2025-2026 Catalog

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Environmental Studies, BA, BS

Degree Requirements - 126 credits

Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree with this major

Environmental Studies Major Requirements: 14 courses and corresponding laboratories where applicable, 53 credits

Core Requirements

EC-131Environmental Economics

4
ENVS-101Environmental Studies

4
ENVS-111Environmental Science

3
ENVS-L111Environmental Science Laboratory

1
ENVS-211Environmental and Human Health

3
ENVS-L211Environmental and Human Health Laboratory

1
ENVS-225Geographical Information Science

3
ENVS-L225Geographic Information Science Laboratory

1
ENVS-301Issues in Environmental Justice

4
ENVS-311Professional Development

1
ENVS-325Environmental History of the U.S.

4
ENVS-330Research Methods

4
PHIL-362Environmental Ethics

4
POLS-438Environmental Policy and Politics

4
SOC-221Environment and Society

4
Choose one of the following
ENVS-401Senior Research Project

4
ENVS-H401Honors Senior Research Project

4

Choose one of the following courses:

BIO-273Biostatistics

4
STATS-250Applied Statistics

4
STATS-H250Honors Applied Statistics

4

Internship Option

Internships may be approved for credit by the Director of Environmental Science and Studies. An approved internship for 3- or 4-credits may be used as a concentration course option at the discretion of the Director of Environmental Science and Studies.

ENVS-503Internships

3-4

Residency Requirement Policy: In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.

About the Environmental Studies Major

Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.

View the Program Page

Environmental Studies Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.

  1. Students will be able to integrate multiple perspectives including scientific, political, economic, and ethical to analyze environmental problems and propose solutions via novel research.

  2. Students will be able to use social science data collection methods including surveys and interviews, demonstrating an understanding of the ethical treatment of study participants.

  3. Students will be able to collaborate with peers to answer environmental questions.

  4. Students will be able to read, analyze, and cite relevant primary literature.

  5. Students will be able to present their scientific findings in a clear, organized oral presentation to both scientific and broader audiences.

  6. Students will be able to synthesize course knowledge, literature, and/or experimental data to solve an environmental problem or explain an environmental concept through a clear, organized written analysis. 

About the Environmental Studies Major

Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.

View the Program Page

Honors in the Major

To become a candidate for honors in the major, a student must:

  1. Have an overall GPA of 3.3

  2. Have a major GPA of 3.5

  3. Receive an invitation to apply from the major honors coordinator

  4. Applications are due May 15th in the sophomore year to the honors coordinator. If positions remain empty, a second opportunity  may be given to apply in the junior year, with applications due October 1st in the junior year.

  5. The student must have identified an on-campus faculty research mentor who has agreed to supervise their senior capstone thesis/project. Students are encouraged to explore the faculty research groups in the department and speak with their honors coordinator  to identify a potential mentor. The thesis project can be research already started or research that will start later. It can involve research performed on or off campus. The planned project must involve original laboratory or field research and/or in-depth analysis.

To complete requirements for honors in the major, a candidate must:

  1. Graduate with an overall GPA of 3.3

  2. Graduate with a major GPA of 3.5

  3. Pass the honors interdisciplinary real-world problems course in the junior year

  4. Attend the senior research capstone talks in their junior year

  5. Conduct a novel research project (not a literature summary) with mentorship from an on-campus faculty member. For departmental honors, thesis work must be of outstanding quality and must involve original laboratory or field research and/or in-depth analysis.

  6. Present their research at a local or national conference (off campus).

  7. Earn a B- or higher in the senior research project course [ENVS H401 (for Environmental Studies and Science Majors) or CHEM H401 (Biochemistry and Chemistry Majors)] in the spring of their senior year.

  8. Present their honors project at the Honors Symposium during their senior year. 

About the Environmental Studies Major

Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.

View the Program Page