Major: Environmental Studies, B.A. (1917), 42 Credits
Humans are rapidly urbanizing the planet, with half the Earth’s population already living in cities. At the same time, our thirst for natural resources is stronger than ever. Managing population expansion, urbanization, and resource demand in a sustainable manner will be humankind’s primary challenge in the decades to come. The Environmental Studies (ENV) program prepares students to confront this challenge with broad understanding and creative problem-solving. The curriculum combines courses in natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities to expose students to diverse theories and methodologies.
As a flourishing global center and the most populous city in the United States, New York provides an optimal classroom to probe issues of sustainable urbanization. In Environmental Studies courses, students conduct site-based studies using approaches from both natural and social sciences. This cross-disciplinary approach gives students tools to formulate innovative responses to urban problems like waste management, water treatment, air quality, and rapid growth. At the same time, students use New York City as a case study to probe issues of global sustainability. Students also take advantage of unique internship opportunities in public policy, environmental conservation, and urban resource management. By contextualizing environmental issues in their own backyard, students exercise social responsibility and community engagement.
General Education: 30 Credits; Major: 42 Credits; Elective Credits: 48 Credits
Learning Goals for the Major in Environmental Studies
Students majoring in Environmental Studies will be able to:
- Apply and relate fundamental concepts from the social sciences and the humanities to environmental thought and governance.
- Recognize and describe fundamental physical and biological principles that govern natural processes.
- Explain and integrate perspectives from across the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities in the context of complex environmental problems.
- Evaluate and communicate the complex relationships between scientific approaches to environmental issues and political, social, economic, and ethical perspectives on the environment.
- Effectively communicate environmental issues orally and in writing.
Required Courses: (24 Credits)
Choose at least 18 credits from the following: (18 Credits)
Honors in the Environmental Studies Major: (3 additional credits)
Environmental Studies majors who have 1) maintained a GPA of >3.5 in the major, and 2) achieved an A or A- in their research capstone (ENV 497) course may be invited by their faculty mentor to pursue an Honors Independent Study as ENV 499 in their final semester. Students who earn an A or A- in ENV 499 will graduate with Honors in the Major. To pursue this option, students must take ENV 497 in their penultimate semester to allow for ENV 499 in the final semester.