- Majors & Minors
- Study Abroad
- Academic Calendar
- Central Curriculum
- Course Catalog
- Faculty
- Blough-Weis Library
- Center for Academic Achievement
- Honors Program
- Summer Session
- Graduate Results
- Success Stories
- Career Development Center
- Centers and Lectureships
- Academic Resources
- Visit
- Apply
- Deposit
- Tuition & Financial Aid
- First-Year
- Transfer
- International
- Admission Representatives by Region
- Housing & Dining
- Student Activities & Programs
- Fun On Campus
- Title IX
- Bias Response
- Athletics
- Our Campus & Location
- Diversity Matters
- Center for Diversity & Inclusion
- Our Leadership
- History and Traditions
- In the Community
- Newsroom
- Title IX
- Staff
- Athletics
- MySU
- Event Calendar
- Sustainability

Course Catalog
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 and Environmental Sciences, Political Science, English and Creative Writing, Economics, Religious Studies, Sociology and Anthropology, and others, as well as two environmental studies synthesis courses, students develop a holistic, applied approach to environmental problem-solving. Students may earn a major or a minor in environmental studies.
Learning goals:
- Students will be able to describe broad environmental problems in terms of their interrelated scientific, political, economics, ethical, and human dimensions.
- Students will attain factual, in-depth knowledge of contemporary environmental issues from multiple disciplinary backgrounds.
- Students will develop critical thinking, research, and analysis skills.
- Students will understand the inherent complexity of environmental problems and will be able to communicate effectively a position to various stakeholders.
Environmental Studies Major. To earn the B.A. in environmental studies students must complete 56 semester hours of coursework, all with grades of C- or higher. All majors must complete 44 semester hours of program foundation courses and 12 semester hours of electives.
Double-counting restriction: students in the Environmental Studies major may double-count a maximum of 16 semester hours toward another major or minor.
Semester Hours | View Full Course Catalog >> |
---|---|
44 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 EENV-242 Climate and Global Change | |
4 ENST-335 Environmental Laws and Regulations | |
4 WRIT-241 Environmental Writing or ENGL-381 Rhetoric and the Environment or ENGL-205 Literature Studies when the topic is Literature of Climate Change |
|
4 RELI-235 Environmental Ethics | |
4 POLI-212 Introduction to Public Policy | |
4 ECON-202 Principles of Microeconomics | |
or ECON-105 Elements of Economics | |
4 ACCT-210 Legal Environment | |
4 ENST-301 Current Topics in Environmental Studies | |
4 ENST-500 Negotiating International Climate Treaties: Institutions, Law, Theory | |
Electives (12 semester hours) 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 |
|
2 BIOL-560 Interdisciplinary Explorations in Biology when the topic is either Sustainable Food Systems or Biology of Invasive Species 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-360 Geographic Information Systems | |
4 EENV-383 Soil Science | |
Cultural Studies |
|
4 ENGL-205 Literature Studies when the topic is Literature of Climate Change (if not taken for Foundation credit) 4 ENGL-295 Voice and Audience 4 ENGL-315 Themes in Early Modern British Literature, when the topic is Green Romanticism 4 ENGL-381 Rhetoric and the Environment (if not taken for Foundation credit) 4 WRIT-241 Environmental Writing (if not taken for Foundation credit) |
|
4 HIST-324 Pennsylvania's Pasts and Their Publics | |
4 PHIL-150 Everyday Ethics: Philosophical Issues in the Private Realm | |
4 RELI-101 Introduction to Religious Studies | |
4 RELI-105 World Religions | |
Economics/Business |
|
4 ECON-201 Principles of Macroeconomics | |
4 ECON-313 Intermediate Microeconomics Theory | |
4 ECON-338 International Political Economy | |
4 ECON-370 Game Theory | |
4 MKTG-280 Marketing | |
4 MGMT-333 New Ventures: Start-Up to Exit | |
4 MGMT-369 Values, Ethics and the Good Life | |
Political Science |
|
4 POLI-111 American Government and Politics | |
4 POLI-121 Comparative Government and Politics | |
4 POLI-215 Law and Politics | |
4 POLI-317 The U. S. Congress | |
4 POLI-319 State and Local Government and Politics | |
4 POLI-333 Development, Globalization and Society | |
4 POLI-334 International Organizations and Law | |
Public Relation |
|
4 COMM-192 Public Speaking | |
4 COMM-211 Public Relations | |
4 COMM-321 Crisis Management | |
Sociology/Anthropology/Psychology |
|
4 ANTH-152 Public Culture | |
4 ANTH-162 Introduction to Anthropology | |
4 ANTH-311 Regulating Bodies: Food, Sex, Drugs and the Economy | |
4 PSYC-232 Environmental Psychology | |
4 SOCI-101 Principles of Sociology | |
4 SOCI-333 Development, Globalization and Society | |
4 SOCI-316 Social Justice | |
4 SOCI-410 Economic Sociology |
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 and Environmental Sciences, Political Science, English and 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)
- Any course from the Foundation or Electives list (4 SH)
- ENST-301 Current Topics in Environmental Studies (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.
ENST-335 Environmental Laws and 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 how environmental laws function in contemporary American society. 4 SH.
ENST-400 Independent Study
Individual and in-depth study of a specialized topic under a faculty member's direction. 1-4 SH.
ENST-500 Negotiating International Climate Treaties: Institutions, Law, Theory
Students will apply their research in complex systems modeling risk management, international law and climate science in mock negotiations for a new climate accord modeled on the UNFCCC process. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing. 4 SH. CC: Oral Intensive.
Department: Earth & Environmental Sciences
Professor Earth & Environmental Science
Department: Management
Associate Professor of Management
Department: Political Science
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Department: Religious Studies
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Department: Sociology/Anthropology
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Department: English & Creative Writing
Associate Professor of English
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 ENST-500 Environmental Studies Capstone, and
- Complete and publicly present an honors-quality project in the spring of their senior year.