Energy and Sustainability Policy
Program Office

ESPBS Curriculum

120 Credits

The Energy and Sustainability Policy programs are designed for persons interested in energy production and management, sustainability management, foreign and domestic energy and sustainability policy analysis, or many other careers related to energy and sustainability.

The Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science in Energy and Sustainability Policy have the same prescribed and additional coursework for the major and the same General Education requirements. For a full listing of this common coursework, see Courses. The remaining requirements are specific to each degree. The Bachelor of Science requirements are described below and are listed here.

In choosing which ESP program best meets your needs, students are encouraged to consider personal interests and strengths, professional aspirations, and plans you may have for graduate school. For those with prior learning experience, the applicability of earlier coursework to degree requirements may also be a consideration. For more information, visit the Credit for Prior Learning page.

Once you are admitted into the program, your ESP adviser will help you evaluate how coursework transferred into Penn State may count toward ESP degree requirements.

Approved Course Lists

The courses listed below are pre-approved to fulfill ESP BS Supporting Categories course requirements. Other courses may also apply. If you wish to take a course not on this list to fulfill an ESPBS supporting category, contact your academic adviser before taking the class. For a full listing of World Campus course offerings, visit www.worldcampus.psu.edu and click Course Catalog (at top of page).

Courses taken to fulfill ESP Supporting Course requirements and that have a general-education designation may also count toward General Education requirements.

Registration for all courses is based on availability and may be restricted by other program requirements. Courses in ACCT, B A, ENTR, FIN, I B, MGMT and MKTG are open to ESP students 1 month before classes begin. Students are advised to plan ahead, consider prerequisites and to work closely with their academic adviser.

Supporting Course and Related Areas:

6 credits in Energy and Science

ENERGY AND SCIENCE - strongly energy related or in GN (Natural Sciences) knowledge domain
Course Description
BISC 003 Environmental Science
BIOL 011 Introductory Biology I
BIOL 110 Biology: Basic Concepts and Biodiversity
BIOL 120A Plants, Places, and People
EARTH 103 Earth in the Future: Predicting Climate Change and Its Impacts Over the Next Century
EARTH 104 Climate, Energy, and Our Future
EARTH 107 Coastal Processes, Hazards, and Society
EARTH 109 Fundamentals of Shale Energy Development
EARTH 111 Water: Science and Society
EGEE 110N Environmental Health and Safety
EGEE 439 Alternative Fuels from Biomass Sources
GEOG 430 Human Use of Environment
GEOG 431 Geography of Water Resources
PHYS 010 Physics Behind the Headlines
MICRB 106/107 Elementary Microbiology
SOILS 101 Introductory Soil Science

6 credits in Analysis and Technology

ANALYSIS AND TECHNOLOGY - energy analysis or computer/technology or economic analysis or in GQ (Quantification) knowledge domain
Course Description
CAS 390 Qualitative Research Methods
CMPSC101 Introduction to C++ Programming
ECON 333 International Economics
EME 460 Geo-resource Evaluation and Investment Analysis
IST 110 Information, People and Technology
IST 140 Introduction to Application Development
MATH 110 Techniques of Calculus I
MIS 204 Introduction to Business Information Systems
SOC 207 Research Methods in Sociology
SRA 111 Introduction to Security and Risk Analysis

6 credits in Business and Management

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT - broadly related to business and management, including accounting, finance, marketing, and strategy
Course Description
ACCTG 211 Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making
ACCTG 404 Managerial Accounting: Economic Perspective
BA 250 Small Business Management
BA 321 Contemporary Skills for Business Professionals
BA 322 Negotiation Skills for Business Professionals
EBF 301 Global Finance for the Earth, Energy, and Materials Industries
FIN 301 Corporation Finance
HLS 475 Critical Infrastructure Protection
IB 303 International Business Operations
LHR 100 Employment Relations
LHR 201 Employment Relationship: Law and Policy
LHR 401 The Law of Labor-Management Relations
LHR 426 Staffing and Training Strategies in Organizations
MGMT 301 Basic Management Concepts
MKTG 220 Introduction to Selling Techniques
MKTG 301W Principles of Marketing
OLEAD 100 Introduction to Leadership
OLEAD 409 Leadership Develpment: A Life-Long Learning Perspective
OLEAD 410 Leadership in a Global Context
OLEAD 464 Communication Skills for Leaders in Groups and Organizations
OLEAD 465 Collective Decision Making
PUBPL 201 Introduction to Homeland Security

3 credits in Ethics, Leadership and Communication

ETHICS, LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATIONS - broadly related to ethics, leadership and communications, including foreign language
Course Description
BA 243 Social, Legal, and Ethical Environment of Business
CAS 352 Organizational Communication
CAS 404 Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
CAS 475 Studies in Public Address
COMM 100 The Mass Media and Society
COMM 180 Survey of Electronic Media and Telecommunications
COMM 403 Law of Mass Communications
COMM 405 Political Economy of Communications
ENGL 215 Introduction to Article Writing
LER 460 Human Resources Ethics
LER 464 Communication Skills for Leaders in Groups and Organizations
OLEAD 100 Introduction to Leadership
OLEAD 409 Leadership Development: A Life-Long Learning Perspective
OLEAD 410 Leadership in a Global Context
OLEAD 464 Communication Skills for Leaders in Groups and Organizations
OLEAD 465 Collective Decision Making
PHIL 103/103W Introduction to Ethics
PHIL 105 Introduction to Philosophy of Law and Legal Ethics
PHIL 119 Ethical Leadership

Electives

Electives as necessary to fulfill the 120-credit requirement
Typically, 0 - 11 credits, depending on student's prior coursework and related factors.