BA Sustainability, Society, and Environmental Geography at Pennsylvania State University

Programme overview

'Sustainability' covers a broad range of topics, but this major is intended for students who want to critically examine sustainability policy and practice in terms of three organizing concepts: environment, economy, and equity. With a solid grounding in geography, students will gain experience evaluating sustainability efforts in terms of their impacts on society, the environment, and efforts to achieve social justice goals.

Faculty: College of Earth and Mineral Sciences | Duration: minimum 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: University Park, PA, United States

What you will study

The degree requires a minimum of 120 credits, including General Education and the requirements for the major. Required courses include Geographic Perspectives on Environmental Systems Science, Geographic Perspectives on Environment, Society and Sustainability, Thinking Sustainably, Sustainability Methods, Environment, Society, and Sustainability Capstone.

Career pathways

This program prepares you to work wherever sustainability, equity, and environmental challenges intersect with decision-making. Your training in critical analysis—asking who benefits, what assumptions underlie initiatives, and how solutions play out unevenly across communities—is valuable across sectors.

Official programme page

Application information

Undergraduate applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer entry; the application opens August 1 for Fall and Summer and June 1 for Spring.

Early Action: apply by November 1 to receive a decision by December 24. Recommended submission deadline for all applications: December 1. Applicants apply through the MyPennState application or the Common App. A nonrefundable application fee is paid by credit card; fee waivers are available to eligible students.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.psu.edu/apply/

Explore more study programmes

Engineering