Undergraduate Programs - Institute for Sustainable Practice

Institute for Sustainable Practice

Undergraduate Studies in Sustainable Practice

The Institute for Sustainable Practice's (ISP) undergraduate major, Environmental and Sustainability Science allow students to focus on any number of a wide variety of areas in sustainable practice while also receiving a well-rounded education that is grounded in the principles of science, business, public policy and more. Our Undergraduate Major has a built-in Biology Minor and students can choose from 3 concentrations, or areas of focus (Conservation Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Agro-Ecology (including Organic Farming and Sustainable Foods), and Environmental Law and Policy) or choose the Sustainable Practice concentration to develop a specialty area specific to their interests.

Students entering our program have interests ranging from traditional ecology (stream, wildlife, conservation ecology and environmental science) to media analysis and compliance (air, water, soil, etc), natural resource management, environmental law, policy and compliance, organic farming and food systems, to a wide variety of sustainable applications in various fields (sustainable healthcare, sustainable or environmental consulting, sustainable energies (solar, biofuels, etc)) and sustainable entrepreneurialism.

By the very nature of our multi-disciplinary field, we expect our student body to include a diverse range of interests. Our curriculum has been deliberately designed to give each student a strong core knowledge base as well as accommodate a significant number of courses to be taken in the student’s specific area of interest in order to build a rigorous but personalized concentration area.

One of the defining characteristics of our program is the requirement that all our students perform and present the results of an applied independent study, which may take the form of traditional ecologically based scientific research, development of a solution to a specific problem in the fields of business, engineering, computer science, marketing, journalism, medicine, etc, a business plan or feasibility study, or a specific project associated with an internship or other practical application.

The Environmental and Sustainability Science (ESS) Major has a 45 hour Core of required courses (plus a 1 – 3 variable hour research requirement) that all our undergraduate students must take and master (mainly math and science skills necessary to our field) and each of our concentrations has a unique set of additional requirements (between 10 – 16 hours depending on concentration) and a list of recommended electives to fulfill graduation requirements.

BI 3123 Engineering Ethics

BY 1134 Principles of Biology: Cell and Genetics

BY 1144 Principles of Biology: Diversity & Ecology

BY 3712 Conservation of Natural Resources

BY 4044 Ecology

CM 1113/1211 General Chemistry I with Lab

CM 1123/1221 General Chemistry II with Lab

ESS 1013 Environmental Biology

ESS 2013 Sustainable Energy Sources

ESS 2123 Principles Of Sustainability

ESS 4213 Environmental Law & Policy

ESS 450V Individual Study/Senior Research

ESS 4992 Senior Seminar

LJS 3103 or 3403 Dispute Resolution /Conflict Management

MA 2183 Elementary Statistics

Remainder of courses include those associated with the student’s desired area of concentration and electives that will be decided upon in collaboration with the Institute’s Academic Advisor.

In addition to the ESS Major, we offer a Minor in Sustainable Practice, which is awarded by taking 18 hours of courses from our course offerings.

We advise prospective and current undergraduate students to contact us to set up an advising appointment. During this time, we can discuss the program more in depth to help guide the decision on which concentration to choose. Please set up an appointment by contacting sustainability@lipscomb.edu.

What can I do with this degree?

Graduates of Lipscomb University’s sustainable practice programs have distinguished themselves in many ways and are presently utilizing their training in many of the following areas.

Environmental consulting
Renewable Energy
Green business and corporate management
Green entrepreneurship
Energy production and regulation
Waste management
Water and wastewater treatment
Environmental or sustainability analysis
LEED and other certification of green construction
Wildlife biology
Environmental naturalist positions
Organic Farming / Food Systems
Ecology and Conservation Biology
Environmental Law, Policy and Compliance
Environmental Non-Profit work
Preparation for Graduate school and advanced degrees in environmental science and related field

Undergraduate student Mary Randriamaro in Salinas Valley, California.