The design of the Environmental Studies curriculum allows you to select either a scientific or a policy oriented program of study. The Environmental Studies Minor requires that you also declare and complete the requirements of a traditional and existing major in the social sciences, humanities or natural sciences. Many departments have major degree programs designed to complement the Minor in Environmental Studies.
The total commitment to the Environmental Studies Minor is six courses. One of these courses can also satisfy general graduation requirements, such the science requirment for the core curriculum. Our curriculum is designed to be flexible so that students entering the program late can participate fully. Suggested trajectories for planning the minor based on year of entry are available.
The requirements for the Minor in Environmental Studies:
1. Successfully complete six courses from the list provided on the Curriculum page, as follows:
- one Foundation Course from the Environmental Science group;
- one Foundation Course from the Environmental Policy group;
- one Specialized Course from the Environmental Science group;
- one Specialized Course from the Environmental Policy group;
- one additional corse from either list of Specialized courses; and
- the Environmental Seminar, GE580, a senior year Spring course required for all Environmental Studies Program minors, taught by Dr. Noah Snyder, Dr. Gail Kineke (Geology and Geophysics), Dr. Eric Strauss or Dr. Pete Auger (Biology).
2. Participate in occasional required programs.
Other Options
Research and policy internships are strongly encouraged and can be arranged through the Environmental Studies Office. Sometimes these can be counted as credit towards the minor in place of a course.
Courses taken at other universities over the summer or during semesters abroad may be used to satisfy some of the above requirements with permission of the Program Director, Dr. Eric Strauss. Learn more...
Environmental Scholars Program: Field internship research opportunities in environmental science, policy, and education, by application. Minors participating in this program whose research is in environmental science receive credit toward the minor for one of the two Scholars semesters in the specialized science area. Scholar minors focusing on policy and education receive credit in the specialized policy area. Environmental Scholars is open to all students with preference given to juniors and seniors. More information can be found at the Environmental Scholars Program page.
