The Ohio State University
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The EEDS major is a multi-disciplinary degree program that focuses on the human dimensions of sustainability. This cutting-edge major provides the core knowledge and skills students need to launch a career in sustainability in the private, public or non-profit sectors. All EEDS students take an integrated set of coursework in environmental economics, business management, environmental sociology, community and international development, ecological engineering and environmental sciences. Students build on this foundation by choosing to specialize in one of four areas: Sustainability and Business, Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis, Community Development or International Development. EEDS is a joint program between Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Developmental Economics.

Environmental Engineers work with government, industry and private groups to design and implement projects to improve the environment and public health. Environmental engineers are technical leaders in sustainable development and the design of projects to protect our water, land and air resources, applying their skills to the design of drinking water treatment plants, air pollution control systems, ecological restoration, and brownfield cleanups, to name just a few. Environmental engineers use their knowledge and expertise to tackle regional and global issues, such as climate change, ozone depletion and acid rain. Environmental engineers design and build technologies to control pollution, as well as work with industry and government to redesign processes to reduce the generation of pollution and conserve material and energy resources.

The Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife (FFW) major uses basic biology to create sustainable solutions for ecosystems, habitats, and plant and animal species that are affected by human use of the environment. Forestry, wildlife, and aquatic specialists address the biological, economic, and social aspects of managing forest lands, freshwater and coastal ecosystems, and fish and wildlife, and look for ways to incorporate landscape restoration and habitat conservation into their practices. The FFW major provides coursework that is required for certification by the following professional societies: the Wildlife Society, Society of American Foresters, and the American Fisheries Society.

The EEDS minor offers students a multi-disciplinary program that focuses on the human, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability – often referred to as people, planet and profit. Through enrollment in the EEDS minor, students learn sustainability concepts to complement their work in their major program of study. EEDS is a joint program between Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) and AEDE. Students enrolled in the minor take classes with faculty working in both areas.

The Farm Management minor provides students with an understanding of business management concepts important for effective farm-level decision-making and an opportunity to develop an array of skills needed to manage production, finance, marketing, and human resources.

The Environmental Economics minor provides students with an understanding of the application of economic principles to contemporary natural resource and environmental processes, problems, and policies. Relevant complementary principles in ecology, hydrology and thermodynamics are also emphasized. Students acquire a solid foundation in the theories and methods of natural resource economics and benefit-cost analysis for addressing issues such as soil and water conservation, pollution control policy, land use, environmental benefit estimation, and management of natural systems.