Program Overview

Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning, BA

Overview

The Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning major, leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree, provides the skills, knowledge, and preparation for students to understand and address complex issues related to development, land-use, urbanization, and suburban sprawl. The curriculum integrates principles and methodologies from social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. The goal is to address the complex scientific, legal, ethical, political, environmental, and socio-economic issues that surround the development, management, and use of the built environment.

Degree Requirements

Required Foundation Courses for Major (35 credits)

• AMS 102 - Elements of Statistics (3 credits)
• CHE 115 - Chemistry, Life, and Environment (3 credits) (Note: CHE 115, CHE 129, CHE 131, or CHE 152 may be substituted for CHE 115/ENV 115)
• ENV 115 - Chemistry, Life, and Environment (3 credits) (Note: CHE 115, CHE 129, CHE 131, or CHE 152 may be substituted for CHE 115/ENV 115)
• ECO 108 - Introduction to Economics (4 credits)
• OR
• ECO 110 - Introduction to Microeconomics (3 credits)
• OR
• ECO 111 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 credits)
• GSS 105 - Introduction to Maps and Mapping (3 credits)
• MAT 125 - Calculus A (3 credits)
• OR
• MAT 130 - Trigonometry and Logarithms (1 credit), MAT 125 Calculus A (3 credits)
• OR
• MAT 131 - Calculus I (4 credits)
• OR
• AMS 151 - Applied Calculus I (3 credits)
• If students do not place into MAT 125 or MAT 131 or AMS 151 on the basis of the math placement examination, MAT 123 (or MAT 119/MAT 123) is a required course for the major.
• POL 102 - Introduction to American Government (3 credits)
• SUS 111 - Introduction to Sustainability (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 111)
• OR
• ENS 101 - Prospects for Planet Earth (3 credits)
• SUS 113 - Physical Geography Lecture (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 113)
• OR
• GEO 102 - The Earth (3 credits)
• SUS 115 - Introduction to Human Demography (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 115)
• SUS 201 - Systems and Models (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 201)
• SUS 206 - Economics and Sustainability (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 206)

Core Courses (30-31 credits)

• EDP 301 - Urban Systems (3 credits)
• EDP 302 - Sustainable Planning and Development (3 credits)
• EDP 303 - Spatial Economics (3 credits)
• OR
• SUS 362 - Resilient Communities (3 credits)
• EDP 307 - Theories and Design of Urban Settlements (3 credits)
• EDP 404 - Environmental Design Project (3 credits) (see notes)
• ENS 333 - Environmental Law (3 credits)
• GSS 313 - GIS Design and Application I (3 credits)
• OR
• GSS 317 - Geospatial Narratives: Deep Mapping for Humanities and Social Sciences (3 credits)
• GSS 314 - GIS Laboratory (1 credit) (only if taking GSS 313)
• GSS 325 - GIS Design & Applications II (3 credits)
• SUS 200 - Human Settlement: History and Future (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 200)
• SUS 301 - Technical Writing and Communication (3 credits) (formerly offered as CSK 302)

Elective (3 credits)

• Choose one of the following courses:
  • AFS 374 - Environment and Development in African History (3 credits)
  • SUS 374 - Environment and Development in African History (3 credits)
  • EDP 305 - Risk Assessment and Sustainable Development (3 credits)
  • EDP 487 - Research in Environmental Design, Policy, & Planning (0-6 credits) (with permission)
  • EDP 488 - Internship in Environmental Design, Policy, & Planning (0-12 credits) (with permission)
  • ENV 316 - Coastal Zone Management (3 credits)
  • SUS 303 - Demographic Change and Sustainability
  • SUS 309 - Global Environmental Politics (formerly offered as SBC 309)
  • SUS 310 - Migration, Development and Population Redistribution (formerly offered as SBC 310)
  • SUS 311 - Disasters and Society: A Global Perspective (3 credits)
  • SUS 312 - Environment, Society and Health (formerly offered as SBC 312)
  • SUS 316 - Cuba and Sustainability (3 credits) (formerly offered as EHM 316)
  • SUS 317 - American Environmental History (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 307)
  • SUS 318 - American Environmental Politics (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 308)
  • SUS 320 - Utopia and Dystopia and the Environment in Literature and Culture (3 credits) (formerly offered as EHM 321)
  • SUS 321 - Ecology and Evolution in American Literature (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 321)
  • SUS 322 - Human Ecology (3 credits) (formerly offered as EHI 322)
  • SUS 325 - Environmental Writing and the Media (3 credits) (formerly offered as SBC 325)
  • SUS 328 - Ecofeminism, Literature & Film (3 credits) (formerly offered as EHM 322)
  • SUS 329 - Environmental Film, Media, Arts (3 credits) (formerly offered as EHM 325)
  • SUS 350 - Contemporary Topics in Sustainability (3 credits)
  • SUS 366 - Philosophy of the Environment (III) (3 credits)

Communications and Writing requirement

The advanced writing component of the major in EDP requires registration in the 0-credit SUS 459 and approval of either a term paper or a laboratory report written for an advanced course in the appropriate major at Stony Brook (including Readings and Research courses). Completion of SUS 459 with a grade of S will result in approval of the WRTD requirement. A list of preapproved courses can be obtained through the department. Students should consult with the department advisor to ensure that their plan for completing the Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent with university graduation requirements for General Education. Students completing the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) must complete a course that satisfies the “Write Effectively within One’s Discipline” (WRTD) learning objective to graduate. The Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent in most cases with the SBC learning outcomes for WRTD.

Notes:

1. Internship with significant practical experience in planning and/or environmental design may be substituted for EDP 404 with permission of Undergraduate EDP Program Director.
2. No more than one course (4 credits maximum) with a passing grade lower than C can be credited towards the major. Course taken with the Pass/NC option may not be applied to the major.

Study Abroad

Stony Brook University offers study abroad experiences that are focused on issues of sustainability in Cuba, Madagascar, and the Turkana Basin (Kenya). While issues of climate change, water and energy security, sustainable agriculture, environmental justice, sustainable economic development, conservation of unique and threatened ecosystems, population growth, and human health are important everywhere, viewing these issues through the lens of a different place and a different culture provides a valuable perspective. Students are encouraged to participate in study abroad experiences and to talk with their major director to determine how study abroad coursework can be used to fulfill some requirements for their major.

Double Majors

Excluding SUS 301 Technical Writing and Communication, no more than 6 credits of 300-400 level course credits can be applied to two majors within the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.

SBC Courses

This table illustrates major courses that can also be used to fulfill SBC requirements. (See Note 1 & Note 2)

• Freshmen who matriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
• Transfer students who matriculate in the Spring of 2020 or later
• Students who rematriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later

Sample Course Sequence

Sample Course Sequence for the Major in Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning

• Freshman Year:
  • Fall: AMS 102, CHE 115/ENV 115, ECO 108, GSS 105, MAT 125, POL 102, SUS 111, SUS 113
  • Spring: SUS 115, SUS 201, SUS 206
• Sophomore Year:
  • Fall: EDP 301, EDP 302, EDP 303, GSS 313, GSS 314, SUS 200
  • Spring: EDP 307, ENS 333, GSS 325, SUS 301
• Junior Year:
  • Fall: EDP 404, SUS 362
  • Spring: Elective course
• Senior Year:
  • Fall: Elective course
  • Spring: Elective course