University of Connecticut
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Environmental Science studies the living and nonliving parts of Earth, and evaluates human impacts to promote informed management. The Environmental Science BS program aims to educate students who will: -Understand the scientific principles and social factors underlying local, national and international environmental issues; -Have the skills to work in the public and private sectors; and -Have sufficient grounding in one environmental discipline, as well as the interdisciplinary scientific base, to pursue advanced degrees. The major in Environmental Science is based in the physical and biological sciences, but also includes course work in selected areas of the social sciences. The major leads to a Bachelor of Science degree, and may be adopted by students in either the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This curriculum offers a comprehensive approach to the study of environmental problems, including not only a rigorous scientific background, but also detailed analyses of the social and economic implications of environmental issues. The complexity and interdisciplinary nature of environmental science is reflected in the core requirements of the major. These courses, assembled from several different academic departments representing two colleges, provide both breadth and depth, preparing students for careers that deal with environmental issues, and for graduate study in environmental science and related fields.

The Environmental Studies major is an interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and perspectives needed to understand the interactions between human society and the environment. Understanding the ethical and cultural dimensions of our relationship with the environment, as well as the challenges of protecting it, requires insights from multiple perspectives, including the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. Core courses in the major ensure familiarity with basic principles from these three areas. With this shared core of knowledge, majors will focus their studies on an area of special interest, taking electives and related courses that allow greater specialization. Among the many possibilities are environmental sustainability, issues concerning public policy and environmental justice, and the literary and philosophical legacy of human encounters with the non-human world. A capstone course will allow each student to research a distinct perspective on a contemporary environmental issue. A major in Environmental Studies can lead to a career in a variety of fields, including public policy, environmental education, eco-tourism, marketing or consulting, journalism, or advocacy.

The Environmental Engineering undergraduate program educational objectives are to impart our alumni/ae with the knowledge and skills needed to: actively contribute to the practice and profession of engineering in the public and/or private sectors in the technical area of environmental engineering; follow the path that leads towards, becoming licensed professional engineers, assessing the impact of human activities on the environment, designing and constructing solutions to minimize and mitigate such impacts, and tending to the natural environment as our life support system; and practice lifelong learning through post-graduate and professional education. The Environmental Engineering Program’s (ENVE) mission is to provide a state of the art and multidisciplinary learning environment supported by cutting-edge research in three core areas (tracks): (i) Biogeochemical processes (BGC);(ii) Air pollution and atmospheric processes (ATM);and (iii) Hydrogeosciences and engineering (HGS). These three tracks reflect the scope and interdisciplinary nature of Environmental Engineering. Peavy et al. (Environmental Engineering, 1985) provide the following definition: “that branch of engineering that is concerned with protecting the environment from the potentially deleterious effects of human activity, protecting human populations from the effects of adverse environmental factors and improving the environmental quality for human health and well-being“. http://ehscareers.com/resources/action/view_resource/university-of-connecticut-0272

Agriculture and Natural Resources http://catalog.uconn.edu/agriculture-health-and-natural-resources/agriculture-natural-resources/ Animal Science http://catalog.uconn.edu/agriculture-health-and-natural-resources/animal-science/ Applied and Resource Economics http://catalog.uconn.edu/agriculture-health-and-natural-resources/applied-resource-economics/ Earth Science Education https://tme.uconn.edu/explore-majors/profiles/earth/ Ecology and Evolutionary Biology http://catalog.uconn.edu/college-of-liberal-arts-and-sciences/ecology-evolutionary-biology/ Marine Sciences http://catalog.uconn.edu/college-of-liberal-arts-and-sciences/marine-sciences/ Natural Resources http://catalog.uconn.edu/agriculture-health-and-natural-resources/natural-resources/ Plant Science https://rhsa.uconn.edu/plant-science/ Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems https://tme.uconn.edu/explore-majors/profiles/spss/

The minor will provide interested students with an overview of key concepts and methods used by economists to analyze problems associated with human use and misuse of natural resources and the environment and to evaluate policy options for better management of these resources for current and future generations.

This minor can significantly enhance and strengthen the educational experience of students to provide a firm basis for understanding the impact of human activity and pollutants on the environment as well as the need for environmentally sound manufacturing processes and sustainable development.

Environmental Studies is broadly concerned with the interaction between humans and the environment. The Environmental Studies Minor is a coherent 16-credit interdisciplinary (humanities, social sciences, and sciences) program to enable students interested in social science and/or policy approaches to solve environmental problems on a local, national, and global level. This minor provides students the opportunity to focus their related area and/or electives on environmental issues. None of the courses in the minor can be used within the student's major.

Animal Science This minor provides students with an opportunity to pursue an interest in animal science. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/animal-science/ Ecology and Evolutionary Biology This minor provides an overview of ecology, evolution, systematics, biological diversity, conservation, and the functional biology of organisms. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/ecology-evolutionary-biology/ Geographic Information Science Minor Geographic Information Science minor is focused upon meeting the needs of students who wish to acquire grounding in geographical representation and analysis techniques. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/geographic-information-science/ Global Environmental Change The Global Environmental Change minor provides a comprehensive understanding of earth’s interconnected environmental systems and the consequences of those changes to human well-being. Topics include climate change, land and ocean use, governance and policy, and related subjects in natural sciences. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/global-environmental-change/ Maritime Archaeology Minor Maritime Archaeology is an interdisciplinary field of study, global in scope, focusing on the investigations of human interactions with the seas, lakes, and rivers through the excavation and documentation of submerged settlements and coastal facilities, wrecked vessels, lost cargoes, and human remains. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/maritime-archaeology/ Marine Biology This minor integrates courses in marine biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/marine-biology/ Oceanography Minor This minor focuses on biological, chemical, geological, and physical oceanography. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/oceanography/ Ornamental Horticulture The minor in Ornamental Horticulture provides an introduction to the production, maintenance and use of plants to enhance human environments. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/ornamental-horticulture/ Social Justice Organizing This minor provides interdisciplinary classroom instruction in the theories, histories and formation of social identities, structural inequalities, and movements to foster social justice and equity in the United States. Students learn about valuable experiences and practical skills in social justice community organizing through a supervised internship. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/social-justice-organizing/ Sustainable Environmental Systems The Sustainable Environmental Systems minor applies the principles of sustainability science, systems thinking, and the environmental sciences to help society move towards a more sustainable future. https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/sustainable-environmental-systems/ Sustainable Food Crop Production This minor provides an overview of issues related to sustainable food crop production within the context of environmental stewardship. http://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/sustainable-food-crop-production/ Turfgrass Management The minor in Turfgrass Management provides an introduction to the management and maintenance of turfgrasses used for aesthetics (residential and commercial lawns, parks, institutional grounds), recreation (golf courses, athletic and sports fields), and functional purposes (sod farms, highway medians, inland and coastal erosion control sites, conservation). https://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/turfgrass-management/ Wildlife Conservation This minor provides students with a basic understanding of wildlife resources management. Students will be required to complete at least 18 credits that include a common core for all students and a selection of courses based on a specific area of interest. Any student but Natural Resources majors can graduate with this minor. http://catalog.uconn.edu/minors/wildlife-conservation/