Environmental Studies Track

The environmental studies track requires a minimum of 15 s.h. This program is designed for students interested in the environment from physical and sociocultural perspectives. These students may have career expectations or personal interests in resource management, physical geography, climatology, environmental policy or law, global environmental change, sustainable development, or other complex environmental issues. Career goals may involve one of the environmental professions, such as landscape ecology or climatology; environmental planning and regulation; or environmental law, policy, and politics. The program stresses the interrelationships among social and natural processes that affect the environment.

Students of environmental studies can build expertise in environmental change, environmental policy and decision support, GIS for environmental studies, remote sensing, landscape ecology, field methods and statistical analyses, and environmental justice. Training in field observation, remote sensing, geographical information systems, quantitative analysis/computing, and cartographic representation are included in this concentration. The program also provides a sound foundation for graduate or professional-level studies in either the natural or social aspects of the environment. Students also have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in landscape ecology, environmental sampling, land use/land cover change, and computer simulation.

In addition to the common requirements, students in the environmental studies track complete a common track course (3 s.h.) and at least 12 s.h. of upper-level geographical and sustainability sciences courses.

Students choose a total of four upper-level courses (at least 12 s.h.) from the following, in consultation with their advisor. Those who wish to gain additional experience in theory and application of GIS systems should take GEOG:3520 GIS for Environmental Studies and GEOG:4520 GIS for Environmental Studies: Applications, or they should earn 6 s.h. in other GIS-based geographical and sustainability sciences courses.