Environmental Management Emphasis (with a 3+2 Master in Environmental Management)

The Environmental Management emphasis allows students to complete the B.A. in Environment and Sustainability (ENVS) and the Master in Environmental Management (MEM) at Western in five years. To remain qualified for the 3+2, upon earning 66 credits each student must have:

  • maintained a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.25 GPA within the major;
  • earned a B or above in two social science, two natural science (one with lab), and one statistics course;
  • fulfilled the 3-credit Internship requirement with a B or above and positive letter from the project sponsor;
  • provided three letters of recommendation, at least one of which is to be a professional reference and at least one of which is to be an academic reference from the student’s major at Western;
  • written a Statement of Purpose to the MEM program, detailing early career ambitions and ideas and connections for the eventual master’s Project.

At this point, if any aspect of a student’s performance is found to be insufficient, the MEM Director may reject a 3+2 student from the MEM program, in which case the student will need to find a new emphasis or minor in order to complete the undergraduate degree. Upon meeting the requirements above, and after Junior Year (reaching 91 credits in this plan—see “MAJOR MAP” at western.edu/3_2) holding to the same GPA and general performance standards outlined above, the School of Graduate Studies will designate students as “MEM candidates with provisional acceptance.” Upon completion of the final 29 credits of the Western B.A. in Year Four of this plan, the School of Graduate Studies will designate students as “MEM degree seeking students.” Students who have completed all other requirements of the 3+2 program and all Western undergraduate requirements, yet choose to leave the MEM program before Year 5, will still have completed the undergraduate emphasis in Environmental Management and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 71 credits is required for the B.A. components of the emphasis.

ENVS 100Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2)3
ENVS 200Writing the Environment3
ENVS 250Environmental Justice3
ENVS 301Science of Sustainability and Resilience3
ENVS 350U.S. and Western Environmental Politics3
ENVS 390Environmental Monitoring4
ENVS 400Applied Sustainability3
ENVS 410Environmental Ethics3
ENVS 499Internship in Environmental Studies3
Required supporting courses
BIOL 130Environmental Biology (GT-SC2)3
BIOL 135Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)1
ECON 215Environmental Economics3
PHYS 125Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2)3
Select one of the following:3
Global Environmental Policy
Water Policy and Politics
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
Select one of the following:1
This Is The Headwaters
Headwaters Conference
Select one of the following:3
Statistics for Business and Economics
Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1)
Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)
Quantitative Research Methods
Select one of the following:3
Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory)
Cultural Ecology
Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Politics of the Environment
Politics of Social Movements
Human Rights
The Global South
Political Economy
Environmental Psychology
Multicultural Psychology
Social Psychology
Environmental Sociology
Social Problems
Social Movements
Social Inequalities
Core MEM Courses
ENVS 601Introduction to Environmental Management5
ENVS 605Science for Environmental Management3
ENVS 608Environmental Politics and Policy3
ENVS 611Integrative Skills for Environmental Management3
ENVS 612Introduction to Analysis and Assessment for Environmental Management3
ENVS 615From Climate Science to Action3
Select one of the following from the MEM Emphases:3
Sustainable and Resilient Communities Emphasis:
Environmental Organization Development and Management
Global Sustainability Emphasis:
Global Sustainability
Integrative and Public Land Management Emphasis:
Public Lands Management
Total Credits71

Upon successful completion of the prescribed courses listed above, University defined General Education, and elective requirements totaling 120 credits (with 40 at the 300-level or higher), students are eligible for their B.A. conferral. Students electing to complete MEM must follow the balance of their declared emphasis curriculum.

For a full description of the required Graduate coursework, please see the appropriate MEM program in the Western Graduate Catalog

Capstone Course Requirement

The following course in the Environment and Sustainability Major fulfills the capstone course requirement: ENVS 400 Applied Sustainability.

Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation.  Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above).  Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued. 

Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements

Sample Major Map: B.A. in Environment and Sustainability & MEM (3+2)

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
ENVS 100 Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) 3
BIOL 130
BIOL 135
Environmental Biology (GT-SC2)
and Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)
4
Elective Elective 6
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
 Credits17
Spring
ENVS 200 Writing the Environment 3
PHYS 125 Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) 3
Gen Ed Social Sciences 3
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
MATH 113 Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) 3
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ENVS 301 Science of Sustainability and Resilience 3
Gen EdOther General Education Courses 9
ENVS 250 Environmental Justice 3
HWTR 398
Headwaters Conference
or This Is The Headwaters
1
 Credits16
Spring
ENVS 350 U.S. and Western Environmental Politics 3
ECON 215 Environmental Economics 3
Elective Electives 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 6
 Credits15
Summer
ENVS 499 Internship in Environmental Studies 1 1-6
 Credits1-6
Year Three
Fall
ENVS 390 Environmental Monitoring 4
GEOG 340
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 2
or Water Policy and Politics
3
ENVS 410 Environmental Ethics 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 3
 Credits13
Spring
ENVS 360 Global Environmental Policy 3 3
Gen Ed General Education Courses 3
Elective Electives 3
Electivechosen from selection of classes on cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, sex, sexuality, and/or class contexts 3
 Credits12
Summer
ENVS 601 Introduction to Environmental Management 5
 Credits5
Year Four
Fall
ENVS 605 Science for Environmental Management 3
ENVS 608 Environmental Politics and Policy 3
ENVS 611 Integrative Skills for Environmental Management 3
Elective Elective 3
 Credits12
Spring
ENVS 612 Introduction to Analysis and Assessment for Environmental Management 3
ENVS 615 From Climate Science to Action 3
ENVS 616
Environmental Organization Development and Management
or Global Sustainability
or Public Lands Management
3
ENVS 400 Applied Sustainability 3
 Credits12
Summer
ENVS 690 MEM Project Development 5
 Credits5
Year Five
Fall
ENVS 620
Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
or Studies in Environmental Management
6
ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENVS 620
Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
or Studies in Environmental Management
3
ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio 6
 Credits9
 Total Credits141-146
1

66 credit mark completed. Submit 3+2 application materials by July 1.

2

or Elective to Global Env Policy (if ENVS 370 Water Policy and Politics or GIS has not been taken.)

3

Take ENVS 370 Water Policy and Politics if ENVS 360 Global Environmental Policy has not been taken.