
About This Program
The Environmental Studies B.A. program combines scientific, social and policy perspectives to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of environmental issues. Enroll now and become an agent for positive change. Read more...
Contact Information
- David Kaplan (Kent Campus) | dkaplan@kent.edu | 330-672-3221
- Chris Post (Stark Campus) | cpost2@kent.edu
- Speak with an Advisor
- Chat with an Admissions Counselor: Kent Campus | Regional Campuses
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Stark Campus
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
Compliance officers
- 4.6% about as fast as the average
- 337,600 number of jobs
- $71,100 potential earnings
Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- 3.7% about as fast as the average
- 7,600 number of jobs
- $84,740 potential earnings
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- 7.8% faster than the average
- 90,900 number of jobs
- $73,230 potential earnings
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- 8.4% much faster than the average
- 34,700 number of jobs
- $46,850 potential earnings
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
- 2.2% slower than the average
- 2,100 number of jobs
- $87,400 potential earnings
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.
First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.
Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.
Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
BSCI 10110 | BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) | 4 |
ENVS 22070 | NATURE AND SOCIETY (KSS) | 3 |
ENVS 30105 | CAREER PATHWAYS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES | 1 |
ENVS 32091 | ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SUSTAINABILITY | 2 |
ENVS 42099 | INTEGRATIVE SENIOR PROJECT (ELR) (WIC) 1 | 3 |
ESCI 21062 | ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE (KBS) | 3 |
Biological Sciences Elective, choose from the following: | 3-4 | |
FORESTRY | ||
LOCAL FLORA (ELR) | ||
ECONOMIC BOTANY | ||
GENERAL ECOLOGY | ||
BIOGEOGRAPHY | ||
INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY OF THE TROPICS | ||
CLIMATE CHANGE BIOLOGY | ||
ORNITHOLOGY | ||
STREAM BIOLOGY | ||
INVASION BIOLOGY | ||
FIELD METHODS IN ORNITHOLOGY (ELR) | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | ||
WILDLIFE RESOURCES (ELR) | ||
MAMMALOGY | ||
HERPETOLOGY | ||
Earth Science Elective, choose from the following: | 3 | |
WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
WATERSHED HYDROLOGY | ||
PHYSICAL HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
GEOLOGIC HAZARDS AND DISASTERS | ||
EARTH’S ENERGY TRANSITION | ||
Geography Elective, choose from the following: | 3 | |
NATURAL DISASTERS AND SOCIETY | ||
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE | ||
RESOURCE GEOGRAPHY | ||
GEOGRAPHY OF SOILS | ||
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY | ||
Methods Elective, choose from the following: | 3-4 | |
QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BIOLOGY | ||
REMOTE SENSING | ||
DATA ANALYSIS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES | ||
EARTH OBSERVING | ||
FIELD EXPERIENCE IN GEOGRAPHY | ||
DATA ANALYSIS FOR CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL DATA ANALYSIS IN R | ||
REMOTE SENSING | ||
RESEARCHING SOCIETY (ELR) (WIC) 1 | ||
Social Sciences Electives, choose from the following: | 15 | |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPERATIVES | ||
ECONOMICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
LITERATURE, CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS AND ASSESSMENT | ||
INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (ELR) | ||
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES | ||
SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION | ||
POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
FOOD AND PLACE (ELR) | ||
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
WATER AND SOCIETY | ||
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | ||
SETTLING THE NORTH AMERICAN ENVIRONMENT | ||
URBAN TRANSPORTATION | ||
FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY | ||
URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING | ||
URBAN SUSTAINABILITY | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | ||
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY (ELR) | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FOR PARALEGALS | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION | ||
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICIES | ||
POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT (DIVG) | ||
INTERPRETATION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION | ||
SOCIOLOGY OF FOOD | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) | ||
UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) | 10-16 | |
Kent Core Composition | 6 | |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3 | |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9 | |
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 3 | |
Kent Core Additional | 6 | |
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) | 39 | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 |
- 1
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
---|---|
2.000 | 2.000 |
Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the following:
- Elementary I and II of any language (or equivalent) and
- One of the following options:
- Intermediate I and II of the same language
- Elementary I and II of a second language
- Any combination of two courses from the following list:
- Intermediate I of the same language
- One to two college-level course(s) completed outside the United States
- Courses: ARAB 21401, ASL 19401, CHIN 25421, MCLS 10001, MCLS 20001, MCLS 20091, MCLS 21417, MCLS 21420, MCLS 22217, MCLS 28403, MCLS 28404
All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer courses. This may be accomplished in one of three ways:
- Passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level
- Receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University
- Demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language
Certain programs may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need a particular language proficiency.
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Semester One | Credits | |
---|---|---|
ENVS 22070 | NATURE AND SOCIETY (KSS) | 3 |
UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 13 | |
Semester Two | ||
BSCI 10110 | BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) | 4 |
ESCI 21062 | ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE (KBS) | 3 |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Semester Three | ||
Geography Elective | 3 | |
Social Sciences Elective | 3 | |
Foreign Language | 4 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Semester Four | ||
Biological Sciences Elective | 3-4 | |
Methods Elective | 3-4 | |
Foreign Language | 4 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
General Elective | 2 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Semester Five | ||
Earth Science Elective | 3 | |
Social Sciences Elective | 3 | |
Foreign Language and/or General Elective | 3 | |
General Electives | 6 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Semester Six | ||
ENVS 30105 | CAREER PATHWAYS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES | 1 |
ENVS 32091 | ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SUSTAINABILITY | 2 |
Social Sciences Elective | 3 | |
Foreign Language and/or General Elective | 3 | |
General Electives | 6 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Semester Seven | ||
Social Sciences Elective | 3 | |
General Electives | 12 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Semester Eight | ||
ENVS 42099 | INTEGRATIVE SENIOR PROJECT (ELR) (WIC) | 3 |
Social Sciences Elective | 3 | |
General Electives | 9 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 |
University Requirements
All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.
Requirement | Credits/Courses |
---|---|
Flashes 101 (UC 10001) | 1 credit hour |
Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission. | |
Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG) | 2 courses |
Students must successfully complete one domestic and one global course, of which one must be from the Kent Core. | |
Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) | varies |
Students must successfully complete one course or approved experience. | |
Kent Core (see table below) | 36-37 credit hours |
Writing-Intensive Course (WIC) | 1 course |
Students must earn a minimum C grade in the course. | |
Upper-Division Requirement | 39 credit hours |
Students must successfully complete 39 upper-division (numbered 30000 to 49999) credit hours to graduate. | |
Total Credit Hour Requirement | 120 credit hours |
Kent Core Requirements
Requirement | Credits/Courses |
---|---|
Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6 |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3 |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9 |
Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6 |
Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 |
Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6 |
Total Credit Hours: | 36-37 |
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the environment and how it relates to human activity, human resource needs and human cognition.
- Analyze the interconnections between environmental and human systems and how those play out in particular problem areas.
- Evaluate how environmental problems are framed and public attitudes and policies can be harnessed to provide solutions to environmental degradation.
Program Policies
Foreign Language Requirements
In general, students may elect any foreign language taught through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies. However, certain majors, concentrations and minors require specific languages or limit the languages from which students may choose. In addition, students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular languages for that study. In such cases, students should seek the advice of the appropriate department before selecting a language.
Progress Toward Fulfillment
College of Arts and Sciences students are encouraged to begin meeting the foreign language requirement as early as possible in their program to ensure timely degree completion.
Mandatory Outcomes Assessment
In addition to the other General Requirements of the college, candidates for an undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in an outcomes assessment. These outcomes assessments are conducted by each undergraduate degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Full Description
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies prepares students to integrate concepts and knowledge about environmental issues from across multiple disciplines and communicate about these in important ways. Basic scientific knowledge about environmental processes is used to inform different social goals. Students develop a set of key competencies in earth systems science, environmental social science, human-natural systems and sustainability science to solve specific environmental problems.
Environmental Studies students may apply early to the M.S. degree in Geography and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program Policy in the University Catalog for more information.