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  • Environmental and Sustainability Studies BS

School of Earth & Sustainability

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SES.Admin​@nau.edu
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Environmental and Sustainability Studies BA

 

Compare all SES Bachelor’s programs


  • Research in Geosciences
  • Research in Environmental Sciences
  • Research in Sustainability

Resources for current students


Add a graduate degree with an extra year

  • 4+1 MA in Sustainable Communities
  • 4+1 MS in Climate Science & Solutions


Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Bachelor of Science

Issues of sustainability, climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental justice, biodiversity, and increasing demand for finite food, water, and energy resources become more critical every day. To better understand-and improve-our relationship with the natural world, consider the environmental studies program at Northern Arizona University.

Here, you will study ecosystems and the ways humans interact with them using the perspectives of the natural and social sciences and the humanities. You will work extensively with full-time professors who have practical experience in the environmental sciences and sustainability. You'll have many opportunities for field study and research; our faculty members include undergraduate students in all research projects, and you will be required to complete an undergraduate research project or internship. You will learn how to develop solutions for these issues and prepare for a career in research, industry, education, government, or public service.

Students who are interested in the environment and the issues at its crux will enjoy the pursuit of this degree. Crucial issues of sustainability, diversity, and change are interwoven through the program

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Career Accordion Open

Career opportunities that might be pursued:
  • Sustainability coordinator
  • Conservation biology
  • Community-supported agriculture
  • Environmental education and communication
  • Resource management, assessment, and protection
  • Air, water, and soil quality monitoring
  • Renewable energy design and construction
With further education, one of these paths is possible:
  • Communicator/journalist/educator
  • Community organizer
  • Researcher
  • Resource, park or forest manager
  • Environmental administrator
  • University professor

Requirements Accordion Closed

University Requirements

  • To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's liberal studies, diversity, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.
    The full policy can be viewed here.

     

Overview Accordion Closed

Overview

In addition to University Requirements:

  • At least 62 units of major requirements
  • Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements
  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units

Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion120
Major GPA2.0
Highest Mathematics RequiredMAT 114
Fieldwork Experience/InternshipFieldwork Experience/Internship may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option.
ResearchOptional
University Honors ProgramOptional
Bachelor/Juris Doctor 3+3Optional
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-ARecommended
Progression Plan LinkView Progression Plan

Purpose Statement

The Environmental and Sustainability Studies program at NAU constructs an interdisciplinary base of knowledge and skills that integrates humanistic disciplines and perspectives with natural and social scientific approaches to develop real-world solutions to our environmental and sustainability challenges, from the local to the global.

Our BS degree program begins with a firm grounding in natural systems, to ensure all students understand how physical and biological processes maintain life, and how humans are affecting, and are affected by, the natural world. In addition to the natural sciences, students will also obtain a solid understanding of the environment through focusing on the social sciences and humanities in order to develop a critical appreciation of the historical, political, economic and ethical forces that have shaped our current environmental issues. This will prepare students for work in non-profit, government and community-action organizations.

Students will work together in field and lab environments to apply rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods to environmental and sustainability issues, exploring interdisciplinary impacts and solutions that range across space and time. Interdisciplinary experience is centered around focus areas or specific environmental problems, rather than disciplines. This structure produces students well-trained in both the fundamentals of multiple disciplines as well as specific knowledge needed to understand, analyze and become engaged in particular issues and professions. Additionally for the BA degree, students will attain foreign language competency and experience with cross-cultural communication to better understand the impact of environmental issues on global communities.

This issue-based approach allows students to attain a wide knowledge base in order to approach the solution of specific problems by working individually and together with other students. To culminate learning in the program, students develop an individually designed research project or internship addressing an environmental issue of importance to them, which helps to further prepare students for a range of professional or graduate opportunities.

Student Learning Outcomes
  • Understand interactions among natural and human systems and their relationships to sustainability science.
  • Explore the concept of global and local sustainability using examples from natural science, social science, and humanities perspectives.
  • Examine feedbacks between the human experience and the environment.
  • Identify and effectively communicate environmental issues and sustainable solutions using natural science, ethical, and social science principles.
  • Explore the components of, and the interactions between, the Earth system such as lithosphere, hydrosphere, soils, atmosphere, and how people and society interact with these systems.
  • Envision environmental problems through a lens that acknowledges component interactions, feedback loops, emergent properties, and uncertainty.
  • Apply knowledge of coupled human-natural systems to address complex environmental problems such as decision-making in the face of uncertainty.
  • Investigate the effects of resource use and management within linked natural and social systems and learn ways to maintain healthy ecosystem services.
  • Apply knowledge of the policy cycle, stakeholders, the science policy interface and environmental legislation to inform sustainability policies.
  • Incorporate sustainability principles into interdisciplinary policy decision-making, to generate innovative ideas.
  • Demonstrate competence in critical thought and communication.
  • Actively participate in field and lab research including data collection, management, analysis and synthesis.
  • Participate in internship or research activities that align environmental studies concepts to address and resolve environmental issues.
  • Attain experience with cross-cultural communication.
  • Investigate the core concepts of life sciences including nutrient cycling, applications of ecology, biological diversity, conservation biology, and the role of these concepts in human and natural systems.

Details Accordion Closed

Details

Major Requirements
  • This major requires 62 to 63 units.

    Take the following 62 - 63 units with a Grade of "C" or better in each course:

    • COM 150 (3 units)
    • ENV 115, ENV 181, ENV 171, ENV 301W (13 units)
    • (ENV 324, ENV 324L) or ENV 326, ENV 326L) (4 units)
    • ENV 490C (3 units)
    • HUM 175 (3 units)
    • PHI 331 (3 units)
    • POS 110, POS 359 (6 units)
    • Select one course from: ENV 373*, ENV 377,  ENV 425 (3 units)
    • Select one course from : ENV 408, ENV 485, ENV 497 (3 units)
    • Select one course from: CHM 130, CHM 151, BIO 100 (3-4 units)
    • Select one course from: STA 270, STA 275 (3 units)
      • Select 15 units with at least 6 units at the 300 or 400-level, from the following.

        Natural Sciences, select at least one from:

        • BIO 284, BIO 302, BIO 322, BIO 345, BIO 373, BIO 374, BIO 414, BIO 477, BIO 478
        • CENE 150
        • ENV 110, ENV 250*, ENV 375, ENV 440, ENV 440L, ENV 460, ENV 495
        • FOR 213, FOR 222, FOR 240, FOR 250*, FOR 255, FOR 340, FOR 381*, FOR 382, FOR 443, FOR 465
        • GLG 107, GLG 112, GLG 259*, GLG 304*, GLG 451
        • GSP 150
        • HS 313, HS 471*
        • PHS 101

        Social Sciences, select at least one additional course from:

        • AIS 290, AIS 390*, AIS 395*
        • ANT 102, ANT 205*, ANT 301, ANT 306*, ANT 351*, ANT 370*
        • BIO 345, BIO 374, BIO 414
        • CENE 440
        • CCJ 312
        • ECO 324, ECO 328*
        • FOR 230*, FOR 250*, FOR 360, FOR 381, FOR 430, FOR 445, FOR 447, FOR 493*
        • GLG 259, GLG 304
        • GSP 148*, GSP 201, GSP 220*, GSP 240, GSP 241, GSP 272, GSP 276, GSP 303, GSP 371, GSP 376, GSP 402, GSP 421, GSP 470
        • POS 210*, POS 320*, POS 344, POS 357*, POS 361, POS 455 
        • PRM 300, PRM 411
        • PSY 411
        • SOC 301*, SOC 315*, SOC 319, SOC 333, SOC 334, SOC 414, SOC 415
        • SUS 101, SUS 220, SUS 230, SUS 320

        Humanities, select at least one course from:

        • CINE 394
        • CM 120
        • COM 250
        • ENG 364W* 
        • HIS 293, HIS 367*, HIS 368, HIS 369*, HIS 381, HIS 397*, HIS 405*, HIS 413*
        • HUM 130*, HUM 373
        • WGS 410
        *Courses related to Southwest Environments and Bicultural Diversity. 
         
        Topics courses must be environmentally focused.  Please consult with your advisor.

         

General Electives
  • Additional coursework is required, if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit. 

    You may take these remaining courses from any academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you. (Please note that you may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.)

  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. For prerequisite information click on the course or see your advisor.
     

Additional Information
  • Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program

    This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan.  Accelerated Programs provide the opportunity for outstanding undergraduates working on their bachelor’s degree to simultaneously begin work on a master’s degree. Departments may allow students to complete both degrees in an accelerated manner by approving up to 12 units applicable toward both degrees.  Students must apply to the accelerated program and the master’s program by the application deadline, and meet all requirements as listed on the Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs to be considered for admission.  Admission to programs is competitive and qualified applicants may be denied because of limits on the number of students admitted each year.  Be sure to speak with your advisor regarding your interest in Accelerated Programs.
     

  • Bachelor/Juris Doctor 3+3 Program

    This plan is eligible for NAU’s 3+3 program offered in conjunction with the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law.  This program allows outstanding students to substitute their final year of undergraduate studies with their first year of law school and earn an undergraduate (BS or BA) and law (JD) degree in six years instead of seven years.  Please refer to the Bachelor/Juris Doctor 3+3 Program for more information.

Availability Accordion Closed

Campus Availability

  • Flagstaff

School of Earth & Sustainability
Location
Room A108 Building 11
Ashurst
624 S Knoles Dr
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Contact Form
Email
SES.Admin@nau.edu
Phone
928-523-9333
Fax
928-523-7423
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