Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, BS

This is the first version of the 2026–27 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.

The BS in Geographical and Sustainability Sciences is designed for students interested in quantitative and interdisciplinary approaches to addressing and understanding environmental challenges.

Students delve into understanding how human impacts on the environment and coupled environmental impacts on human activities are connected via complex feedback loops, developing technical skills like GIS and spatial analysis and apply system thinking to find solutions to today’s grand challenges such as addressing water scarcity or improving energy efficiency. This unique program fosters a holistic understanding of environmental challenges and empowers students to pursue careers in sustainability and make a positive impact on the world.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates will:

  • understand the complex processes that connect humans to natural systems and the analytical and methodological tools used to model them and assess them;
  • develop fundamental spatial thinking and real-world problem-solving skills using spatial thinking and GIS concepts and methods;
  • analyze the potential impact of decisions given competing information, perceptions, and goals using interdisciplinary science-based methods and approaches;
  • be able to use and develop techniques and software tools necessary for professional practice while observing ethical standards in regard to privacy, security, and communication;
  • engage with stakeholders in the co-production and creation of appropriate solutions to sustainability challenges.