Environmental Science, Minor

Liberal Arts (Code 155-400)

Advisors: J. Boulter (Public Health and Environmental Studies), P. Ihinger (Geology and Environmental Science), H. Jol (Geography and Anthropology), E. Weiher (Biology).


This multidisciplinary liberal arts minor is created primarily for students with interests in environmental science and conservation of biological diversity. The minor emphasizes the study of environmental issues, ecology and conservation, and water and earth resources through application of concepts and methods from various disciplines. The minor is designed to complement a 36-credit standard major, e.g., Biology, Liberal Arts or Political Science. Students wishing to pursue a comprehensive major in environmental science should consider the Ecology and Environmental Biology Comprehensive Major in Biology, the Environmental Geography Comprehensive Major in Geography and Anthropology, the Environmental Science Comprehensive Major in Geology or the Environmental Public Health Comprehensive Major in the Public Health and Environmental Studies Program.

Minimum of 24 credits, with at least 11 credits from courses at the 300-level or above, including:
Required:
BIOL 180Environmental Biology and Conservation3
or GEOG 178 Planet Earth: Conservation of the Environment
One or more of the following life sciences courses (min. 3 crs):
BIOL 321Ecology3
BIOL 328Conservation Biology4
BIOL 338Vegetation Ecology4
BIOL 376Aquatic Ecology3-4
Two or more of the following physical science courses (min. 6 crs):
CHEM 304Environmental Chemistry3
GEOG 304Introduction to Geomorphology4
GEOG 361Environmental Hazards3
GEOL 115Environmental Geology4
or GEOG 104 Planet Earth: The Physical Environment
GEOL 304Global Environmental Change3
GEOL 308Water Resources3
GEOL 315Hydrogeology I4
GEOL 336Introduction to Geochemistry3
One or more of the following health, humanities, or social science courses (min. 3 crs):
ECON 268Environmental Economics3
ENPH 110Introduction to Environmental Health3
ENV/GEOG 377U.S. Environmental and Sustainability Policy3
GEOG 270Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning3
GEOG/ENV 378International Environmental Problems and Policy3
PHIL 320Environmental Ethics3
Two or more of the following techniques courses (min. 6 crs):
BIOL 383Biostatistics4
ENPH 441Water and Wastewater3
GEOG 280Introduction to Cartography and Visualization3
GEOG 335Geographic Information Systems I3
GEOG 336Geospatial Field Methods3
GEOG 338Remote Sensing of the Environment3
GEOG 350Soils and the Environment4
GEOG 363Watershed Analysis4
GEOG 364Fluvial Processes and Landforms4
GEOG 370Quantitative Methods in Geography3
A field capstone (min. 1 cr):
BIOL 320Studies in Tropical Environments3
BIOL 329Biological Field Experiences and Service-Learning Capstone1-2
BIOL 490Biological Field Studies1-4
GEOL 303Rocky Mountain Field Studies3
GEOL 343Geological Field Excursion1-2
GEOL 470Field Geology I3

Note 1: Credits from other courses may also be applied as electives, pending advisor and college approval, when they focus specifically on environmental topics. This includes special topics, directed studies, independent study, and/or internships. Applicable environmental courses offered through International Study Abroad or National Student Exchange may also be applied with consent of an advisor.

Note 2: For students pursuing standard majors in Biology or Geography, a maximum of 12 credits from the major may be applied to this minor.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will be expected to meet the following learning outcomes:

  • Demonstrate ecological and physical science knowledge related to the conservation of biological diversity and natural resources.
  • Use computational and technological skills to analyze environmental systems.
  • Evaluate relationships between environmental science and society.
  • Apply knowledge, skills, and values of environmental science to examine issues in a field setting.