Environmental Sustainability

The City of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania are committed to sustainability issues both academically and in practice.  Students seeking an MES degree with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability can benefit from both the rich diversity of MES course offerings and the sustainability programs run by Penn faculty and students on campus, in Philadelphia, and around the world.

Careers in Sustainability are emerging and are found in diverse areas in both private and public sectors. The MES program offers a wide range of course options that allow students to create a program specific to the requirements of the area of sustainability they are most interested in pursuing.  Prospective students interested in a sustainability degree will find a concentration in Environmental Sustainability allows them to choose a course of study that will make them uniquely qualified for the position they seek. Students in the Environmental Sustainability concentration may focus in one of two broad areas: Environmental Management or Design/Development.

Many graduates with this concentration work in positions labeled “Sustainability Coordinator.” Positions are becoming quite common in the corporate, non-profit, academic, and government sectors.  These positions typically require that all aspects of a business or group be examined to determine if they are being managed optimally with an eye to the triple bottom line.  Areas such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, waste reduction and recycling, storm water runoff, and use of sustainable products all fall under the umbrella of a Sustainability Coordinator.  

Student Research

• "Choosing the Most Appropriate Environmental Management System for an Institution of Higher Education" by Sara King '11
• "Trust: Finding the Value in Green Consumer Products. A Case Study Comparing Green Cleaning and Personal Care Brands" by Heidi Travis '12
• "Green Business Practices in 22 Global Companies-An Analysis of Corporate Environmental Reports" by Jungmin Joanne Lee '12

Students choose five courses from one of two focus areas to complete their concentration in Environmental Sustainability:

Environmental Management Focus

Courses from the Earth and Environmental Science Department

• ENVS 400 - Estuary Sustainability
• ENVS 494 - Towards Sustainability on the Penn Campus
• ENVS 612 - Economics and the Environment
• ENVS 613 - Business and the Natural Environment
• ENVS 614 – Ecological Economics
• ENVS 620 - How to Quantify Sustainable Practices in Business and Manufacturing
• ENVS 665 - Industrial Ecology

Typical Courses from Other Schools at Penn

• EAS  501 401- Energy and Its Impacts
• EAS 502 401- Renewable Energy and its Impacts.  Technology, Ecology, Economics, Sustainability.
• EAS  503 401- Energy Systems & Policy
• LGST-815 401- Environmental Management, Law, & Policy
• OPIM 762 001 - Environmental Sustainability and Value Creation

Foundation courses in Environmental Geology, Environmental Policy, Resource Management, and Environmental Biology should be chosen to complement the concentration courses.

Design/Development Focus

Courses from the Earth and Environmental Science Department

• ENVS 410 – Clean Water Green Cities
• ENVS 541 - Modeling Geographic Objects
• ENVS 617 - Innovative Environmental Management Strategies
• ENVS 662 - Green Design and the City
• ENVS 643 - The Historical, Scientific, and Policy Dimensions of "Brownfields"
• ENVS 644 - Wastewater Treatment
• ENVS 664 - Sustainable Design
• GEOL 653 - Introduction to Hydrology

Typical Courses from Other Schools at Penn

• URBS 417 - Cities and Sustainability
• CPLN 671 - Sustainable Development in Cities and Regions
• CPLN 675 - Green Development

Foundation courses in Environmental Geology, Environmental Policy, Resource Management, and Urban Environment should be chosen to complement the concentration courses.