Environmental Studies

For a just, sustainable, resilient world.

Environmental Studies Degree

From day one as a Susquehanna environmental studies major, you will actively contribute to a more just, resilient and sustainable future.

Examine complex relations between human, nonhuman, and nonliving components of ecosystems at local and global levels. Explore diverse academic fields in natural and social sciences, literature, religion, politics and business for solutions to human-caused problems like pollution, habitat destruction and overpopulation.

Join professors in semester-long community-based environmental research or in partnership with Chesapeake Conservancy. Your research can take you through the Susquehanna River’s rich ecosystems and local watersheds, on a study abroad journey and into our unique living-learning laboratories. Gain experience in exciting internships and position yourself for rewarding careers.

The research, knowledge and skills you gain at Susquehanna will allow you to face the future ready to address some of the most urgent challenges to life on Earth.

CAREER PATHS WITH CHANGEMAKING RESULTS

Thanks to the environmental studies program’s emphasis on practical experience and interdisciplinary growth, students are well-prepared to put their passions into action. For example, Calli Lambard ’23 and Grant Rowe ’23 were two of only 20 students nationally to win the prestigious Rachel Carson Council Fellowship. Learn what they did with their grant and how they’re making a difference.

A LIVING LAB AT SUSQUEHANNA

Nestled within a rich ecosystem with diverse wildlife, Susquehanna University is the perfect place for environmental research. Students gain access to outdoor labs, freshwater biomes, campus gardens, solar arrays and even a beehive with fresh honey. Whatever your focus, the Center for Environmental Education and Research has much to offer.

explore ceer

A group of people wearing waders examine an object closely in a man's hand. The man gestures while others observe intently. Trees and grass are visible in the background, suggesting an outdoor setting.

95%

of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within 6 months

100%

of students gain professional experience through internships

100%

of students collaborate with faculty to develop sustainability projects

25%

of students lead campus sustainability efforts

Person with short, dark hair, and a beard, smiling at the camera. They are wearing a denim jacket over a white hoodie with a partial graphic design. The background is a plain, dark gray.

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a maroon vest and gray top, smiles while standing outdoors. A tree and a building are visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

“My favorite thing about life on Susquehanna’s campus is the fact that you feel like you’re a part of a community. I have friends across all different majors, not just my own. It really feels like everybody cares about you.”

— Eric Belfanti ’26

Environmental Studies

Physics

“In my Principles of Management class, I learned how to lead a team and work with a company to improve how it manages both tangible and intangible resources. It was a valuable experience because I could apply what I learned in class to real situations with a real company.”

— Emma Church ’26

Environmental Studies

“My favorite tradition on campus is Thanksgiving dinner. You sit with friends and enjoy a catered meal served by coaches, professors and student life staff. It’s a great time to relax and connect.”

— Catherine Chodnicki ’25

Environmental Studies

French Studies

International Studies

“The value of environmental studies is immeasurable — a commitment to protect our sacred Mother Earth. My environmental studies degree led me into policy work for the Navajo Nation, but more importantly, to follow in the footsteps of ancestors who saw protecting creation as a sacred duty.”

— Malia Simon ’21

Environmental Studies

Center for Environmental Education & REsearch

Environmental Studies at the Ceer

Susquehanna University’s state-of-the-art Center for Environmental Education and Research (CEER) is the nexus of Susquehanna’s research and conservation efforts.

Students pursuing environmental studies will learn about gardening and food sustainability, bees, solar and energy, map trails, hiking path development and more through this unique educational resource. Additionally, immersive research and internship opportunities are available to students at the CEER.

Watch NoW

Learn More

Aerial view of a rural landscape featuring a large red barn with a white roof, surrounded by lush green fields. A paved road runs alongside the barn. In the background, a field with rows of solar panels is visible. Trees and greenery are scattered throughout.

which environmental degree should I choose?

A person wearing a blue shirt and glasses kneels in a forest, intently examining a tree stump surrounded by fallen leaves, showcasing a deep focus on Earth and Environmental Sciences with the woods providing an immersive backdrop.

Earth & Environmental Sciences

Earth & Environmental Sciences examines the natural components of our environment and how they impact living things. It’s the scientific study of water, rocks, air and soil, and their dynamic interactions. You’ll take courses in hydrology, geology, weather, soil science and more, with a lot of exciting hands-on field and lab work, culminating in a research collaboration with faculty.

Explore

Three people stand outdoors, examining a small worm on one's hand. They are surrounded by greenery and trees. All are focused on the worm, showing a mix of curiosity and interest.

Ecology

Ecology is a branch of biology that examines how organisms interact with each other and their environment. You’ll take courses in biology and environmental sciences. Field and lab projects are an integral part of this major and every student completes a research project with faculty.

Explore

A group of people stand together outdoors, observing something off-camera. One person takes notes on a clipboard. They are surrounded by green foliage and overcast skies, dressed casually with hats for sun protection.

Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores the complex relationship between humans and their environment. You’ll learn to address environmental challenges caused by humans, including climate change and environmental injustice. Courses include natural and social sciences, literature, religion, politics and business.

Explore

Explore Your Studies

Program Resources

A Glance Into Your Degree Pathway

With support from advisors and course planning tools, your time at Susquehanna is carefully designed to help you succeed. This example provides a glimpse into your degree experience, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities to customize your path with electives or study abroad programs that reflect your passions and career goals.

First Year – Fall Semester

EENV 101

Environmental Science

Modern society functions with incredible resources and conveniences. Some of this progress has come at a great environmental price. This course investigates the scientific principles of the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere, and examines the environmental issues that our society faces. Topics include sustainability,ecology, resources, energy, pollution, wastes, and approaches at living in a more sustainable way. 4 SH. 3 lecture hours, 3 laboratory/field hours. CC: Scientific Explanations.

First Year – Spring Semester

ENST 110

Sustainability and Society

This course introduces students to the three pillars of sustainability: environmental conservation, economic development and social equity. Through the lens of sustainable resilience, students will analyze social and infrastructure systems and critically examine sustainable solutions’ impact on society. Class discussions, hands-on exercises and a team-based project will result in a broad understanding of societal systems, their interconnectedness and the sustainability challenges our world faces. 4SH.

N/A

Program Elective

Environmental Studies

Choose from a variety of elective courses within this program to customize your goals.

Second Year – Fall Semester

EENV 105

Energy and the Environment

Modern society relies on cheap and abundant energy for almost every aspect of daily life, from transportation to entertainment. Where does this energy come from? How much do we consume? How will we meet our future energy needs? What are the consequences of our energy use? These questions will be addressed as energy use and its impact on the environment is explored. Topics include the scientific principles that define energy and its transformation, society’s current reliance on fossil fuels, climate change, and alternative and sustainable energy sources. 4 SH. 3 lecture hours, 3 laboratory/field hours. CC: Scientific Explanations.

RELI 235

Environmental Ethics

This course combines religious, Philosophical and ecological thought as a means of addressing questions about appropriate ethical responses, actions and attitudes in our relationship with our ecosystems. It covers current utilitarian, deontological, and virtue based religious moral thought to focus on questions about the morality of economic and built-environment infrastructures and resultant cultural sea-shifts that need to take place to enable us to embody an ethical relationship with the environment. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. 4 SH. CC: Ethics, Interdisciplinary.

Second Year – Spring Semester

ECON 201

Principles of Macroeconomics

Introduces aggregate economics. Emphasizes current issues such as unemployment, inflation, stagflation, monetary and fiscal policies and international economics. 4 SH. CC: Social Interactions.

POLI 212

Introduction to Public Policy

This course focuses on understanding how laws are made. We will examine the policy-making process in the United States and, to a lesser extent, in other countries. Who sets the agenda adopted by politicians and policy-makers? What role(s) are played by private actors in the policy-making process? What factors help or hinder the process of implementing policies? Students will consider all of these questions and focus in depth on a number of current policy debates, including immigration policy, environmental policy and education policy. This course is intended to provide students with an understanding of the theories explaining how policies are shaped by the political process and a familiarity with the practical tools used by policy-makers to develop and enforce the rules, policies and laws that we all must follow. 4 SH. CC: Ethics Intensive.

Third Year – Fall Semester

ENST 335

Environmental Laws & Regulations

Surveys important state and federal environmental legislation, the principles on which these laws are founded, and the problems that arise in their practical application. Employs case studies to illustrate the way in which environmental laws function in contemporary American society. 4 SH.

ENST 301

Current Topics in Environmental Studies

An in-depth analysis of a current environmental issue. The topic will be explored through an integration of disciplines, including science, ethics, economics, policy, law, and literature, as well as the role of citizen activism. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. 4 SH.

Third Year – Spring Semester

EENV 242

Climate and Global Change

An overview of the Earth’s past, present and future climate. Topics include climate forcing, response and feedbacks; observed climate change; climate data; anthropogenic climate change; and climate change treaties. Prerequisite: sophomore standing. 4 SH. CC: Interdisciplinary, Writing Intensive.

ENST 201

Environmental Humanities

A practical, accessible guide to the power of the arts and humanities for understanding and addressing human-caused environmental problems, including climate change, deforestation, species extinction, pandemics, and environmental injustice. The course takes a global, historical view of these problems, emphasizing their impact on human diversity, geopolitical and economic power, and struggles for equity and justice. Projects and research engage students in using the humanities and arts to advance sustainable, just solutions that reimagine the human role in Earth’s future. 4 SH. CC: Interdisciplinary, Diversity, Writing Intensive. Second year standing or permission of the instructor. Not restricted to ENST majors or minors.

Fourth Year – Fall Semester

N/A

Program Elective

Environmental Studies

Choose from a variety of elective courses within this program to customize your goals.

Fourth Year – Spring Semester

ENST 505

Environmental Studies Community Project

A capstone course for Environmental Studies majors. Students complete a community-based project that addresses an ongoing environmental issue. This course emphasizes the development of effective research, stakeholder analysis, communication, and partnership-building skills in a project-based environment. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing. 4 SH. Capstone.

N/A

Program Elective

Environmental Studies

Choose from a variety of elective courses within this program to customize your goals.

ENST 110

Sustainability and Society

ENST 117

American Environmental History

Introduction to topics and methods of environmental history. An interdisciplinary study of the mutual relationships between humans and nature through time. Examines American environmental history from Native American ecology and European contact in the 16th century through urbanization and industrialization, and consequent problems of pollution and resource conservation in the 20th century. 4 SH. CC: Historical Perspectives.

ENST 201

Environmental Humanities

ENST 301

Current Topics in Environmental Studies

ENST 335

Environmental Laws & Regulations

ENST 400

Independent Study

1-4

Individual and in-depth study of a specialized topic under a faculty member’s direction. 1-4 SH.

ENST 410

Internship

2-4

This learning experience cultivates a student’s professional development. Students work at a private industry, public agency, or institute in an environment-related field under professional supervision. GO Your Own Way internships and service learning in environmental conservation fields are also encouraged. The student, employer and the department internship coordinator must complete the Student Learning Contract before the end of the drop/add deadline. Oral or written presentations and employer’s written evaluation are required for credit. Prerequisites: Faculty advisor’s permission, approval of Program Director, acceptance by organization, completed Internship Student Learning Contract. Graded S/U. 2-4 SH.

ENST 505

Environmental Studies Community Project

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s).

Learning goals

Students will be able to use interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to explain the interrelated scientific, political, economic, ethical, and human dimensions of environmental issues.
Students will be able to communicate a position on complex environmental problems and explain its tradeoffs to various stakeholders.
Students will develop critical thinking, research, writing, and analytical skills.
Students will be able to use various technologies and methods of gathering and analyzing data relevant to understanding complex, interrelated environmental issues, while also being able to explain the cost/benefit of each method or technology.

Major in Environmental Studies

To earn the B.A. in environmental studies students must complete 62 semester hours of coursework, all with grades of C- or higher. All majors must complete 50 semester hours of program foundation courses and 12 semester hours of electives.

Double-counting restriction for Environmental Studies major

Students in the Environmental Studies major may double-count a maximum of 20 semester hours toward another major or minor.

50 Foundation

4 EENV-101 Environmental Science OR ECOL-100 Introduction to the Science of Ecology OR BIOL-101 Ecology and Evolution or BIOL-010 Issues in Biology when the topic is one of the following: Biology of Climate Change, Conservation Biology, Environmental Biology, or Human Ecology
4 EENV-105 Energy and the Environment or EENV-332 Sustainable Energy Resources
4 ENST-110 Sustainability and Society
4 ECON-105 Elements of Economics
NOTE: ECON-201 Principles of Macroeconomics or ECON 202 Principles of Microeconomics may be substituted for ECON -105 with approval of the Program Coordinator.
4 ECOL-/BIOL-220 Biostatistics
4 ENST-201 Environmental Humanities
4 EENV-242 Climate and Global Change
4 POLI-212 Introduction to Public Policy
4 RELI-235 Environmental Ethics or PHIL-226 Philosophy, Ethics and the Environment
4 ENST-301 Current Topics in Environmental Studies
4 ENST-335 Environmental Laws and Regulations
4 ENST-505 Environmental Studies Community Project
4 POLI-212 Introduction to Public Policy
4 RELI-235 Environmental Ethics or PHIL-226 Philosophy, Ethics and the Environment
2 Internship (must be approved by Program Coordinator)

12 Electives: Students must complete 12 semester hours forming a cohesive focus, with advisor approval. No more than 4 semester hours may be taken at the 100 level or lower, and at least 4 semester hours must be taken at the 300 level or higher. It is not necessary for students to complete all 12 semester hours from the same category.

Biology/Ecology/Earth Sciences

4 BIOL-332 Population Biology
and BIOL 333 Population Biology Lab
2 BIOL-560 Interdisciplinary Explorations in Biology when the topic is Sustainable Food Systems, Biology of Invasive Species, Amphibian Population Decline, or Biology of Climate Change
4 ECOL-201 Community and Ecosystems Ecology
4 ECOL-408 Aquatic Ecology and ECOL-409 Aquatic Ecology Lab
4 EENV-213 Oceanography
4 EENV-220 Water Resources
4 EENV-313 The Susquehanna River
4 EENV-360 Geographic Information Systems
4 EENV-383 Soil Science

Cultural Studies

4 ENGL-205 Literature Studies when the topic is Literature of Climate Change or Shakespeare and the Environment
4 ENGL-390 Special Themes and Topics, when the topic is Sustainability Literature
4 ENST-117 American Environmental History
4 HIST-324 Pennsylvania’s Pasts and Their Publics
4 PHIL-125 Justice
4 PHIL-150 Race, Class, and Ethics
4 RELI-101 Introduction to Religious Studies
4 RELI-105 World Religions
4 RELI-208 Buddhism
4 RELI-305 Topics, when the topic is Eco-Theology

Economics/Business

4 ECON-201 Principles of Macroeconomics (if not taken for Foundation credit)
4 ECON-202 Principles of Microeconomics (if not taken for Foundation credit)
4 ECON-313 Intermediate Microeconomics Theory
4 ECON-335 Economic Development
4 ECON-338 International Political Economy
4 ECON-373 Political Economic Thought
4 INFS-174 Data Collection and Modeling
4 INFS-472 Data Insight and Visualization
4 MGMT-230 Exploring Entrepreneurial Opportunities
4 MGMT-240 Principles of Management
4 MGMT-290 Non-Profit Management
4 MGMT-333 New Ventures and Corporate Innovation
4 MGMT-373 Managing for Sustainability
4 MGMT-437 Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Political Science

4 POLI-111 American Government and Politics
4 POLI-215 Law and Politics
4 POLI-333 Development, Globalization and Society
4 POLI-334 International Organizations and Law
4 POLI-352 Environmental Policy

Public Relations

4 COMM-211 Introduction to Advertising and Public Relations
4 COMM-314 Public Relations Writing and Campaigns
4 COMM-321 Crisis Management

Sociology/Anthropology/Psychology

4 ANTH-152 Public Culture
4 ANTH-162 Introduction to Anthropology
4 ANTH-310 National, Transnational, Diasporic Communities
4 ANTH-311 Regulating Bodies: Food, Sex, Drugs and the Economy
4 PSYC-232 Environmental Psychology
4 SOCI-413 Critical Race Theory

Honors

To graduate with honors, environmental studies majors must:

Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a GPA of 3.50 in the program,

Request nomination from the ENST program coordinator at the beginning of their senior year and

Complete and publicly present an honors-quality project at the Senior Scholars’ Day in the spring of their senior year.

Minor in Environmental Studies

Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary program that allows students to study environmental problems from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Drawing on courses from the Departments of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Political Science, English & Creative Writing, Economics, Religious Studies, Sociology and Anthropology, and others, students develop a holistic, applied approach to environmental problem solving.

The minor in environmental studies requires 24 semester hours. Only courses completed with a grade of C- or higher may be counted toward the minor. No more than 8 semester hours may be taken at the 100-level or lower.

Double-counting restriction for interdisciplinary minors

Only 8 semester hours of this minor may be double-counted toward the student’s major or another minor.

Courses applied to the environmental studies minor must include the following (see below for detailed lists):

Introductory (100-level) environmental science, biology, or ecology (4 SH)
Upper-level (200-level or higher) environmental science, biology, or ecology (4 SH)
Political science, law, or economics (4 SH)
English, philosophy, religious studies, sociology/anthropology, or creative writing (4 SH)
Sustainability Electives list (4 SH)
ENST-301 Current Topics in Environmental Studies (4 SH)

4 Introductory (100-level) environmental science, biology, or ecology courses:

EENV-101 Environmental Science
EENV-105 Energy and the Environment
ECOL-100 Introduction to the Science of Ecology
BIOL-101 Ecology and Evolution
BIOL-010 Issues in Biology (Biology of Climate Change, Conservation Biology, Environmental Biology, or Human Ecology only)

4 Upper-level (200-level or higher) environmental science, biology, or ecology courses: