Environmental Studies

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The Environmental Studies Program (which is part of the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability) offers two undergraduate majors, Environmental Studies (ENVS) and Environmental Science and Health (ENSH). Each of these majors leads to either the BA or BS degree. Each of the Environmental Studies degrees are built on specialized natural science and social science courses and a set of interdisciplinary courses focusing on sustainability. The social science core courses focus on environmental problems from political, legal, economic and international perspectives. Specially designed one-semester surveys of biology, earth science and chemistry provide the natural science competency for subsequent advanced course work in environmental studies.

Two concentrations are available in the Environmental Studies BA degree: Science and Management; and Policy and Management. Four concentrations are available in the Environmental Studies BS degree: Sustainability and Society; Oceans and People; Climate and Environment; and Environmental Policy. Both the Environmental Studies BA and BS culminate in the capstone experience of a senior seminar focusing on environmental problem-solving by interdisciplinary teams. A single 24-unit environmental studies minor is derived from the core major curriculum.

The Environmental Science and Health degrees combine the interdisciplinary courses on sustainability described above and some of the environmental social science content with traditional biology and chemistry content to provide options for students preparing for one of the health professions with an undergraduate emphasis on environmental sustainability. The Environmental Science and Health BS degree incorporates recommended preparation for medical schools. The Environmental Science and Health BA degree may be appropriate for students preparing for other graduate or professional training as well as students pursuing double majors.

The Environmental Studies courses common to both majors emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of environmental problems. A number of opportunities are provided for field studies from the urban Los Angeles environment to marine protected areas on the coasts of the California Channel Islands. More intensive field study opportunities include “Problems Without Passports” courses with international components. Note that some of the field studies opportunities require travel to remote, rural locations and study under sometimes physically and mentally demanding conditions. These trips require a willingness to conform to the announced guidelines for conduct and safety.

College Academic Services 116
(213) 740-7770
FAX: 740-8566
Email: environ@dornsife.usc.edu
dornsife.usc.edu/environmental-studies

Director: Jill Sohm, PhD

Faculty

Harold Quinton Chair in Business Policy and Professor of Management and Organization, Environmental Studies, and Sociology: Paul Adler, PhD (Management and Organization)

Professors: William M. Berelson, PhD (Earth Sciences); David J. Bottjer, PhD (Earth Sciences); William Deverell, PhD (History); John F. Heidelberg, PhD (Biological Sciences); Eric Webb, PhD (Biological Sciences); Joshua West, PhD (Earth Sciences)

Associate Professor: Robert English, PhD (International Relations)

Professors (Teaching): David Ginsburg, PhD*; Karla B. Heidelberg, PhD (Biological Sciences)

Professor of the Practice: Yael Wolinsky-Nahmias, PhD

Associate Professors (Teaching): Scott Applebaum, PhD; Douglas Becker, PhD (Political Science and International Relations); Monalisa Chatterjee, PhD; Shannon Gibson, PhD; Victoria Petryshyn, PhD; Jill Sohm, PhD

Assistant Professors (Teaching): Victoria Campbell-Arvai, PhD; Sean Fraga, PhD

Adjunct Professor: James Fawcett, PhD

Adjunct Associate Professor: Jessica Dutton, PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professors: Justin Ehresmann, PhD; Diane Kim, PhD; Hanna Reed; Nathan Walworth, PhD

Emeritus: Thomas Flood, PhD (Chemistry)

*Recipient of university-wide or school teaching award.

Undergraduate Programs

Catalina Maymester Residential College

The Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies offers a residential college during the Maymester (which commences in mid-May) and the Julymester (which commences in mid-July). This is an immersive four-week experience where students enroll in one of multiple course offerings. In addition to their core course, students engage in interdisciplinary activities for the whole group. The Catalina Residential College offers multiple courses from the Environmental Studies Program as well as others that Environmental Studies students may be able to apply toward their major.

Honors Distinction in Environmental Studies

To earn Honors Distinction in Environmental Studies, students must have:

completed all the degree requirements
achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.7
successfully completed a capstone experience related to an environmental or sustainability theme with an approved faculty adviser
- capstone experiences and faculty adviser must be approved in advance by the Honors Committee, and no later than the second week of the fall semester of the student’s senior year. Capstone planning should occur beforehand, likely in the junior year.
- acceptable experiences include but are not limited to: Directed research resulting in a thesis or a scholarly paper (ENST 490x or research such as that supported by SOAR or PURF), or an approved research/empirical paper based on a guided internship (such as ENST 492 ). Other research papers or scholarly work may be approved on an individual basis by the Honors Committee (e.g., a scholarly work produced in ENST 495 ).

Additionally:

Honors must be nominated by the student’s faculty adviser
Honors candidates will be encouraged (but not required) to participate in a presentation at a professional meeting or university symposium to summarize the results of the capstone experience.

A faculty committee will approve applicants for honors and review the capstone work for completion to receive honors in Environmental Studies.

Graduate Programs

The Master of Arts degree program in Environmental Studies is interdisciplinary and focuses on environmental science, planning and public policy. Those who graduate with an MA in Environmental Studies are well prepared to pursue careers in policy, planning or management in the public, private or nonprofit sector in either this country or abroad. In addition, the curriculum provides students with a foundation for acquiring a PhD in Environmental Studies or a related field, or a professional degree such as a JD. Upon completion of the graduate program, students will possess extensive knowledge of environmental science, environmental statistics and economics, law and regulation, policy and planning, development and economic growth, and global issues and problems.

The Master of Science degree program in Environmental Data Science is a joint program between the Environmental Studies Program and the Viterbi School of Engineering. Students will learn core environmental science principles and receive training in data science skills. The curriculum is designed to prepare individuals to develop and use sophisticated analytical and computer-based methods to assess and protect the Earth’s natural resources and is designed to be accessible to students with any background.

The Master of Science degree in Environmental Risk Analysis focuses on providing advanced professional training for students with a BS degree in natural sciences or engineering. Students will pursue a core program encompassing science, engineering and finance supplemented with important skills courses in risk assessment, statistics and computer modeling and simulations. Those who graduate with the MS degree will be well prepared to pursue professional careers in business and industry, which build on their degrees in the natural sciences. This degree will produce individuals with the analytical and problem-solving skills of natural scientists combined with the necessary training in finance and management needed in the business world.

Progressive Degree Program in Environmental Studies

This progressive degree program allows advanced USC undergraduates completing a bachelor’s degree in a related natural science or environmental policy area to also complete a master’s degree in environmental studies in as little as five years. An overall GPA of 3.2 or higher in all courses taken at USC is preferred. A 3.2 GPA does not guarantee acceptance. For more information about progressive degrees, see here .

Programs

Bachelor’s Degree

Minor

• Environmental Studies Minor

Master’s Degree

Courses

Environmental Studies

Sustainability Management