Why ESG?

From the classroom to the real world

 

What is Environment, Sustainability and Geography (ESG)?

The Environment, Sustainability & Geography (current degree requirements) program emphasizes the notion of Sustainable Development. Students will examine the environmental, social, and economic problems associated with continued economic expansion on a finite planet, and explore the many emerging solutions for transitioning to a more sustainable future.

The ESG Program provides detailed coverage of our most pressing environmental problems and their most promising sustainable solutions at local, regional and global scales. In addition, students will explore the barriers to developing and implementing these solutions rooted in the workings of our policy -making processes. Finally, students will have the opportunity to work directly on a wide variety of regional sustainable community development projects to truly appreciate what they have learned in the classroom, and better prepare themselves to be effective sustainable development practitioners.

Finding a focus?

Your college experience is a journey, and what might be right for you, may not be right for others. While some of your classmates know precisely their path for the next four years, you may still have questions. That's okay! Our program is designed to allow you the flexibility to discover what drives you through a core curriculum that highlights the interconnectedness of human and natural systems. From there, you will focus on an area, where you will dive fully into determining how it relates to sustainability of our natural world. 

How do I know if ESG is right for you?

Are you concerned about the environment? Addressing climate change? Are you looking for an applied degree that is focused on sustainability? Are you concerned about social and environmental justice and equity in our society? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then ESG is the degree for you! 

What type of student are we looking for?

We seek students who are creative, inquisitive, ambitious and, most importantly, interested in the world around them.  Many of our students enjoy spending time in the outdoors, while others are interested in cities and urban environments. What they have in common is an interest in thinking about how much they affect environments and how choices today affect future generations. In order to provide the opportunity for real-world applications of skills learned in the classroom, our students do internships at local organizations, from urban planning agencies to environmental firms. 

Why choose ESG?

  1. Small classes with committed faculty
  2. Chances to get out of the classroom ("muddy boots geography")
  3. Coursework that focuses on marketable skills
  4. Integration of human and physical sciences
  5. Engaging and hands-on classes
  6. Opportunities for internships
  7. Application of cutting-edge technology such as GIS
  8. Community engagement focus

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate and apply foundation knowledge of how human and environmental systems have and are shaping the Earth.
  2. Interpret and apply specifically relevant fundamental spatial concepts.
  3. Apply concepts such as sustainability and environment, community and economy, nation and citizenship in global and local contexts.
  4. Design and implement mixed-methods research in order to learn more about the world around them.
  5. Engage with and contribute to solutions of societal problems in professional settings.
  6. Demonstrate advanced writing and information literacy skills.

What do our majors do after graduation?

Upon graduation our majors have highly marketable skills that are attractive to a variety of employers and graduate schools. Many of students go on to further their careers with additional training at the Master's and Ph.D. level, exploring both basic and applied research in geography, urban planning, international studies, economics, law, and geospatial sciences. Other students find that entering the workplace is the path for them, finding employment as sustainability coordinators, community organizers, agricultural specialists, environmental mangers an advocates, water resource specialists, urban planners, and GIS professionals.