University of Minnesota, Morris
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

“Environmental problems are interdisciplinary by nature. It’s not just science. We want our students to have an understanding of the social, political, and economic dimensions of environmental issues, as well as a good grounding in science.”

—Margaret Kuchenreuther, associate professor of biology

A University of Minnesota, Morris environmental studies major begins with a rigorous core curriculum in economics, policy, science, humanities, and statistics. A carefully chosen set of upper–level electives lets you delve deeply into a specific environmental area.

Coursework for your major is combined with an outstanding liberal arts curriculum, which provides a broad foundation of knowledge on which to build a career.

During your sophomore year, you will work closely with your faculty adviser to design an elective plan that’s tailored to your interests and career goals. “We work one–to–one with students to help them map out a specific path of study,” says Peter Wyckoff, associate professor of biology. “It’s very personalized.”

During your four years at Morris, you will also complete an educational internship. And in the spring of your senior year, you will collaborate with other environmental studies students on an interdisciplinary team project. In the senior capstone experience, you and your peers will delve into a broad local or regional environmental topic, working together to answer a complex question.

Environmental Studies at Morris features

A seven–course core curriculum;
One–to–one mentorship to design a personalized elective plan;
An internship or field experience;
A senior capstone project;
A wide range of electives in anthropology, biology, chemistry, economics, geology, the humanities, political science, and sociology. Check out some of our cool new courses, such as Environmental Political Theory, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Global Change Ecology, Environmental and Geographic History of the United States, and The Environmental Imagination.

Technology and society are driving changes in our relationship to the planet we call home at a tremendous rate. While we seek solutions to today’s challenges, some of the most profound challenges of the decades to come cannot be anticipated. Solving the scientific and environmental problems of the future will demand broad-based knowledge, flexible thinking and a passion for wrestling with tough questions.

The American Indian Studies major and minor is designed to enhance a student’s awareness and their overall knowledge about sovereignty and the diversity of Indigenous cultures throughout all of Native North America.

The American Indian Studies major and minor is designed to enhance a student’s awareness and their overall knowledge about sovereignty and the diversity of Indigenous cultures throughout all of Native North America.

This new area of emphasis prepares students to play a leading role in solving environmental problems and developing sustainable practices in a wide range of contexts.