Environmental Studies (BA)
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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| ENVS 137 | Foundations of Environmental Science I | 3 |
| ENVS 237 | Foundations of Environmental Science II | 3 |
| ENVS 238 | Foundations of Environmental Science Lab | 1 |
| ENVS 200 | Environmental Careers and Professional Skills | 1 |
| ENVS 203 | Environmental Statistics | 3 |
| ENVS 280 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| ENVS 286 | Principles of Ecology Lab | 1 |
| PLSC 392 | Environmental Politics | 3 |
| Justice and Ethics Choice | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Religious Ethics and the Ecological Crisis | ||
| Economics Choice | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Ecological Economics | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | 51 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Society, Ethics, and Justice | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Environmental Journalism | ||
| Gender, Health & Environment | ||
| Climate and History | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| North American Environmental History | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Law & Policy | ||
| Natural Resources and Land Use Law & Policy | ||
| Water Law & Policy | ||
| Energy Law & Policy | ||
| 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 | ||
| Environmental Internship | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Environmental Internship | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Globalization and Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Managing People and Organizations | ||
| Global Environmental Politics | ||
| Methods and Analysis | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Journalism | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Food Systems Analysis | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting I | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting II | ||
| Sustainability Plan Development & Reporting | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced GIS Applications | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Conservation Economics | ||
| Applied Environmental Statistics | ||
| Ecological Risk Assessment | ||
| Environmental Research | ||
| Environmental Internship | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| Ethnographic Methods | ||
| Intro to Biostatistics | ||
| Conflict Management and Communication | ||
| Interviewing for Communication | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| Research Methods in Advertising/Public Relations | ||
| Marketing for Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Principles of Social Research | ||
| Statistics for Social Research | ||
| Qualitative Research | ||
| Introduction to Probability & Statistics | ||
| SAS Programming & 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): | 9 | |
List A | ||
| Gender, Health & Environment | ||
| Plants and Civilization | ||
| Biodiversity & Biogeography | ||
| Soil Ecology | ||
| Climate & Climate Change | ||
| Science & Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems | ||
| Ecology of the Mediterranean Sea | ||
| Bird Conservation and Ecology | ||
| Energy and The Environment | ||
| Chemistry of the Environment | ||
| Hydrology | ||
| Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Introduction to Epidemiology | ||
| Winter Ecology | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Invasive Species | ||
| Sustainable Agriculture | ||
| Agroecosystems | ||
| Food Systems Analysis | ||
| Restoration Ecology | ||
| Climate Change and Human Health | ||
| 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 | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting I | ||
| Sustainability Assessment & Reporting II | ||
| Field Ornithology | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced GIS Applications | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | ||
| Principles of Ecotoxicology | ||
| Applied Environmental Statistics | ||
| Ecological Risk Assessment | ||
| Environmental Research | ||
| Environmental Internship | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| The Human Ecological Footprint | ||
| People and Conservation | ||
List B | ||
| Environmental Journalism | ||
| Climate and History | ||
| North American Environmental History | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| 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 | ||
| Ecological Economics | ||
| Design for Circular & Sustainable Business | ||
| Sustainability Plan Development & Reporting | ||
| Sustainable Business Management | ||
| Sustainability Management in the Global Context | ||
| Human Dimensions of Conservation | ||
| Conservation Economics | ||
| Applied Environmental Statistics | ||
| Environmental Research | ||
| Environmental Internship | ||
| Special Topics (with SES approval) | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| Ethnographic Methods | ||
| Conflict Management and Communication | ||
| Interviewing for Communication | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| Research Methods in Advertising/Public Relations | ||
| Marketing for Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Principles of Social Research | ||
| Qualitative Research | ||
BIOL, CHEM, PHYS 300-level courses (with SES approval) | ||
| Total Hours | 21 | |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| ENVS 137 | Foundations of Environmental Science I | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENVS 203 | Environmental Statistics | 3 |
| ENVS 237 | Foundations of Environmental Science II | 3 |
| ENVS 238 | Foundations of Environmental Science Lab | 1 |
| Justice & Ethics Choice | 3 | |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENVS 200 | Environmental Careers and Professional Skills | 1 |
| ENVS 280 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| ENVS 286 | Principles of Ecology Lab | 1 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Spring | ||
| Environmental Science Elective List A | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Society, Ethics, & Justice Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| PLSC 392 | Environmental Politics | 3 |
| Society, Ethics, & Justice Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENVS 335 or ECON 328 |
Ecological Economics or Environmental Economics |
3 |
| Engaged Learning Choice | 3 | |
| Policy, Economics, & Resource Management Elective | 3 | |
| Environmental Science Elective List A or B | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| Capstone Choice | 3 | |
| Methods & Analysis Elective | 3 | |
| 300 Level Environmental Science Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 51 | |
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
- Demonstrate an understanding of scientific, social, and humanistic approaches to environmental questions.
- Appraise the interactions and synergies between the natural world, social systems, and human cultures.
- Advance environmental and social sustainability that integrates scientific research, social analysis, and cultural awareness.
- Engaged actions of self-awareness and social solidarity that reflect a commitment to integral ecology.