Description
The Climate Studies Major is a broad interdisciplinary major that combines climate knowledge with components from hydrology, environmental science, environmental health, international relations, economics, and policy. The broad range of electives offered, along with a required capstone project, will also help the students develop a specialization in their chosen field. This major will help students prepare for a broad range of career opportunities as climate policy associates at government offices from county to state levels, climate action policy development in industries, climate advisors at water and electricity companies, and climate equity or environmental justice specialists. Each Climate Studies major must earn a minimum of 38 credits in the required core courses and 6 credits of designated electives.
Admission to the Program
Any undergraduate student can declare this major.
Program Requirements
General Education Requirements (31-40 credits)
Major Department Requirements (44 credits)
Students in the Climate Studies major pursue a Bachelor of Science degree, and must complete the corresponding degree’s requirements.
Required core courses (30 credits)
- ECN 100 Contemporary Economic Issues*
- PLS 111 Introduction to International Relations*
- ENV 201 Introduction to Environmental Science*
- ESC 211 Introduction to Meteorology*
- ESC 222 Introduction to Water Resources*
- ESC 261 Introduction to Sustainability
- ESC 313 Climate Systems, Processes, and Change (Prereq: ESC 211)
- ESC 314 Climate Systems Lab (Prereq: ESC 211)
- PLS 328 Politics of Energy
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BOTH of these courses are required; they should be taken no later than junior year to ensure timely graduation:
- ESC 350 Computational Methods in the Field Sciences
- ESC 391 Writing in the Earth Sciences
- ESC 4XX Climatological Modelling (new)
- ESC 4XX Climate Change and Mitigation (new; Prereq: ESC 313)
- ESC 492: Senior Climate Capstone
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6 credits of designated electives by advisement from:
- SOC 307 Environmental Sociology
- SOC 311 Sociology of Disaster
- PLS 312 Introduction to Public Administration
- ESC 318 Sustainable Land and Water Management
- ESC 332 Air and Water Pollution
- PLS 333 American Foreign Policy (Prereq: PLS 111)
- PLS 338 Global Issues
- PLS 410 International Political Economy
Total number of Climate Studies credits (44 credits)
Electives (36-44 credits)
Total Credits (120 credits)
*Denotes courses that meet both major and general education requirements.
Additional Degree Requirements
Completion of all university-wide degree requirements
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Comprehend the scientific principles underlying climate change.
- Develop an appreciation of how climate science is interrelated with economics, international relations, and public policy.
- Interpret and critically evaluate climate model data.
- Handle and manipulate large climate datasets, having acquired appropriate statistical and computational knowledge.
- Correlate scientific reasoning with climate policy.
- Convey scientific discoveries and policies effectively to a broad audience.