Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies

The Environmental Studies major, offered by the Department of Geography and Urban Studies, examines the nature, causes and consequences of human interactions with the environment. Students in Environmental Studies gain the intellectual and methodological tools to understand and address the crucial environmental issues of our time and the impact on individuals, society, and the planet. The Environmental Studies gateway courses are designed to develop the theoretical and methodological frameworks and tools necessary to understand the relationships between people and their environment as they interact through local to global connections. Environmental studies majors are introduced to environmental processes, the geography of natural resources, geospatial technologies, and qualitative and quantitative social science research methods. In required courses and electives, students examine environmental policy and the role of political institutions; environmental decision-making; natural hazards and risk assessment; environmental ethics and legal issues; health and the environment, and environmental justice. The electives give students the opportunity to develop an area of emphasis around their particular interests.