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The B.S. in Energy and Sustainability Policy is a 120-credit degree program that emphasizing sustainability principles, policy development and energy production. Students in the B.S. program also choose supporting coursework in focused areas closely related to the major.

Prescribed coursework includes such topics as energy sources, uses, and technologies; sustainability principles and practices; climate change; and, policy development and analysis. You will also select additional courses in energy and science; analysis and technology; business and management; and ethics, leadership, and communications.

Students must complete 120 credits in the following areas to earn the Bachelor of Science in ESP:

  • 89 requirements for the major credits
    • 62 prescribed credits
    • 6 additional credits
    • 21 supporting courses and related areas credits
  • 45 General Education credits (25 of the 45 credits are included in the requirements for the major)
  • 11 elective credits

The Course Schedule page, accessed via the blue button below, will provide a list of the courses offered each semester. Some courses may provide a sample syllabus and lesson.

Engaged Scholarship: Internships and Foreign Studies

Carnegie Foundation: 2015 Community Engagement Classification honor


Penn State was selected by the Carnegie Foundation for its 2015 Community Engagement Classification, an honor resulting from our commitment to providing students with at least one outside-the-classroom engagement opportunity that impacts our community. For ESP students, foreign studies (EGEE 299) or domestic internship (EGEE 495) provides opportunity for learning outside of the classroom. You will work with faculty to design a meaningful and appropriate experience, considering your prior work and travel, interests and professional aspirations.

Course List - Bachelor of Science in Energy and Sustainability Policy 

Prescribed Courses (62 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits
Effective Speech CAS 100 Introduction to speech communication: formal speaking, group discussion, analysis and evaluation of messages. 3 credits
Introduction to Energy and Earth Sciences Economics* E B F 200 Resource use decisions and their effect on local, national, and global development.

Prerequisite: ECON 102 and MATH 022 or equivalent		 3 credits
Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy ECON 102 Methods of economic analysis and their use; price determination; theory of the firm; distribution. 3 credits
Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy ECON 104 National income measurement; aggregate economic models; money and income; policy problems 3 credits
Energy Conservation for Environmental Protection* EGEE 102 Exposure to energy efficiency in day-to-day life to save money and energy, and thereby protect the environment 3 credits
Oil: International Evolution EGEE 120 Survey of the commercial development of the world petroleum industry from various international, historical, business, and cultural perspectives. 3 credits
Energy in a Changing World EGEE 401 Energy is in transition, with increased international energy demand and increasing environmental pressures. Energy transitions, approaches, and outcomes are addressed.

Prerequisite: EGEE 101 or EGEE 102 or CHEM 112		 3 credits
Energy and Sustainability in Contemporary Culture EM SC 240 Critical evaluation of selected media (e.g., books, film) in contemporary culture on topics related to energy and sustainability. 3 credits
Orientation to Energy and Sustainability Policy* EM SC 302 Orientation to goals of the Energy and Sustainability Policy program and resources available to help students succeed. 1 credit
Global Energy Enterprise* EME 444 Industry perspective on the resources, technologies, engineering approaches and externalities involved in satisfying worldwide energy demand profitably and sustainably.

Prerequisite: ECON 104 or equivalent EGEE 102, EGEE 120		 3 credits
Energy and Sustainability in Society* EME 466 Capstone course in energy technology and policy options for reduced-carbon communities. Covering agent/stakeholder relations, sustainability, communication and public engagement.

Prerequisite: GEOG 030, METEO 469, EME 432  		 3 credits
Rhetoric and Composition ENGL 015 Instruction and practice in writing expository prose that shows sensitivity to audience and purpose.

Prerequisite: ENGL 004 or satisfactory performance on the English proficiencyexamination		 3 credits
Effective Writing: Business Writing ENGL 202D Writing reports and other common forms of business communication.

Prerequisite: ENGL 015 or ENGL 030; fourth-semester standing		 3 credits
Geographic Perspectives on Sustainability and Human-Environment Systems* GEOG 030N Introduction to theory, methods, history and contemporary issues in global and regional relationships between human activity and the physical environment 3 credits
Energy Policy* GEOG 432 Analysis, formulation, implementation, and impacts of energy-related policies, regulations, and initiatives.

Prerequisite: E B F 200, EGEE 120, PL SC 490		 3 credits
Human Dimensions of Global Warming* GEOG 438W Human dimensions of climate change: human causes, human consequences, and policy implications of global warming.

Prerequisite: EARTH 002, GEOG 010 or METEO 003; GEOG 030		 3 credits
Energy Industry Applications of GIS* GEOG 469 Roles of geographic information systems in energy siting decisions focusing on electric energy transmission networks.

Prerequisite: GEOG 030, EGEE 102, EME 444  		 3 credits
From Meteorology to Mitigation: Understanding Global Warming* METEO 469 Examination of global warming and climate change: the basic science, projects, impacts, and approaches to mitigation.

Prerequisite: STAT 200 or MATH 110 or MATH 140  		 3 credits
Introduction to American National Government PL SC 001 Introduction to development and nature of American political culture, constitutional/structural arrangements, electoral/policy processes; sources of conflict and consensus 3 credits
Policy Making and Evaluation* PL SC 490 Advanced analysis of public policy, emphasizing policy evaluation and the factors that determine policy success and failure.

Prerequisite: PL SC 001, PL SC 002 or PUBPL 304W		 3 credits
Elementary Statistics* STAT 200 Descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, probability, binomial and normal distributions, statistical inference, linear regression, and correlation. Prerequisite: Placement into MATH 021 or higher 4 credits

 

Additional Courses (6 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits
Introductory Meteorology

or

Understanding Weather Forecasting		 METEO 003

or

METEO 101		 Nontechnical treatment of fundamentals of modern meteorology and the effects of weather and climate.
or
Fundamental principles of synoptic and physical meteorology, satellite and radar imagery, and data analysis in the setting of mid-latitude weather forecasting		 3 credits
Foreign Studies

or

Internship		 EGEE 299

or

EGEE 495		 Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.
or
Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.		 3 credits

 

Supporting Courses (21 credits)
Description Credits
Energy and Science 6 credits
Analysis and Technology 6 credits
Business and Management 6 credits
Ethics, Leadership and Communication 3 credits
General Education (45 credits**)
Description Credits
Arts – GA 6 credits
Humanities – GH 6 credits
Health and Wellness – GHW 3 credits
Natural Sciences – GN 9 credits
Social and Behavioral Sciences – GS 6 credits
Writing and Speaking – GWS* 9 credits
Quantification – GQ* 6 credits
Integrative Studies (6 credits)***

*A student enrolled in this course must receive a grade of C or better.

**12 credits are included in the requirements for the major.

***This requirement only applies to students starting in summer 2018 or later. Learn more about the Integrative Studies options and consult your academic adviser when choosing courses to fulfill these requirements. 

Electives (11 credits)
Description Credits
Courses chosen in consultation with an adviser. 11 credits

Please note: The above course list includes only courses offered by World Campus. An official degree audit or the recommended academic plan for this program may include additional course options and detailed requirements. All students are expected to complete at least 36 credits at Penn State to earn this degree. Please consult an academic adviser for details.

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.