COURSES
The ENST program requires 36 units and most courses at CSUF are 3 units—therefore, it’s possible to complete our program in 2 years (4 semesters) by taking 3 courses each semester. However, students have up to 5 years to complete the program; you may take as few as 1 or 2 courses a semester if you need to accommodate work, family, or other obligations. Our Graduate Advisor will help you craft a personal study plan following the official guidelines in the University Catalog. You can track your progress through your online Titan Degree Audit and through regular meetings with the Graduate Advisor.
Core Courses (9 units)
In your first fall semester, you will enroll in:
- ENST 500 Environmental Issues Approaches
- ENST 510 Environmental Evaluation & Protection
In the following spring semester, you will enroll in:
- ENST 520 Environmental Research & Analysis
ENST Electives (9-15 units)
ENST 595T is a variable-topic course that you can take repeatedly for credit. We usually offer at least two ENST 595T topics each semester and we do not repeat topics within two years so that you will have a range of options.
Topics include:
- Animal Rights
- Environmental Activism
- Environmental Economics
- Environmental Education
- Environmental Hydrology
- Environmental Law
- Environmental Planning
- Environmental Photography
- Environmental Risk
- Environmental Sociology
- Food and Environment
- Habitat Restoration
- Hazardous Waste Management
- Sustaining Southern California
- Urban Ecology
- Wetlands
ENST 596 is an optional internship course to explore a career and gain experience. You can find internship opportunities announced on our student Canvas page, through your own networks, and by searching CSUF’s Center for Internships and Community Engagement.
ENST students often intern with:
- Museums, aquaria, and zoos
- The Arboretum and Botanical Garden at CSUF
- City government offices
- County departments of water and sanitation
- Environmental nonprofits
- Environmental consultants and planners
Contact the ENST chair if you are interested in an internship, then fill out the ENST 596 Internship registration form to request a permit.
ENST 599 Independent Study is an option for students doing extensive work individually with a professor, usually in preparation for a final project or thesis. Enrollment requires approval by the ENST Graduate Advisor and coordinator. If you choose ENST 599, you must also enroll in 9 other units of ENST electives. Use the ENST 599 Independent Study registration form to request a permit.
Cross-Disciplinary Electives (9-12 units)
Our interdisciplinary program encourages you to take cross-disciplinary electives (CDEs) to pursue your specific interests and career goals. These electives must be numbered 400 or above and appear in the university catalog as “available for graduate credit.” To ensure breadth, no more than 9 units can be from the department of your undergraduate major.
ENST students frequently choose these CDEs:
- AMST 404 Americans and Nature
- ANTH 458 Sustainable Urban Food Systems
- ANTH 459 Anthropology of Food and Nutrition
- BIOL 401 Biogeography
- BIOL 419 Marine Ecology
- BIOL 422 Coastal Ecology
- BIOL 449 Desert Ecology
- BIOL 450 Conservation Biology
- CHEM 436 Atmospheric Chem
- CHEM 492 Sustainability Projects
- ECON 462 Natural Resource Economics
- ECON 534 Seminar in Env and Natural Resource Economics
- EGCE 441 Environmental Engineering
- EGCE 534 Seminar in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
- ENGL 429 American Landscape in Literature
- GEOG 424 Desert Landscapes
- GEOG 426 The Coastal Environment
- GEOG 432 Ecotourism
- GEOG 481 Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG 486 Environmental Remote Sensing
- GEOG 500 Geographic Research Design
- GEOL 470 Environmental Geology
- LBST 488 Seminar in Environmental Studies
- MGMT 440 Business and Society
- PUBH 416 Global Issues in Environmental Health
The ENST Grad Advisor maintains a longer list of CDEs on the Canvas page for ENST students.
Permits: In some cases, you will need instructor permission to enroll in an elective. Email the instructor to introduce yourself, provide your CWID (Campus Wide ID), and request a permit.
Planning Course (3 units)
To prepare for a range of environmental careers, all ENST students are required to complete one planning course, chosen from several options:
- ENST 595T-03 Environmental Planning (offered intermittently)
- GEOG 478 / POSC 478 Urban Planning Principles (offered in the fall)
- GEOG 484 / POSC 484 Urban Planning Methods (a more advanced course offered in the spring)
Note: If desired, students can take a second Planning course to count toward either ENST electives or cross-disciplinary electives.
Capstone Experience Exit Options (0-3 units)
As a culmination of your studies, you will complete a thesis, project, or comprehensive exam.
ENST projects and theses require original research to contribute to collective knowledge about environmental problems, processes, or relationships. Presenting your project or thesis to the Environmental Studies community is a requirement of ENST 597. We typically hold presentations in mid-May. Titles of recent student projects can be found on the Student Projects page.
A project requires one faculty supervisor and enrollment in the 3-unit course ENST 597. To find a faculty supervisor, consider the ENST-affiliated faculty and faculty with whom you have taken courses. Use the ENST 597 Project enrollment form to request a permit to enroll. The written part of your project is usually due on the last day of final exams week.
A thesis requires three faculty supervisors, enrollment in the 3-unit course ENST 598, and following the university’s thesis guidelines. The thesis option is typically chosen by students who are planning to go on to Ph.D. programs. Use the ENST 598 Thesis enrollment form to request a permit. There are multiple deadlines for the thesis, including a final one in the month before the semester ends. If you end up needing more than one semester to complete your project or thesis, you will receive a grade of RP (“Report in Progress’), and in the next semester enroll in the 0-unit course GRAD 700 to maintain continuous enrollment.
The comprehensive exam option considers all your courses in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on core classes. It is a 4-hour exam taken electronically, usually during the third month of each semester. The study guide for this exam is available on Canvas under “Files.” The exam option does not entail any course enrollment. If you have already earned 36 units before taking the exam, you will enroll in the 0-unit course GRAD 700 to maintain continuous enrollment.