BA in Environmental Planning and Policy

The Department of Environmental Science offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Environmental Planning and Policy.  The combination of these two disciplines recognizes the inherent interconnection in conjunction with DES's basic environmental science core courses. The degree is designed to prepare students for graduate school and  careers in federal, state, and local government; the private sector; nonprofit organizations; and citizen advocacy groups. Many of our graduates have immediately entered professional professions in landscape design, regulatory compliance, land-use or community planning, urban renewal, environmental consulting, education, and as environmental technicians.

We seek to educate individuals who make a difference by contributing to solving environmental problems, making public and private institutions more responsive to social and economic needs of communities, and by moving toward a more sustainable society. Our curriculum emphasizes application as well as theory by focusing on real problems and projects affecting the region. The opportunity to gain practical planning and policy experience is also provided to our students through their participation in field-based courses and an internship.

The environmental planning  aspect of the degree is intended to introduce students to the foundations of community and natural resource planning. Through a series of core courses, students examine the spatial and non-spatial aspects of environmental problems.  The environmental policy aspect trains students on policy development, formulation and implementation, through an in-depth examination of policy science, assessment, environmental impact analysis, and environmental economics.  Students can also explore a particular topic of interest such as pollution, natural resources management, and international policy, or water resources.