Bachelor of Arts in Environmental & Sustainability Studies

Location(s): Glassboro Campus

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The BA in Environmental & Sustainability Studies (BAESS) is an opportunity to explore humanity’s relationship with the natural world from a range of perspectives in the social sciences and humanities. BAESS is designed to complement more technical studies in the physical sciences or engineering with a focus on the human context of environmental problems; at the same time, BAESS offers students in humanities, social sciences, education, communications, and artistic programs a clear topical focus for their work, emphasizing environmental issues and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. BAESS is also a great option for students interested in environmental policy. The BAESS program is designed with great flexibility in mind: and students will have ample flexibility in their schedules to pursue an additional major, minors, CUGS, and anything else that suits students’ interests and career plans.

Environmental problems are priority issues of local, national, and global concern. Core courses emphasize major issues and approaches in environmental studies, along with establishing a foundation in social science and humanistic research design. Elective courses offer students the chance to explore the Environmental Humanities, Environmental Policy & Economics, and Applications of Environmental & Sustainability Studies. BAESS’ internship requirement offers students a chance to apply their classroom education in the ‘real world’. Graduates of the program will be well-suited for a variety of careers working with the environment, especially those in government, non-profit, and environmental education sectors, and also strong candidates for graduate studies in a range of fields.

Rowan Core: 9 s.h.

All first-time Freshmen must complete the University Rowan Core Literacies. There are six literacies:

Communicative Literacy (COML) - 9 s.h. Satisfied by taking the following three courses:
- COMP 01111 College Composition I
- COMP 01112 College Composition II
- CMS 04205 Public Speaking
- Note: Engineering Majors will take (11 s.h.)
Artistic Literacy (ARTL)
Global Literacy (GLBL)
Humanistic Literacy (HUML)
Quantitative Literacy (QNTL)
Scientific Literacy (SCIL)

Majors may suggest courses to fulfill the above literacies and will be applied elsewhere.

A complete listing of courses that fulfill the above literacies can be found here Undergraduate Program Requirements .

Rowan Experience

Students must satisfy all three Rowan Experience attributes. Credits attached to the courses in this section will apply elsewhere.

The attributes are as follows:

Broad-Based Literature Attribute (LIT)
Writing Intensive Attribute (WI)
Rowan Seminar Attribute*(RS)

Departments may recommend courses to fulfill these attributes. A complete listing of courses that satisfy these attributes can be found at Undergraduate Program Requirements .

*The Rowan Seminar requirement is waived for all students transferring 24 or more approved credits into Rowan University at the time of initial entry.

Program Requirements

Non-Program Requirements: 18 s.h.

Courses in this section cannot be in the major department.

STAT 02260 - Statistics I Credits: 3 (Satisfies Quantitative Literacy (QNTL) requirement)
ECON 04102 - An Introduction to Economics-A Microeconomic Perspective Credits: 3 (Satisfies Humanistic Literacy (HUML) requirement)

Environmental & Sustainability Studies Foundational Courses: 28 s.h.

ENST 94101 - Planet in Peril: Environmental Science in the 21st Century Credits: 3
or
EVSC 01121 - Global Environmental Change Credits: 3
ENST 94102 - Human Nature: Intro to Environmental and Sustainability Studies Credits: 3
ENST 94202 - Environmental Science Research Methods and Data Analysis Credits: 4
ENST 94301 - Environmental Ethics Credits: 3
ENST 94401 - Senior Seminar in Environmental and Sustainability Studies-WI Credits: 3 (Satisfies Writing Intensive (WI) Attribute)
GEOG 16100 - Earth, People, and the Environment Credits: 3
GEOG 16160 - Digital Earth: Mapping and Geographic Information Science Credits: 3 (Satisfies Artistic (ARTL) Literacy Requirement)
GEOG 16390 - Geography Research Clinic/Studio Credits: 1 to 6
PLAN 31280 - Introduction to City Planning Credits: 3 (Satisfies Humanistic Literacy (HUML) requirement)

Environmental Humanities Elective: 3 s.h.

Choose one of the courses below:

ENGL 02123 - Topics in Literature Credits: 3 (Must be “Lit & the Env” Section)
ENST 94302 - Technology and the Environment Credits: 3
GEOG 16308 - Sensing the Sustainable City Credits: 3
RTF 03285 - Experiencing Documentary Credits: 3
WA 01325 - Scientific Writing and Rhetoric Credits: 3
WA 01326 - Writing for Nonprofits-WI Credits: 3
WA 01335 - Environmental Writing and Rhetoric-WI Credits: 3
GEOG 16309 - Smell Studio: Art, Nature, Place Credits: 3
ART 09324 - Art and Environment Studio Credits: 3
ART 09326 - Art and Environment Credits: 3

Environmental Policy, Economics, & Social Science Elective: 3 s.h.

Choose one of the courses below:

ANTH 02321 - Cultural Ecology Credits: 3
ECON 04210 - Environmental Economics Credits: 3
ENST 94303 - Environmental Advocacy Credits: 3
GEOG 16301 - Natural Resources, Capitalism, and Society Credits: 3
HLT 00303 - Environmental Issues and Health Credits: 3
POSC 07385 - Environmental Policy Credits: 3
PSY 05205 - Environmental Psychology Credits: 3
SOC 08400 - Environment, Policy and Society Credits: 3
SOC 08442 - Environmental Justice: Race, Class, and Gender Credits: 3

Sustainability Studies Elective: 3-4 s.h.

Choose one of the courses below:

CEE 08436 - Sustainable Technologies for Built Environments Credits: 3
CEE 08437 - Sustainable Buildings Credits: 3
ENST 94400 - Environmental Impact Assessment Credits: 3
EVSC 01315 - Foraging for Edible Plants Credits: 3
GEOG 16260 - Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Credits: 4
GEOG 16307 - Transportation Planning and Policy Credits: 3
GEOG 16331 - Geography of the National Parks Credits: 3
GEOG 16334 - The Geography of Natural Disasters Credits: 3
HES 00109 - Adventure and Experiential Learning Credits: 2
HES 00209 - Adventure Processing and Facilitation Credits: 3
HES 00309 - Wilderness First Responder Credits: 4
PLAN 31384 - Water Resources Planning Credits: 3
PLAN 31386 - Land Use and Conservation Credits: 3
PLAN 31387 - Food Systems Planning Credits: 3
EDSU 29210 - Sustainability Education: An Introduction Credits: 3
EDSU 29211 - Leading Sustainable Organizations Credits: 3
EDSU 29212 - Integrating Climate Change Education Across Contexts Credits: 3

Environmental & Sustainability Studies Program Electives: 9 s.h.

Choose nine s.h. in consultation with your advisor and/or the Program Coordinator. The courses should contribute towards another major, a minor, or a CUGS program at Rowan and must be drawn from the Environmental Humanities, Sustainability Studies, or Environmental Policy, Economics, and Social Sciences elective banks above

Free Electives: 46-47 s.h.

Total Required Credits for the Program: 120 s.h.

For information related to this major or minor, please contact:
Richard Federman
865.256.4500 x 53978
federmanr@rowan.edu

Note: Courses in the list above marked with * may be substituted for additional courses, only upon approval of Program Coordinator.