Minor in Environmental Science

Minor courses of study are academic programs designed to satisfy students’ personal interest and to meet their professional needs. Students explore, in some depth, the offerings in a field of study.

The Minor in Environmental Science includes the topics of Earth systems, biological diversity, world resources (water, food, energy), global climate change, land use planning, and sustainable development. At its core, the minor emphasizes a systems-thinking approach, drawing in diverse disciplinary perspectives to provide a holistic perspective. The curriculum is designed to explore complex real-world challenges and cutting-edge innovations to address them. This minor meets a growing interest of students and employers in environmental responsibility and sustainability. Engaging students in experiential learning, the program offers opportunities for research or service-learning. This hands-on approach enriches the academic experience and equips students to integrate environmental science principles into their chosen career paths.

A minor course of study provides the student with significant experience in a discipline organized around skills, methodology, and subject matter. To gain the greatest value from their academic experience, students are encouraged to select minors that complement their degree program and/or other minors that they are pursuing.

The student becomes subject to the requirements of the minor as stated in the catalog that are in effect at the time the minor is declared. The department/program chair responsible for a particular minor determines how students fulfill deficits in credits for a minor and certifies that students are qualified to receive the minor.