Students who are interested in the environment and the issues at its crux will enjoy the pursuit of this degree. Crucial issues of sustainability, diversity, and change are interwoven through the program
Issues of sustainability, climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental justice, biodiversity, and increasing demand for finite food, water, and energy resources become more critical every day. To better understand-and improve-our relationship with the natural world, consider the environmental studies program at Northern Arizona University.
Here, you will study ecosystems and the ways humans interact with them using the perspectives of the natural and social sciences and the humanities. You will work extensively with full-time professors who have practical experience in the environmental sciences and sustainability. You'll have many opportunities for field study and research; our faculty members include undergraduate students in all research projects, and you will be required to complete an undergraduate research project or internship. You will learn how to develop solutions for these issues and prepare for a career in research, industry, education, government, or public service.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | 2.0 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Optional |
| Research | Optional |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
| Bachelor/Juris Doctor 3+3 | Optional |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
Purpose Statement
The Environmental and Sustainability Studies program at NAU constructs an interdisciplinary base of knowledge and skills that integrates humanistic disciplines and perspectives with natural and social scientific approaches to develop real-world solutions to our environmental and sustainability challenges, from the local to the global.
Our BS degree program begins with a firm grounding in natural systems, to ensure all students understand how physical and biological processes maintain life, and how humans are affecting, and are affected by, the natural world. In addition to the natural sciences, students will also obtain a solid understanding of the environment through focusing on the social sciences and humanities in order to develop a critical appreciation of the historical, political, economic and ethical forces that have shaped our current environmental issues. This will prepare students for work in non-profit, government and community-action organizations.
Students will work together in field and lab environments to apply rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods to environmental and sustainability issues, exploring interdisciplinary impacts and solutions that range across space and time. Interdisciplinary experience is centered around focus areas or specific environmental problems, rather than disciplines. This structure produces students well-trained in both the fundamentals of multiple disciplines as well as specific knowledge needed to understand, analyze and become engaged in particular issues and professions. Additionally for the BA degree, students will attain foreign language competency and experience with cross-cultural communication to better understand the impact of environmental issues on global communities.
This issue-based approach allows students to attain a wide knowledge base in order to approach the solution of specific problems by working individually and together with other students. To culminate learning in the program, students develop an individually designed research project or internship addressing an environmental issue of importance to them, which helps to further prepare students for a range of professional or graduate opportunities.
Student Learning Outcomes
This major requires 63 - 64 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 63 - 64 units with a Grade of "C" or better in each course (or "Pass" in Pass/Fail courses):
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Elective Coursework (15 units)
Select 15 units with at least 6 units at the 300- or 400-level, from the following:
Natural Sciences
Select at least one from the following:
Social Sciences
Select at least one course from the following:
Humanities
Select at least one course from the following:
*Courses related to Southwest Environments and Bicultural Diversity.
Topics courses must be environmentally focused. Please consult with your advisor.
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.
Students enrolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and start a Master of Arts in Sustainable Communities at NAU.
OR
Students enrolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and start a Master of Science in Climate Science and Solutions at NAU.
Students accepted into one of the Accelerated Programs should complete the appropriate requirements below.
Major Requirements
This major requires 75 - 76 units distributed as follows:
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Core Coursework (60 - 61 units)
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Elective Coursework (15 units)
Select 15 units with at least 6 units at the 300- or 400-level.
Natural Sciences
Select at least one from the following:
Social Sciences
Select at least one course from the following:
Humanities
Select at least one course from the following:
*Courses related to Southwest Environments and Bicultural Diversity.
Topics courses must be environmentally focused. Please consult with your advisor.
Major Requirements
This major requires 63 - 64 units distributed as follows:
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Core Coursework (54 - 55 units)
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Elective Coursework (9 units)
Select 9 units from the following:
Natural Sciences
Select at least one from the following:
Social Sciences
Select at least one course from the following:
Humanities
Select at least one course from the following:
*Courses related to Southwest Environments and Bicultural Diversity.
Topics courses must be environmentally focused. Please consult with your advisor.
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
Bachelor/Juris Doctor 3+3 Program
This plan is eligible for NAU’s 3+3 program offered in conjunction with the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law. This program allows outstanding students to substitute their final year of undergraduate studies with their first year of law school and earn an undergraduate (BS or BA) and law (JD) degree in six years instead of seven years. Please refer to the Bachelor/Juris Doctor 3+3 Program for more information.