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Morris Campus
Environmental Studies B.A.M Acad Dean's Admin
Academic Affairs
This is an interdisciplinary major under the authority of the vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean. The program is administered by the environmental studies program coordinator.
Objectives: The environmental studies major is designed to serve those interested in a broad knowledge of the natural environment and the role of humans in it. Students acquire a foundation of knowledge in economics, policy, science, humanities, and statistics. Carefully chosen electives, a required practical internship or research experience, and a capstone seminar provide depth of experience and help students prepare for graduate and professional programs, as well as for careers in education, government service, and the private sector.
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
1 - Environmental competency: Students will be able to analyze their own impact on the environment, so as to think critically about the consequences of their individual and collective choices
2 - Environmental issues as multifaceted and multidisciplinary: Students will be able to apply a multidisciplinary lens to the underpinnings of modern environmental movements and problems
3 - Knowledge of major environmental challenges: Students will be able to articulate major intertwined challenges and how to effectively address them
4 - Research methods and creative expression: Students will be able to apply qualitative and quantitative methods to research projects in environmental studies
5 - Cultivating an understanding of place in global context: Students will be able to articulate the interactions among biophysical, economic, and social aspects of particular places or regions and their connections to larger global forces or issues
Program Delivery
This program is available:
Admission Requirements
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the
Office of Admissions
website.
General Requirements
All students are required to complete general University and college requirements. For more
information, see the general education requirements.
Program Requirements
Students are required to complete 2 semester(s) of
any second language.
with a grade of C-, or better, or S, or demonstrate proficiency in the language(s) as defined by the department
or college.
Requirements for the major include successful completion of two elements:
Element 1: The Environmental Studies Core
Element 2: The Environmental Studies Elective Block
Selection of electives must be intentional and done in close consultation with an environmental studies advisor. Students submit an elective plan during the EnSt 3988 Pre-internship Seminar. Elective plans must be designed to ensure that there is sufficient depth of coverage in the chosen ENST electives. For many students, a second major (or minor) in a closely related discipline is desirable. Electives often can be selected in such a way that they also count toward the second major. Elective courses, other than those listed below, may be appropriate to add depth and/or provide more theoretical context for the environmentally focused coursework. Approval of alternative electives requires written consent of the program coordinator.
No grades below C- are allowed. Courses may not be taken S/N, unless offered S/N only.
A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required in the major to graduate. The GPA includes all, and only, University of Minnesota coursework. Grades of "F" are included in GPA calculation until they are replaced.
Element 1: The Environmental Studies Core
Students must successfully complete each of the following requirements in order to satisfy this element of the major.
BIOL 1111 - Fundamentals of Genetics, Evolution, and Development
[SCI]
(3.0 cr)
BIOL 2101 - Evolution of Biodiversity
[SCI-L]
(4.0 cr)
ECON 1101 - Principles of Economics
[SS]
(4.0 cr)
ENGL 2106 - Topics in Writing: The Environmental Imagination: Reading and Writing about the Natural World
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
or
PHIL 2114 - Environmental Ethics
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
ENST 1101 - Environmental Problems and Policy
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
ENST 3988 - Environmental Studies Pre-Internship Seminar
(1.0 cr)
ENST 3989 - Environmental Studies Post-Internship Seminar
(1.0 cr)
ENST 4901 - Senior Capstone Experience
(4.0 cr)
GEOL 1101 - Physical Geology
[SCI-L]
(4.0 cr)
Element 2: Environmental Studies Elective Block
Students must successfully complete at least 24 credits from the electives listed below, subject to the following restrictions:
1. Courses used to satisfy this element may not be used to complete the Core element.
2. At least 16 credits must come from the Upper Division Electives Block.
3. At least 4 credits of the Upper Division Electives must come from Category A.
4. At least 4 credits of the Upper Division Electives must come from Category B.
Lower Division Electives
Take at most 8 credit(s) from the following:
·
ARTH 2111 - Contemporary Art, Environment, and Climate Change
[FA]
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
CHEM 1001 - Chemistry for the Curious Citizen: The Role of Chemistry in the Environment and Everyday Life
[SCI-L]
(3.0 cr)
·
CHEM 1006 - The Chemical World
[SCI]
(4.0 cr)
·
CHEM 1101 - General Chemistry I
[SCI-L]
(5.0 cr)
·
CHEM 1102 - General Chemistry II
[SCI-L]
(5.0 cr)
·
CHEM 2201 - Introduction to Environmental Chemistry
(2.0 cr)
·
CHEM 2202 - Introduction to Green Chemistry
(2.0 cr)
·
ENGL 2106 - Topics in Writing: The Environmental Imagination: Reading and Writing about the Natural World
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENGL 2173 - The Nature Essay: Writing and Reading Creative Non-fiction about the Natural World
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENST 1801 - Introduction to Sustainability through Science Fiction
[IC]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENST 2102 - Diversity of Agricultural Production Systems
[ENVT]
(3.0 cr)
·
ENST 2201 - Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOL 1801 - The Value of Dark Skies
[IC]
(2.0 cr)
·
GEOL 1802 - Earth and the Silver Screen
[IC]
(2.0 cr)
·
GEOL 2001 - Natural and Unnatural Geologic Hazards
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOL 2161 - GIS and Remote Sensing
[SCI]
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 2451 - The American West
[HIST]
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 2616 - Environmental History of Latin America
[ENVT]
(2.0 cr)
·
PHIL 2114 - Environmental Ethics
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
POL 1201 - American Government and Politics
[E/CR]
(4.0 cr)
Upper Division Elective Courses
Take 16 or more credit(s) from the following:
Category A: Science and Mathematics Electives
Take 4 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
BIOL 3131 - Ecology
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4131 - Vertebrate Natural History
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4151 - Entomology
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4172 - Plant Systematics
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4191 - Freshwater Biology
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4242 - Microbial Ecology
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4302 - Plant Physiology
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4335 - Ecology of Agriculture
(4.0 cr)
·
BIOL 4351 - Conservation Biology
(4.0 cr)
·
CHEM 3101 - Analytical Chemistry
[SCI-L]
(4.0 cr)
·
CHEM 3201 - Sustainable Synthetic and Solid State Methods
(2.0 cr)
·
CHEM 4201 - Chemistry and Sustainable Applications to Global Problems
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOL 3011 - Earth Resources
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOL 3012 - Global Change: Past and Present
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOL 3501 - Hydrology
[SCI]
(4.0 cr)
·
PHYS 3004 - Atmospheric Physics
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
Category B: Social Science Electives
Take 4 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
ANTH 3204 - Culture, Food, and Agriculture
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
ECON 3007 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics I
[ENVT]
(2.0 cr)
·
ECON 3008 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics II
[ENVT]
(2.0 cr)
·
ECON 3136 - Economics of the Green Power Transition: New Business Models and Regulatory Strategies
[ENVT]
(2.0 cr)
·
ENST 3001 - Water Resources Policy
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENST 3101 - Industrial Ecology
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 3361 - An Environmental and Geographic History of the United States
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
POL 3272 - Making Environmental Public Policy
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
SOC 3112 - Sociology of the Environment and Social Development
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
Category C: Humanities Electives
Take 0 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
CMR 3434 - Communication, Nature, and Belonging
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENST 3112 - Climate Change and Moral Responsibility
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENST 3201 - Environmental Justice
[E/CR]
(4.0 cr)
·
FREN 3507 - Modern Studies: French for Sustainability
[ENVT]
(2.0 cr)
·
IS 3053 - Irish Texts and Contexts
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
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Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 1.0] |
Prerequisites: | 1101 |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 1.0] |
Prerequisites: | 3988 or # |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Prerequisites: | 3989 or 3996, sr status or # |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Chem 1001/1006/1007/1801 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Chem 1001/Chem 1006/Chem 1007 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 5.0 [max 5.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 5.0 [max 5.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Hist 3451/Hist 2451 |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Prerequisites: | 4 cr of EnSt or # |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Prerequisites: | 4 cr of EnSt or # |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Summer |