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Academic Catalog 2021-2022

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  • Environmental Studies, BA

Environmental Studies, BA

2021-2022 Edition

  • Undergraduate
    • Admission
    • Information for Entering Students
    • College Expenses
    • Academic Policies and Procedures
    • University Academics
    • College of Arts, Media and Design
    • D'Amore-​McKim School of Business
    • Khoury College of Computer Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Bouvé College of Health Sciences
    • College of Science
      • Behavioral Neuroscience
      • Biochemistry
      • Biology
      • Chemistry and Chemical Biology
      • Linguistics
      • Marine and Environmental Sciences
        • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, BS
        • Environmental Studies, BA
        • Marine Biology, BS
        • Computer Science and Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, BS
        • Data Science and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, BS
        • Data Science and Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Chemistry, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Economics, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Landscape Architecture, BS
        • Environmental Studies and History, BA
        • Environmental Studies and International Affairs, BA
        • Environmental Studies and Philosophy, BA
        • Environmental Studies and Political Science, BA
        • Sociology and Environmental Studies, BA
        • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Minor
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Minor
        • Environmental Studies, Minor
        • Geosciences, Minor
        • Marine Sciences, Minor
      • Mathematics
      • Physics
      • Psychology
      • Interdisciplinary
      • Accelerated Bachelor/​Graduate Degree Programs
    • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
    • Faculty
    • Appendix
  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies degree is designed to provide students with a critical foundation in both the scientific and human foundation of environmental systems. It also prioritizes mastery of skills that will position students for future success as environmental professionals. In their first two years, all environmental studies majors complete introductory courses in critical scientific disciplines—including focusing on food, water, and climate resources—and in essential human dimensions—including sustainable development, environmental health, and environmental justice. Lastly, all students take required skill-building courses that are designed to promote success with desired co-op and career opportunities. Students then opt for one of five concentrations that build their training in courses from across the university. These concentrations are specifically designed to cover the breadth of areas where people and the environment intersect, including courses that draw on Northeastern's expertise in public health, environmental justice, environmental law, visualization and storytelling of environmental issues, and the green economy. Students interested in viewing environmental problems specifically through quantitative social and natural science lenses should consider the BS Environmental and Sustainability Sciences program.

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

University-Wide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the University-Wide Requirements.

BA Language Requirements

All BA students are required to complete the BA language requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Environmental Studies Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
College
ENVR 1000Marine and Environmental Sciences at Northeastern1
Core Courses
Introductory Courses
ENVR 1101Environmental Science4
Complete one of the following:4
SOCL 1246
Environment and Society
PHIL 1180
Environmental Ethics
ANTH 1101
Peoples and Cultures
ENVR 2401
Food Justice and Community Development
Scientific Foundations of Environmental Systems
ENVR 1110Global Climate Change4
ENVR 3150Food Security and Sustainability4
ENVR 3200Water Resources4
Human Dimensions of Environmental Systems
ENVR 2515Sustainable Development4
PHTH 2414Environmental Health4
SOCL 4522Environmental Justice4
Skills13-14
Research Methods
Complete one of the following:
ENVR 2500
and ENVR 2501
Biostatistics
and Lab for ENVR 2500
ECON 2350
Statistics
POLS 2400
Quantitative Techniques
SOCL 2321
Research Methods in Sociology
ANTH 3410
Ethnographic Field Experience
ENVR 3300
and ENVR 3301
Geographic Information Systems
and Lab for ENVR 3300
5
ENVR 4000Science Communication and Professional Development4
Capstone4
Complete one of the following:
ENVR 4050
Solving Emerging Environmental Challenges through Capstone
ENVR 4970
Junior/Senior Honors Project 1
or ENVR 4971
Junior/Senior Honors Project 2
ENVR 4997
Senior Thesis

Concentrations

Complete one of the following concentrations:

  • Environmental and Human Health
  • Environmental Ethics and Social Justice
  • Environmental Law, Governance, and Management
  • Communication and Visualization: Environmental Problems and Solutions
  • The Green Economy: Business, Entrepreneurship, and Environmental Sustainability

Environmental Studies Major Credit Requirement

Complete 80 semester hours in the major.

Program Requirement

128 total semester hours required


Concentration in Environmental and Human Health

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Courses
EEMB 2302
and EEMB 2303
Ecology
and Lab for EEMB 2302
5
EEMB 3466Disease Ecology4
PHTH 1270Introduction to Global Health4
PHTH 4202Principles of Epidemiology in Medicine and Public Health4
Electives16
Complete four of the following:
COMM 3500
Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media
EEMB 3460
Conservation Biology
EEMB 3555
Networks and Natural Systems
ENVR 4505
Wetlands
ENVR 5450
Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling
INTL 5100
Climate and Development
PHTH 4120
Global Perspectives on Discrimination and Health
or PHTH 5120
Race, Ethnicity, and Health in the United States
PHTH 5214
Environmental Health
POLS 2395
Environmental Politics and Policy
SOCL 2485
Environment, Technology, and Society

Concentration in Environmental Ethics and Social Justice

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Courses
COMM 3500Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media4
PHIL 1180Environmental Ethics4
POLS 2395Environmental Politics and Policy4
SOCL 2485Environment, Technology, and Society4
Electives 16
Complete four of the following if PHIL 1180 was not taken as part of the core curriculum or five if it was:
BUSN 3110
The Consulting Environment
COMM 3532
Theories of Conflict and Negotiation
EEMB 4000
Applied Conservation Biology
ENVR 3151
Food Sustainability in the Mediterranean - Abroad
ENVR 4504
Environmental Pollution
ENVR 5350
Sustainable Energy and Climate Solutions
ENVR 5450
Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling
INTL 5100
Climate and Development
MGMT 2115
Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation
PHIL 2001
Ethics and Evolutionary Games
PPUA 5268
International Environmental Policy
PPUA 5270
Food Systems and Public Policy
PPUA 5390
Special Topics in Public Policy and Urban Affairs

Concentration in Environmental Law, Governance, and Management

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Courses
LPSC 1101Introduction to Law4
LPSC 2301Introduction to Law, Policy, and Society4
Complete one of the following:4
POLS 2395
Environmental Politics and Policy
PPUA 5268
International Environmental Policy
Complete one of the following:4
ENVR 5210
Environmental Planning
EEMB 2420
Fisheries Biology, Policy, and Conservation
EEMB 4000
Applied Conservation Biology
ENVR 5220
Ecosystem-Based Management
Electives16
Complete four of the following:
ENVR 3151
Food Sustainability in the Mediterranean - Abroad
EEMB 3460
Conservation Biology
EEMB 3475
Wildlife Ecology
ENVR 5210
Environmental Planning
ENVR 5220
Ecosystem-Based Management
ENVR 5450
Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling
LPSC 3303
Topics in Law and Public Policy
POLS 2395
Environmental Politics and Policy
POLS 3409
Global Governance
POLS 3307
Public Policy and Administration
PPUA 5268
International Environmental Policy

Concentration in Communication and Visualization: Environmental Problems and Solutions

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Courses
ARTG 5110Information Design History4
COMM 3500Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media4
Complete one of the following:4
JRNL 3650
Science Writing
JRNL 3700
Data Storytelling
Complete one of the following:4
ARTG 6330
Information Design Mapping Strategies
CIVE 5280
Remote Sensing of the Environment
ENVR 5260
Geographical Information Systems
Electives 16
Complete four of the following:
ARTG 3520
Marketing Communications and Cultures 2
ARTG 5130
Visual Communication for Information Design
CIVE 5280
Remote Sensing of the Environment
COMM 2555
Games for Change
COMM 3532
Theories of Conflict and Negotiation
ENVR 3201
Coastal Sustainability: Ecology and Coupled Human-Natural Systems in Southeast Asia
ENVR 3202
Coastal Sustainability: The Blue Economy of the Gulf of Maine
EEMB 3555
Networks and Natural Systems
ENVR 5450
Applied Social-Ecological Systems Modeling
ENVR 5563
Advanced Spatial Analysis
GAME 2755
Games and Social Justice
JRNL 3650
Science Writing
JRNL 3700
Data Storytelling

Concentration in the Green Economy: Business, Entrepreneurship, and Environmental Sustainability

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Courses
BUSN 1110Fundamentals of Business4
FINA 2720Sustainability in the Business Environment4
Complete one of the following:4
ENVR 5210
Environmental Planning
ENVR 5220
Ecosystem-Based Management
Complete one of the following:4
BUSN 3110
The Consulting Environment
ENTR 2206
Global Social Enterprise
ENTR 3520
Impact Investing and Social Finance
Electives 16
Complete four of the following:
BUSN 3110
The Consulting Environment
CIVE 5275
Life Cycle Assessment of Materials, Products, and Infrastructure
ECON 3423
Environmental Economics
EEMB 2420
Fisheries Biology, Policy, and Conservation
ENTR 2301
Innovation!
ENTR 3520
Impact Investing and Social Finance
ENVR 3201
Coastal Sustainability: Ecology and Coupled Human-Natural Systems in Southeast Asia
ENVR 3202
Coastal Sustainability: The Blue Economy of the Gulf of Maine
ENVR 5210
Environmental Planning
ENVR 5220
Ecosystem-Based Management
ENVR 5350
Sustainable Energy and Climate Solutions
ME 5645
Environmental Issues in Manufacturing and Product Use
MGMT 3520
Consulting Fundamentals and Frameworks
MGMT 3530
Project Management
MKTG 2301
Marketing and Society

Four Years, Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ENVR 10001ENVR 11104General elective 14General elective 34
ENVR 11014ENVR 31504General elective 24General elective 44
PHIL 11804PHTH 24144  
Elementary language requirement4Intermediate language requirement4  
ENVR 25154   
 17 16 8 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ENVR 32004Co-op0Co-op0General elective 54
Concentration required course 14  General elective 64
Concentration required course 24   
ENVR 3300
and ENVR 3301
5   
 17 0 0 8
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Concentration required course 34Co-op0Co-op0Concentration elective course 24
SOCL 45224  General elective 74
Required research methods course4   
Concentration elective course 14   
 16 0 0 8
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Concentration required course 44General elective 94  
Concentration elective course 34General elective 104  
Concentration elective course 44ENVR 40504  
General elective 84ENVR 40004  
 16 16  
Total Hours: 130
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