Environmental Studies | Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences

Environmental Studies and Sustainability

The Environmental Studies and Sustainability (ENSS) major at NMU trains and educates students to observe, measure, and influence how people interact with Earth’s natural and cultural environments. This produces knowledge that is helpful in understanding our changing world and ensures its sustainability through the implementation of holistic solutions. Students will learn about sustainable food systems, energy, water resources, demographic changes, culture, and the built environment.

Our faculty train students to identify geographic concepts and patterns, and to use spatial, qualitative, and quantitative methods to understand and address environmental challenges.

View the Catalog.

This program helps students prepare for employment in many careers including, but not limited to, the following:

Conservation/Restoration Technician
Ecotourism Guide
Environmental Conservation Officer
Environmental Consultant
Environmental Educator
Environmental Policy Expert
Environmental Protection Specialist
Organic Farmer
Park Naturalist
Park Ranger
Recreational Consultant
Resort Manager
Sustainability Coordinator
Sustainable Agriculture Practitioner
Transportation Planner
Urban Planner
Water Conservationist

The Environmental Studies and Sustainability major’s course work will develop critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making abilities. Strong communication skills, including writing and speaking, are essential for a career in this field. Leadership skills are also beneficial.

By graduation, students will be able to:

describe and explain the geographical foundations of Environmental Studies.
explain and analyze interdisciplinary connections between physical, biological, and social systems.
evaluate multicultural perspectives and policies.
apply methods and tools to solve problems.

Environmental Studies and Sustainability Major Requirements

Environmental Studies and Sustainability Core 50 Credits

GC 100 - Physical Geography [SCII] 4 Credits
GC 101 - Introduction to Environmental Science [INTT] 4 Credits
GC 164 - Human Geography [SOCR] [WC] 4 Credits
GC 205 - Introduction to Geographic Research 4 Credits
GC 220 - Economic Geography 4 Credits
GC 225 - Introduction to Maps 2 Credits
GC 235 - Quantitative Methods 4 Credits
GC 269 - Introduction to Sustainability 4 Credits
GC 310 - Urban Geography 4 Credits
GC 320 - Environmental Policy and Regulation 4 Credits
GC 335 - Geographic Information Systems 4 Credits
GC 360 - Population Geography [PERS] 4 Credits
GC 489 - Human-Environment Capstone 4 Credits

Environmental Studies and Sustainability Electives 8 Credits

Choose 8 credits from the following:

AN 210 - Ecological Anthropology: People, Culture and Nature [WC] 4 Credits
AN 320 - Native Peoples of North America [WC] 4 Credits
COM 432 - Environmental Communication 4 Credits
EC 345 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics 4 Credits
EC 425 - International Economics 4 Credits
EC 460 - Economic Development 4 Credits
GC 202 - Soils 4 Credits
GC 210 - Earth Hazards [SCII] 4 Credits
GC 285 - Earth’s Climate: Past, Present, and Future 4 Credits
GC 303 - Practicing Geography 4 Credits
GC 316 - Geography of Tourism 4 Credits
GC 317 - Geography of Food Systems 4 Credits
GC 342 - Energy and the Environment 4 Credits
GC 362 - Wetlands 4 Credits
GC 424 - Environmental Justice 4 Credits
GC 431 - Landscape Dynamics and Analysis 4 Credits
GC 444 Gender and Environment 4 Credits or
GN 444 Gender and Environment 4 Credits
GC 470 - Environmental Ethics 4 Credits
GC 475 - Environmental Impact Assessment 4 Credits
GC 491 - Internship 2-6 Credits
NAS 340 - Kinomaage: Earth Shows Us the Way 4 Credits
NAS 342 - Indigenous Environmental Movements [INTT] [WC] 4 Credits
PS 206 - International Relations 4 Credits
PS 415 - Politics of American Foreign Policy 4 Credits
SO 351 - Social Change [PERS] 4 Credits
GC 300 - Regional Studies: World Cultures [SOCR] [WC] 4 Credits or
Study Abroad 4 Credits*

Notes:

*Study abroad may be substituted for GC 300 with advisor approval.

This major does not require a minor.

"While at NMU I gained valuable skills in GIS, plant identification, and multiple certifications like WFR [Wilderness First Responder] and [wildland fire chainsaws training]. In addition to hard skills, I also learned the importance of the human factor on natural environments and how to navigate this subject. I practiced working with others to prepare technical papers, presentations, and fieldwork, while also being pushed to think and work independently."

Montana cohn

BS Environmental Studies and Sustainability, 2014

Where Have Our Students Interned?

The following is a partial listing of organizations and businesses where our have interned.

Borden Dairy—sustainability intern
Citizens' Climate Lobby
Great Lakes Climate Corps—crew member; crew leader
Eaton County Resource Recovery Department—resource recovery intern
Isle Royale National Park—camping impacts monitoring intern
Marquette Alternative High School—garden educator
Marquette County Climate Adaptation Task Force
Marquette County Planning Department—planning assistant
Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority—various internship opportunities
Michigan Energy Options
Michigan Environmental Council
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation—wildland firefighting
NMU EcoReps—various positions
Partridge Creek Farm—various intern positions
Seaside Sustainability
Sierra Club
Superior Watershed Partnership—various internships including for Energy Conservation Corps, technical writing, ecosystem restoration
Valley Stewardship Network

"I am incredibly grateful to the EEGS Department for making my time here at Northern special. Without all of the awesome EEGS faculty, I can't imagine how different my college experience would have been. I rave about this department every time I get the chance because it truly is a wonderful community of people.”

Lexi Laws

BS Environmental Studies and Sustainability, 2024

139

students

6

affiliated faculty members

5%

projected job growth, Bureau of Labor Statistics

$72K

median pay, Bureau of Labor Statistics

"I'm very grateful for the staff and faculty here. They saw so much value in our ideas and projects and always encouraged us to take our projects farther than we thought they could even go. One of my favorite examples of this was the native plant rain garden which started out as just a paper for a class assignment, but we were encouraged to take it farther and turn it into an actual proposal to submit to the Green Fund. It was chosen and actually came to fruition. "

Bailey Swanson

BS Environmental Studies and Sustainability, 2023

Declare the ENSS Major

We strongly encourage you to meet with one of our Senior Success Advisors in EEGS before declaring the major, as they can provide valuable guidance and will work with you to develop a degree plan. Our Success Advisors are:

Ruth Abbott (rabbott@nmu.edu; schedule a meeting)
Lauren Anargyros (lanargyr@nmu.edu; schedule a meeting)
Kelsey Avey (kavey@nmu.edu; schedule a meeting)
Jennifer Mital (jmital@nmu.edu; schedule a meeting)

When you are ready to declare:

You many submit your request to change a major or a minor on the web on the Change or Declare a Major page.
Enter your name, NMU IN, email address, class standing, check the "change my major" box, and input any additional relevant comments.
Submit the declare request.

You may also visit the Student Success Office in 3302 C.B. Hedgcock Building to make the change in person.

Environmental Studies and Sustainability

Program Overview

What can you do with an Environmental Studies and Sustainability degree?

Skills and Competencies

Affiliated Faculty

Jelili "Gana" Adebiyi

Office Location:

Kathleen Henry

Office Location:

Weronika Kusek

Office Location:

Sarah Mittlefehldt

Office Location:

Ryan Stock

Office Location:

Susy Ziegler

Office Location: