School of Environmental Studies

About the ESS Program

Purpose of The Program

The Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ESS) undergraduate program focuses on developing a student's ability to find solutions to environmental problems through an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning.

The ESS degree aligns well with the vision and mission of Tennessee Tech as the state's comprehensive university known for offering high-quality programs in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines. This program will produce graduates for a growing field of career opportunities and state and national need.

The ESS program will foster in students the desire to lead purposeful professional lives through the application of scientific principles to environmental issues within the social, political and economic framework of our society. 

 

ESS Program Goals

• Prepare students to analyze and propose sustainable solutions for complex, real-world    environmental problems
• Understand and integrate ideas from the ecological, social, and physical sciences with technological solutions
• Be life-long learners
• Lead socially responsible lives that sustain the Earth's fragile environment 

Research

• Environmental & Sustainability Studies programs at Tennessee Tech are supported by cutting-edge resource centers:
  • The Center for the Management, Utilization, and Protection of Water Resources and the Millard Oakley STEM Center for the Teaching and Learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Environmental and Sustainability Studies at Tennessee Tech

• These concentrations offer students the opportunity to pursue their passions in a meaningful way as they apply scientific principles to environmental issues
• Course work examines current topics through social, political and economic perspectives
• Students analyze and propose sustainable solutions for complex, real-world environmental problems
• The program culminates in a hands-on experience or research project addressing an actual environmental problem

Tips on how to make the most of your degree: 

• Pursue volunteer and internship experience to test fields of interest and gain valuable experience.
• Stay up-to-date with environmental legislation by reading related literature and journals.
• Attend seminars, conferences, and workshops and utilize networking opportunities.
• Utilize the Tennessee Tech University Career Center!