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BA in Environmental Studies

Loyola's BA in Environmental Studies combines a solid base of courses in the natural sciences with course work in the social sciences to prepare students for careers in government, business, education, non-profit organizations or the media.

Students conducting ecological restoration work

Students explore ecological, social, and economic factors involved in sustainability. 

Program Highlights

A solid interdisciplinary curriculum that promotes appreciation of:

  • The human imprint on the environmental landscape
  • Issues of environmental sustainability
  • The ability to assess environmental problems by integrating economic, societal, ethical, political, and historical perspectives

What You'll Learn

Coursework spans a variety of disciplines pertinent to the understanding of environmental issues, including:

  • Environmental policies
  • The relationships of those policies to local, national and international politics
  • Issues of environmental ethics & advocacy
  • Social change and its relationship to social justice
  • The history of human interaction with the environment

Careers

This major combines a solid base of courses in the natural sciences with course work in the social sciences to prepare students for careers in:

  • Government
  • Business
  • Education
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Media
  • Students have the option of pursuing an MBA through additional coursework

Curriculum

Environmental Studies students complete coursework spanning a variety of disciplines pertinent to the understanding of environmental issues.

Core Curriculum

The BA in Environmental Studies has the following core requirements

  • ENVS 137 Foundations of Environmental Science I
  • ENVS 237 Foundations of Environmental Science II
  • ENVS 238 Environmental Science Lab
  • ENVS 200 Environmental Careers and Professional Skills
  • ENVS 203 Environmental Statistics
  • ENVS 280 Principles of Ecology
  • ENVS 286 Principles of Ecology Lab
  • PLSC 392 Environmental Politics

 

Justice and Ethics Choice

Choose one:

  • ENVS 284 Environmental Justice
  • PHIL 287 Environmental Ethics
  • THEO 204 Religious Ethics and the Ecological Crisis

Economics Choice

Choose one:

  • ENVS 335 Ecological Economics
  • ECON 328 Environmental Economics

Engaged Learning Choice

Choose one:

  • ENVS 226 Science & Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems
  • ENVS 227r Ecology of the Mediterranean Sea
  • ENVS 267 Bird Conservation and Ecology
  • ENVS 273 Energy & the Environment
  • ENVS 281v Humans and the Environment in Contemporary Vietnam
  • ENVS 283 Environmental Sustainability
  • ENVS 340 Natural History of Belize
  • ENVS 345 Conservation & Sustainability in Neotropical Ecosystems
  • ENVS 350a STEP: Water
  • ENVS 350b STEP: Biogas
  • ENVS 350c STEP: Climate Action
  • ENVS 350f STEP: Food Systems
  • ENVS 391 Independent Environmental Research
  • ENVS 395 Environmental Internship

Capstone Choice

Choose one:  

  • ENVS 390 Integrative Environmental Seminar 
  • ENVS 391C Independent Environmental Research (Capstone) 
  • ENVS 395C Environmental Internship (Capstone) 

Electives

The BA in Environmental Studies has electives (21 credit hours) in the following categories:

Society, Ethics, and Justice

Choose two:

  • ENVS 204 Gender, Health & Environment
  • ENVS 260W Environmental Journalism (COMM 260W)
  • ENVS 279W Climate and History (HIST 279E)
  • ENVS 284 Environmental Justice
  • ENVS 297W N American Environmental History (HIST 297E)
  • ENVS 298 Special Topics (with SES approval)
  • ENVS 310 Introduction to Environmental Law & Policy
  • ENVS 311 Natural Resources and Land Use Law & Policy
  • ENVS 312 Water Law & Policy
  • ENVS 313 Energy Law & Policy
  • ENVS 338 Climate Change and Human Health
  • ENVS 350a STEP: Water
  • ENVS 350b STEP: Biogas
  • ENVS 350c STEP: Climate Action
  • ENVS 350f STEP: Food Systems
  • ENVS 383 Human Dimensions in Conservation
  • ENVS 391 Independent Environmental Research
  • ENVS 395 Environmental Internship
  • ENVS 398 Special Topics (with SES approval)
  • ENVS 399 Directed Readings
  • COMM 101 Public Speaking & Critical Thinking
  • COMM 277 Organizational Communication
  • COMM 306 Environmental Advocacy
  • COMM 322 Guerilla Media
  • ENGL 288 Nature in Literature
  • PHIL 287 Environmental Ethics
  • PSYC 277 Environmental Psychology
  • SOCL 226 Science, Technology, and Society
  • SOCL 252 Global Inequities
  • SOCL 272 Environmental Sociology
  • SOCL 276 Sociology/ Politics of Food
  • SOCL 278 Global Health
  • THEO 204 Religious Ethics and the Ecological Crisis
  • THEO 344 Theology and Ecology

Policy, Economics, and Resource Management

Choose one:

  • ENVS 298 Special Topics (with SES approval)
  • ENVS 310 Introduction to Environmental Law & Policy
  • ENVS 311 Natural Resources and Land Use Law & Policy
  • ENVS 312 Water Law & Policy
  • ENVS 313 Energy Law & Policy
  • ENVS 327 Food Systems Analysis
  • ENVS 332 Industrial Ecology
  • ENVS 333 Circular Economy
  • ENVS 335 Ecological Economics
  • ENVS 336 Biomimicry Design Inspired by Nature
  • ENVS 338 Climate Change and Human Health
  • ENVS 351 Introduction to Sustainability Concepts & Impacts
  • ENVS 363 Sustainable Business Management
  • ENVS 364 Sustainability Management in the Global Context
  • ENVS 383 Human Dimensions in Conservation
  • ENVS 384 Conservation Economics
  • ENVS 389 Ecological Risk Assessment
  • ENVS 391 Independent Environmental Research
  • ENVS 395 Independent Environmental Internship
  • ENVS 398 Special Topics (with SES approval)
  • ENVS 399 Directed Readings
  • ECON 328 Environmental Economics
  • GLST 305 Globalization and Environmental Sustainability
  • MGMT 201 Intro to Business Management
  • PLSC 354 Global Environmental Politics

 

Methods and Analysis

Choose one:

  • ENVS 260W Environmental Journalism
  • ENVS 298 Special Topics (with SES approval)
  • ENVS 327 Food Systems Analysis
  • ENVS 352 Sustainability Assessment & Reporting I
  • ENVS 353 Sustainability Assessment & Reporting II
  • ENVS 354 Sustainability Plan Development & Reporting
  • ENVS 380 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
  • ENVS 381 Advanced GIS Applications
  • ENVS 382 Remote Sensing
  • ENVS 384 Conservation Economics
  • ENVS 388 Applied Environmental Statistics
  • ENVS 389 Ecological Risk Assessment
  • ENVS 391 Independent Environmental Research
  • ENVS 395 Environmental Internship
  • ENVS 398 Special Topics (with SES approval)
  • ENVS 399 Directed Readings
  • ANTH 317 Qualitative Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology
  • BIOL 335 Introduction to Biostatistics
  • COMM 231 Conflict Management and Mediation
  • COMM 234 Interviewing for Communication
  • COMM 277 Organizational Communication
  • COMM 363 Research Methods in Advertising and Public Relations
  • MARK 320 Marketing for Environmental Sustainability
  • SOCL 206 Principles of Social Research
  • SOCL 301 Statistics for Social Research
  • SOCL 302 Qualitative Research
  • STAT 203 Statistics
  • STAT 303 SAS Progr. & Applied Statistics

Environmental Electives

 Choose three, at least one of which must be from List A and at least one of which must be at the 300 level): 

List A:   

  • ENVS 204 Gender, Health, and Environment 
  • ENVS 207 Plants & Civilization    
  • ENVS 218 Biodiversity & Biogeography 
  • ENVS 223 Soil Ecology 
  • ENVS 224 Climate & Climate Change 
  • ENVS 226 Science & Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems       
  • ENVS 227r Ecology of the Mediterranean 
  • ENVS 267 Bird Conservation & Ecology 
  • ENVS 273 Energy & the Environment      
  • ENVS 274 Chemistry of the Environment 
  • ENVS 278 Hydrology      
  • ENVS 281v Humans and the Environ. of Contemporary Vietnam  
  • ENVS 283 Environmental Sustainability 
  • ENVS 298 Special Topics (with SES approval) 
  • ENVS 301 Environmental Health            
  • ENVS 302 Principles of Public Health 
  • ENVS 303 Introduction to Epidemiology 
  • ENVS 319 Winter Ecology 
  • ENVS 320 Conservation Biology 
  • ENVS 322 Invasive Species         
  • ENVS 325 Sustainable Agriculture 
  • ENVS 326 Agroecosystems        
  • ENVS 327 Food Systems Analysis 
  • ENVS 330 Restoration Ecology 
  • ENVS 338 Climate Change and Human Health     
  • ENVS 340 Natural History of Belize 
  • ENVS 345 Conservation & Sustainability in Neotropical Ecosystems         
  • ENVS 350a STEP: Water  
  • ENVS 350b STEP: Biogas  
  • ENVS 350c STEP: Climate Action  
  • ENVS 350f STEP: Food Systems 
  • ENVS 352 Sustainability Assessment & Reporting I 
  • ENVS 353 Sustainability Assessment & Reporting II 
  • ENVS 369 Field Ornithology 
  • ENVS 380 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems        
  • ENVS 381 Advanced GIS Applications 
  • ENVS 382 Remote Sensing 
  • ENVS 385 Introduction to Global Health             
  • ENVS 387 Principles of Ecotoxicology 
  • ENVS 388 Applied Environmental Statistics 
  • ENVS 389 Ecological Risk Assessment 
  • ENVS 391 Independent Environmental Research 
  • ENVS 395 Environmental Internship 
  • ENVS 398 Special Topics (with SES approval) 
  • ENVS 399 Directed Readings 
  • ANTH 104 The Human Ecological Footprint 
  • ANTH 303 People & Conservation                

List B:   

  • ENVS 260W Environmental Journalism 
  • ENVS 279W Climate and History             
  • ENVS 297W N American Environmental History 
  • ENVS 298 Special Topics (with SES approval)       
  • ENVS 302 Principles of Public Health 
  • ENVS 310 Intro to Environmental Law & Policy    
  • ENVS 311 Natural Resources and Land Use Law & Policy  
  • ENVS 312 Water Law & Policy 
  • ENVS 313 Energy Law & Policy 
  • ENVS 332 Industrial Ecology 
  • ENVS 333 Circular Economy 
  • ENVS 335 Ecological Economics 
  • ENVS 336 Biomimicry  Design Inspired by Nature            
  • ENVS 354 Sustainability Plan Development & Reporting  
  • ENVS 363 Sustainable Business Management 
  • ENVS 364 Sustainability Management in the Global Context        
  • ENVS 383 Human Dimensions in Conservation                
  • ENVS 384 Conservation Economics         
  • ENVS 391 Independent Environmental Research 
  • ENVS 395 Environmental Internship 
  • ENVS 398 Special Topics (with SES approval) 
  • ENVS 399 Directed Readings 
  • ANTH 317 Qualitative Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology 
  • COMM 231 Conflict Management and Mediation            
  • COMM 234 Interviewing for Communication  
  • COMM 277 Organizational Communication 
  • COMM 363 Research Methods in Advertising and Public Relations           
  • MARK 320 Marketing for Environmental Sustainability                
  • SOCL 206 Principles of Social Research 
  • SOCL 302 Qualitative Research   
  • BIOL, CHEM, PHYS 300-level courses (with SES approval) 

Admission

To apply for admission and scholarship consideration, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admission and indicate your interest in this program on your application. For more information, see the following resources:

Tuition and Financial Aid

The School of Environmental Sustainability strives to help students secure the necessary financial resources to make their graduate education at Loyola more affordable. Partial scholarships, limited external research grants, and work opportunities are offered to SES graduate students. Students are encouraged to seek external funding. Students who wish to be considered for internal partial tuition scholarships must complete applications by March 1. Scholarship decisions will be based on the student’s full file, including statements of research/interest, GPA, and letters of recommendation.

Loyola's BA in Environmental Studies combines a solid base of courses in the natural sciences with course work in the social sciences to prepare students for careers in government, business, education, non-profit organizations or the media.

Curriculum

Environmental Studies students complete coursework spanning a variety of disciplines pertinent to the understanding of environmental issues.

Admission

To apply for admission and scholarship consideration, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admission and indicate your interest in this program on your application. For more information, see the following resources:

Tuition and Financial Aid

The School of Environmental Sustainability strives to help students secure the necessary financial resources to make their graduate education at Loyola more affordable. Partial scholarships, limited external research grants, and work opportunities are offered to SES graduate students. Students are encouraged to seek external funding. Students who wish to be considered for internal partial tuition scholarships must complete applications by March 1. Scholarship decisions will be based on the student’s full file, including statements of research/interest, GPA, and letters of recommendation.