST), Humanities-General (HUM), Philosophy (PHIL), Political Science (PSCI), Psychology (PSY), Sociology (SOC) course or any course from the Westphal College of Media Arts and Design courses.
Science or Technology (2 courses)6.0-8.0
Choose from any 100-499 level Bioscience and Biotechnology (BIO), Chemistry (CHEM), Food Science (FDSC), Geoscience (GEO), Physics (PHYS), Physics-Environmental Science (PHEV) courses.
Choose from any 100-499 level Computer Science (CS), Information Science & Systems (INFO), Management Information Systems (MIS), Software Engineering (SE) courses.
Choose one of the following Writing Intensive Courses3.0
Business Communication
Technical Communication
Environmental Communication
Science Writing
Grant Writing
Economic Ideas
Abnormal Psychology
Sports Psychology
Industrial Psychology
Entrepreneurship Requirements
ACCT 120Accounting Essentials for New Ventures4.0
ENSS 120Introduction to Environmental Studies3.0
ENTP 100Innovation Ecosystem1.0
ENTP 105Entrepreneurial Thinking3.0
ENTP 201The Starter's Toolkit3.0
ENTP 205Ready, Set, Fail3.0
ENTP 210 [WI] Leading Start-Ups3.0
ENTP 215Building Entrepreneurial Teams3.0
ENTP 225 [WI] Mindfulness & Wellbeing3.0
ENTP 250Ideation3.0
ENTP 270Social Entrepreneurship3.0
ENTP 290An Entrepreneur's Introduction to Land: Its Essence, Ethics, and Opportunity3.0
ENTP 3753BL - Triple Bottom Line3.0
ENTP 445GreenStart: Applying Entrepreneurship to Cultivate Sustainable Solutions3.0
Innovation Requirements (Choose 3) **9.0-12.0
Foundations in Creativity
Tools and Techniques in Creativity
Creativity in the Workplace
Idea Accelerator I
Build, Measure, Learn
Organizational Development and Change for Corporate Entrepreneurs
Idea Accelerator II
Early Stage Venture Funding
Entrepreneurship & New Technologies
Managing Entrepreneurial Growth
Global Entrepreneurship
Innovation in Established Companies
Energy Entrepreneurship
Thought Leadership
Science of Food and Cooking
Introduction to Marketing Management
Marketing for New Ventures
Corporate Responsibility Management
Innovation and Social Justice
Sustainability Requirements (Choose 4) ***12.0-16.0
Analysis of Product
Presentation Techniques Design and Merchandising
Design and Merchandising in the Circular Economy
Sociology of the Environment
Introduction to Environmental Policy
Introduction to Urban Planning
Cities and Sustainability
Environmental Justice
Curiosity, Ecology, Empathy & Ethic
Environmental Science and Society
Global Climate Change
Global Warming, Biodiversity and Your Future
Public Health 101
The World's Water
Social Development: A Global Approach
Political Economy of Climate Change
Cities and Climate Change
Social Problems
Sociology of Disasters
Required Academic Minor 24.0
Free Electives24.0
Total Credits181.0-193.0
*

Students not participating in co-op will take one additional credit of Free Elective instead of COOP 101.

**

ENTP SPECIAL TOPICS courses (ENTP T180, ENTP T280, ENTP T380, ENTP T480) may be substituted at the Close School discretion

***

Other courses may be substituted with departmental and advisor approval.

May not be a Close School minor.

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 Coop Spring/Summer Cycle

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0ACCT 1204.0VACATION
ENTP 1001.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0COOP 101*1.0 
ENTP 1053.0ENTP 2053.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
ENTP 2503.0ENTP 2153.0ENTP 2013.0 
MATH 101 or 1214.0MATH 102 or 1224.0ENTP 2253.0 
UNIV 101C1.0PSY 1013.0ENTP 2903.0 
 15 17 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ECON 2014.0COM 1813.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
ENSS 1203.0ECON 2024.0  
PHIL 1053.0FIN 1504.0  
Sustainability Course3.0-4.0SOC 1013.0  
Free Elective3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0  
    
 16-18 17 0 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENTP 2103.0ENTP 2703.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
Humanities, Social Science, Communication or Fine Arts6.0PHIL 3013.0  
Innovation Course3.0Culture, Diversity, and Global Perspectives3.0  
Required Minor Course3.0Innovation Course3.0-4.0  
Science or Technology Course3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0  
 18-19 15-16 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENTP 4453.0Innovation Course3.0-4.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
Required Minor Course3.0Non-Major Writing Intensive Course3.0  
Science or Technology Course3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0  
Sustainability Course3.0-4.0Free Electives6.0-7.0  
Free Elective3.0-4.0   
 15-18 15-17 0 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
ENTP 3753.0Culture, Diversity, and Global Perspectives3.0Required Minor Course3.0 
Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts 3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0Sustainability Course3.0-4.0 
Required Minor Course3.0Free Electives6.0Free Electives6.0 
Sustainability Course3.0-4.0   
 12-14 12 12-13 
Total Credits 181-193
*

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 registration is determined ty 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.

4-Year Coop Spring/Summer Cycle

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0ACCT 1204.0VACATION
ENTP 1001.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0COOP 101*1.0 
ENTP 1053.0ENTP 2053.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
ENTP 2503.0ENTP 2153.0ENTP 2013.0 
MATH 101 or 1214.0MATH 102 or 1224.0ENTP 2253.0 
UNIV C1011.0PSY 1013.0ENTP 2903.0 
 15 17 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ECON 2014.0COM 1813.0Innovation Course3.0-4.0SOC 1013.0
ENSS 1203.0ECON 2024.0Non-major Writing Intensive Course3.0Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts 3.0-4.0
PHIL 1053.0FIN 1504.0Required Minor Course3.0Required Minor Course3.0
Sustainability Course3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0Science or Technology Course3.0-4.0Sustainability Course3.0-4.0
Free Elective3.0-4.0Free Elective3.0Free Elective3.0-4.0Free Elective3.0
 16-18 17 15-18 15-17
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENTP 2103.0ENTP 2703.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
ENTP 4453.0PHIL 3013.0  
Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts 3.0Culture, Diversity, and Global Perspectives3.0  
Innovation Course3.0Innovation Course3.0-4.0  
Required Minor Course3.0Required Minor Course3.0  
Science or Technology Course3.0-4.0   
 18-19 15-16 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
ENTP 3753.0Culture, Diversity, and Global Perspectives3.0Required Minor Course3.0 
Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts 3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0Sustainability Course3.0-4.0 
Required Minor Course3.0Sustainability Course3.0-4.0Free Electives6.0 
Free Elective3.0Free Electives3.0  
 12-13 12-13 12-13 
Total Credits 181-193
*

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.

4-Year No Coop

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0ACCT 1204.0VACATION
ENTP 1001.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
ENTP 1053.0ENTP 2053.0ENTP 2013.0 
ENTP 2503.0ENTP 2153.0ENTP 2253.0 
MATH 101 or 1214.0MATH 102 or 1224.0ENTP 2903.0 
UNIV C1011.0PSY 1013.0  
 15 17 16 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ECON 2014.0COM 1813.0Non-major Writing Intensive Course3.0VACATION
ENSS 1203.0ECON 2024.0Required Minor Course3.0 
PHIL 1053.0FIN 1504.0Science or Technology Course3.0-4.0 
Sustainability Course3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0Sustainability Course3.0-4.0 
Free Elective3.0-4.0Free Elective3.0Free Elective3.0-4.0 
 16-18 17 15-18 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
ENTP 2103.0ENTP 2703.0SOC 1013.0 
ENTP 4453.0PHIL 3013.0Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts 3.0-4.0 
Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts 3.0Culture, Diversity, and Global Perspectives3.0Sustainability Course3.0-4.0 
Innovation Course3.0Innovation Course3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0 
Required Minor Course3.0Required Minor Course3.0Free Elective3.0 
Science or Technology Course3.0-4.0   
 18-19 15-16 15-17 
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
ENTP 3753.0Culture, Diversity, and Global Perspectives3.0Innovation Course3.0-4.0 
Humanities, Social Science, Communication, or Fine Arts 3.0-4.0Required Minor Course3.0Required Minor Course3.0 
Required Minor Course3.0Sustainability Course3.0-4.0Free Electives6.0 
Free Elective3.0Free Elective4.0  
 12-13 13-14 12-13 
Total Credits 181-193

Program Level Outcomes

  • Demonstrate the importance of understanding the relationships between the social, environmental, economic, and natural environments (critical thinking).
  • Appreciate and understand audience, purpose, and context to be able to communicate effectively and dynamically in a range of situations directly associated with an innovative environment (effective communication).
  • Understand their personal strengths and challenges that equate with responding to failure and uncertainty in an innovative environment (resilience).
  • Understand the importance of ethical perspective-taking associated with the process and practice of entrepreneurship (ethical decision making).

Sustainability and Innovation Faculty

Donna De Carolis, PhD (Temple University) Founding Dean, Silverman Family Professor of Entrepreneurial Leadership.
Barrie Litzky, PhD (Drexel University). Associate Professor.
Larissa Milne, MBA (Drexel University). Adjunct Assistant Professor.
Ozlem Ogutveren-Gonul, PhD (Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey) Associate Dean of Academic Programs. Associate Teaching Professor. Entrepreneurship education, Entrepreneurial failure, Entrepreneurial mindset, Ideation, Social capital, Person-job fit, Person-organization fit, Social entrepreneurship.
Scott Quitel, JD, MBA (Temple University). Associate Teaching Professor. Novel ecosystems; Ecological impacts of climate change, rising sea level, and saltwater intrusion; Water quality and aquatic ecosystem health; Organic, lightly structured education
Charles Sacco, MBA (Drexel University) Vice Dean, Educational Affairs; Director of the Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Damian Salas, MBA (Drexel University) Associate Dean for Academic Partnerships. Assistant Teaching Professor. Strategic Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurial Growth; Human Capital Management
Zahed Subhan, PhD, JD/LLB (Law) (University of Leeds (UK); London University). Teaching Professor. Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management
John Wilson, PhD (Regent University). Assistant Teaching Professor. Intrapreneurship, Corporate Entrepreneurship, Self-Leadership, Employee Empowerment, Corporate Social Responsibility, Leadership, Innovation
Kahlil Wyche, MS (Drexel University). Adjunct Instructor.