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Fall 2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Environmental Studies, BA
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School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS)
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies
Director: Tara Rider
The Environmental Studies major, leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree, is designed to provide students with the analytical and communication skills and the broad background necessary to understand and address complex environmental issues. The major also offers the opportunity for students to carry out focused study within a specific area of interest. Environmental issues are not resolved in the scientific, technological, social, or political arenas alone. The curriculum is, therefore, interdisciplinary and integrates principles and methodologies from the social sciences, engineering, the natural sciences, and humanities. The goal is to address the complex scientific, legal, political, socioeconomic and ethical issues that define and surround environmental issues.
The major in Environmental Studies prepares the student for further education and entry-level employment in areas such as public interest science and advocacy, environmental conservation, law, journalism, management, television documentary production, ecotourism, population studies, and public service including public health.
To demonstrate depth of learning, an area of concentration is required of all students in the major. Additionally, a research course, an internship, or field study is an essential part of the curriculum to provide real-world experience in an appropriate subject area.
Students should contact the director of undergraduate studies to design and approve an acceptable course of study before declaring the major.
Students may learn more about the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences by visiting http://www.somas.stonybrook.edu.
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Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies major is designed to provide students with the analytical and communication skills and the broad background necessary to understand and address complex environmental issues. Environmental issues are not resolved in the scientific, technological, social, or political arenas alone. The curriculum is, therefore, interdisciplinary and integrates principles and methodologies from the social sciences, the natural sciences, and humanities. The goal is to address the complex scientific, legal, political, socioeconomic and ethical issues that define and surround environmental issues. The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies prepares the student for further education and for entry-level employment in areas such as public interest science and advocacy, environmental conservation, law, journalism, management, television documentary production, ecotourism, population studies, and public service including public health. To demonstrate depth of learning, an area of concentration is required of all students in the major. Additionally, a research course, an internship, or field study is an essential part of the curriculum to provide real-world experience in an appropriate subject area. The Environmental Studies major (BA) is administered by the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Students may not pursue the ENS or COS minor in conjunction with the major. Completion of the major requires approximately 62 credits. Of these, no more than one course (4 credits) with a grade lower than C can be credited to the major. Foundation Courses (36 credits)
Core Courses (14 credits)
At least two credits from one of the following courses:
Concentration (12 credits)
Choose 4 courses with a 12 credit minimum from one of the following concentrations: Conservation Biology/Biological Anthropology
Up to two of the following:
Marine Science, Marine or Terrestrial Ecology
Environmental Law, Waste Management, and Public Policy
Notes:
*These courses have additional prerequisites outside the major Upper-Division Writing Requirement
The advanced writing component of the major in ENS requires registration in, and satisfactory completion of, the 0-credit MAR 459 or SUS 459 (S/U grading) along with enrollment in an approved advanced course that entails writing of either a term paper or a laboratory report. Completion of MAR 459 or SUS 459 with a grade of S will also result in fulfillment of the WRTD requirement. A list of preapproved courses can be obtained through the department Notes:
- PHY 121 or PHY 125 /PHY 126 /PHY 133 or PHY 131 /PHY 133 or PHY 141 /PHY 133 may be substituted for PHY 119 /ENS 119 .
- Two credits of any course numbered 487 or equivalent with one of the following designators: ANP, ANT, ATM, BCP, BIO, CHE, ECO, ENS, ENV, EST, GEO, MAR, PHY, POL, SUS. In addition to other prerequisites, credit toward the major requires approval of the research topic by the SoMAS Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- Two credits of any course numbered 488 or equivalent with one of the following designators: ANP, ANT, ATM, BCP, BIO, CHE, ECO, ENS, ENV, EST, GEO, MAR, PHY, POL, SUS. In addition to other prerequisites, credit toward the major requires approval of the internship by the SoMAS Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- CHE 129 /CHE 130 may be substituted for CHE 131 .
- AMS 110 , AMS 310 , BIO 211 , ECO 320 , POL 201 , PSY 201 , or SOC 202 may be substituted for AMS 102 .
Environmental Studies Honors Program
Graduation with departmental honors in Environmental Studies requires the following: - Students are eligible to participate in the Honors Program if they have a 3.50 GPA in all courses for the major by the end of the junior year. Students should apply to the SoMAS undergraduate director for permission to participate.
- Students must prepare an honors thesis based on a research project written in the form of a paper for a scientific journal. A student interested in becoming a candidate for honors should submit an outline of the proposed thesis research project to the SoMAS undergraduate director as early as possible, but no later than the second week of classes in the last semester. The student will be given an oral examination in May on his or her research by his or her research supervisor and the undergraduate research committee. The awarding of honors requires the recommendation of this committee and recognizes superior performance in research and scholarly endeavors. The written thesis must be submitted before the end of the semester in which the student is graduating.
- If the student maintains a GPA of 3.5 in all courses in their major through senior year and receives a recommendation by the undergraduate research committee, he or she will receive departmental honors.
Study Abroad
Stony Brook University offers study abroad experiences that can focus on issues of sustainability in Cuba, Ireland, Jamaica, Madagascar, Tanzania, and the Turkana Basin (Kenya). While issues of climate change, water and energy security, sustainable agriculture, environmental justice, sustainable economic development, conservation of unique and threatened ecosystems, population growth, and human health are important everywhere, viewing these issues through the lens of a different place and a different culture provides a valuable perspective. Students are encouraged to participate in study abroad experiences and to talk with their major director to determine how study abroad coursework can be used to fulfill some requirements for their major. SBC Courses
This table illustrates major courses that can also be used to fulfill SBC requirements. (See Note 1 & Note 2) | SBC Category | Required Major Courses | Optional Major Courses (see Note 3) | | ARTS | | | | GLO | | SOC 344, SUS 405 | | HUM | | PHI 104, PHI 105 | | LANG (see Note 4) | | | | QPS | AMS 102 | AMS 151, MAT 123, MAT 125, MAT 130, MAT 131 | | SBS | ECO 108, POL 102 | | | SNW | ANP 120, BIO 201, CHE 131, ENS 119/PHY 119 | ANP 307, ENS 101, SUS 111 | | TECH | | MAR 334 | | USA | POL 102 | SUS 317 | | WRT | | | | STAS | BIO 386, ENS 311 | AAS 352, ANP 360, BIO 336, BIO 371, BIO 385, ENS 301, ENS 312, GEO 313, HIS 302, HIS 352, HIS 365, MAR 315, MAR 340, MAR 392, MAR 394, PHI 364, SUS 344 | | EXP+ | | ENS 487, ENS 488, MAR 388, SUS 405 | | HFA+ | | PHI 366, PHI 375, SUS 321, SUS 325, SUS 329, SUS 366 | | SBS+ | | POL 320, POL 351, POL 359, SOC 344, SUS 305, SUS 317, SUS 318, SUS 366 | | STEM+ | | ANP 321, ATM 305, BIO 351, BIO 353, BIO 356, EBH 359, MAR 303, MAR 304, MAR 305, MAR 320, MAR 333, MAR 334, MAR 351, MAR 352, MAR 388, SUS 319, SUS 326 | | CER | | PHI 104, PHI 105, PHI 366, PHI 375, SUS 366 | | DIV (see Note 5) | | | | ESI | | BIO 319, BIO 352, GEO 313, HIS 365, MAR 315, MAR 380, MAR 388, MAR 394 | | SPK | | | | WRTD | | MAR 380, MAR 459, SUS 321, SUS 325, SUS 459 | Note 1: Some course information may be subject to change. Please contact your major advisor for additional consultation. Note 2: For majors that require study in a related area or completion of a minor, visit the respective program’s “Major SBC Courses” page to view expanded SBC options. Note 3: Denotes any course in which students can choose from more than one option. These may include, but are not limited to, major electives, concentration/track/specialization courses, or calculus/physics/chemistry sequences. Note 4: CEAS majors, the Athletic Training major, the Respiratory Care major, and the Clinical Laboratory Sciences major are exempt from the LANG learning objective. Students enrolled in the major in Social Work are exempt from the LANG learning objective, but are required to enroll in and pass with a letter grade of C or higher the first semester of an elementary foreign language course numbered 111, or satisfy through alternate methods. Note 5: Students are responsible for completing the general education requirements published in the Bulletin that was current as of the first semester of matriculation (or rematriculation). The following student groups must satisfy the DIV learning objective as part of their degree requirements: - Freshmen who matriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
- Transfer students who matriculate in the Spring of 2020 or later
- Students who rematriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
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