Understanding environmental systems and how humans interact with them, as individuals and as citizens within social and cultural systems, is essential for building more sustainable societies. To prepare students to address the complex environmental challenges of the 21st century, the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IES) curriculum emphasizes multidisciplinary, integrative, and transformative approaches to environmental knowledge, ecological literacy, and perspectives on sustainability.

The core curriculum is organized into 4 Areas of Study. Students will develop an understanding of: 1) how environmental systems function; 2) how social and political systems shape decisions about human-ecological interactions; 3) ways cultures define and communicate the value of nature; and 4) environmental issues related to diversity and justice. The IES curriculum is designed to create a wide and deep understanding of resiliency, adaptability, and sustainability, encompassing not only the ecological meaning of these terms but also promoting them as personal qualities of our graduates.

A student may declare a major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies when the student has done the following:

1. Completed 30 hours of coursework, at least 15 hours of which are at Western Michigan University.
2. Achieved an overall GPA of 2.50 or above.
3. Completed the Introductory Course, ENVS 2050 – Nature, Society and Sustainability, and ENVS 2150 – Environmental Systems and Cycles, with a grade of “C” or better in each.

After completing these requirements, students must take six additional courses distributed across the four Areas of Study in the Environmental Studies Core. This major requires 33-35 hours.

At the advanced level, undergraduates will delve more deeply into topics related to their personal interests and career goals by taking an upper-level elective course. They will also complete a senior culminating experience in which they engage with a current environmental issue. The senior seminar will bring together ENVS undergraduates from diverse disciplinary majors, who will work in teams outside the classroom to address complex environmental problems in both theoretical and experiential modes.

Second Major

Because the Program is broadly interdisciplinary, Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ENVS) is called a coordinate major; thus, students are required to take a second major, chosen from any college in the University, to provide depth in a particular discipline.

Students choosing their coordinate disciplinary major from within the College of Arts and Sciences have the option, upon graduation, to select either of their two majors as their “degree” major. If Environmental and Sustainability Studies is selected, then students will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree if their second major is in the Humanities or Social Sciences. If their second major is in the Sciences then students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree. Students choosing their disciplinary major as first degree will graduate accordingly.

Those students whose disciplinary major is in another college must graduate with their ENVS major as their second major.

In addition to satisfying all Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program requirements, students selecting Environmental and Sustainability Studies as their first major must satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum requirements as well as all University requirements.

Note: Because of the complexity of this course of study, students are encouraged to speak regularly with an advisor.

Academic Standards

Students in this program must earn a grade of “C” or better in all courses counted toward their major.