Environmental Science: Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture/Environmental Science and Sustainability (BS/MS)
Our environmental science degree program in food systems and sustainable agriculture answers the growing call to evaluate and redesign our food and farming systems. This program prepares students to develop innovative, sustainable food production and distribution approaches that protect the environment and improve access to healthy food. Students learn in the classroom and through hands-on projects in the community, developing the skills to make a difference for people and the natural world.
CURRICULUM
Students studying Food Systems & Sustainable Agriculture build upon a solid foundation of environmental science, gain experience in designing and managing agricultural ecosystems, develop quantitative skills in evaluating ecosystem processes and services, and practice making management and policy recommendations based on available data.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| ENVS 137 | Foundations of Environmental Science I | 3 |
| BIOL 101 | General Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 111 | General Biology I Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 160 | Chemical Structure and Properties | 3 |
| CHEM 161 | Chemical Structure and Properties Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 102 | General Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 112 | General Biology II Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 180 | Chemical Reactivity I | 3 |
| CHEM 181 | Chemical Reactivity I Lab | 1 |
| ENVS 200 | Environmental Careers and Professional Skills | 1 |
| ENVS 203 | Environmental Statistics | 3 |
| ENVS 274 | Chemistry of the Environment | 3 |
| ENVS 275 | Chemistry of the Environment Lab | 1 |
| ENVS 280 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| ENVS 286S | Principles of Ecology Lab | 1 |
| PLSC 392 | Environmental Politics | 3 |
| ENVS 207 | Plants and Civilization | 3 |
| ENVS 223 | Soil Ecology | 3 |
| ENVS 325 | Sustainable Agriculture | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Agroecosystems | ||
| Food Systems Analysis | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Food Systems | ||
| Justice and Ethics Choice | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Religious Ethics and the Ecological Crisis | ||
| Economics Choice | ||
| ENVS 335 | Ecological Economics | 3 |
| or ECON 328 | Environmental Economics | |
| Engaged Learning Choice | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Science & Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems | ||
| Bird Conservation and Ecology | ||
| Energy and The Environment | ||
| Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Natural History of Belize | ||
| Conservation and Sustainability of Neotropical Ecosystems | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Water | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Biogas | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Climate Action | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Food Systems | ||
| Field Ornithology | ||
| Environmental Research | ||
| Environmental Internship | ||
| Capstone Choice | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Integrative Seminar | ||
| Independent Environmental Research (Capstone) | ||
| Environmental Internship (Capstone) | ||
| Electives | 21 | |
| See designated elective categories below | ||
| Total Hours | 79 | |
BS Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Society, Ethics, and Justice | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Journalism | ||
| Gender, Health & Environment | ||
| Climate and History | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| North American Environmental History | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Climate Change and Human Health | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Water | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Biogas | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Climate Action | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Food Systems | ||
| Human Dimensions of Conservation | ||
| Environmental Research (with SES approval) | ||
| Environmental Internship (with SES approval) | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings (with SES approval) | ||
| Public Speaking & Critical Thinking | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| Environmental Advocacy | ||
| Guerilla Media | ||
| Nature in Literature | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Environmental Psychology | ||
| Science, Technology, & Society | ||
| Global Inequalities | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| The Sociology and Politics of Food | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Religious Ethics and the Ecological Crisis | ||
| Theology and Ecology | ||
| Policy, Economics, and Resource Management | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Law & Policy | ||
| Natural Resources and Land Use Law & Policy | ||
| Water Law & Policy | ||
| Energy Law & Policy | ||
| Food Systems Analysis | ||
| Industrial Ecology | ||
| Introduction to the Circular Economy | ||
| Ecological Economics | ||
| Design for Circular & Sustainable Business | ||
| Climate Change and Human Health | ||
| Introduction to Sustainability Concepts & Impacts | ||
| Sustainable Business Management | ||
| Sustainability Management in the Global Context | ||
| Human Dimensions of Conservation | ||
| Conservation Economics | ||
| Ecological Risk Assessment | ||
| Environmental Research (with SES approval) | ||
| Environmental Internship (with SES approval) | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings (with SES approval) | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Digital Sustainability | ||
| Globalization and Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Managing People and Organizations | ||
| Global Environmental Politics | ||
| Environmental Electives | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Gender, Health & Environment | ||
| Biodiversity & Biogeography | ||
| Climate & Climate Change | ||
| Science & Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems | ||
| Bird Conservation and Ecology | ||
| Energy and The Environment | ||
| Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Introduction to Epidemiology | ||
| Winter Ecology | ||
| Conservation Biology (if not used above) | ||
| Invasive Species | ||
| ENVS 323 | Environmental Microbiology | 3 |
| Agroecosystems (if not used above) | ||
| Food Systems Analysis (if not used above) | ||
| Restoration Ecology | ||
| Natural History of Belize | ||
| Conservation and Sustainability of Neotropical Ecosystems | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Water | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Biogas | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Climate Action | ||
| Solutions to Environmental Problems: Food Systems | ||
| Field Ornithology | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced GIS Applications | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Human Dimensions of Conservation | ||
| Conservation Economics | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | ||
| Principles of Ecotoxicology | ||
| Applied Environmental Statistics | ||
| Ecological Risk Assessment | ||
| Environmental Research (with SES approval) | ||
| Environmental Internship (with SES approval) | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings (with SES approval) | ||
| The Human Ecological Footprint | ||
| People and Conservation | ||
BIOL, CHEM, PHYS 300-level courses (with SES approval) | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Year 5
The Environmental Science and Sustainability MS has the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 6 | |
| Sustainable Systems - Natural Science Perspectives | ||
| Sustainable Systems - Social Science Perspectives | ||
| Completion of One of Four Concentrations: | 9-12 | |
| Environmental Law & Policy | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Law & Policy | ||
| Natural Resources and Land Use Law & Policy | ||
| Water Law & Policy | ||
| Energy Law & Policy | ||
| Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced GIS Applications | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Sustainable Assessment and Planning | ||
| Introduction to Sustainability Concepts & Impacts | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting I | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting II | ||
| Sustainability Plan Development & Reporting | ||
| Sustainable Business | ||
| Introduction to the Circular Economy | ||
| Ecological Economics | ||
| Design for Circular & Sustainable Business | ||
| Sustainable Business Management | ||
| Electives (for a total of 30 credit hours with required courses) | 12-15 | |
| Natural Science and Quantitative Courses | 6 | |
| Students will take at least two courses from the following list of electives. | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Invasive Species | ||
| Sustainable Agriculture | ||
| Agroecosystems | ||
| Food Systems Analysis | ||
| Restoration Ecology | ||
| Ecological Economics | ||
| Climate Change and Human Health | ||
| Introduction to Sustainability Concepts & Impacts | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting I | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting II | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced GIS Applications | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Conservation Economics | ||
| Principles of Ecotoxicology | ||
| Applied Environmental Statistics | ||
| Ecological Risk Assessment | ||
| Independent Environmental Research (upon approval) | ||
| Special Topics (upon approval) | ||
| Special Topics with Lab (upon approval) | ||
| Directed Readings (upon approval) | ||
| Special Topics (Topic: Metagenomics) | ||
| Limnology Lec/Lab | ||
| Aquatic Insects Lecture & Laboratory | ||
| Biostats & Exp Design Lec/Lab | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Public Health Practice and Management | ||
| Introduction to Epidemiology | ||
| Biostatistics for Health and Biological Science | ||
| Public Health Policy: Concepts and Practice | ||
| Biostatistics I | ||
| Intro to Statistical Computing for Public Health | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | ||
| Biostatistics II | ||
| Intermediate Epidemiology | ||
| Analytical Tools in Public Policy | ||
| Cost Benefit Analysis | ||
| Public Budget and Finance | ||
| Statistical Methods & Analysis for Public Policy I | ||
| Statistical Methods & Analysis Public Policy II | ||
| Political Feasibility Analysis | ||
| Statistical Methods Analysis I | ||
| Statistical Methods of Analysis II | ||
| SAS Program & Applied Statistics | ||
| Statistical Design | ||
| Topics in Biostatistics | ||
| Sustainable Society and Business Courses | ||
| Student may choose from courses focused on society’s interaction with the environment: environmental law and policy, sustainable business management, and fostering sustainable societies. | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Law & Policy | ||
| Natural Resources and Land Use Law & Policy | ||
| Water Law & Policy | ||
| Energy Law & Policy | ||
| Industrial Ecology | ||
| Introduction to the Circular Economy | ||
| Design for Circular & Sustainable Business | ||
| Sustainability Plan Development & Reporting | ||
| Sustainable Business Management | ||
| Sustainability Management in the Global Context | ||
| Human Dimensions of Conservation | ||
| Independent Environmental Research (upon approval) | ||
| Special Topics (upon approval) | ||
| Directed Readings (upon approval) | ||
| Public Health Policy: Concepts and Practice | ||
| Policy Design and Analysis | ||
| Public Policy Process | ||
| Social Psychological Theory | ||
| Attitude and Attitude Change | ||
| Methods of Program Evaluation | ||
| Qualitative Methods in Social Research | ||
| Knowledge, Power & Expertise | ||
| Sociology & Natural Environment | ||
School of Environmental Sustainability Graduation Requirements
All SES students are required to complete a foreign language requirement and a writing intensive requirement. The SES language requirement can be fulfilled by 1) earning college credit at the 102-level or above; or 2) demonstrating proficiency via the SES foreign language proficiency examination. The SES writing intensive requirement is fulfilled by successfully completing two Loyola WI courses (max of one per semester). Writing intensive courses have a “W” in the section number.
Additional Undergraduate Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students are required to complete the University Core, at least one Engaged Learning course, and UNIV 101. SCPS students are not required to take UNIV 101. Nursing students in the Accelerated BSN program are not required to take core or UNIV 101. You can find more information in the University Requirements area.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Explain the components of food systems and their complex interactions across spatial and temporal scales.
- Articulate the physical, psychological, cultural, and spiritual significance of food to individual and community wellbeing.
- Using multiple methods of analysis, evaluate the environmental and equity impacts of different food system practices to reveal points of leverage for social-ecological change.
- Engage knowledge, skills, and values through experiences that advance sustainability, resilience, and justice within food systems.
SES Shared Learning Outcomes
All SES majors share the following Program Learning Objectives, in addition to their unique major-specific Program Learning Objectives:
- Articulate the foundational principles of natural and social sciences and humanities essential to solving environmental problems.
- Critically evaluate the accuracy and credibility of information relating to environmental topics.
- Employ knowledge and skills to design and implement solutions that contribute to a just and sustainable world.
- Exemplify the values of environmental and social justice through actions to care for our common home and one another.