Environment and Sustainability, B.A.
Students in the undergraduate B.A. in Environment and Sustainability work with diverse faculty and staff from across the campus and community in addition to their time in Departmental classes. The aims of this interdisciplinary program are (1) to learn how to gather and integrate information about environmental and sustainability problems from multiple disciplines, (2) to think critically about the causes of environmental and sustainability problems, (3) to propose effective and equitable solutions and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and (4) to communicate ideas clearly.
Students in the Program come from a variety of backgrounds, both culturally and disciplinarily, and participate regularly in internships and study abroad through Departmental and extramural offerings. Our classes require students to engage in field work as well as experiential learning. Every major receives the benefit of in-depth personalized advising every semester from permanent faculty who have received honors for their work in mentoring students.
Graduates will be well prepared for roles as educated citizens who are especially well informed about the environment and for numerous career paths that require a broad range of knowledge about environmental and sustainability issues. In addition to interdisciplinary core courses, the curriculum requires courses in biology, chemistry, geography, and philosophy, and students may elect to take courses in other disciplines, ranging from anthropology and sociology, to art and English, and to the physical sciences. Graduates of environmental and sustainability programs go on to careers in non-profits, government, and the private sector, as well as to graduate studies in a variety of disciplines.
Overall Requirements
- 120 credit hours, to include at least 36 credits at or above the 300 course level.
- A minimum of 69 credits toward the major, comprised of core courses (41 credits) and concentration-specific options (at least 28 credits).
- Only grades of C- or higher will count toward completion of the required core courses in the major as well as BIO 105/BIO 105L, BIO 111/BIO 111L, and BIO 112/BIO 112L used toward completion of the concentration requirements.
Degree Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | ||
| General Education Requirements (MAC) | ||
| College of Arts and Sciences Additional Requirements (CIC) | ||
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 41 | |
Geography, Environment, and Sustainability | ||
| Introduction to Earth Science and Earth Science Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Environment & Sustainability | ||
| Introduction to Environment | ||
| Environment and Experience | ||
| Introduction to Spatial Analysis | ||
| Topics in Ethics and Aesthetics | ||
| Topics in Development and Economics | ||
| Topics in Equity and Society | ||
| Topics in Environmental Sciences | ||
Chemistry | ||
| Chemistry and the Human Environment | ||
Mathematics | ||
| Mathematics for the Life Sciences | ||
Philosophy | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
Select 3 credits from the following GES courses: | ||
| Sustainable Campus Operations | ||
| Research in Environment & Sustainability | ||
| Sustainability | ||
| Environment | ||
Concentrations
Students must select one of the concentrations as detailed following the major requirements.
- Natural Sciences
- Equity, Development, and Ethics
Electives
Electives sufficient to complete the 120 credit hours required for degree.
Natural Sciences Concentration Requirements
In addition to the required 30 credits specified below, all students in the Natural Sciences concentration are required to have a minor in Biology. All courses in the Biology minor already on the Environmental Science Options and Elective lists below will count toward the requirements for the Natural Sciences concentration.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 8 | |
| Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I Laboratory * | ||
| Principles of Biology II and Principles of Biology II Laboratory * | ||
| Environmental Science | 13 | |
Select 13 credits from the following: | ||
| Principles of Ecology | ||
| Ecology and Evolution Laboratory | ||
| Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles | ||
| Adv Topics in Animal Ecology | ||
| Advanced Tpcs in Plant Ecology | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Ecosys Ecolgy Biogeochem | ||
| Plant Diversity | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Landscape Ecology and Landscape Ecology Laboratory | ||
| Aquatic Ecology and Aquatic Ecology Laboratory | ||
| The Biosphere | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Disease Ecology | ||
| Vascular Plant Systematics and Vascular Plant Systematics Lab | ||
| Global Change | ||
| Vertebrate Zoology | ||
| Environmental Physiology | ||
| Essentials of Toxicology | ||
| Introductory Organic Chemistry | ||
| Quantitative Analysis | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Environmental Hazards Assessment | ||
| Geomorphology of North America | ||
| Natural Resource Regions of North America | ||
| Physical Geography: Landscape Processes and Physical Geography Laboratory | ||
| Weather and Climate and Climatology Laboratory | ||
| The Water Planet | ||
| Elements of Hydrology | ||
| Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Remote Sensing of Environment | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Advanced Weather and Climate-Synoptic Climatology | ||
| Equity and Society | 3 | |
Select 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Methods in Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Disaster, Self, and Society | ||
| Economic Anthropology | ||
| Food and Culture in a Global Context | ||
| Environmental Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Infectious Disease | ||
| Recreation, Parks, and Health | ||
| Urban Geography: Sustainable Land Use | ||
| World Population Problems | ||
| Sustainable Transport and Mobility | ||
| Research Methods in Spatial Science | ||
| Sustainable Tourism and Transportation | ||
| Sustainable Urban Planning in an Entrepreneurial Environment | ||
| Sustainable Regional Planning | ||
| National Parks and Protected Areas | ||
| Geography of Livable Cities | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Sugar, Soccer, Samba: History of Brazil | ||
| American Indians and Nature | ||
| United States Environmental History | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Environmental Law and Policy | ||
| Natural Resources Law and Policy | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Urban Society | ||
| Population Problems | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Green Criminology | ||
| Disaster, Self, and Society | ||
| Sem in Populatn / Urbn Studies | ||
| Development and Economics | 3 | |
Select 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Entrepreneurship in a Sustainable Global Environment | ||
| Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| Economics of a Global Sustainable Society | ||
| Ideas to Sustainable Opportunities: Feasibility Analysis | ||
| Experiences in Sustainable Entrepreneurship | ||
| Introduction to Sustainable Development | ||
| Hospitality Facilities Management | ||
| Sustainable Food and Craft Beverage | ||
| Sustainable Destination and Experience Management | ||
| Sustainable Tourism and Transportation | ||
| Ethics and Aesthetics | 3 | |
Select 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Art, Education, and Social Practice | ||
| Art and/as Social Justice | ||
| Environmental Communication | ||
| Social Movement and Social Justice Rhetorics | ||
| American Romanticism | ||
| Literature and the Environment | ||
| Introduction to Sustainable Design | ||
| Global Green: Cultures of Production and/or Consumption | ||
| Music and Environment | ||
| Ethical Issues in Business | ||
| Philosophy of the Arts | ||
| Ethics and International Affairs | ||
| Religious Traditions and Care of the Earth | ||
| The Arts as Social Change: Theory and Practice | ||
| Ecofeminism | ||
| Topics in Native American and Indigenous Studies | ||
Equity, Development, & Ethics Concentration Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4 | |
Select 4 credits of the following, with a minimum grade of C- in both lecture and lab: | ||
| Major Concepts of Biology and Major Concepts of Biology Laboratory * | ||
| Principles of Biology II and Principles of Biology II Laboratory * | ||
| Environmental Science | 3 | |
Select 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Principles of Ecology | ||
| Ecology and Evolution Laboratory | ||
| Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles | ||
| Adv Topics in Animal Ecology | ||
| Advanced Tpcs in Plant Ecology | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Ecosys Ecolgy Biogeochem | ||
| Plant Diversity | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Landscape Ecology and Landscape Ecology Laboratory | ||
| Aquatic Ecology and Aquatic Ecology Laboratory | ||
| The Biosphere | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Disease Ecology | ||
| Vascular Plant Systematics and Vascular Plant Systematics Lab | ||
| Global Change | ||
| Vertebrate Zoology | ||
| Environmental Physiology | ||
| Essentials of Toxicology | ||
| Introductory Organic Chemistry | ||
| Quantitative Analysis | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Environmental Hazards Assessment | ||
| Geomorphology of North America | ||
| Natural Resource Regions of North America | ||
| Physical Geography: Landscape Processes and Physical Geography Laboratory | ||
| Weather and Climate and Climatology Laboratory | ||
| The Water Planet | ||
| Elements of Hydrology | ||
| Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Remote Sensing of Environment | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Advanced Weather and Climate-Synoptic Climatology | ||
| Equity and Society | 6 | |
Select 6 credits from the following: | ||
| Methods in Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Disaster, Self, and Society | ||
| Economic Anthropology | ||
| Food and Culture in a Global Context | ||
| Environmental Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Anthropology of Infectious Disease | ||
| Recreation, Parks, and Health | ||
| Urban Geography: Sustainable Land Use | ||
| World Population Problems | ||
| Sustainable Transport and Mobility | ||
| Research Methods in Spatial Science | ||
| Sustainable Tourism and Transportation | ||
| Sustainable Urban Planning in an Entrepreneurial Environment | ||
| Sustainable Regional Planning | ||
| National Parks and Protected Areas | ||
| Geography of Livable Cities | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Sugar, Soccer, Samba: History of Brazil | ||
| American Indians and Nature | ||
| United States Environmental History | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Environmental Law and Policy | ||
| Natural Resources Law and Policy | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Urban Society | ||
| Population Problems | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Green Criminology | ||
| Disaster, Self, and Society | ||
| Sem in Populatn / Urbn Studies | ||
| Development and Economics | 6 | |
Select 6 credits from the following: | ||
| Entrepreneurship in a Sustainable Global Environment | ||
| Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| Economics of a Global Sustainable Society | ||
| Ideas to Sustainable Opportunities: Feasibility Analysis | ||
| Experiences in Sustainable Entrepreneurship | ||
| Introduction to Sustainable Development | ||
| Hospitality Facilities Management | ||
| Sustainable Food and Craft Beverage | ||
| Sustainable Destination and Experience Management | ||
| Sustainable Tourism and Transportation | ||
| Ethics and Aesthetics | 6 | |
Select 6 credits from the following: | ||
| Art, Education, and Social Practice | ||
| Art and/as Social Justice | ||
| Environmental Communication | ||
| Social Movement and Social Justice Rhetorics | ||
| American Romanticism | ||
| Literature and the Environment | ||
| Introduction to Sustainable Design | ||
| Global Green: Cultures of Production and/or Consumption | ||
| Music and Environment | ||
| Ethical Issues in Business | ||
| Philosophy of the Arts | ||
| Ethics and International Affairs | ||
| Religious Traditions and Care of the Earth | ||
| The Arts as Social Change: Theory and Practice | ||
| Ecofeminism | ||
| Topics in Native American and Indigenous Studies | ||
| Free Electives | 3 | |
Select 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Engaging Culture | ||
| The Human Species and The Human Species: Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I Laboratory * | ||
| Principles of Biology II and Principles of Biology II Laboratory * | ||
| Internship in Biology | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| The International Economy | ||
| Philosophy of Education | ||
| Public Advocacy and Argument | ||
| Writing for Professionals and Entrepreneurs | ||
| Start Something Globally Sustainable! | ||
| North Carolina Environments | ||
| Environmental Change: Its Nature and Impact | ||
| Internship in Environment & Sustainability | ||
| Individual Study in Environment & Sustainability | ||
| Applied Physical Geography | ||
| Seminar in Regional Geography | ||
| Honors Work | ||
| Corporate Social Responsibility and Change Management | ||
| History and Theory of Design I | ||
| History and Theory of Design II | ||
| Introduction to Food Science | ||
| Conceptual Physics and Conceptual Physics Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Health Policies | ||
| Social Problems in Global Context | ||
Disciplinary Honors in Environment and Sustainability
Requirements
- A minimum of 12 credit hours as defined below.
- UNC Greensboro cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better or, for transfer students, cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better from all prior institutions.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required | 3-6 | |
| Senior Honors Project | ||
or GES 493 | Honors Work | |
| 6 credits of Honors course work in the major | 6 | |
| 3 credits of Honors course work in the major or another area | 3 | |
Recognition
Receive a Certificate of Disciplinary Honors in Environment and Sustainability Studies; have that accomplishment, along with the title of the Senior Honors Project, noted on the official transcript; and be recognized at a banquet held at the end of the spring semester.
Honors Advisor
Contact Aaron Allen at asallen@uncg.edu for further information and guidance about Honors in Environment and Sustainability Studies. To apply: http://honorscollege.uncg.edu/forms/disc-application.pdf