Environmental Studies Major

If you are interested in ....

• learning about everything - physics and philosophy, biology and business, chemistry and communication, geology and geography
• following linkages, making connections and figuring out how things work, whether it's watersheds or markets or people
• solving environmental problems so all living things can enjoy a clean, healthy world

You can make a difference ...

• helping an environmental group get its message out to the public
• running a city or state recycling or water conservation program
• taking polluters to court to get them to change their practices
• lobbying for more effective environmental laws
• shifting subsidies away from polluters and towards green businesses
• raising funds for critical habitat or doing research on endangered species
• connecting kids and adults to nature so they care about protecting it

Environmental Studies Majors learn how to pull the different pieces of an environmental problem together so that businesses and communities can see the big picture, and work together to find effective solutions. They learn how nature works, how society functions and how people think so they can predict what will happen when human needs and desires run up against limited natural resources. They master a diverse set of strategies for conserving natural resources while still satisfying basic human needs. They practice analyzing and solving real life environmental problems with the organizations, agencies and businesses working to create a sustainable relationship with nature.

Environmental Studies Major Basics

Academic Home - this affects number, kind and level of courses in the program

Arts and Science Degree

Special Degree Programs

Interdepartmental Major - Bachelor of Arts, BA

Emphasis in Environmental Studies (this is the Major)

Main Parts of the Major (120 hours total) - major plan worksheet

1. Campus-Wide General Education (6 -9 hours exclusive to this requirement)

• English Composition Course- English 1000
• College Algebra Course- Math 1100 or 1200
• 2 Writing Intensive Courses (WI)
• 1 Math Reasonig Proficiency Course (MRP) - Statistics 1300
• 1 American or Missouri History or Government Course

2. A&S Foundation: Foreign Language (12 - 13 hours)

• 3 Foreign Language Courses

3. A&S Foundation: Breadth and Depth Courses (36 - 38 hours)

breadth and depth courses must be on approved list (go to http://coas.missouri.edu/advising/advising.html and look under courses that meet A&S Foundation Requirements

must meet ES requirements (ensures students have necessary prerquisites)

only 1 breadth course from each area may be non-A&S

depth courses are 9 hours at 2000 level or above from 2 areas, must be A&S,

Areas - Science, Behavioral Science, Social Science, Humanistic Studies and Fine Arts
Categories - in Science - Biological, Physical (Physics, Chemistry, Geology), Math
Subjects - individual departments within an area

• 3 Biological, Physical and Math Science Courses(9 hours, 2 categories, 1 lab)
• 2 Behavioral Science Courses (6 hours)
• 3 Social Science Courses (9 hours, 2 subjects, 1 is the required goverment course)
• 4 Humanistic Studies and Fine Arts Courses (12 hours, 3 subjects)

4. Environmental Studies Pre-Requisites (4 - 6 hours)

• GIS Course or equivalent
• Introductory Atmospheric Sciences Course

5. Courses in the Major (39 hours)

none of the majors courses can be counted for Foundation Courses;
all courses must be 2000 or above and 15 hours must be3000 level or above;
18 hours in A&S;
30 hours total at 3000 level or above
12 hours on campus; 30 of last 36 hours on campus;
no fewer than 4 full time semesters;
at least 1 WI course in Major and at 3000 level;
at least 1 MRP course;
GPA cumulative, last 60 & 30 hours, in major (and minor) at least 2.0;
C- or higher in all major, minor, WI and MRP courses

• 5 Natural Dimensions Courses (15 hours)
• 5 Social Dimensions Courses (15 hours)
• 3 Practicum Core Courses (9 hours)
  • Seminar - Env Studies 2110 (WI) or Ag Econ 2070 (WI) or other WI course
  • Internship - Env Studies 2150
  • Capstone - Env Studies 4350 (WI)

6. Electives (15 - 20 hours)