School of Earth, Society, and Environment
http://www.earth.illinois.edu/students/
Director of School: Stephen Marshak
School Office: 208 Natural History Bldg., 1301 West Green, Urbana, (217) 333-3440
Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability
The major in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability (ESE) offers a unique, multidisciplinary program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). Students will learn about the interconnectedness of environmental, economic, and social systems of the world; the implications of our actions on the environment; factors that determine the sustainability of human institutions, organizations, cultures, and technologies; finding solutions through innovative approaches; and expanding future options by practicing environmental stewardship. Following the classical definition of sustainability, the aim is to develop citizens, businesses, and societies that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
Required introductory coursework provide breadth in the essential natural and social sciences needed for interdisciplinary environmental sustainability study. The major offers two concentrations within which majors gain content expertise: Science of the Earth System, and Society and the Environment. Depth of knowledge is achieved by requiring a minimum of five advanced classes in a coherent field of study.
The major is available to both on-campus and off-campus students. On-campus students need only be eligible to be in LAS to transfer to the degree. The program is also designed so that students with an associates (or equivalent) degree, or who have sufficient previous coursework, can transfer to the University and complete a Bachelor of Science degree entirely off-campus. Students interested in completing the course off-campus, but have less than 60 hours of coursework, should consult with the program advisor.
The degree will prepare students for a variety of career paths in either the private or the public sector, as well as for graduate study. The interdisciplinary background in both scientific and human aspects of environmental problems will prepare students for a variety of positions with businesses, state and federal regulatory agencies, research institutions, consulting firms and nongovernmental education and advocacy organizations. The major also provides a platform for entry into professional schools (e.g. law, business, and public policy programs) as well as graduate study in a variety of physical science and social science disciplines, and in interdisciplinary programs related to the environment.
Major in Sciences and Letters Curriculum
E-mail: program-info@eses.uiuc.edu
Degree title: Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minimum required major and supporting courses equate to 48-58 hours.
General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements.
On-campus UIUC students can transfer to this degree without any special requirements.
Off-campus students who plan to transfer to this degree should have completed, or have in progress, the following: the Composition 1 requirement.
- the third level of high school foreign language or second level of college foreign language.
It is highly recommended that off-campus students complete the following requirements before transferring to the online degree - students who have not completed the following requirements may have to take additional coursework (either at UIUC or elsewhere) and should consult the program advisor:
- the UIUC LAS language requirement should be satisfied (either two foreign languages at the 3rd level or one foreign language at the 4th level).
- the General Education Distribution Requirements of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences should be completed.
- the Cognate Coursework should be completed.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours
Departmental distinction: Students who maintain grade point averages of at least 3.3 in all courses within the major and who undertake a faculty-guided individual research project for credit in the major are recommended for graduation with distinction.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Students must complete the ESE Core requirements listed below and select one concentration in consultation with an academic advisor. | |
| 12-14 | ESES Introductory Core: Students take one approved introductory or advanced course from at least four of the following five areas. Approved courses within these areas are available from the ESE advisor OR in the ESE School office OR at http://www.earth.illinois.edu/students/guides |
Environment and the Human Response |
|
Sustainability, Policy, and Global Change |
|
Earth’s Physical Systems, Resources, and Hazards |
|
Visualizing the Earth System |
|
| Earth’s Biosphere and Ecology | |
| 6 | ESE coursework |
GEOG 379- Introduction to GIS |
|
| ESE 200- Earth Systems | |
| 15-20 | Advanced Courses A minimum of five 300- and 400-level courses, from the approved list and in an academically coherent program approved by the advisor, are required. At least three of these five advanced courses must be listed or cross-listed as an ESE or ENSU course. Courses taken to satisfy the “ESE Introductory Core” requirement cannot simultaneously be used to satisfy the Advanced Course requirement. These courses should be used to help meet the LAS requirement of 21 hours of 300- or 400-level courses overall, and the 12 hours of 300- or 400- level courses in the major. It is strongly recommended that students complete the LAS requirement with 21 hours of 300- or 400-level courses related to the ESE curriculum. |
Society and the Environment (SAE) Concentration
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 16-18 | Cognate Course Work |
| 10-12 hours-Introductory Social Science (Select three courses from approved list) | |
| 3 hours-Statistics (Select one course from approved list) | |
| 3 hours-Economics: ECON 102 | |
| Highly recommended: CHEM 101 or CHEM 102 |
Science of the Earth System (SES) Concentration
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 15-18 | Cognate Course Work |
| 3 hours-CHEM 102-General Chemistry I or CHEM 202 Accelerated Chemistry I | |
| 1 hour-CHEM 103-General Chemistry Lab I or CHEM 203- Accelerated Chemistry Lab I | |
| 4-5 hours-MATH 220-Calculus or MATH 221- Calculus I | |
| 3 hours-STAT 100-Statistics | |
| 4-5 hours-PHYS 101- College Physics: Mech & Heat or PHYS 211- University Physics: Mechanics | |
| Highly recommended: ECON 102 |
All students wishing to attend graduate school in any field should discuss necessary supplementary course work with their advisor as early as possible.
Twelve hours of 300- or 400-level courses must be taken on this campus.
Substitutions may be made with advisor approval.
All foreign language requirements must be satisfied.
A Major Plan of Study form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours). Study abroad courses may be substituted for major and minor requirements with approval of advisor.
Minor in Earth, Society, and Environment
The ESE minor is designed for students who desire to obtain a background in topics related to environmental studies,
in order to support study and practice of their major field. A minimum of 18 hours is required.
For more information and a list of approved courses visit: www.earth.illinois.edu.
Questions may be addressed to Jonathan Tomkin, tomkin@illinois.edu.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3-4 | Introductory course from the Earth's Physical Systems, Resources, and Hazards Area course list. |
| 3-4 | Introductory course from either the Environment and the Human Response or Sustainability, Policy, and Global Change Area course lists |
| 3 | ESE 200: Earth Systems |
| 9-12 | Three Advanced Courses from a list maintained by the minor advisor, at least two of which must be listed or cross listed as ESE courses |
| 18-23 | Total |