Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies
Students may choose elective courses in consultation with an advisor. We suggest the following pathways as models: Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice, Humanities and the Environment, and The Urban Environment.
B.A. Suggested Emphasis Areas
The Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice emphasis provides students with a theoretical and applied understanding of the issues of sustainability and the connections between social justice and environmental problems and solutions. Students study the roles that values and social, political, and economic structures play in contributing to the environmental crisis.
The Urban Environment emphasis provides students with a strong interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical understanding for dealing with environmental issues in urban settings.
The Humanities and the Environment emphasis explores the varied and complex ways that different cultures — past and present — view and communicate about the environment.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of the relationships between social justice and environmental problems in local, national and global contexts.
- Demonstrate understanding of chemical, biological, and social processes related to environmental problems and the ability to integrate these with the understandings and critical evaluations of descriptive statistics commonly used in environmental literature.
- Communicate clearly and accurately both orally and in writing and be able to conduct research appropriate to area of emphasis.
- Demonstrate basic understanding of civic activities and processes, and of methods of engagement in those processes.
- Demonstrate readiness to enter professional job market by preparing/training students in developing appropriate job market skills (e.g., resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, writing well and engagingly, acquiring professional experience via internship).
- Demonstrate understanding of the interconnections of economy, politics, culture and society, and of potential points of intervention to enhance sustainability and social justice.
Environmental Studies (B.A.) — 43-50 units
General Education Requirements Met in the Major
The requirements below are deemed “met in the major” upon completion of the courses listed (even though the courses and their prerequisites are not approved for GE). This is true whether or not the student completes the major.
- Area B1 (Physical Science) is satisfied upon completion of both CHEM 115 and CHEM 380.
- Areas B2 (Life Science) and B3 (Laboratory Science) are satisfied upon completion of either BIOL 240 or BIOL 313.
Core (23-27 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 313 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 3-5 |
| or CHEM 180 | Chemistry for Energy and the Environment | |
| CHEM 380 | Chemistry Behind Environmental Pollution | 3 |
| ENVS 130 | Environmental Studies | 3 |
| ENVS 224 | Research Methods for Environmental Studies | 4 |
| ENVS 450GW | Environmental Law and Policy - GWAR | 3 |
| ENVS 680 | Environmental Studies Internship | 1-3 |
| ENVS 690 | Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies | 3 |
Electives (9-11 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from each category: | ||
| Physical Environment | ||
| ERTH 230 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| GEOG 101 | Our Physical Environment | 3 |
| Sustainability and Social Justice | ||
| ENVS 460 | Energy, Justice, and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 570 | Applied Local Sustainability | 3 |
| PHIL 470 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| USP 514 | Sustainable Development in Cities | 4 |
| USP 515/GEOG 667 | Environmental Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Environment | 4 |
| Global/International | ||
| ENVS 470 | Climate Politics and Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| I R/ENVS 331 | Global Environmental Crisis | 4 |
| I R/GEOG 428 | International Political Economy of Food and Hunger | 4 |
Electives (11-12 units)
Select 11-12 units not used to satisfy the elective categories above. Electives should be organized into a coherent area of study; three suggested pathways are shown below. Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice, The Urban Environment, and Humanities and the Environment. These pathways are not mandatory; students interested in alternative routes through the elective portion of the major should consult with an advisor.
Guided Elective Pathway 1: Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice
The Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice guided electives provide students with a theoretical and applied understanding of the issues of sustainability and the connections between social justice and environmental problems and solutions. Students study the roles that values and social, political, and economic structures play in contributing to the environmental crisis. With the help of an advisor, students obtain depth by selecting elective courses from political science, American Indian studies, sociology, philosophy and religion, economics, urban studies and planning, geography, women and gender studies, and other related fields.
Take 11-12 units. Two courses must be from the shortlist. Courses used to meet other requirements of the major cannot also be used to meet the environmental sustainability and social justice emphasis requirements.
Shortlist
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ENVS 460 | Energy, Justice, and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 470 | Climate Politics and Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 530 | Environmental Leadership and Organizing | 3 |
| ENVS 570 | Applied Local Sustainability | 3 |
| GEOG 421 | Future Environments | 3 |
| PLSI 354 | Politics, the Environment, and Social Change | 4 |
| USP 514 | Sustainable Development in Cities (if not taken in core) | 4 |
| USP 515/GEOG 667 | Environmental Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Environment | 4 |
Longlist
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AIS 310 | American Indian Religion and Philosophy | 3 |
| BECA 502 | Environmental Communication on Electronic Media | 3 |
| BIOL 349 | Bioethics | 3 |
| BUS 450 | Greening of Business | 3 |
| CINE 344 | Film Genre | 3 |
| CST 300/PLSI 386 | Introduction to Critical Social Thought | 3 |
| ECON 550 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| ECON 620 | Economic Development | 3 |
| ENG 490 | Grant Writing | 3 |
| ENVS/I R 331 | Global Environmental Crisis | 4 |
| GEOG 425 | Economic Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 427 | Agriculture and Food Supply | 4 |
| GEOG/ENVS 600 | Environmental Problems and Solutions | 3 |
| GEOG 647 | Geography of Water Resources | 4 |
| GEOG/USP 652 | Environmental Impact Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG 666 | Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction | 3 |
| GPS/I R/PHIL 315 | Introduction to Global Peace Studies | 3 |
| I R 334 | International Organizations: New World Order | 4 |
| LS 401 | International Development and Resource Justice | 3 |
| LS 430 | Future of the Forests | 3 |
| LS 460 | Childhood, Nature, and Society | 3 |
| PH 655 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| PHIL 470 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| PLSI/PHIL 355 | Politics and Ethics of the Consumer Society | 3 |
| SOC/RRS 410 | Grassroots Organizing for Change in Communities of Color | 3 |
| SOC 477 | Environmental Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 483 | Global Sociology | 4 |
| USP/S W 456 | Urban Community Organizing and Citizen Action | 3 |
Guided Elective Pathway 2: The Urban Environment
The Urban Environment guided electives provide students with a strong interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical understanding for dealing with environmental issues in urban settings. With the help of an advisor, students obtain depth by selecting elective courses focusing on sustainable urban development, environmental justice, land-use planning, environmental policy, and the urban environment in a global perspective.
Take 11-12 units. Two courses must be from the shortlist. Courses used to meet other requirements of the major cannot also be used to meet the Urban Environment emphasis requirements.
Shortlist
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ENVS 460 | Energy, Justice, and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| GEOG/USP 433 | Urban Transportation | 4 |
| GEOG/USP 652 | Environmental Impact Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG/USP 658 | Land-Use Planning | 4 |
| USP 514 | Sustainable Development in Cities | 4 |
| USP 515/GEOG 667 | Environmental Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Environment | 4 |
Longlist
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BUS 450 | Greening of Business | 3 |
| ENVS 530 | Environmental Leadership and Organizing | 3 |
| ECON 550 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| ENVS 570 | Applied Local Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 699 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| GEOG 425 | Economic Geography | 3 |
| GEOG/USP 432 | Urban Geography | 4 |
| GEOG/USP 433 | Urban Transportation | 4 |
| GEOG/ENVS 600 | Environmental Problems and Solutions | 3 |
| GEOG/USP 651 | San Francisco Bay Area Environmental Issues | 4 |
| GEOG/USP 652 | Environmental Impact Analysis | 4 |
| GEOG 666 | Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction | 3 |
| I R/ENVS 331 | Global Environmental Crisis | 4 |
| PHIL/PLSI 355 | Politics and Ethics of the Consumer Society | 3 |
| RPT 440 | Urban Recreation and Parks | 3 |
| SOC 480/USP 470 | City in a Global Society | 4 |
| USP 530 | Alternative Urban Futures | 3 |
Guided Elective Pathway 3: Humanities and the Environment
The Humanities and the Environment guided electives explore the varied and complex ways that different cultures—past and present—view and communicate about the environment. With an advisor, students choose coursework in disciplines dealing with verbal or visual communication, such as communication studies, creative writing, technical and professional writing, ethnic studies, journalism, photography, design, electronic media, and cinema.
Take 11-12 units. Two courses must be from the shortlist. Courses used to meet other requirements of the major cannot also be used to meet the Humanities and the Environment emphasis requirements.
Shortlist
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BECA 502 | Environmental Communication on Electronic Media (if not taken in the core) | 3 |
| ENG 535 | Literature and Ecology (if not taken in the core) | 3 |
| JOUR 580 | Environmental Journalism | 3 |
| PHIL 470 | Environmental Ethics (if not taken in the core) | 3 |
| PLSI 354 | Politics, the Environment, and Social Change | 4 |
| WGS 593 | Gender, Health, and the Environment | 3 |
Longlist
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 321 | Endangered Cultures | 3 |
| CINE 344 | Film Genre | 3 |
| CST 300/PLSI 386 | Introduction to Critical Social Thought | 3 |
| COMM 348GW | Writing About Communication and Environmental Justice - GWAR | 4 |
| ENVS 460 | Energy, Justice, and Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 530 | Environmental Leadership and Organizing | 3 |
| HUM 450/AMST 410 | California Culture | 3 |
| HUM 380 | Nature and Human Values | 3 |
| I R 334 | International Organizations: New World Order | 4 |
| LTNS 450 | Critical Latinx Indigeneities | 3 |
| LS 460 | Childhood, Nature, and Society | 3 |
| PHIL/PLSI 150 | Contemporary Moral/Political Issues | 3 |
| PHIL 351 | Philosophy of Risk | 3 |
| PHIL/PLSI 355 | Politics and Ethics of the Consumer Society | 3 |
| PHIL 383 | Ethics in Medicine | 3 |
| SOC 477 | Environmental Sociology | 3 |
Complementary Studies
Bachelor of Arts students must complete at least 12 units of Complementary Studies outside of the primary prefix for the major. (Note: Students may not use an alternate prefix that is cross-listed with the primary prefix for the major.)
Students who complete two majors or a major and a minor automatically complete the Complementary Studies requirement. Additional ways for students in the Environmental Studies B.A. program to satisfy the requirement are with one or more languages other than English; partial completion of a minor; partial completion of certificate; or a coherent group of courses approved by a major advisor as complementary to the major.
All Complementary Studies units must be approved by an advisor and all of the units must be separate from the units used to satisfy major requirements. Courses that fulfill Complementary Studies units may be lower- or upper-division units, resident or transfer units, or units taken in approved study abroad programs.
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
- The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
- In order to choose your English Composition A2 course and your QR/Math B4 course, please complete the online advising activities at writingadvising.sfsu.edu and mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)
For students with an AS-T in Environmental Science.
Environmental Studies ADT Roadmap.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.