Pre-Environmental and Sustainability Studies, A.A. (Grand Valley State University)

General Transfer Notes & Michigan Transfer Agreement

The coursework needed to complete this program is listed below.  The courses transfer and satisfy requirements at Grand Valley State University.

Students should contact GVSU to obtain additional detailed information about transfer requirements. GVSU ultimately makes the decisions about how each course will be used to meet the bachelor’s degree requirements. Students should also review the specific admission requirements for GVSU and this GVSU program.

GRCC advisors and faculty are available to help students navigate transfer resources and create an individualized transfer plan, including selection of elective courses, which meets all GRCC and GVSU requirements.

Graduates of this program will earn an Associate of Arts degree from GRCC and may be eligible to earn the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) credential.

General Education Courses

Select a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework from the General Education course list. Select coursework as directed below. Use transfer resources available to select coursework based on Grand Valley State University requirements.

General Education Total Credit Hours

30 (minimum)

Program Courses

• ENS 201 - Introduction to Environmental and Sustainability Studies Credit Hours: 3
• GE 140 - Geography of Michigan Credit Hours: 3
• SW 150 - Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare Credit Hours: 3

Program Elective Courses

Select one (1) course from the list below. GE 275 is strongly recommended.

• GE 275 - Introduction to Geospatial Technologies and GIS Credit Hours: 4
• BA 201 - Business Communication Credit Hours: 3
• EN 249 - Technical Writing Credit Hours: 3
• PO 101 - Photography I Credit Hours: 3

Open Elective Courses

The remaining number of courses needed to complete the program will depend on the number of credit hours remaining needed to reach the 60 credits required for graduation. Course selections should be made based on degree, major, minor, or academic interest at Grand Valley State University. 

The following GRCC Courses are recommended Open Electives. Courses in the bolded subject groups below may meet requirements for popular GVSU Certificates that complement the Environmental and Sustainability Studies Major:

Geographic Information Science (GIS) and Technology 

• GE 275 - Introduction to Geospatial Technologies and GIS   Credit Hours: 4 (if not taken above)

Select one (1) course from the following list below:

• GE 277 - GIS Applications in Community Geography and Urban Planning  Credit Hours: 4
• CIS 116 - Introduction to Computer Programming  Credit Hours: 3
• CIS 123 - Computer Science I  Credit Hours: 4
• CIS 125 - Visual Basic Programming  Credit Hours: 3

Intercultural Communications 

• BA 201 - Business Communication  Credit Hours: 3 (if not taken above)
• COM 236 - Intercultural Communication  Credit Hours: 3

Sustainable Food Systems 

• CA 111 - Restaurant Sanitation and Safety  Credit Hours: 2
• GH 200 - General Nutrition  Credit Hours: 3

Additional recommendations to meet GVSU’s General Education Requirements, if not taken in the “General Education Courses” section above:

• GRCC Course that satisfies GVSU’s US Diversity General Education Requirement
• GRCC Course that satisfies GVSU’s Global Perspectives General Education Requirement

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts are required to have a third-semester proficiency in a foreign language.

Students are encouraged to use transfer resources available and consult their faculty advisors when choosing Open Elective courses.

Total Credit Hours

60 (minimum)

In What Order Should I Take Classes?

Please select courses from the Priority I list.  Select courses based on the number of credits you are taking in the semester, for example, if you are a part time student you do not have to take all of the courses listed.  If you are unable to schedule Priority I courses, move to and select from the list of Priority II, Priority III, and Priority IV courses.

NOTE: This priority schedule assumes the student is prepared to take the courses listed. If prerequisites are required, additional semesters may be required to complete this degree.

Meet with an Academic Program Advisor and consult my Academic Progress for specific degree requirements.