Environmental Studies Minor

The minor in Environmental Studies intended for students who would like to explore nature and environmental themes in their arts and communication studies.  For example, a student who would like to work for National Geographic as a photographer or in nature documentary film may find that the minor will give them a background that will stand out on their resume.  Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary science that uses concepts and information from the natural sciences such as ecology, biology, chemistry and geology, but also from the social sciences, such as economics, politics and ethics to help us understand (1) how the earth works, (2) how we are affecting the earth’s life-support systems (environment) for us and other forms of life, and (3) how to deal with the environmental problems that we face.  Thus, the goal of the minor is to have all students complete a core course in Environmental Science, which incorporates each of these disciplines.  Then, the student will be able to choose which of the disciplines within environmental studies that s/he wishes to pursue in greater detail, with core courses in Biology, Chemistry and Geology and more specialized courses later on.  Finally, each student will complete an Independent Study project or Internship depending upon his/her special interests, which can be arranged through numerous professional contacts of the faculty.

Students must complete 20-24 credit hours of courses to complete the minor.  Students may now double count up to 9 credits of LAS Core Requirement credit towards credits towards their minor.  In other words, if a student completes the classes for the minor as outlined here, two of the classes will also fulfill the LAS Science requirement.

Select two courses from the following :

SL-56-1110 Biology: The Living World (4)
SL-56-1210 Liberal Arts Chemistry (4)
SL-56-1310 Geology: Earth as a Planet (4)
SL-56-1450 Introduction to Ecology (3) [renumbered to 56-2450 in Fall 2008]

All Students :

SL-56-2610 Environmental Science (3)

Select two from the following :

SL-56-1120 Botany: Plants and Society (3) (formerly Plants and Society)
SL-56-1121 Introduction to Horticulture: Applied Plant Sciences (3)
SL-56-1150 Microbiology: Unseen Life (4)
SL-56-1181 Animal Physiology (3)
SL-56-1185 Marine Biology (3)
SL-56-1215 Concepts of Biochemistry (4)
SC-56-1312 Global Change: Earth and Life in the Past, Present and Future (3)
SC-56-1320 Natural Disasters (3)
SC-56-1330 Meteorology (3)
SC-56-1420 Animal Behavior (3)
SL-56-2210 Molecules in Art and Life (4)
SC-56-2310 Oceanography and the Marine Environment (3)
SC-56-2320 Geology of National Parks (3)

Select one from the following:

56-3198    Independent Project: Science & Mathematics (3-6)
56-3199    Internship: Science & Mathematics (3-6)

For Program Advice

Program Advisor:
Cindy Gerstner, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology & Ecology
Columbia College Chicago
623 South Wabash Avenue, Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-369-7546
cgerstner@colum.edu

Advising Audit:

Environmental Studies Minor Advising Audit Form