Environmental Studies Minor

Coordinator: Dr. Mikel Vause
Location: EH 256
Telephone: 801-626-6659

The Environmental Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary degree that focuses on the work of science in human activity. The curriculum is rooted in science to ground factual knowledge. However, its trunk is solidly comprised of social science and humanities courses because they teach the application of science in policy-making, business decisions and historical precedent even as they call upon the arts for their expression and upon ethics in consideration of health and social justice issues. The minor reaches across campus because all disciplines play an essential role in shaping environmental thought.

Students will gain an appreciation for local, national and international environmental issues and problems as well as their potential solutions. They will develop a personal philosophy about the environment’s role in their lives and their own ability to affect nature and their physical environment by making ethical choices.

Grade Requirements: A grade of “C” or better is required for all courses.
Credit Hour Requirements: A minimum of 25 credit hours is required, at least 15 of these must be upper division (numbered 3000 or higher).

Students must select courses from outside their major academic department whenever a choice is offered. Students are encouraged to consider diversity in curriculum selection.

Course Requirements for Minor

Core Courses (19 credit hours)

Select a minimum of 19 hours from the following list

PHYS 2090 - Environmental Physics - Energy and Power (3)
GEOG 3060 - World Environmental Issues (3) *
BTNY 1403 LS - Environment Appreciation (3-4) (4 credit hours required)
or
GEOG 1000 PS - Natural Environments of the Earth (3) and
GEOG 1001 - Natural Environments Field Studies (1)
or
GEO 1060 PS - Environmental Geosciences (3) and
GEO 1065 - Environmental Geosciences Lab (1)
ECON 1100 SS - Environmental Issues and Economic Policy (3) or
POLS 4940 - Topics in American Politics & Thought (1-3) (3 credit hours required)
ENGL 3520 HU - Literature of the Natural World (3) or
HIST 3270 - American Environmental History (3)
ARTH 3030 - Native American Art of the Southwest: From the Anasazi to the Present (4) * or
HNRS 3900 - Honors Colloquium (3)

Elective Courses (6 credit hours)

Select a minimum of 6 hours from the following list with no more than one class from each department

BTNY 1303 LS - Plants in Human Affairs (3)
BTNY 2413 - Introduction to Natural Resource Management (3)
BTNY 3454 - Plant Ecology (4) *
CS 4830 - Advanced Topics in Computer Science (1-4) Social (and Environmental) Implications of Computing (1 credit hour required) *
ENGL 3580 - Regional Literature in America (3)
ENGL 3750 HU - Topics and Ideas in Literature (3)
ENGL 4530 - American Literature: Realism and Naturalism (3)
ENGL 4710 - Eminent Authors (3)
as approved by the Environmental Studies Advisor
MENG 6030 - Studies in Literary Theory and Criticism (3)
GEO 1130 PS - Introduction to Meteorology (3)
GEO 3010 - Oceanography and Earth Systems (3) *
GEOG 3050 - Weather and Climate (3) *
GEOG 3070 - Wetland Environments (3) *
GEOG 3080 - Arid Lands (3) *
GEOG 3090 - Arctic and Alpine Environments (3) *
HIM 3200 - Epidemiology and Biostatistics (3) *
HNRS 1540 HU - Perspectives in the Humanities (3)
HNRS 4920 - Short Courses, Workshops, Institutes and Special Programs (1-3)
as approved by the Environmental Studies Advisor
MICR 3484 - Environmental Microbiology (4) *
MICR 3502 - Environmental Health (2) *
PHYS 3570 - Foundations of Science Education (3)
REC 4550 - Outdoor Education Philosophies & Principles (2)
SOC 3300 - Environment and Society (3)
ZOOL 1010 LS - Animal Biology (3)
ZOOL 3450 - Ecology (4) *
ZOOL 3500 - Conservation Biology (3) *

Note:

* A prerequisite or consent of the instructor is required. Most prerequisites are in the core curriculum.