Environment, Sustainability, and Management - Associate in Science

The Environment, Sustainability, and Management Associate in Science degree prepares students to achieve professional employment in sustainable agriculture, horticulture, land management, and related businesses in the Green Sector. The program introduces students to key concepts in resource management, pollution, our evolving interactions with an ever-changing ecological landscape, and industry practices necessary to operate a business effectively yet conscientiously. The curriculum explores topics in land, water, and air; how humans positively and negatively impact their local and global environments; business management, entrepreneurship, innovation, and design, and includes a cooperative work experience with an employer in agriculture, sustainability, or a related field.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, a student will be able to:
- Understand and correctly apply principles of environmental and sustainable science.
- Understand and correctly apply principles of business practices, including management, accounting, and design.
- Apply {sound ethical} business practices to situations in environment and sustainability.
- Integrate knowledge of geological, chemical, and biological sciences, environment, and sustainability.
- Critically research opportunities and effectively design solutions in environment, sustainability, and management.
- Evaluate and discuss important business practices impacting environment and sustainability with peers, mentors, and community leaders.
- Gain relevant work experience with one or more established industry partners.
Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| BIOL 1001 | Introductory Biology: Organismal MSCI; Critical Thinking; Social and Professional Responsibilities | 4 |
| BUSN 1010 | Introduction to Business SSCI; Written Communication; Social and Professional Responsibilities | 3 |
| CHEM 1030 | General Chemistry I MSCI; Scientific Reasoning; Quantitative Literacy | 5 |
| COMM 1010 | Communication Fundamentals^ HUMN; Non-Written Communication; Social and Professional Responsibilities | 3 |
| ECON 2030 | Principles of Microeconomics SSCI; Critical Thinking; Quantitative Literacy | 3 |
| ENGL 1010 | Composition I (or ENGL 1010A) HUMN; Written Communication; Information Literacy | 3 |
| History Elective 1; SSCI | 3 | |
| Literature Elective 1; HUMN | 3 | |
| MATH 1240 | Statistical Analysis I MSCI; Scientific Reasoning; Quantitative Literacy | 4 |
| Subtotal | 31 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| BIOL 1050 | Humans and the Environment | 3 |
| BIOL 2410 | Biology of Insects | 4 |
| BIOL 2420 | Introduction to Soil Science | 4 |
| BUSN 1145 | Entrepreneurship 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| BUSN 1165 | Entrepreneurship 2: The Design Process | 3 |
| BSTM 2499 | BSTEM Cooperative Work Experience I^ | 3 |
| BSTM 2500 | Human Environmental Impacts and Ethical Business Practices Capstone | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Financial Accounting | ||
| Leadership Development | ||
| Operations and Supply Chain Management | ||
| Entrepreneurship 3: The Lean Startup | ||
| Principles of Management^ | ||
| Principles of Marketing | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: | 2-4 | |
| ArcGIS I: Introduction to ArcGIS | ||
| AutoCAD (Basic) | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Biology of Trees and Shrubs | ||
| Food from the Sea | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: | 4 | |
| Introduction to Geology - How the Earth Works | ||
| Urban and Environmental Geology | ||
| Introduction to Oceanography (Formerly OCEN 1010 and 1030) | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: 2 | 3 | |
|
PLS 132G
|
Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems, and Society (Take at URI)
|
|
|
PLS 150
|
Plants, People and the Planet (Take at URI)
|
|
| Subtotal | 38-42 | |
| Total Hours | 69-73 | |
- 1
-
See specified list of general education history or English literature electives in the list below.
- 2
-
Courses taken at URI.
- 3
-
Supervised cooperative work experience placement during last academic semester. Contact department chair for further information.
- ^
-
Work-based learning course
History or English Literature Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AAAF 1248 | African-American Literature and Culture | 4 |
| ENGL 1021 | American Literature since 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 1040 | World Literature to 16th Century | 3 |
| ENGL 1200 | Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 1210 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| ENGL 1250 | Readings in the Short Story | 3 |
| ENGL 2040 | World Literature from 16th Century | 3 |
| HIST 1010 | Survey of Western Civilization I | 3 |
| HIST 1020 | Survey of Western Civilization II | 3 |
| HIST 1210 | History of the United States to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST 1220 | History of the United States from 1877 | 3 |
Recommended Course Sequence
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| BIOL 1001 | Introductory Biology: Organismal | 4 |
| BUSN 1010 | Introduction to Business | 3 |
| COMM 1010 | Communication Fundamentals^ | 3 |
| ENGL 1010 | Composition I (or ENGL 1010A) | 3 |
| MATH 1240 | Statistical Analysis I | 4 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BIOL 1050 | Humans and the Environment | 3 |
| BUSN 1145 | Entrepreneurship 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| CHEM 1030 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| Choose ONE of the following: | 2-4 | |
| ArcGIS I: Introduction to ArcGIS | ||
| AutoCAD (Basic) | ||
| ECON 2030 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Hours | 16-18 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| BIOL 2410 | Biology of Insects | 4 |
| BIOL 2420 | Introduction to Soil Science | 4 |
| BUSN 1165 | Entrepreneurship 2: The Design Process | 3 |
| Choose ONE of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to Geology - How the Earth Works | ||
| Urban Geology | ||
| Introduction to Oceanography (Formerly OCEN 1010 and 1030) | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: | 3 | |
| Hours | 17-18 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: 2 | 3 | |
|
PLS 132G
|
Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems, and Society (take at URI)
|
|
|
PLS 150
|
Plants, People, and the Planet (take at URI)
|
|
| Choose ONE of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Financial Accounting | ||
| Leadership Development | ||
| Operations and Supply Chain Management | ||
| Entrepreneurship 3: The Lean Startup | ||
| Principles of Management^ | ||
| Principles of Marketing | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Biology of Trees and Shrubs | ||
| Food from the Sea | ||
| BSTM 2499 | BSTEM Cooperative Work Experience I^ 3 | 3 |
| BSTM 2500 | Human Environmental Impacts and Ethical Business Practices Capstone | 3 |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Total Hours | 65-70 | |
- 1
-
See specified history and English literature general education electives in the list below.
- 2
-
Courses taken at URI.
- 3
-
Supervised cooperative work experience placement during last academic semester. Contact department chair for further information.
History or English Literature General Education Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 1010 | Survey of Western Civilization I | 3 |
| HIST 1020 | Survey of Western Civilization II | 3 |
| HIST 1210 | History of the United States to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST 1220 | History of the United States from 1877 | 3 |
| ENGL 1021 | American Literature since 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 1040 | World Literature to 16th Century | 3 |
| ENGL 1200 | Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 1210 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| ENGL 1250 | Readings in the Short Story | 3 |
| ENGL 2040 | World Literature from 16th Century | 3 |
Transfer
Please meet with an Academic Advisor/Student Success Coach if you are interested in earning a bachelor's degree. Your Academic Advisor will help you select the courses that best prepare you for transfer to a four-year college or university.
Check out the Joint Admissions Agreement if you are interested in transferring to Rhode Island College or the University of Rhode Island. The JAA program offers seamless transfer to RIC or URI with additional benefits. Transfer information, events, and articulations are available on the Transfer Center website.
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