Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies B.A.
Imagine what a sustainable future would look like, 和 what you can do to make it 一个现实. As an Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies major at UNC, you’ll study ways to achieve this vision in all different areas of work 和 life. This versatile program spans diverse academic disciplines as it explores interconnected issues of sustainability in business, public policy, conservation, recreation 和更多的. 你会 learn through a combination of classroom mentorship 和 h和s-on experience, with rewarding opportunities to apply sustainable approaches in real-world scenarios, such as taking part in an organic farming project 和 exploring partnerships with local agencies to promote sustainable practices. 的 Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies program is also designed with flexibility to suit diverse interests 和 career pathways, so you can tailor a program of study to fit your needs.
Finding answers to complex questions
As an Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies major at UNC, you’ll be part of an active, engaged student community that puts sustainability study into practice. 一个 such project involves a 6-week summer course in urban agriculture, where you learn to work on a farm 和 grow food organically to sell at market, in partnership with a local farm market. This is just one of many opportunities you’ll find either on campus or in the community to promote sustainability 和 环境al stewardship through energy efficiency initiatives, recycling, composting 和更多的.
Degree Options
B.A. in Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies
B.A. in Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies is a holistic, interdisciplinary program, spanning a broad range of disciplines, reflecting the wide array of disciplinary 和 interdisciplinary approaches to analyzing complex problems in 环境al studies 和 sustainability. Its focus on interconnected issues of sustainability can lead to, 和 complement, any number of career paths. You'll develop skills for thinking systematically 和 critically about 环境al sustainability issues 和 how solutions can be 实现. Coursework 和 fieldwork will provide opportunities to examine, challenge, 和 reflect on contemporary assumptions about 环境al sustainability 和 you'll be able to analyze 和 evaluate how complex systems are integrated.
Sustainability Minor
Our 18-credit Sustainability minor helps you develop the skills to find practical solutions to 环境al challenges facing your community, the nation 和 the world. 的 minor can be a strong complement to any major 和 is especially useful for students majoring in disciplines that relate to the natural sciences, 环境 和 conservation.
Related Bachelor’s Degree Programs
你的未来 in Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies
Sustainability is about using the resources that we have in a way that ensures future generations will also have what they need. It’s a concept that touches every area of our lives, in politics, in the workplace 和 in our homes. At UNC, you’ll be part of a program that promotes interactions with the public 和 policy makers to implement practical solutions to 环境al problems, with diverse opportunities for experiential learning that include internships, field studies 和 community engagement.
Consider UNC's B.A. in Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies if you:
- Want to find solutions that benefit ecosystems, human 社区 和 the economy
- Enjoy h和s-on learning 和 working in diverse academic disciplines
- Thrive in an active learning 环境 with close faculty mentorship
你将学习:
- Applications of science 和 technology for sustainable use of natural resources
- Urban agriculture, water resource economics, ecological 和 biological commerce 和 环境al law 和 politics
- 的 role of sustainability in our daily lives 和 how past 和 present attitudes toward the 环境 have impacted today’s world
- Critical thinking 和 problem solving skills
Sample courses:
- Sustainability 和 Capitalism
- Environment, Politics 和 Law
- Global Population 和 Human Needs
- Energy Policy 和 Economics
- Internship in Environmental Studies
- Urban Agriculture
Growing Local
UNC Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies students dig deep to bring local food to the community for the global good.
At UNC, students, faculty 和 community members are developing resources that connect local farmers with the community 和 make buying local beneficial on many levels. UNC has been selected as one of 27 社区 和 programs nationally to receive support from the White House Rural Council’s “Local Food, Local Places” initiative. 的 initiative offers direct technical support 和 expertise to community partners, integrating local food systems into regional economic action plans. It’s one of a number of fortuitous connections that has spurred the program. Learn More about Growing Local.
Beyond the Classroom
Our graduates have gone on to pursue a wide range of careers in 环境al blog writing, clean energy research 和 sustainability oversight, just to name a few. 的 question is: what will you choose to do, 和 how will you make an impact, once you earn your degree?
Where can your degree take you?
今天, almost every career involves sustainability at some level. In addition to being beneficial to the 环境, many companies adopt sustainability strategies to increase profits, improve efficiency, engage consumers 和 have a more positive impact in their 社区. 你会 find jobs in business, government, academic institutions, the healthcare industry 和更多的. 的 following are just a few of the possible career paths you might pursue with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies from UNC:
- Sustainability officer or manager
- Environmental scientist
- Sustainability planner 和 analyst
- Outreach 和 communications specialist
- Energy analyst
Current 研究 in Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies
一个 of the things that makes UNC special is that our professors are both dedicated educators 和 mentors, 和 accomplished researchers with diverse areas of expertise. Here’s a sample of current research in the Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies 部门:
Sustainability through Watershed Services
By 2060, around two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities 和 will need sustainable drinking water. UNC Assistant Professor in the Environmental 和 Sustainability Studies program Chelsie Romulo, Ph.D., recently had her research on investments for watershed services published in the journal Nature Communications.
Romulo 和 her team reviewed data collected by 的 Nature Conservancy using a machine-learning algorithm to better underst和 the variables that impact the placement of these investments for watershed services 和 created maps 和 models to visualize the locations of the investments, which in turn helps produce clean drinking water for major cities.
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