The ES program offers a unique combination of structure and flexibility not found in most programs at the University of Illinois. Since most students are not accustomed to the level of choice we present in our majors, the ES program has professors ready to advise you in customizing your degree.
Outline of the Environmental Sustainability Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
HOURS | REQUIREMENTS |
| 15 - 18 | One Concentration
|
| 7 | ES Introductory Core: Required Courses
|
| 12 - 14 | ES Introductory Core: Breadth Coursework Four introductory courses selected from four different categories. |
| 15-20 | ES Advanced Courses Five advanced courses from the approved list, three must be from the ESE or ENSU rubric. |
Choose a concentration: either SAE or SES.
After studying cross-disciplinary introductory classes, ES students focus on one of two concentrations, depending on their developing interests.
SAE: Society and Environment,
15-18 Hours
- STAT 100 or SOC 280 (3 hours)
- ECON 102 (3 hours)
- Introductory Social Sciences (10-12 hours)
Select three courses:
It is also recommended, but not required, that SAE students take CHEM 101 or 102.*Substitutions may be made with advisor approval.
The SAE concentration offers a balanced cross-disciplinary social science/humanities education, emphasizing sustainability's political, socio-cultural, economic, and historical dimensions. Students in this track might be interested in focusing on these areas:
- Environmental Policy
- Environmental Economics
- Studies in Science and Technology
- Social Valuation of Environmental Systems
- Social Studies of the Physical Environment
- Environmental History
- Social Movements and the Environment
- Perceptions of Environmental Risk
- Environmental Ethics
SES: Science of the Earth System,
16-18 Hours
- CHEM 102 (3 hours)
- CHEM 103 (1 hour)
- MATH 220 or MATH 221 (4-5 hours)
- STAT 100 (3 hours)
- PHYS 101 or PHYS 211 (4-5 hours)
It is also recommended, but not required, that SES students take ECON 102. *Substitutions may be made with advisor approval.
The SES concentration is a rigorous scientific program in the geophysical and ecological sciences focused on the complexity and interactions of natural systems. Students in this track might be interested in focusing on these areas:
- Water/Hydrology
- Ecology and Ecosystems
- Data and Modeling
- Engineering and Management Practices
- Climate and Global Change
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Types of Pollution and Their Sources
- Remote Sensing
- Sustainability Applications of GIS
- Green Chemistry
ES Required Core, 7 Hours
Both of the courses below are required. ESE 200 is a general introduction to sustainability and the various topics covered by our major. GGIS 379 introduces students to the software and practices behind viewing data on a map with ArcGIS. Typically, ESE 200 is only offered in the Fall semester, while GGIS 379 is available Fall and Spring semesters.
- ESE 200: Earth Systems (3 hours)
- GGIS 379: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4 hours)
ES Introductory Core, 12-14 Hours
Students take one approved introductory course from at least four of the following five areas:
| Students take one approved introductory or advanced course from at least four of the following five areas. |
| Earth’s Biosphere and Ecology |
| ESE 111, GEOL 143, IB 100, IB 103,IB 104, IB 105, IB 150, MCB 150, NRES 103, NRES 105, UP 205 |
| Earth’s Physical Systems, Resources, and Hazards |
| ATMS 100, ATMS 120, ATMS 201, GEOL 100, GEOL 104, GEOL 107, GEOL 117, GEOL 118, GGIS 103, GGIS 222 |
| Environment and the Human Response |
| ACE 210, ACE 251, ESE 210, GGIS 106, HIST 202, REL 270, RST 242, SOC 160, NRES 287 |
| Sustainability, Policy, and Global Change |
| ANTH 278, ATMS 140, CPSC 215, GEOL 208, LA 250, NPRE 101, NPRE 201, PS 224, PS 225, SOC 270 |
| Visualizing the Earth System |
| ATMS 207, GGIS 105, GGIS 224 |
ES Advanced Courses, 15-20 Hours
A minimum of five (5) 300- and 400-level courses from the approved list are required. At least three of these five advanced courses must be listed or cross-listed as an ESE or ENSU course. In most circumstances, advanced courses will count toward the LAS requirement of 21 hours of 300- or 400-level courses overall, and 12 hours of 300- or 400-level courses in the major. Students are strongly recommended to complete the LAS requirement with 21 hours of 300- or 400-level courses related to the ESE curriculum. Please note that your DARS report will not show these requirements as being met until you complete a Major Plan of Study with your advisor.
Looking for hands-on experience in a class? Consider ESE 401: ESE Capstone. ESE 401 offers a pathway for students to receive course credit for a senior thesis or internship experience. Make an appointment with Dr. Jonathan Tomkin to learn more about ESE 401.
NOTES
- A minimum of 120 hours of coursework is required for graduation, including twelve hours of advanced (400-level or approved 300-level) courses that must be taken on this campus.
- All foreign language requirements for the College of LAS must be satisfied.
- A Major Plan of Study form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office, ideally by the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours).
- Study abroad courses may be substituted for major and minor requirements with the approval of the advisor.
- There are two ES minor options: the ES minor and the Environmental Fellows Program minor.
- Double majoring is generally allowed, as per the College of Liberal Arts and Science’s guidelines, with the following exception: Undergraduate students may not major in both ES and in a major directed by one of the three departments which make up the School of Earth, Society and Environment (Climate, Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, Earth Sciences and Environmental Change, and Geography and Geographic Information Systems) without the explicit approval of the ES advisor.
Departmental Distinctions are awarded as follows:
Distinction: A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3, and have also completed an approved independent study project, approved senior thesis, or approved capstone.
High Distinction: A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5, and have also completed an approved independent study project, approved senior thesis, or approved capstone.
Highest Distinction: A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.7, and also completed an approved senior thesis or approved research capstone.
- Graduate programs may require additional coursework. All students wishing to attend graduate school in any field should discuss necessary supplementary coursework with their advisor as early as possible.