Sustainability and Business

Degree

Bachelor of Science with a major in Sustainability and Business
CAS
School of Professional Programs

Contact

Dr. Noah Perlut

nperlut@une.edu 

Tami Gower

tgower@une.edu

Mission

The Sustainability and Business program considers and applies environmental, social and financial concerns to creating a more sustainable world. You gain the knowledge, experience, and ethical grounding to play a leadership role within a public or private company, nonprofit organization, or as an entrepreneur.

More specifically the program strives to:

  • Prepare students for ethically and socially responsible roles in sustainability and business professions and society;
  • Develop in students the ability to recognize, analyze, and solve problems with an awareness and appreciation of human connections with the rest of nature;
  • Help students achieve their personal and career goals; and
  • Prepare students for entry-level positions in either the private or public sector and/or to prepare students for coursework at the graduate level.

Major Description

The B.S. in Sustainability and Business is offered jointly by the Environmental Studies and Business programs within the College of Arts and Sciences. It is designed to be interdisciplinary and to offer students numerous opportunities for collaboration and experiential learning. The major will allow students to pursue interests in the non-profit, corporate and public sectors. Students may also elect to focus on sustainability and entrepreneurship. Employment opportunities include corporate or municipal sustainability officers, green business owners/managers, socially responsible investment management, and others. The first-year experience includes a Green Learning Community.

Curricular Requirements

CAS Core Requirements Credits

Sustainability and Business majors must take

  • ENV 100/101 - Introduction to Environmental Issues (for ENV requirement)    
  • LIT 121/122 - Literature, Nature & the Environment (for EXP requirement)    
  • BUEC 104/105 - Economics in Context (for EXP requirement)    
  • BIO 105/105L - Biology I: Ecology/Evolution/Lab (for lab science requirement)    
  • MAT 150 - Statistics for Life Sciences (for math requirement)    
  • ENV 200 - Society, Population and Environment (for SGA requirement)    
  • ENV 208 - Climate Change: Causes, Consequences, Solutions (for SGA requirement) 
 
Total 42–46
Program Required Courses Credits
BUAC 201 - Financial Accounting 3
BUEC 204 - Microeconomics 3
BUEC 390 - Environmental Economics 3
BUMG 200 - Management 3
BUMK 200 - Marketing 3
ENV 240 - Environmental Sustainability Lab 2
ENV 250 - Environmental Policy in Comparative Perspective 3
ENV 344 - Environmental Ethics or BUMG 311 - Business and Society Relations 3
Environmental Studies Electives (2 courses, see table below) 6
Business Electives (2 courses, see table below) 6
ENV 295 - Internship or BUMG 295 - Internship 3
ENV 495 - Advanced Internship or BUMG 495A - Advanced Internship 3–12
ENV 499 - Senior Capstone 3
Total 44-52
Open Electives (as needed to reach 120 credits) (suggested Elective: ENG 317) Variable
Minimum Total Required Credits 120

Electives

Environmental Studies Elective Suggestions
ENV 309 - Sustainability and Ecological Restoration
ENV 313 - Wetland Restoration: Science and Policy
ENV 316/316L - Land Conservation Practicum/with lab
ENV 321 - Environmental Communication: Expert Practices for Ecosystem Management
ENV 328 - Environmental Pollution: Ecosystems, Wildlife and Human Health
ENV 340 - Environmental Movements and Social Change
ENV 341 - Indigenous Ecology, Conservation Biology, and the Politics of Knowledge
ENV 348 - Environment, Health & Community Development in East Africa
ENV 357 - Sustaining Water: Social and Global Perspectives
ENV 376 - Caribbean Sustainable Development
Business Elective Suggestions
BUEC 395 - Ecological Economics
BUMG 303 - Management of Nonprofits
BUMG 307 - Operations Management
BUMG 312 - Entrepreneurship/Sm Bus Management
BUMG 315 - Triple Bottom Line Reporting
BUMG 325 - Legal Environment of Business
BUMG 410 - Creating Social Enterprises through Design Thinking & Innovation

Additional Information

  1. Students may choose to tailor the last two years of course selections to their specific interests. For example, in close consultation with their academic advisor, they may select upper-level business and environmental studies electives that would result in an informal concentration in one or more areas including Non-Profit Sector, Corporate/Public Sector Sustainability, Small Business/Entrepreneurship.
  2. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in study abroad. Academic advisors will help tailor a student’s program to create opportunities for study abroad.

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing the B.S. in Sustainability and Business, graduates will

  1. Know fundamental principles of business and ecology and apply these to sustainability initiatives within private, public, and/or civic organizations/enterprises.
  2. Integrate the environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainability and apply that integration to solve concrete challenges.
  3. Identify and measure the economic, social and environmental risks and rewards (triple bottom line) of new ventures in sustainability, and compare short-term economic risks and returns with long-term expected benefits.

Transfer Credit

Admissions

Financial Information

TUITION AND FEES

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.

Notice and Responsibilities Regarding this Catalog

This Catalog documents the academic programs, policies, and activities of the University of New England for the 2021–2022 academic year. The information contained herein is accurate as of date of publication April 30, 2021.

The University of New England reserves the right in its sole judgment to make changes of any nature in its programs, calendar, or academic schedule whenever it is deemed necessary or desirable, including changes in course content, the rescheduling of classes with or without extending the academic term, canceling of scheduled classes or other academic activities, in any such case giving such notice thereof as is reasonably practicable under the circumstances.

While each student may work closely with an academic advisor, he or she must retain individual responsibility for meeting requirements in this catalog and for being aware of any changes in provisions or requirements.