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Environmental Studies - B.A.

Environmental Studies - B.A.

The Environmental Studies B.A. program combines scientific, social and policy perspectives to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of environmental issues. Enroll now and become an agent for positive change.

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Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Studies

Â鶹´«Ã½'s Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complex relationships between humans and the environment. The program combines courses in natural sciences, social sciences, and policy to explore key issues such as sustainability, conservation, and climate change. Students develop the analytical and problem-solving skills needed to address pressing environmental challenges and to work toward sustainable solutions. Graduates are prepared for careers in environmental advocacy, resource management, policy-making, and education, or for further studies in environmental law and science.

Program Information for Environmental Studies - B.A.

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies prepares students to integrate concepts and knowledge on environmental issues from across multiple disciplines and to communicate about these in important ways. Basic scientific knowledge about environmental processes is used to inform different social goals. Students develop a set of key competencies in earth systems science, environmental social science, human-natural systems and sustainability science to be able to solve specific environmental problems.

Environmental Studies students may apply early to the and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the policy in the University Catalog for more information.

Admissions for Environmental Studies - B.A.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the .

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's .

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the environment and how it relates to human activity, human resource needs and human cognition.
  2. Analyze the interconnections between environmental and human systems and how those play out in particular problem areas.
  3. Evaluate how environmental problems are framed and how public attitudes and policies can be harnessed to provide solutions to environmental degradation.
Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
BSCI 10110BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
ENVS 22070NATURE AND SOCIETY (KSS) 3
ENVS 30105CAREER PATHWAYS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 1
ENVS 32091ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SUSTAINABILITY 2
ENVS 42099INTEGRATIVE SENIOR PROJECT (ELR) (WIC) 13
ESCI 21062ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE (KBS) 3
Biological Sciences Elective, choose from the following:3-4
BSCI 30274
FORESTRY
BSCI 30275
LOCAL FLORA (ELR)
BSCI 30277
ECONOMIC BOTANY
BSCI 30360
GENERAL ECOLOGY
BSCI 30361
BIOGEOGRAPHY
BSCI 30362
INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY OF THE TROPICS
BSCI 30370
CLIMATE CHANGE BIOLOGY
BSCI 30582
ORNITHOLOGY
BSCI 40170
STREAM BIOLOGY
BSCI 40222
INVASION BIOLOGY
BSCI 40365
FIELD METHODS IN ORNITHOLOGY (ELR)
BSCI 40375
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
BSCI 40525
WILDLIFE RESOURCES (ELR)
BSCI 40558
MAMMALOGY
BSCI 40560
HERPETOLOGY
Earth Science Elective, choose from the following:3
ESCI 33025
WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT
ESCI 42065
WATERSHED HYDROLOGY
ESCI 42066
PHYSICAL HYDROGEOLOGY
ESCI 44040
EARTH’S ENERGY TRANSITION
Geography Elective, choose from the following:3
GEOG 41051
NATURAL DISASTERS AND SOCIETY
GEOG 41066
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
GEOG 41074
RESOURCE GEOGRAPHY
GEOG 41082
GEOGRAPHY OF SOILS
GEOG 41195
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY
Methods Elective, choose from the following:3-4
BSCI 40224
QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BIOLOGY
ESCI 42030
REMOTE SENSING
ESCI 42035
DATA ANALYSIS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES
ESCI 42060
EARTH OBSERVING
GEOG 40285
FIELD EXPERIENCE IN GEOGRAPHY
GEOG 49070
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE
GEOG 49073
ENVIRONMENTAL DATA ANALYSIS IN R
GEOG 49230
REMOTE SENSING
SOC 32210
RESEARCHING SOCIETY (ELR) (WIC) 1
Social Sciences Electives, choose from the following:15
ARCS 30421
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPERATIVES
ECON 32084
ECONOMICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
ENG 35105
LITERATURE, CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT
ENVS 30000
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS AND ASSESSMENT
ENVS 46092
INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (ELR)
ENVS 49195
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
FDM 35012
SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION
GEOG 31070
POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
GEOG 32023
FOOD AND PLACE (ELR)
GEOG 41073
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
GEOG 41077
WATER AND SOCIETY
GEOG 41800
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
GEOG 42064
SETTLING THE NORTH AMERICAN ENVIRONMENT
GEOG 45085
URBAN TRANSPORTATION
GEOG 46060
FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
GEOG 46070
URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING
GEOG 46080
URBAN SUSTAINABILITY
PACS 35050
ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION
PACS 45060
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
PH 30006
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
PHIL 30025
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS (ELR)
PLST 35001
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FOR PARALEGALS
POL 30350
ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION
POL 40440
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICIES
POL 40540
POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT (DIVG)
RPTM 36082
INTERPRETATION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES
RPTM 36083
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION
SOC 42560
SOCIOLOGY OF FOOD
SOC 42565
ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below)14-16
6
3
9
3
6
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)35
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 14-16 credit hours of foreign language.1
To complete the requirement, students need the equivalent of Elementary I and II in any language, plus one of the following options2:

  1. Intermediate I and II of the same language
  2. Elementary I and II of a second language
  3. Any combination of two courses from the following list:
  • Intermediate I of the same language
  • ARAB 21401
  • ASL 19401
  • CHIN 25421
  • MCLS 10001
  • MCLS 20001
  • MCLS 20091
  • MCLS 21417
  • MCLS 21420
  • MCLS 22217
  • MCLS 28403
  • MCLS 28404
1

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the programs offered by Â鶹´«Ã½; or (3) demonstrating comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 14 credit hours and four courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.

2

Certain majors, concentrations and minors may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular language coursework.

Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
ENVS 22070 NATURE AND SOCIETY (KSS) 3
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours13
Semester Two
BSCI 10110 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
ESCI 21062 ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE (KBS) 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Three
Geography Elective 3
Social Sciences Elective 3
Foreign Language 4
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Four
Biological Sciences Elective 3-4
Methods Elective 3-4
Foreign Language 4
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 2
 Credit Hours15
Semester Five
Earth Science Elective 3
Social Sciences Elective 3
Foreign Language 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
Semester Six
ENVS 30105 CAREER PATHWAYS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 1
ENVS 32091 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SUSTAINABILITY 2
Social Sciences Elective 3
Foreign Language 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
Semester Seven
Social Sciences Elective 3
General Electives 12
 Credit Hours15
Semester Eight
ENVS 42099 INTEGRATIVE SENIOR PROJECT (ELR) (WIC) 3
Social Sciences Elective 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus
    • Stark Campus
Why Environmental Studies?

Find out more about our Environmental Studies program here, and check-out the article on the Environmental Studies program featured in the Fall 2023 issue of the Kent State Magazine.

Newsletters

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Environmental Studies - B.A.

Graduates of Kent State’s B.A. in Environmental Studies are well-prepared for careers in environmental policy, conservation, and sustainability. The program’s interdisciplinary curriculum, which integrates natural sciences, social sciences, and environmental ethics, equips students with the skills to address complex environmental challenges. Graduates often pursue roles such as environmental policy analysts, conservation specialists, and sustainability coordinators, contributing to fields like environmental advocacy, resource management, and sustainable development.

Compliance officers

4.6%

about as fast as the average

337,600

number of jobs

$71,100

potential earnings

Environmental science teachers, postsecondary

3.7%

about as fast as the average

7,600

number of jobs

$84,740

potential earnings

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health

7.8%

faster than the average

90,900

number of jobs

$73,230

potential earnings

Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

8.4%

much faster than the average

34,700

number of jobs

$46,850

potential earnings

Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary

2.2%

slower than the average

2,100

number of jobs

$87,400

potential earnings

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' . Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.