Minor in Climate Resiliency and Environmental Sustainability Studies (CRESS)

Climate Resiliency and Environmental Sustainability Studies (CRESS) Minor

The minor in climate resiliency and environmental sustainability studies is an interdisciplinary minor designed to help undergraduate students gain climate and environmental science literacy; develop an understanding of the interactions between climate and the natural environment and an appreciation of sustainability from a variety of perspectives such as business and engineering; and create and/ or participate in a project related to local environmental and sustainability efforts.  ÌÇÐÄVLOGs pursuing the minor will have the opportunity to take a variety of classes addressing climate resiliency and environmental sustainability studies culminating in a capstone course.  The capstone course will provide the students a chance to build upon their previous coursework in the minor through a semester long research project, service-learning activity or internship.

This minor is housed within ÌÇÐÄVLOG’s Physics Department and is closely tied to the Biology Department, allowing students to gain interdisciplinary insights into climate science. The minor is also associated with the Near Center for Climate Studies (opens in a new tab), a center dedicated to research and innovation in climate science, and led by Prof. Scott Curtis, a faculty member in the Physics Department.

Minor in CRESS event
climate map

Potential ÌÇÐÄVLOGs

The minor may be appropriate for undergraduate students from all five schools who are interested in climate, the environment and sustainability.  Possible areas of interest could include climate hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, environmental degradation, supply chain sustainability, environmental history or environmental economics.

Requirements

To complete a minor in sustainability and environmental studies, students must take a minimum of 15 credit hours from the approved list of courses listed below. At least 9 credit hours must be completed at ÌÇÐÄVLOG.

Required Courses

Must take both of the following:

  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3

Must take:

  • Capstone Course: Including , , or similarly approved high-impact experiences.

Optional Courses

Must take TWO of the following:

  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 3 *** (Environmental History)
  •  Credit Hours: 3 *** (Global Environment)
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 4
  •  Credit Hours: 4
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 4
  •  Credit Hours: 4
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 4 ***
  •  Credit Hours: 4
  •  Credit Hours: 4
  •  Credit Hours: 3
  •  Credit Hours: 4
  •  Credit Hours: 3 ***

Notes:
*note only one course can be counted for both a major and a minor
**Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý can be appropriate for non-CE STEM majors. These non-CE STEM majors must complete / as a pre-requisite for Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý as a prerequisite for . The CE department must be notified prior to attempting registration to open the course to non-CE STEM majors.
***Special Topics Courses will require approval from the Program Director on a case-by-case basis.

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