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

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

The Environmental Management emphasis allows students to complete the B.A. in Sociology (SOC) and the Master in Environmental Management (MEM) at Western in five years. To remain qualified for the 3+2, after 66 credits each student must have: maintained a 3.0cumulative GPA and a 3.25 GPA within the major;

  • 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 the Degree Plan tab) 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 SOC undergraduate emphasis in Environmental Management and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 68 credits is required.

SOC 101Introduction to Sociology (GT-SS3)3
SOC 225Self and Society3
SOC 302Origins of Sociological Theory3
SOC 310Qualitative Research Methods3
SOC 380Social Class, Status, and Power3
SOC 399Internship in Sociology1-6
SOC 498Capstone3
Select six of the following:18
INTRO GEOGRAPHIC INFO SYSTEMS
Psychopathology
Social Problems
Contemporary Sociological Theory
Sociology of Families
Sociology of Health, Illness, and Medicine
Cultural Studies
Law Enforcement
Deviance
Juvenile Delinquency
Drugs and Society
Corrections
Special Topics
Independent Study
Select one of the following:3
Statistics for Business and Economics
Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)
Statistics and Data Analysis
Quantitative Research Methods
And one of the following:
Environmental Sociology
Social Movements
Core MEM Courses
ENVS 601Introduction to Environmental Management5
ENVS 605Science for Environmental Management3
ENVS 608ENVIRONMENTL POLITICS & 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 Credits63-68

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 courses in the Sociology Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: SOC 498 Capstone, or SOC 399 Internship in Sociology (Criminal Justice Emphasis).

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

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
Gen Ed General Education (Area I and Area III) 9
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (GT-SS3) 3
 Credits16
Spring
BIOL 130
BIOL 135
Environmental Biology (GT-SC2)
and Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)
4
Elective SOC Elective (first two of six) 6
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
SOC 225 Self and Society 3
 Credits16
Year Two
Fall
Elective SOC Elective (third and fourth of six) 6
Gen Ed Natural Sciences w/ lab
SOC 150
Environmental Sociology
or Social Movements
3
 Credits9
Spring
Elective SOC Elective (fifth of six) 3
Gen Ed Gen Ed courses 6
SOC 310 Qualitative Research Methods 3
Statistics course 1 3
 Credits15
Summer
SOC 399 Internship in Sociology 3
66 credit mark complete at this point. Students must submit 3+2 application materials by July 1.
 Credits3
Year Three
Fall
Elective Elective 6
Gen Ed Gen Ed courses 6
SOC 380 Social Class, Status, and Power 3
 Credits15
Spring
Elective Elective 6
Gen Ed Gen Ed courses 6
 Credits12
Summer
ENVS 601 Introduction to Environmental Management 5
 Credits5
Year Four
Fall
Elective Elective 3
ENVS 605 Science for Environmental Management 3
ENVS 608 ENVIRONMENTL POLITICS & POLICY 3
ENVS 611 Integrative Skills for Environmental Management 3
 Credits12
Spring
ENVS 612 Introduction to Analysis and Assessment for Environmental Management 3
ENVS 615 From Climate Science to Action 3
One of the following MEM concentrations: 3
Environmental Organization Development and Management
Global Sustainability
PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT
SOC 498 Capstone 3
 Credits12
Summer
ENVS 690 MEM Project Development 5
 Credits5
Year Five
Fall
ENVS 620
Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
or Studies in Environmental Management
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
ENVS 623
Studies in Environmental Management
or Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
or Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
3
ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENVS 625
Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management
or Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities
or Studies in Environmental Management
3
ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio 6
 Credits9
 Total Credits138
1

SOC 211 Quantitative Research MethodsECON 216 Statistics for Business and EconomicsPSY 200 Statistics and Data Analysis, or MATH 213 Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)