University of California, Berkeley
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The Conservation and Resource Studies (CRS) major is an interdisciplinary program designed for students interested in environmental issues and areas of interaction among natural resources, population, energy, technology, social institutions and cultural values. The major’s orientation is toward flexibility and an individualized educational approach to understanding the structure and dynamic functions of complex environmental systems within our society and biosphere. Students draw on the course offerings of the entire campus and appropriate community resources in the development of individual programs of study.

Social and environmental problems are deeply intertwined. The Society and Environment (SE) major introduces students to the main approaches and theory for environmental social sciences, including how social science tools can be applied to environmental problems, and how social science theories contribute to understanding environmental problems.

The Environmental Engineering Science (EES) major is an interdisciplinary program pairing engineering fundamentals with courses in the environmental and natural sciences. The EES curriculum provides a broader foundation in the sciences, allowing students to take classes in a variety of departments both inside and outside of the College of Engineering. At the same time, it allows students to focus their studies on environmental issues more than is possible in other engineering programs. EES provides a solid interdisciplinary foundation that is necessary for creating real-world solutions to global environmental challenges, such as providing a robust supply of safe drinking water, and meeting societal demands for energy without causing air pollution or interfering with the earth’s climate systems.

Environmental Earth Science http://eps.berkeley.edu/undergraduate/environmental-earth-science Environmental Economics and Policy https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/environmental-economics-and-policy Environmental Sciences https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/environmental-sciences Forestry and Natural Resources https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/forestry-and-natural-resources Molecular Environmental Biology https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/molecular-environmental-biology Sustainable Environmental Design https://ced.berkeley.edu/academics/bachelor-of-arts-in-sustainable-environmental-design/

Sustainable design implies making decisions at various scales of the built environment (buildings, communities, land use patterns, urban support systems) in ways that support environmental quality, social equity, and economic vitality. The undergraduate minor in sustainable design is jointly offered by the Department of Architecture and the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, but also includes interdisciplinary courses across campus. The minor is open to all majors at UC Berkeley.

Established in fall 2007, the Global Poverty & Practice (GPP) Minor gives students an opportunity to examine contemporary forms of poverty, wealth, and inequality through academic coursework and practical experience. The GPP Minor is one of the largest minors on the UC Berkeley campus. It trains students to critically and historically engage with complex issues of poverty and inequality, equipping them with methodologies and skills of engagement, and encouraging the reflexivity necessary for meaningful practice. Central to the minor is a fieldwork opportunity (minimally six weeks) in which students connect theories and practices of poverty action through partnering with nongovernmental or community organizations, government agencies or other poverty or development programs in California and around the world. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to undertake the minor and to investigate the ways in which it can supplement their major field of study. The Blum Center offers funding support for students’ practice experiences through a competitive fellowship.

Conservation and Resource Studies is an interdisciplinary program designed for those who are interested in environmental issues and areas of interaction among natural resources, population, energy, technology, societal institutions and cultural values. Students draw on the course offerings of the entire campus and appropriate community resources in the development of individual programs of study. The CRS minor is oriented toward flexibility and an individualized educational approach to understanding the structure and dynamic functions of complex environmental systems within our society and biosphere. It encourages interaction among students, faculty, and community.

Energy and Resources https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/minors/energy-resources Environmental Earth Science http://eps.berkeley.edu/undergraduate/declaring-major Environmental Economics and Policy https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/minors/environmental-economics-policy Environmental Engineering https://www.ce.berkeley.edu/undergrad/curriculum/minors Forestry and Natural Resources https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/minors/forestry-natural-resources