Spotlights
New environmental and sustainability studies major approved
February 26, 2019
At their February 8 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved our
latest major, Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ENS). Expected
to begin Fall 2019, the new major will help students learn to develop
a solutions-oriented understanding of environmental and sustainability challenges.
Coursework for the ENS major builds upon the framework of the
preexisting minor, which was established in 2008. The ENS major will
encompass a variety of disciplines, including arts and humanities,
physical and life sciences, and economic and policy studies. Students
will also be able to choose a focus area within the major, such as
energy, sustainable food systems, cultural and the built environment,
or water resources.
Kelly Parker, director of the environmental and sustainability
studies program, said an increase in student interest and demand for
professionals with education in the field helped drive the creation of
the new major. The ENS major will emphasize a practical approach to
environmental issues through collaborative problem-solving,
involvement in faculty-led research projects, internships and
community engagement projects.
“Grand Valley already has a well-established reputation as a green college,” Parker said. “We have an enormous number of faculty, students and staff who are already doing the work of sustainability and environmental studies. This program gives students a place to plug into all of that.”
For more information about the environmental and sustainability studies program, visit www.gvsu.edu/ens.
This story was modified from a GVNext article written by Meagan Beck.