The Ohio State University
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability (EEDS) major prepares students to address some of the most pressing challenges facing society today, like unprecedented environmental change, resource scarcities, and growing social inequalities. Students gain practical skills in managing economic, social, and environmental change. The EEDS course of study is systems-focused and provides students with the tools to manage change, think holistically, and assess sustainable development in a variety of settings. EEDS graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to launch a career in sustainability in the private, public or non-profit sectors.

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. The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering degree at Ohio State University is the first accredited undergraduate environmental engineering degree in Ohio. This degree prepares the next generation of environmental engineers to use their knowledge and expertise to tackle regional and global issues, such as climate change, ozone depletion and acid rain.

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. Students can specialize in forestry, wildlife or fisheries and aquatic sciences. Forestry, wildlife, and aquatic specialists address the biological, economic, and social aspects of managing forest lands, freshwater and coastal ecosystems, 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 Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability (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. The EEDS minor curriculum is comprised of core courses from the EEDS major and includes a range of courses that can be selected by students to count towards the minor degree. The courses are designed to provide a foundation in sustainability concepts and theory related to economics, business, sociology, and community and international development. A total of 15 semester hours are required for the minor.

The Science, Engineering and Public Policy minor from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs provides students with an understanding of how governmental roles and responsibilities surrounding science, engineering, innovation, the environment and sustainability impact research and development, national security, healthcare, transportation, energy, environment and much more. Topics such as government policy, standards, regulations, patents, and inventions greatly influence our everyday lives.

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.