Bringing our academic resources in the areas of the environment and sustainability together to focus on some of the most important grand challenges of the 21st century.

To build on and strengthen the areas of climate, environmental, and sustainability science and policy at the University of Iowa, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) will combine the current departments of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences and Earth and Environmental Sciences, along with the Environmental Sciences program, in a new School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability. The school will strategically build environmental work as a core pillar of the college, grow collaborative and interdisciplinary research, and increase student access to the wide range of career paths in these areas.

Three majors; seven tracks; endless possibilities.

The School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability is the place for you to discover how you want to study these topics–and the type of career you want to pursue. From working in a lab to drafting policy, you’ll find your place here.

Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES)

BS, BA

Do you wonder how Earth and other planets work? Want to help society address environmental challenges like a changing climate and preserving safe drinking water? 

 

The EES major trains students to use an integrated approach to understand the natural world.

Geographical and Sustainability Sciences (GSS) ​

BS,BA

Are you curious about how humans impact the environment, and the environment affects societies? Interested in human mobility, environmental health, biodiversity, and how climate change connects to these and other societal challenges?

The GSS major teaches students how to make a positive impact in the world through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates geospatial data science with social and natural sciences.

Environmental Policy & Planning (EPPL)

BA

Are you committed to environmental protection and stewardship? Might you consider a career in environmental law? 

 

The interdisciplinary EPPL major trains students to tackle environmental problems through action, advocacy, and compliance.

Many of society's largest environmental challenges will require working across disciplines to solve. The education offered in the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability will prepare you to tackle these challenges through our majors, minors, and certificates.

Learn more about the unique aspects of each major

Earth and Environmental Sciences majorGeographical and Sustainability Sciences majorEnvironmental Policy and Planning major
fascinated by the natural world.interested in the dynamic interplay between natural and social systems.passionate about addressing environmental challenges through policy or planning pathways.

Earth and Environmental Sciences majorGeographical and Sustainability Sciences majorEnvironmental Policy and Planning major
  • Earth and Planetary Science
  • Environmental Geoscience
  • Ecology 
  • Geographic Information Science
  • Sustainability Science

     

  • Planning
  • Policy

     

Earth and Environmental Sciences majorGeographical and Sustainability Sciences majorEnvironmental Policy and Planning major
  • Understand the physical processes of the Earth and other planetary bodies.
  • Appreciate the coevolution of the Earth-life system.
  • Gain skills to assess and utilize our natural resources in a sustainable manner.
  • Understand the complex processes that connect humans to natural systems.
  • Analyze the potential impact of decisions given competing information, perceptions, and goals.
  • Develop technical skills like GIS and spatial analysis.
  • Identify ways in which humans impact and are impacted by the environment.
  • Identify key stakeholders and sources of information in developing solutions to environmental problems.
  • Explain the role of policy and planning in addressing environmental issues locally, regionally, and globally.

Earth and Environmental Sciences majorGeographical and Sustainability Sciences majorEnvironmental Policy and Planning major
  • Travel on diverse geological field experiences nationally and internationally to study Earth systems.
  • Use the on-campus Ashton Research Prairie to survey biodiversity or study water quality.
  • Go to Lakeside Laboratory and Lake MacBride to study ecosystems or collect insects.
  • Immerse yourself in hands-on projects that address real-world environmental and societal challenges.
  • Collaborate with experts in diverse fields like health, environmental science, and urban planning, gaining valuable interdisciplinary experience.
  • Take advantage of a wealth of experiential learning opportunities on and off campus.

     

  • Participate in field trips, guest speakers, and projects focused on local environmental challenges.
  • Build on-the-ground experience in planning and policy, and foster connections with potential employers.
  • Complete internships, conduct research with faculty, and study abroad through a variety of programs.

Earth and Environmental Sciences majorGeographical and Sustainability Sciences majorEnvironmental Policy and Planning major
  • Tackle real-world problems facing our environment, including finding and sustainably extracting critical resources.
  • Diverse job sectors include industry, consulting, and government work at the state and federal levels, or continuing on to graduate school.
  • Apply your spatial skills in the public or private sector as a GIS analyst, cartographer, or remote sensing analyst.
  • Pursue careers in sustainability to communicate the importance of sustainability science and management to leaders and the public.

     

  • Prepare to address environmental challenges in areas like land use and zoning, access to clean water, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
  • Find employment in the public sector, in large corporations, and smaller companies, or continue your education by attending law school.

Student experiences and opportunities

Students sitting in nature learning from professor

Learn by doing

Build a versatile skill set and apply your knowledge to solve meaningful problems through hands-on projects, gaining practical experience valued by employers.  

Sustainable Chemistry 2024 students in Europe

Make an impact

The challenges facing society often require transdisciplinary, collaborative approaches to science, management and problem solving. Students will develop a foundational understanding of human and natural processes, a deep understanding in an area of disciplinary expertise, and the ability to work in the context of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams. 

Two students working together in the Origins of Life class

A foundation for success

In the school you'll take four courses that give you a strong foundation in environmental science, regardless of your major. Build your interdisciplinary thinking, connect with students across different fields, find your specialization, and gain essential skills for tackling complex challenges. 

Research

The school will focus on collaborative research in a core set of areas that CLAS is ideally suited to address from a strong interdisciplinary lens.

  • Environmental management and policy 

  • GIScience (geographic information science), modeling, and remote sensing 

  • Human-environment Interactions 

  • Health, vulnerability, and natural hazards 

  • Climate variability and change 

  • Ecology and paleontology 

  • Natural resources and sustainability 

  • Tectonics, solid earth, and planetary geology 

  • Water, soil, and surface processes 

Your front door for environmental study and research

As the incoming leader of the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability I want to welcome you to your new home for environmental study and research at the University of Iowa. This is the place for those of you who have broad interests spanning the natural and social sciences from geology and geography to environmental science and sustainability.

Here, you’ll find your path and passion through our flexible curriculum and breadth of majors – in addition to exciting field trips, research opportunities, and internships that will take you out of the classroom and into laboratories and natural settings for you to gain hands-on, real-world experience. You’ll leave our school ready for your next step and to make a difference in the world.

portrait of Emily Finzel

Emily Finzel

Title/Position
Professor and incoming chair of the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability (SEES)

News

Old Cap pentacrest

UI receives gold rating for sustainability efforts

Monday, December 9, 2024
The university received the rating from a nationally recognized organization dedicated to improving sustainability on college campuses.
portrait of Emily Finzel

University of Iowa prepares to launch new environment and sustainability school

Sunday, December 8, 2024
Faced with an uptick of students enrolling in environmental studies and science programs, the University of Iowa next fall will launch a new School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Board of regents president Sherry Bates listens to a finance presentation during a board meeting at the Iowa State Alumni Building in Ames on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. The University of Iowa’s new School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability plans to bring together students, faculty, and researchers interested in sustainability, sciences and the environment.

A look at the UI’s plan for a new School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability

Tuesday, October 15, 2024
The school’s new Department Executive Officer Emily Finzel is excited about joining multiple programs focused on the sciences and sustainability.
Edge of Space Students experimenting with devices

Two CLAS departments collaborate for third Edge of Space Academy

Monday, October 7, 2024
The most recent cohort got hands-on with space-based instrumentation, conducting research, and working as a team as part of the immersive program led by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences.
An image of Schaeffer Hall in the spring with green leaves

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences announces new administrative structure for environmental programs and world languages

Thursday, September 19, 2024
Planned changes for fall 2025 will enhance collaboration and support student success.
Students in Europe posing with the Tigerhawk

CLAS students explore connection between chemistry and sustainability while in Europe

Monday, September 16, 2024
In Germany, CLAS Students the important role of chemical processes in implementing sustainable practices. Students were able to see this in real life at some of Europe’s most sustainable cities.

Find your path, and your passion

Be a part of the convergent research and education around issues of global importance that affect us right here in Iowa.​