The following information should help registered and prospective Environmental Studies Minors plan the course of their minor. It only represents a suggested plan, but can be used as a rough guide for choosing courses. Program staff are available to assist students in catering the minor to their individual courses of study.

Freshman Year and Sophomore Year

Freshmen and Sophomores should focus on completing the requirements for both Foundation courses and one Specialized course. The Foundation courses provide the necessary groundwork for knowledge both inside and outside a student's discipline. They include a significant quantitative component within their curricula. One of these courses may satisfy a University Core or Major requirement as well, and will thus reduce additional course demands. Once the Foundation courses are completed, students can individualize their Minor through their choice of Specialized courses.

Junior Year

The curriculum will further diversify during the junior year as students tailor their program of study to fit their particular interests. They can focus on either the natural sciences or the social sciences and humanities by concentrating on the Environmental Science or Environmental Policy tracks, respectively.

Juniors should complete the Specialty course requirements. These courses will be associated with the student's specific interests and will be upper level courses within departments.

Juniors are invited to participate in optional research opportunities or internships with faculty oversight meetings. Although these programs are not required for the Minor, they are strongly encouraged.

Senior Year

Seniors should complete any remaining Foundation or Specialized course requirements.

The required Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies (GE580) will reunite seniors with their fellow Environmental Studies Minors, who have been on individual curriculum trajectories since their sophomore years. This spring semester course is taught by Prof. Noah Snyder.

During their senior years, students may focus their efforts toward participation in an internship program, independent research, or the preparation of a senior thesis with oversight meetings, though they are optional components of the minor.

External Courses, Summers and Semesters Abroad

Students often inquire about participating in Environmental Studies-related courses and research at other universities and organizations over the summer or during semesters abroad. These programs may potentially substitute requirements for the Minor, but must be approved on an individual basis. To approve such a program, students should contact Kristina Simes, the ESP Graduate Assistant. Be sure to bring along a Course Substitution Form from Student Services in Lyons Hall, a description of the proposed external course and a list of prerequisites for the course. To be safe, it is always best to seek approval before any external course is taken.

Total courses required for the Minor

Six.

The exact number of additional courses to complete the Minor will vary according to a student's Major and courses already taken. Some courses may fulfill multiple graduation requirements - towards a Major or the Core - and thus will not be an additional burden for the student.