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Programs and Degrees
The Environmental Science, Engineering and Policy Programs
ESEP is an umbrella organization that coordinates efforts between Environmental Sciences, Engironmental Engineering and Environmental Policy and Culture to ensure that modern civilizations coexist in harmony with nature. Environmental engineers and scientists achieve this goal by taking the technical lead for environmental assessment, protection, remediation, and scientific research by building a strong foundation in the fundamental and applied environmental sciences and managing technical solutions to environmental challenges.
Director: Neal Blair, Civil and Environmental Engineering & Earth and Planetary Sciences
Environmental Engineering
The Environmental Engineering major (B.S.) provides training to identify and design solutions for environmental problems. The four-year curriculum provides the students with a sound fundamental knowledge of environmental engineering principles and an opportunity to integrate other aspects such as basic science, social science, humanities, and public policy to their knowledge. Environmental Engineering is adminstered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Group Leader: Jean-Francois Gaillard, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Environmental Sciences
The Environmental Sciences major (B.A.) provides students with an understanding of how the natural environment operates, how it has been impacted by society, and how society attempts to mitigate the impacts. Via an interdisciplinary curriculum, majors learn integrative and quantitative approaches for solving environmental problems spanning local to global scales, such as air and water pollution, biodiversity, climate change, energy, human health, and sustainability.
Director: Andrew Jacobson, Earth and Planetary Sciences
Earth and Planetary Sciences
EPS provides a close-knit, collegial atmosphere for undergraduate and graduate study. Students enjoy intimate access to our internationally renowned faculty, and the department is recognized for a supportive and collaborative atmosphere where research and teaching are pursued at the forefront of earth and planetary sciences.
Director: Brad Sageman, Earth and Planetary Sciences
The Program in Environmental Policy and Culture (EPC)
EPC is an interdisciplinary minor focusing on the study of the relationship between people and their natural surroundings. The program is based in the social sciences and humanities and is open to all Northwestern undergraduate students. It offers Northwestern students an opportunity to participate in scholarly inquiry on a variety of local and global environmental issues.
Interim Directors: Mark Sheldon, Philosophy & Neal Blair, Civil and Environmental Engineering & Earth and Planetary Sciences
2013-14 Director: Lynne Kiesling, Economics
Masters in Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Sustainability Specialization
This interdisciplinary mechanical engineering concentration engages both deep technical courses in enegy and technology topics as well as critically important courses in the policy, law and economics of energy. The program requires 12 total units, including ISEN's three graudate-level courses, an optional thesis and projects with faculty.
Program Coordinator: Debbie Burton, Mechanical Engineering
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Certificates
ISEN Undergraduate Certificate in Energy and Sustainability
The undergraduate Certificate in Energy and Sustainability combines a shared core sequence of three ISEN 200‐level courses and a four‐course elective series, chosen from dozens of course options spanning natural sciences, engineering, socialsciences, and special interest disciplines, including study abroad. The program seeks to complement more applied study in major/minor areas, while exposing undergraduates to new facets of the field that they may not have been able to pursue in their chosen degree program.
Program Coordinator: Jeff Henderson, The Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern
Decision Making for Climate Change
This four-course, online certificate program allows students to learn to understand the impact of climate change and make educated decisions about adapting to and minimizing its effects. It is ideal for municipal, regional, state, and federal officials; environmental planners and managers; corporate operations and utility managers; and consultants in the sustainability field. Participants will benefit from the expertise and resources of four universities that are leaders in the study of climate change: Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies, University of California, Irvine Extension, University of British Columbia Continuing Studies and University of Washington Educational Outreach.
Program Coordinator: Jack Clegg, School of Continuing Studies
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Experiential Learning Opportunities
The Marine Environment
This program provides students an opportunity for hands-on field research at Friday Harbor Marine Labs in the Pacific Northwest. Course offerings include: a) Social Change and the Marine Environment, b) Research Apprenticeship in the Marine Environment, c) Scientific Diving, or; d) Marine Biology, and fulfill electives in EPC, Biology, Sociology, senior thesis work and other programs.
Program Coordinator: Susan Thistle, Sociology
