Environmental Studies
Five multidisciplinary minors are available that have been designed for students with an environmental interest. A full major in a discipline is an important foundation on which to build expertise in a specific environmental area, and the minors are designed to complement majors in the sciences, technology and social sciences. Increasingly, environmental problems are addressed by multidisciplinary teams, so the minors prepare students to operate in this multidisciplinary setting.
The environmental minors are coordinated by the Center for Environmental Science (CES), and the director of the CES is the primary contact for the minors.
For information on environmental studies and for course prerequisites, also see the Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Geography sections.
For information on environmental options within majors, also see the Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Geography sections.
the courses
Methods of statistical analysis and risk assessment applied to environmental science, including characteristics of environmental quality data; statistical measures and distributions; identifying system changes; hypothesis testing of environmental quality; risk, hazards and exposures; bioassays. Team-taught. Offered periodically.
A capstone course devoted to the definition and assessment of an environmental problem from watershed, airshed, biodiversity and human health perspectives. Case studies will be used as models of how environmental problems can be defined/documented and solutions can be implemented. Student teams will define a problem and implement a solution using interdisciplinary approaches while working with a faculty team. Students are encouraged to take this course at the conclusion of the minor. Offered periodically. Prereq: 12 credits of environmental science minor.