Susquehanna’s environmental studies program trains you to address today’s complex environmental problems with the power of an interdisciplinary approach. From day one, your award-winning faculty will inspire you with hands-on projects, research, knowledge-creation and skill-building that help you move from the classroom to real-world problem-solving. You’ll study the complex causes and consequences of human civilization’s impact on the planet from diverse academic perspectives. At the same time, you’ll learn how to apply creative thinking, innovation, cultural knowledge, ethical principles and scientific know-how to design the just, sustainable, resilient world of the future.
Choosing Your Path
Susquehanna’s environmental studies curriculum offers many different pathways through the major so you can follow your passions and interests. Foundation courses provide a rigorous backbone of study across the sciences, humanities, and social sciences, but a broad array of electives from 16 different majors give each student the chance to design their own trajectory. That could be advanced work focused in the sciences, economics, business, cultural studies, social sciences, communications or political science. Working closely with your advisor, you’ll create your own individual course of study that puts you on a path to leadership in a variety of careers, from business, finance and education, to government, the arts, journalism, outdoor recreation, law, politics and community development.
Susquehanna’s environmental studies major presents many opportunities for internships, summer research and club activities, so you’ll be able to participate in community projects, field work and hands-on application of your knowledge. You can join the Beekeeping Club, Geoclub, work in the campus garden, or live in the Sustainability House. Our majors intern with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, PA Fish and Boat Commission, local law firms and the PA Department of Environmental Protection. They work in the Freshwater Research Institute, the Sustainability Office, edit and write for the newspaper, and work on mapping projects, tree surveys and conservation research. The capstone course for the major asks students to design a community development project; one year, students built resilience into Selinsgrove’s waste, transportation and flood management systems; another year, they created an interpretive nature trail on campus. Your work will leave a legacy that benefits future generations while building a powerful resume that employers will notice.
A Susquehanna education provides students with flexibility in coursework so they can conduct research, intern and study abroad. When it comes to your major, you’ll begin taking classes in your chosen program of study in your first year.
Here are some of the courses thatenvironmental studiesmajors take in their first few semesters at Susquehanna.
Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, Ecology … they sound remarkably similar. How do you decide which one is right for you? Here’s your cheat sheet on these three majors.
Earth and environmental sciences examines the nonliving 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 lots of hands-on field and lab work, culminating in a research collaboration with faculty.
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.
Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the complex interdependencies between human, nonhuman, and nonliving earth systems. By understanding how these systems interact, at local and global levels, you’ll learn how to redress human-caused environmental challenges from climate change to environmental injustice. You’ll take courses in natural and social sciences, literature, religion, politics and business, culminating in a semester-long community-based project.
