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Environmental Policy and Planning Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

EWU's Environmental Policy and Planning (EPP) program combines the scientific study of climate change and of human interaction with their natural environment, with courses in Urban and Regional Planning and Political Science. Students begin by learning about the social and scientific dynamics of climate change, and how humans have organized themselves in communities across history. They then explore political and policy responses to climate change from the local to the global level, and learn about state and local governmental policies regarding sustainability, development, and conservation. Students graduate with a broad understanding of human-environmental relations but also with a concrete set of skills, such as Global Information Systems (GIS) mapping skills, policymaking and environmental review skills, and basic land use planning skills. The major prepares students for careers in state and local government, land use planning, policymaking, advocacy, and sustainable development.

World Language Requirement: Two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Required Foundational Core
GEOS 113THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER5
or GEOS 204 HOT EARTH: PEOPLE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
GEOS 200GLOBALIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT5
PLAN 201INTRODUCTION TO URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING5
POLI 100INTRODUCTION TO US POLITICS5
POLI 203INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS5
or POLI 204 INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
Required Disciplinary Core - choose four of the following courses20
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
COMPARATIVE AND INTERNATIONAL WATER POLICY
POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS
Methods Requirement–choose two 9-10
STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES
GIS FOR URBAN AND REGIONAL ANALYSIS
Electives–choose one course from the first category and at least two courses from the second category
Climate Change and Sustainability3-5
COMPARATIVE URBANIZATION
LAND USE PLANNING
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COMPARATIVE POLITICS (variable title)
Environmental Law, Policy, and Justice7-10
RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
PLANNING, POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY
TRIBAL GOVERNANCE
TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COMPARATIVE POLITICS (variable title)
Senior Capstone5
SENIOR CAPSTONE: PLANNING STUDIO
SENIOR CAPSTONE
Total Credits69-75

Plan of Study

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015GEOS 200 (Social Science BACR 2)5
PLAN 2015POLI 100 (Social Science BACR 1)5MATH 1075
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Humanities & Arts BACR 215POLI 203 (Global Studies - graduation requirement)5
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
GEOS 113 (Natural Science BACR 1)5Natural Science BACR 215Elective - minor or general elective5
Diversity - graduation requirement15Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CSBS 320, GEOS 321, or PLAN 4645CSBS 320, GEOS 321, or PLAN 4645Environmental Policy and Planning Disciplinary Core25
Environmental Policy and Planning Disciplinary Core25Environmental Policy and Planning Disciplinary Core25Environmental Policy and Planning Elective35
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Environmental Policy and Planning Disciplinary Core25POLI 490 or PLAN 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5Environmental Policy and Planning Elective35
Elective - minor or general elective5Environmental Policy and Planning Elective35Elective - minor or general elective5
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Required Disciplinary Core - choose four courses from the approved list.

3

Electives–choose one course from the first category and at least two courses from the second category.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)
  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in Environmental Policy and Planning from EWU should be able to: 

  • assess and use appropriate data in environmental planning; 
  • communicate about environmental policy and planning in a professional manner;
  • demonstrate ability to implement sustainability;
  • engage in critical thinking on environmental policy and planning;
  • identify major environmental issues.