Program Requirements
The Climate Action Planning emphasis will provide the essential tools for climate planning which include assessing vulnerability to climate change and preparing for the future. The emphasis prepares students to identify and prioritize specific implementation steps in the electricity, transportation, land use, and waste management sectors. This includes an understanding of policies designed to mitigate climate change or help communities adapt, as well as quantitative approaches to measuring vulnerability and evaluating various paths forward.
A minimum of 61 credits is required for the Environment & Sustainability Comprehensive Major: Climate Action Planning Emphasis.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BUAD 305 | Applied Energy Seminar | 3 |
| ENVS 100 | Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) | 3 |
| ENVS 200 | Writing the Environment | 3 |
| ENVS 210 | Introduction to Climate Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 250 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| ENVS 301 | Science of Sustainability and Resilience | 3 |
| ENVS 320 | Quantitative Skills for Climate Action Planning | 3 |
| ENVS 350 | U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | 3 |
| ENVS 380 | Advanced Climate Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 390 | Environmental Monitoring | 4 |
| ENVS 400 | Applied Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 410 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| ENVS 435 | Environmental Grant Writing | 1 |
| ENVS 440 | Climate Action Planning | 3 |
| ENVS 499 | Internship in Environmental Studies | 3 |
| Required Supporting Courses | ||
| BIOL 130 | Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| BIOL 135 | Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| ECON 215 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| PHYS 125 | Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 1 | |
| This Is The Headwaters | ||
| Headwaters Conference | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Statistics for Business and Economics | ||
| Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) | ||
| Probability and Statistics | ||
| Quantitative Research Methods | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory) | ||
| Cultural Ecology | ||
| Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality | ||
| Politics of the Environment | ||
| Politics of Social Movements | ||
| Human Rights | ||
| The Global South | ||
| Political Economy | ||
| Environmental Psychology | ||
| Multicultural Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Social Inequalities | ||
| Total Credits | 61 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
The following course in the Environment and Sustainability Major fulfills the capstone course requirement: ENVS 400 Applied Sustainability.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
Degree Plan
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BIOL 130 | Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| BIOL 135 | Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| ENG 102 | Academic Writing (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| ENVS 100 | Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I, II, or III) | 3 |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| COM 202 | Academic Writing and Inquiry (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I, II, or III) | 3 |
| MATH 113 | Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| PHYS 125 | Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| ENVS 200 | Writing the Environment | 3 |
| ENVS 250 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I, II, or III) | 6 |
| HWTR 398 | Headwaters Conference | 1 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ECON 215 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| ENVS 210 | Introduction to Climate Policy | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I or III) | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| BUAD 305 | Applied Energy Seminar | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Elective | chosen from selection of classes on cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, sex, sexuality, and/or class contexts | 3 |
| ENVS 301 | Science of Sustainability and Resilience | 3 |
| ENVS 350 | U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 9 |
| ENVS 320 | Quantitative Skills for Climate Action Planning | 3 |
| ENVS 390 | Environmental Monitoring | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENVS 499 | Internship in Environmental Studies (Recommended but optional) | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 7 |
| ENVS 380 | Advanced Climate Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 410 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| ENVS 435 | Environmental Grant Writing | 1 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 6 |
| ENVS 400 | Applied Sustainability | 3 |
| ENVS 430 | Watersheds of the World | 3 |
| ENVS 499 | Internship in Environmental Studies (if not taken over summer) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |