THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES DEGREE: REVISING THE CURRICULUM. April 15, 2009

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1 THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES DEGREE: REVISING THE CURRICULUM April 15, Rationale. Extensive discussions with deans, department heads, faculty members, and students all support revising the existing curriculum for the Environmental Science undergraduate degree at NC State University. Currently, the degree in Environmental Sciences is partitioned into seven concentrations administered in five departments in three colleges. The short-comings of the current degree structure include 1) lack of core courses; 2) lack of a cap stone course; 3) no integration of key concepts; 4) low enrollments (graduating 7-10 students per year); and 5) no visibility or sense of program identity. To remedy the situation, the Provost and deans suggest a series of steps including rebuilding the Environmental Sciences Faculty with responsibilities that include recommending revision of the ES curriculum and creation of new courses. Here we present an example of a new, hypothetical Environmental Science degree. The intent of the revised curriculum is to transform the existing Environmental Sciences degree into an academic program that stimulates student and faculty member interest, increases student enrollment, simplifies administration, engages the entire campus, and prepares students for educational opportunities and careers when they complete their degrees. The revised program includes General Education Program Requirements, natural science courses, social science courses, earth systems courses, ES core courses, ES skill courses, ES out of classroom experience, and elective courses. Students completing the ES degree will learn to think critically about environmental issues, a skill that transfers to making decisions in all areas of life. In addition, large numbers of students will have new access to environmental courses improving environmental literacy on campus. The Environmental Science degree will equip students for the future with opportunities for a wide range of careers and additional education. The environmental industry in the United States is a $265 billion annual business involving more than 32,000 individual companies (Environmental Business Journal, Vol. XIX, No. 9/10, 2006). In addition to the public sector, many state and federal agencies, and non-governmental agencies, have mandates to manage environmental and natural resources and employ environmental scientists. Starting salaries typically range from about $30,000 - $40,000, depending on the career choice and the geographic area of work. The ES degree will also equip students for post-baccalaureate training after starting a career, or to continue their education with traditional Master s or Ph. D. degrees. Those with ES degrees are also highly desired as science teachers in K-12, and can develop rewarding teaching careers after earning education certification. Students with ES degrees can also earn law degrees, MBA degrees, or degrees in other professional programs. The intent of this document is to streamline, but not short-cut, the process of revising the ES degree as part of the Environmental Sciences Academic Program. In addition to courses and curriculum, the ES Academic Program should have resources to recruit and admit students, manage and develop the curriculum, provide leadership and administrative support, and support student services including advising. Once there is agreement on the structure of the revised degree and minor, and the new courses needed, the Environmental Sciences Faculty will prepare a bundled proposal for all the curricular elements and route them through an approval process that includes the Council of Associate Academic Deans, and committees in the Division of Undergraduate Academic Programs.

2 2. Criteria for the Revisions. The discussions with deans, department heads, faculty members, and students reveal some common qualities for revising the Environmental Science curriculum. Among the areas of agreement are the following qualities: 1. Create an ES curriculum that is distinctive and different from traditional science degrees. 2. Create a core of ES 100, 200, 300, and 400, and have them count for the GEP. 3. Create ES courses for special topics, research, internships, independent study, seminar, and thesis. 4. The ES degree should be as close to 120 Cr. as possible. 5. Include room for 6 (or so) courses as free electives. 6. Provide for coursework to ensure a broad background in life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities. 7. Provide for coursework to ensure depth in a focal area to give students academic identity. 8. Create a curriculum that is flexible, and not overly prescribed. 9. Create one or more "default" options so all students have a clear way to finish the ES degree. 10. If concentrations are created, have them broad and not connected to specific departments. 11. Create as few new courses as necessary, and rely mostly on existing courses. In addition to ideas from deans, department heads, faculty members, and students, the revised ES curriculum reflects the issues raised in long-standing discussions of pedagogy surrounding the approaches and values of interdisciplinary ES degrees. Although this document is not the place to review the details of discussions generated by scholars and students of environmental science programs over the past decades, the structure and content of the ES curriculum presented here considers the issues raised by Soule and Press (What is Environmental Studies?, BioSci., 1998, Vol. 48, No. 5, p ), Maniates and Whissel (Environmental Studies: The Sky is not Falling, BioSci., 2000, Vol. 50, No. 6, P ), and Romero and Silveri (Not All Are Created Equal: An Analysis of the Environmental Programs/Departments in U.S. Academic Institutions from 1900 Until May 2005, J. Integrative Biology, Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 1-15). The essence of the issues is the discussion of academic breadth and depth in environmental degrees. The ES curriculum proposed, here, uses the remedies of core courses, focal areas, and project based courses to prevent environmental illiteracy. The draft of the ES curriculum proposed here also considers informal discussions with those outside NC State University who are focused on the assessments of academic programs dealing with environmental resources, including a number of members of the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors and educators in the field of natural resources. Critical issues concern enrollment trends, and whether student interest in the field is sustainable. From recent discussions, there is no evidence that student interest in environmental sciences, or related degrees, is waning. Rather, there is discussion of increased student interest with a new environmental agenda that includes the traditional environmental issues such as pollution,

3 toxicology, and land use planning along with the new global issues of climate change, energy and the environment, and environmental health. Finally, the revised curriculum reflects analysis of ES degrees currently in place in other large, public and private universities. The curricula at University of California at Berkeley, Oregon State University, Duke University, U.N.C.-Chapel Hill, University of Illinois, University of California at Los Angeles, Cornell University, Stanford University, University of Oregon, and other universities, were gathered to represent points of comparison for the revised ES curriculum at NC State University. 3. Overview of the New, Revised ES Degree. The ES degree will focus on the understanding of environmental systems and earth processes, human impact on the environment, and connecting sound scientific understanding to environmental policies. The curriculum will allow students to satisfy General Education Program requirements, and will ensure students have a broad background in life, physical, and social sciences. In addition, all students will develop academic strength equivalent to the course work required for minors. An overview of the schedule for completing the degree in four years includes: Years 1 and 2 (60 Cr) - General Advising in the ES Academic Program General Education Requirements (7 Cr, not double counted with ES categories) Natural Science Requirements (27 Cr) Social Science and Humanities Requirements (9 Cr) ES 100, ES 200 (6 Cr) Earth Systems Courses (8 Cr) ES Analytical and Communications Skills (3 Cr) Years 3 and 4(61 Cr) Specialized, Focal Area Advising Earth Systems Courses (7 Cr) Social Science and Humanities Requirements (6 Cr) ES 300, ES 400 (6 Cr) ES Focal Courses (15 Cr) ES Analytical and Communications Skills (6 Cr) ES Out of Classroom Experience (3 Cr) Free Elective Courses (18 Cr) During the first two years of study, students would receive general advising from the Environmental Sciences Academic Program. As freshmen and sophomores, students would complete many of the general education courses, and courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Students would take the levels of natural sciences appropriate for their abilities and interests. A bridging course in mathematics, MA 111: Precalculus, Algebra Trigonometry, will help students move between areas of study differing in mathematical skills. During the last two years of studies, students would choose an interdisciplinary academic focal area, and move to an advisor in the Environmental Sciences Faculty with appropriate expertise. As juniors and seniors, students would be expected to complete courses to learn about earth systems processes; complete a minor or the equivalent of a minor in a focused, interdisciplinary concentration; complete courses to acquire analytical and communication skills; participate in an out of classroom educational experience; and complete a selection of elective courses.

4 4. The ES Courses. The curriculum core, below, includes three existing courses, along with the new courses needed to ensure ES students have an ES core, and have access to service-learning and inquiry-based learning experiences. The ES course list should include: 4.1. The ES Core Course Sequence: The core courses will be proposed as GEP Interdisciplinary courses and open to all students at NC State University. 1. ES 100: Introduction to Environmental Sciences, an existing course, currently funded. 2. ES 200: Climate Change and Sustainability (currently taught as an NR Special Topics course, Environmental Sustainability), currently funded. 3. ES 300: Energy and the Environment (currently taught as an NR Special Topics course, Environmental Sustainability), currently funded. 4. ES 400: Analysis of Environmental Issues, a new course, currently unfunded New Blanket ES courses: A set of ES courses will define a range of academic activities, with the titles self-evident. Students can earn up to 6 Cr of internship, seminar, and research. Alternatively, students can earn 3 Cr of internship, seminar, or research and an additional 3 Cr for an undergraduate thesis. ES 495 ES Special Topics, Currently unfunded ES 496 ES Internship, Currently unfunded ES 497 ES Seminar, Currently unfunded ES 498 ES Research, Currently unfunded ES 499 ES Thesis, Currently unfunded 5. Outline for the Revised ES Degree. The Environmental Sciences undergraduate degree includes 121 Cr designed to prepare students to be environmentally literate; to have a strong, basic background in natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities; to understand earth system functions; to develop focal area strengths for academic identity; to develop analytical and communication skills necessary for career and academic advancement; and to have an out of classroom experience to provide students opportunities to engage in projects and research. The curriculum includes 18 Cr of free electives that allow students to explore the University, to add additional strength to their focal areas, and to facilitate transfer of students into the ES major General Education Program Requirements: The courses and credits listed show how ES students can complete the GEP requirements. Other selections are appropriate. Mathematical Sciences: 6 Cr (met in 5.2, below) MA 111, Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry (3 Cr) MA 121, Elements of Calculus (3 Cr) Natural Sciences: 7 Cr (met in 5.2, below) BIO 105, Biology in the Modern World (3 Cr) BIO 106, Biology in the Modern World Laboratory (1 Cr) BIO 181, Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (4 Cr) CH 101, Chemistry a Molecular Science (3 Cr) CH 102, General Chemistry Laboratory (1 Cr) PY 131, Conceptual Physics (4 Cr)

5 Humanities: 6 Cr (met in 5.3, below) HI 205, Western Civilization Since 1400 (3 Cr) IDS 201, Environmental Ethics (3Cr) Social Sciences: 2 courses, 6 Cr (met in 5.3, below) EC 205, Fundamentals of Economics (3 Cr) PS 320, U.S. Environmental Law and Politics (3 Cr) Additional Breadth: 3 Cr (met in 5.3, below) SOC (ANT) 261, Technology in Society and Culture (3 Cr) Interdisciplinary Perspective: 2 courses, 6 Cr (met in 5.5, below) ES 100, Introduction to Environmental Sciences (3 Cr) (Propose as GEP/IP) ES 200, Climate Change and Sustainability (3 Cr) (Propose as GEP/IP) Co-Requisite Course, Global Knowledge (met in 5.3, below) IDS 201, Environmental Ethics (3 Cr) Foreign Language Proficiency Met with two years of high school courses Communication in the Major Communications Skills Course (see 5.7, below), and with skills in other courses Technology Fluency Analytical Skills course (see 5.7, below), and with skills in other courses GEP Courses Not Counted, Below Co-Requisite Course, U.S. Diversity (1 Cr) USC 110, Freshman Advancement Seminar Physical Education/Healthy Living: 2 courses, 2 Cr ENG 101, Academic Writing and Research: 1 course (4 Cr) GEP Theme Tracks: The purpose of thematic tracks is to encourage students to connect knowledge from different disciplinary areas while focusing on a unifying theme or topic. Students completing the ES degree will qualify for two pending theme tracks: 1) Impact of Humans on the Natural Environment 2) Conservation of Natural Resources

6 5.2. Natural Sciences Requirements: 10 courses, 27 Cr. All students will take courses to provide a basic understanding of natural sciences, with some courses fulfilling GEP requirements. Course substitutions require ES advisor approval; more advanced courses than specified meet requirements. Chemistry: 3 courses, 8 Cr CH 101, Chemistry a Molecular Science (3 Cr) CH 102, General Chemistry Laboratory (1 Cr) CH 220, Introductory Organic Chemistry (4 Cr) Mathematics: 3 courses, 7 Cr MA 111, Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry (3Cr) MA 121, Elements of Calculus (3 Cr) MA 132, Computational Mathematics for Life and Management Science (1 Cr) Biology: 3 courses, 8 Cr BIO 105, Biology in the Modern World (3 Cr) BIO 106, Biology in the Modern World Laboratory (1 Cr) BIO 181, Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (4 Cr) Physics: 1 course, 4 Cr PY 131, Conceptual Physics (4 Cr) 5.3. Social Sciences and Humanities Requirements: 5 courses, 15 Cr. All students will take courses in social sciences and humanities, some of which fulfill GEP requirements. Social sciences and humanities courses identified provide a human context for understanding how history, human behavior, and social institutions connect to environmental issues and their solutions. Course substitutions require ES advisor approval; more advanced courses meet requirements. Sociology: 1 course, 3 Cr SOC (ANT) 261, Technology in Society and Culture (3 Cr) Philosophy/Ethics: 1 course, 3 Cr IDS 201, Environmental Ethics (3Cr) Economics: 1 course, 3 Cr EC 205, Fundamentals of Economics (3 Cr) History: 1 course, 3 Cr HI 205, Western Civilization since 1400 (3 Cr) Political Science: 1 course, 3 Cr PS 320, U.S. Environmental Law and Politics (3 Cr)

7 5.4. Earth Systems Courses: 4 courses, 15 Cr. All ES students will take courses to ensure they understand the basic earth systems, including earth, atmosphere, marine and freshwater, and ecological systems. Course substitutions require ES advisor approval; more advanced courses meet requirements. Earth Systems: 1 course, 4 Cr MEA 100, Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections (4 Cr) Soil Systems: 1 course, 4 Cr SCC 200, Soil Science (4 Cr) Hydrological Systems: 1 course, 4 Cr MEA 150, Environmental Issues in Water Resources (4 Cr) Ecological Systems: 1 course, 3 Cr PB 360, Introduction to Ecology (3 Cr) 5.5. ES Core Courses: 4 courses, 12 Cr. All ES students will complete a suite of four core courses. The ES core is designed to provide an introduction to basic concepts of environmental sciences, to improve interdisciplinary understanding of environments sciences, and to enhance analytical and communication skills. ES 400 is a capstone course focusing on analytical student projects. An ES thesis substitutes for the ES 400 course, and ES 400 can be used to supplement 3 additional credits of thesis providing for a two semester research project. The four ES core courses will be proposed as GEP Interdisciplinary courses and will be open to all students. ES 100: 1 course, 3 Cr, Introduction to Environmental Sciences ES 200: 1 course, 3 Cr, Climate Change and Sustainability ES 300: 1 course, 3 Cr, Energy and the Environment ES 400: 1 course, 3 Cr, Analysis of Environmental Issues 5.6. ES Focal Courses: 5 Courses, 15 Cr. Each ES student will establish a focal area within environmental sciences to establish a sense of academic identity. The focal area will be 15 Cr, the equivalent of an academic minor. The ES student will choose one of three options to satisfy their Focal Area requirement: 1) use an existing, relevant minor; 2) use one of three examples of Focal Areas described, below; or 3) propose a five course, 15 Cr focal area of their own design for approval by an advisor in the ES Faculty. Option 1: Use an existing, relevant minor. In some cases, students may choose an appropriate, existing minor such as: Agriculture and Environmental Technology Biotechnology Business Administration Chemical Engineering Crop Science Environmental Toxicology Health Landscape Architecture Statistics Wildlife Sciences Science, Technology, and Society

8 Option 2: Use an ES Focal Area. Climate Change and Sustainability: 5 courses, 15 Cr. The Environmental Sustainability focal area will be selected by students interested in environmental aspects of sustainable systems such as, sustainable forestry, sustainable agriculture, sustainable fisheries, sustainable cities, and sustainable landscapes. The focal area must be five courses that form a coherent body of study. The following courses are only meant to be examples of many courses that could be assembled into a package for the Environmental Sustainability focal area. The point of emphasis will be sustaining productivity of economically important systems. Students would choose 15 Cr in courses providing a coherent body of study in an area of environmental sustainability from offerings including: CHE 475, Advances in Pollution Prevention: Environmental Management CHE 476, Life Cycle and Sustainability Concepts for the Environment MEA 300, Environmental Geology MEA 311, The Global Atmosphere MEA 430, Scientific Concepts and Global Problems MSE 230, The Impact of Materials on Civilization NR 303, Humans and the Environment NR 350, International Sustainable Resource Use NR 484, Environmental Impact Assessment PCC 401, Manufacturing and its Impact on Safety, the Environment and Society Energy and the Environment: 5 courses, 15 Cr. The Energy and the Environment focal area will be selected by students interested in relationships between environmental resources and the production, transmission, and use of energy. Students choosing this focal area will be able to prepare for careers connected to understanding the environmental benefits of developing alternative energy sources, implementing new energy technologies and conservation, and mitigating and adapting to impacts of greenhouse gas emissions resulting in climate change. Students would choose 15 Cr in courses providing a coherent body of study in an area of environmental sustainability from offerings including: BAE 471, Land Resources Environmental Engineering CE 280/CE373, Principles of Environmental Engineering CH (MEA) 323, Earth System Chemistry HI 465, Oil and Crisis in the Gulf MAE 406, Energy Conservation in Industry MAE 421, Design of Solar Thermal Systems NE 201, Introduction to Nuclear Engineering STS 412, Entering the 21 st Century: Agricultural, Technological & Environmental Perspective TOX 415, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Environmental Policy and Management: 5 courses, 15 Cr. The Environmental Policy and Management focal area will be selected by students interested in study of social factors that underlie the strategies for environmental policies and management. Focus study here will prepare students for careers in the public and private sectors, and for

9 further educational opportunities in business, law, public policy, economics, and communication. Students would choose 15 Cr in courses providing a coherent body of study in an area of environmental sustainability from offerings including: ARE 309, Environmental Law & Economic Policy ARE 336, Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics COM 436, Environmental Communication ECG 515, Environmental and Resource Policy ET 450, Environmental Regulation FOR 350, Professional Development III: Ethical Dilemmas in Natural Resource Management FW (FOR) 485, Natural Resources Advocacy NR 400, Natural Resource Management NR 460, Renewable Natural Resource Management and Policy NR 571, Current Issues in Natural Resource Policy PA 550, Environmental Policy PHI 422, Philosophical Issues in Environmental Ethics PS 310, Public Policy PS 314, Science, Technology and Public Policy PS 336, Global Environmental Politics SOC 450, Environmental Sociology Option 3. Focal areas proposed by students could include themes such as Renewable Energy, Bio-fuels, Sustainable Forestry, Energy Conservation, Environmental Modeling, Environmental Engineering and Design, and Environmental Communication and Media. In consultation with an academic advisor, all students preparing a unique focal area must prepare a brief proposal providing the rationale for the area of study and an implementation plan to ensure plausibility Environmental Skills Courses: 9 Cr. ES students will take courses to ensure they have basic skill sets necessary for careers and further academic development. Analytical Skills: 6 Cr. Students will take courses to ensure analytical ability. Examples of courses that satisfy the requirement include those in statistical analysis; information technology; research skills; computer science; geographic information systems; polling, surveying, and marketing courses; and design courses. Communication Skills: 3 Cr. Students will take a course to develop communication skills necessary to share ideas about environmental resources and issues. The communications skills course is in addition to ENG 101, Academic Writing and Research, required in the GEP. Communications skills courses could include web design, art, writing, and public speaking Out of Classroom Experience: 3 Cr. ES students will earn a minimum of three credits outside the classroom. Opportunities to earn credits include the ES 496 (ES Internship), ES 498 (ES Research), or ES 499 (Thesis) courses. Undergraduate research experience is an increasingly important part of study, and strongly encouraged. Extensive research either on of off campus can lead to an additional 3 Cr of thesis.

10 5.9. Free Electives: 18 Cr. ES students will have 18 Cr, or roughly 6 courses, of free electives. The free electives are intended to allow students to explore their interests within the academic system, and to allow students to further develop their ES focal area, ES skills, or out of classroom and research opportunities. 6. Sample Program of Study. A hypothetical program of study shows how a student could complete the ES degree in four years. The example includes completion of GEP requirements, completion of prerequisites for advanced courses while adhering to the schedule of course availability. The program of study presented here is only meant to be an example, and is not a schedule that students must follow. Year 1 (30 Cr) Fall Semester (15 Cr) USC 110, Freshman Advancement Sem. (1Cr) ENG 101, Intro. to Writing (4 Cr) ES 100, Intro. to Env. Sci. (3 Cr) MA 111, Precalc, Algebra, Trig. (3 Cr) CH 101, Chemistry-A Mole. Sci. (3 Cr) CH 102, Chemistry Lab. (1 Cr) Year 2 (30 Cr) Fall Semester (15 Cr) BIO 105, Bio. In Modern World (3 Cr) BIO 106, Bio. In Modern World (1 Cr) MEA 150, Water Resources (4 Cr) ES 200, Climate Change & Sust. (3 Cr) HI 205, Western Civ. (3 Cr) Phys. Ed./Healthy Living (1 Cr) Year 3 (30 Cr) Fall Semester (15 Cr) ES 300, Energy and the Env. (3 Cr) Focal Area #1 (3 Cr) PB 360, Intro. To Ecology (3 Cr) Free Elective #2 (3 Cr) Free Elective #3 (3 Cr) Year 4 (31 Cr) Fall Semester (16 Cr) ES 400, Analysis of Env. Issues (3 Cr) SSC 200, Soil Science (4 Cr) EC 205, Fund. Econ. (3 Cr) Focal Area #3 (3 Cr) Free Elective #5 (3 Cr) Spring Semester (15 Cr) MA 121, Elements of Calculus (3 Cr) MA 132, Comp. Math. (1 Cr) CH 220, Intro. Organic Chem (4 Cr) IDS 201, Environmental Ethics (3 Cr) Phys. Ed./Healthy Living (1 Cr) Communication Skills (3 Cr) Spring Semester (15 Cr) BIO 181, Ecol., Evol., & Biodiv. (4 Cr) SOC 261, Tech., Soc., & Culture (3 Cr) PY 131, Conceptual Physics (4 Cr) MEA 100, Earth System Sci. (4 Cr) Spring Semester (15 Cr) PS 320, U.S. Env. Law & Politics (3 Cr) Analytical Skills I (3 Cr) Free Elective #1 (3 Cr) Focal Area #2 (3 Cr) Free Elective #4 (3 Cr) Spring Semester (15 Cr) Out of Class Experience (3 Cr) Analytical Skills II (3 Cr) Focal Area #4 (3 Cr) Focal Area #5 (3 Cr) Free Elective #6 (3 Cr)

11 7. Overview of the Existing and the New, Revised ES Minor. The ES minor is intended to allow undergraduate students to connect their coursework in existing degrees to the environmental sciences. Students with majors in biology, and other natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, education, design, and humanities can benefit from an environmental perspective developed by completing an ES Minor The Existing ES Minor: 15 Cr, 5 Courses. Significant numbers of students are pursuing the existing minor, with about 60 students currently enrolled. The process includes students completing a set of 15 credits by taking one course in the following categories, and an additional course from any of the following categories: Group I: Biological Sciences ZO (MEA) 220, Marine Biology ZO (FW) 221, Conservation Biology ZO 260, Evolution, Behavior, and Ecology BIO 181, Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity FOR 252, Introduction to Forest Science Group II: Physical Science MEA 101 and 110, Geology I: Physical and Lab MEA 130 and 135, Intro. to Weather and Climate and Lab MEA 140, Natural Hazards and Global Change SSC 200, Soil Science MEA 200, Introduction to Oceanography CE 373, Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering Group III: Social Science IDS 201, Environmental Ethics IDS 220, Coastal and Ocean Frontiers IDS 303, Humans and the Environment STS 322, Technological Catastrophes PHI 422, Philosophical Issues in Environmental Ethics PS 320, U.S. Environmental Politics PS 336, Global environmental Politics LAR 221, Introduction to the Environment and Behavior Group IV: Advanced Courses MEA 300, Environmental Geology SSC 361, Role of Soils in Environmental Management FOR 460, Renewable Resources Policy and Management ET 410, Toxic Substances and Society FW (BIO) 430, Fisheries and Wildlife Administration ZO 403, Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory HI 440, American Environmental History NR 406, Conservation of Biological Diversity SOC 450, Environmental Sociology

12 7.2. The New ES Minor: 15 Cr, 5 Courses. Students can complete the ES Minor by completing the ES core course sequence and an additional, related course. The ES core course sequence consists of four courses for a total of 12 Cr. In addition to completing the ES core courses, students earning the minor must also take an additional course with an environmental theme not counted for their major. Students completing the ES Minor must complete the following courses. 1. ES 100: Introduction to Environmental Sciences, an existing course, currently funded. 2. ES 200: Climate Change and Sustainability (currently taught as an NR Special Topics course), currently funded 3. ES 300: Energy and the Environment (currently taught as an NR Special Topics course), currently funded 4. ES 400: Analysis of Environmental Issues, a new course, currently unfunded 5. Another relevant course approved by the ES advisor, not used for the major 8. List of Applications and Proposals to develop the revised ES degree, the revised ES Minor, the new ES courses, and the listing of ES core courses as GEP courses Application to Revise the Existing ES Degree Application to Revise the Existing ES Minor Proposal Package for New ES Courses. ES 100, Introduction to Environmental Sciences, Already Approved ES 200, Climate Change and Sustainability ES 300, Energy and the Environment ES 400, Analysis of Environmental Issues ES 495, ES Special Topics ES 496, ES Internship ES 497, ES Seminar ES 498, ES Research ES 499, ES Thesis 8.4. Proposal Package for ES Core Courses to Qualify as GEP Interdisciplinary Courses. ES 100, Introduction to Environmental Sciences, Already Filed ES 200, Environmental Sustainability ES 300, Energy and the Environment ES 400, Analysis of Environmental Issues