This program provides students with perspectives on environmental issues from a wide variety of disciplines, including humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. Students will understand human behavior and the workings of our social, medical and economic institutions. Students who study in this field will also engage law and political disciplines that directly or indirectly impact our world. It also familiarizes students with core topics related to environmental issues and sustainable solutions like these topics:

  • Biodiversity
  • Nature & Species Conservation
  • Climate Change
  • Waste (Exporting of Hazardous Chemicals)
  • Global Warming
  • Energy Conservation

This interdisciplinary minor is for those students who wish to use it as preparation for a career, as well as those who wish to better understand environmental issues. Since everything we do involves the environment in one way or another, a minor in environmental studies can complement any major at VSU.  Moreover, environmental issues are becoming increasingly important in both public and private sectors.  Consequently, employers value individuals who understand and are skilled in this area.

Selected Education Outcomes

Coursework in environmental studies will enable students

  • To analyze core issues of the natural environment and how those have changed through time
  • To explore the interdisciplinary relationship among the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences with regard to the study of the environment
  • To engage in dependent critical research of the natural environment in its relationship to humanity

Examples of Outcomes Assessments

  • Students will demonstrate knowledge of core issues and topics in environmental studies through formal written work, tests, and projects.  The Environmental Studies Committee will sample student work and assess it according to an assessment rubric.
  • Students will be able to articulate interdisciplinary relationships in environmental studies through formal written work, tests, and projects.  The Environmental Studies Committee will sample work and assess it according to an assessment rubric.

Environmental Studies Minor

Environment Studies Minor

At least 9 hours must be at the 3000-4000 level.

18 hours

PHIL 3180

3 hours

BIOL 1080 or GEOG 1125

3 hours

Humanities/Social Sciences Option (3 courses from the list of Humanities/Social Sciences courses and 1 course from the Natural Sciences courses)

12 hours

or

Natural Sciences Option (3 courses from the list of Natural Sciences courses and 1 course from the Humanities/Social Sciences courses)

12 hours

Course Listing

Humanities/Social Sciences

*ECON 3800 Environmental Economics
ECON 3850 Sustainability: An Economic Perspective
*ENGL 3300 Special Studies in Literature (where appropriate)
*ENGL 4300 Special Topics (where appropriate)
GEOG 3510 Urban Community Planning
HIST 4295 Environmental History
PHIL 3200 Philosophy of Science
PHIL/REL 3540 Ecology and World Religious
PHIL 3640 Environmental Philosophy
PHIL 4120 Ethics and Public Policy
PHIL 4220 Ethics and Public Administration
POLS 4450 Environmental Politics and Policy
*SOCI 4800 Issues in Sociological Practice (Environmental Sociology)
*SPAN 4900 Special Topics (Latin America and the Environment)

Natural Sciences

BIOL 1080  Conservative Biology
*BIOL 3100 Microbiology
*BIOL 3250 Ecology and Evolution
*BIOL 3600 Local Flora
*BIOL 4020 Topics in Conservation Biology
*BIOL 4700 Limnology
*BIOL/GEOG 3810 Introduction to Biogeography
*BIOL 3960 Wildlife Biology
CHEM 1010 Chemistry for World Citizens
*CHEM 3320 Environmental Chemistry
GEOG 1110 Our Hazardous Environment
GEOG 1112K Introduction to Weather and Climate
GEOG 1125 Resources, Society, and Environment
-GEOG 3010 Environmental Geography
^GEOG 3051 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
^GEOG 3100 Regional Planning and Environmental Management
*GEOG/GEOL 3210 Hydrology

 

*Course prerequisite(s) required
-Prerequisites are any two Area D lab courses
^Consent of instructor required