Three students in a grassy field huddling together to take a picture of a native plant

Why choose an Environmental Studies certificate?

The Environmental Studies Certificate Program allows undergraduate students at UW–Madison to explore the environmental intersections that complement their major but with fewer curricular requirements than the major. Students completing the certificate also benefit from participation in the Nelson academic community and gain invaluable access to a network of multidisciplinary problem-solving colleagues. The certificate program is available only to UW–Madison students pursuing a bachelor's degree through the university's regular academic departments.

Completion of the certificate program is noted on a student’s academic transcript.

How to Get in

How to Declare

Students interested in declaring the environmental studies certificate can email undergrad@nelson.wisc.edu or request a declaration appointment. Information about declaring the certificate can be found at undergraduate advising.

Students who earn an environmental studies certificate may not earn the environmental studies major or the sustainability certificate.

Requirements

Students are required to take five courses/15 credits to include two courses in the Foundation section and three courses in the thematic areas. A minimum of 6 credits overall must be intermediate or advanced level. Courses listed under more than one category in the curriculum may be used to satisfy only one category.

Environmental Humanities/Social Science (take one course)

ENVIR ST 112Environmental Studies: Social Science Perspectives3
ENVIR ST 113Environmental Studies: Environmental Humanities3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI/​HISTORY  125Green Screen: Environmental Perspectives through Film3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  139Global Environmental Issues3
SOC/​C&E SOC  140Introduction to Community and Environmental Sociology4
ENVIR ST 215Sustainability3
ENVIR ST/​ART HIST/​GEOG/​HISTORY/​LAND ARC  239Making the American Landscape3-4
ENVIR ST/​A A E  244The Environment and the Global Economy4
SOC/​C&E SOC/​F&W ECOL  248Environment, Natural Resources, and Society3
ENVIR ST/​RELIG ST  270The Environment: Religion & Ethics3-4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339Conservation and Climate Change - Local to International Strategies3-4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​HISTORY  460American Environmental History4
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  465Global Environmental History3-4
ENVIR ST/​CLASSICS  488Greeks, Romans and the Natural Environment3

Environmental Physical Science/Biological Science (take one course) 

ATM OCN 100Weather and Climate3
ATM OCN 101Weather and Climate4
ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI  106Environmental Geology3
GEOSCI 110Evolution and Extinction4
PHYSICS 115Energy and Climate3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  120Introduction to the Earth System3
CIV ENGR 121Sustainability Engineering for Non-Engineers3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  126Principles of Environmental Science4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  127Physical Systems of the Environment4
ATM OCN/​BSE/​SOIL SCI  132Water and People3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​SOIL SCI  230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource3
BOTANY 240Plants and Humans3
BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  460General Ecology4
ENVIR ST 251Ecology and the Global Environment3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  255Introduction to Sustainability Science4
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  260Introductory Ecology3
SOIL SCI 301General Soil Science3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG/​GEOSCI  335Climatic Environments of the Past3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG  332Global Warming: Science and Impacts3
ENVIR ST 413Preserving Nature3
F&W ECOL 550Forest Ecology3

Theme

  • Students are required to take three courses (min 9 cr.) from the thematic areas listed below.
  • Courses may be concentrated in one area or taken in multiple areas.
  • Courses taken in the thematic areas cannot also be used in foundation.
  • Certificate students may enroll in ENVIR ST 600 Environmental Studies Capstone after students in the major have enrolled, and the capstone course will be allowed to count in the thematic requirement.

Biodiversity

ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL  100Forests of the World3
F&W ECOL 110Living with Wildlife - Animals, Habitats, and Human Interactions3
GEOSCI 110Evolution and Extinction4
BIOCORE 181Becoming a Scientist: Doing Biology Research2
ENVIR ST/​ENTOM  201Insects and Human Culture-a Survey Course in Entomology3
BOTANY 240Plants and Humans3
ENVIR ST 251Ecology and the Global Environment3
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  260Introductory Ecology3
ZOOLOGY 333Marine Ecology2
GEOG/​BOTANY  338Environmental Biogeography3
ENTOM 344From Flowers to Food: Pollinator Ecology and Conservation3
ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  360Extinction of Species3
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC  361Wetlands Ecology3
AGROECOL 370Grassland Ecology3
ENVIR ST 375Field Ecology Workshop3
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL  402Dendrology: Woody Plant Identification and Ecology3
ENVIR ST 413Preserving Nature3
BOTANY 422Plant Geography3
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​GEOG  434People, Wildlife and Landscapes3
F&W ECOL 448Disturbance Ecology3
BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  450Midwestern Ecological Issues: A Case Study Approach2
BOTANY 455The Vegetation of Wisconsin4
BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  460General Ecology4
ENTOM 490Biodiversity and Global Change3
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  516Conservation Biology3
F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  520Ornithology3
F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  521Birds of Southern Wisconsin3
GEOG 538The Humid Tropics: Ecology, Subsistence, and Development4
F&W ECOL/​SURG SCI  548Diseases of Wildlife3
F&W ECOL 550Forest Ecology3
F&W ECOL 551Forest Ecology Lab1
ENVIR ST 613Reproducibility Crises and Open Science in Environmental Studies3
F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  660Climate Change Ecology3
BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  672Historical Ecology2

Climate

ATM OCN 100Weather and Climate3
ATM OCN 101Weather and Climate4
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOSCI  102Climate and Climate Change3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG  131Climate Change, Climate Action: The Social Dimensions of Climate Change3-4
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  171Global Change: Atmospheric Issues and Problems3
SOIL SCI 211Soils and Climate Change2
A A E 246Climate Change Economics and Policy3
ED POL 320Climate Change, Sustainability, and Education3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG  322Polar Regions and Their Importance in the Global Environment3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG/​GEOSCI  335Climatic Environments of the Past3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG  332Global Warming: Science and Impacts3
ENVIR ST 349Climate Change Governance3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  355Introduction to Air Quality3
ATM OCN 425Global Climate Processes3
KINES 513Climate Change and Health Disparities3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  520Bioclimatology3
CIV ENGR 525Case Studies Exploring Infrastructure Sustainability and Climate Change3
F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  660Climate Change Ecology3

Energy

PHYSICS 115Energy and Climate3
E C E 356Electric Power Processing for Alternative Energy Systems3
ENVIR ST/​BSE  367Renewable Energy Systems3
A A E/​ECON  371Energy, Resources and Economics3
ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI  411Energy Resources3
BSE 460Biorefining: Energy and Products from Renewable Resources3
M E 461Thermal Systems Modeling3
CIV ENGR/​G L E  535Wind Energy Balance-of-Plant Design3
ENVIR ST/​A A E/​CIV ENGR/​URB R PL  561Energy Markets3
M E/​N E  565Power Plant Technology3
N E 571Economic and Environmental Aspects of Nuclear Energy3
ENVIR ST/​A A E/​ECON/​URB R PL  671Energy Economics3

Food and Agriculture

ENVIR ST/​AGROECOL/​C&E SOC/​ENTOM  103Agroecology: An Introduction to the Ecology of Food and Agriculture3
INTER-AG 117GreenHouse Roots Seminar1
AN SCI 210You and Your Food: Farm to Table2
SOIL SCI 211Soils and Climate Change2
SOC/​C&E SOC  222Food, Culture, and Society3
PLANTSCI 300Cropping Systems3
AGROECOL 303Agroecological Systems: Working Towards Sustainability3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  309People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems3
PLANTSCI 310Plant Science and Technology in Cropping Systems4
PL PATH 311Global Food Security3
C&E SOC/​A A E/​SOC  340Issues in Food Systems3-4
ENTOM 344From Flowers to Food: Pollinator Ecology and Conservation3
MED HIST/​PHILOS  344Food Ethics3
A A E/​NUTR SCI  350World Hunger and Malnutrition3
CNSR SCI 360Sustainable and Socially Just Consumption3
A A E/​PL PATH/​PLANTSCI  367Introduction to Organic Agriculture: Production, Markets, and Policy3
PLANTSCI 370World Vegetable Crops3
PLANTSCI 376Tropical Horticultural Systems2
AGROECOL 377Global Food Production and Health3
PLANTSCI 380Indigenous Foodways: Food and Seed Sovereignty2
FOLKLORE 439Foodways3
DY SCI 471Food Production Systems and Sustainability3
AN SCI/​DY SCI/​FOOD SCI/​SOIL SCI  472Animal Agriculture and Global Sustainable Development1
GEN&WS 472Food for Thought: An Intersectional Approach3

Health

ENVIR ST/​ENTOM  205Our Planet, Our Health3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI  213Global Environmental Health: An Interdisciplinary Introduction3
A A E/​NUTR SCI  350World Hunger and Malnutrition3
POP HLTH/​C&E SOC  370Introduction to Public Health3
CIV ENGR 422Elements of Public Health Engineering3
CIV ENGR 423Air Pollution Effects, Measurement and Control3
SOIL SCI 430Soil Pollution and Human Health3
ENVIR ST/​POP HLTH  471Introduction to Environmental Health3
ENVIR ST/​POP HLTH  502Air Pollution and Human Health3
KINES 513Climate Change and Health Disparities3
GEN&WS/​INTL ST  535Women's Global Health and Human Rights3
POP HLTH/​HIST SCI/​MED HIST  553International Health and Global Society3
CIV ENGR/​M&ENVTOX/​SOIL SCI  631Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects3

History, Culture, Society

CLASSICS 103Nature, Race, and Human Difference3
ENVIR ST 112Environmental Studies: Social Science Perspectives3
ENVIR ST 113Environmental Studies: Environmental Humanities3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI/​HISTORY  125Green Screen: Environmental Perspectives through Film3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  126Principles of Environmental Science4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  139Global Environmental Issues3
SOC/​C&E SOC  140Introduction to Community and Environmental Sociology4
HISTORY/​CHICLA  151The North American West to 18503-4
ENVIR ST/​ENGL  153Literature and the Environment3
HISTORY/​AMER IND  190Introduction to American Indian History3-4
ED POL 197Listening to the Land3
GNS/​ENVIR ST  210Cultures of Sustainability: Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe3
ENVIR ST/​ART HIST/​GEOG/​HISTORY/​LAND ARC  239Making the American Landscape3-4
SOC/​C&E SOC/​F&W ECOL  248Environment, Natural Resources, and Society3
ENVIR ST/​RELIG ST  270The Environment: Religion & Ethics3-4
AGROECOL/​HIST SCI  301(Horti)Cultural Roots: Human Histories of Plants and Science4
ENVIR ST/​ENGL  305Rhetoric, Science, and Public Engagement3
ENVIR ST/​AMER IND  306Indigenous Peoples and the Environment3
ENVIR ST 307Literature of the Environment: Speaking for Nature3
ENVIR ST 308Outdoors For All: Inequities in Environmentalism3
ENVIR ST 317Community Environmental Scholars Program Seminar1
ED POL 320Climate Change, Sustainability, and Education3
SCAND ST/​ILS/​LITTRANS  321Humans and Other Animals in Nordic Literature and Film3
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  328Environmental History of Europe3
GEOG/​ENVIR ST  337Nature, Power and Society3
ZOOLOGY 335Human/Animal Relationships: Biological and Philosophical Issues3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339Conservation and Climate Change - Local to International Strategies4
ENVIR ST/​AMER IND  341Indigenous Environmental Communicators3
CHICLA/​CURRIC  354Race and Language in STEM and Environmental Education3
LAND ARC 360Earth Partnership Restoration Education: Indigenous Arts & Sciences1
LAND ARC 363Earth Partnership: Restoration Education for Equity and Resilience3
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  369Thinking through History with Animals3-4
POLI SCI 369Environmental Political Thought3-4
PLANTSCI 380Indigenous Foodways: Food and Seed Sovereignty2
AMER IND/​GEOG  410Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges3
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY/​LEGAL ST  430Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives3
ENVIR ST/​PHILOS  441Environmental Ethics3-4
ENVIR ST/​SPANISH  445Culture and the Environment in the Luso-Hispanic World3
SPANISH 455Contemporary Mayas: A Culture of Nature3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​HISTORY  460American Environmental History4
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  465Global Environmental History3-4
ANTHRO 477Anthropology, Environment, and Development3
ENVIR ST/​CLASSICS  488Greeks, Romans and the Natural Environment3
ENGL/​ENVIR ST  533Topic in Literature and the Environment3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  537Culture and Environment4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  557Development and Environment in Southeast Asia3
BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  672Historical Ecology2

Justice

ENVIR ST 112Environmental Studies: Social Science Perspectives3
ENVIR ST 113Environmental Studies: Environmental Humanities3
ENVIR ST/​RELIG ST  270The Environment: Religion & Ethics3-4
ENVIR ST/​AMER IND  306Indigenous Peoples and the Environment3
ENVIR ST 308Outdoors For All: Inequities in Environmentalism3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  309People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems3
ENVIR ST 317Community Environmental Scholars Program Seminar1
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  331Energy Justice3-4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  337Nature, Power and Society3
ENVIR ST 349Climate Change Governance3
ENVIR ST 413Preserving Nature3
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY/​LEGAL ST  430Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives3
ENVIR ST/​PHILOS  441Environmental Ethics3-4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  534Environmental Governance: Markets, States and Nature3
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​SOC  540Sociology of International Development, Environment, and Sustainability3
A A E/​INTL ST  373Globalization, Poverty and Development3
A A E/​ECON  474Economic Problems of Developing Areas3
AGROECOL/​HIST SCI  301(Horti)Cultural Roots: Human Histories of Plants and Science4
AMER IND/​HISTORY  190Introduction to American Indian History3-4
AMER IND/​GEOG  410Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges3
ANTHRO 477Anthropology, Environment, and Development3
C&E SOC/​SOC  541Environmental Stewardship and Social Justice3
CHICLA/​CURRIC  354Race and Language in STEM and Environmental Education3
CIV ENGR/​M&ENVTOX/​SOIL SCI  631Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects3
CNSR SCI 360Sustainable and Socially Just Consumption3
ECON 370Economics of Poverty and Inequality3
ZOOLOGY 335Human/Animal Relationships: Biological and Philosophical Issues3
GEN&WS 472Food for Thought: An Intersectional Approach3
LAND ARC 360Earth Partnership Restoration Education: Indigenous Arts & Sciences1

Land Use and Geospatial Analysis

ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI  106Environmental Geology3
LAND ARC/​AMER IND  106Earth Partnership Indigenous Arts and Sciences3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  120Introduction to the Earth System3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  127Physical Systems of the Environment4
LAND ARC 211Shaping the Built Environment3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​SOIL SCI  230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource3
PL PATH/​PLANTSCI  261Sustainable Turfgrass Use and Management2
SOIL SCI 301General Soil Science3
SOIL SCI 302Meet Your Soil: Soil Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory1
GEOG/​URB R PL  305Introduction to the City3-4
A A E/​ECON/​REAL EST/​URB R PL  306The Real Estate Process3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  309People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems3
LAND ARC 311Introduction to Design Frameworks and Spatial Technologies2
ENVIR ST/​SOIL SCI  324Soils and Environmental Quality3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  333Green Urbanism3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  337Nature, Power and Society3
BOTANY/​GEOG  338Environmental Biogeography3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339Conservation and Climate Change - Local to International Strategies4
GEOG 344Changing Landscapes of the American West3
CNSR SCI 360Sustainable and Socially Just Consumption3
ENVIR ST/​G L E/​GEOG/​GEOSCI/​LAND ARC  371Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing3
ENVIR ST/​CIV ENGR/​GEOG  377An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems4
LAND ARC 373Mindfulness in Restorative Environments3
GEOG 379Geospatial Technologies: Drones, Sensors, and Applications3
LAND ARC 380Plants for Ecological Design I3
LAND ARC 381Plants for Ecological Design II1
F&W ECOL 395Data and GIS Tools for Ecology3
F&W ECOL 410Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology3
ECON/​REAL EST/​URB R PL  420Urban and Regional Economics3
SOIL SCI 430Soil Pollution and Human Health3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​URB R PL  431Planning for Resilience to Natural Hazards3
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​GEOG  434People, Wildlife and Landscapes3
ENVIR ST/​CIV ENGR/​G L E/​GEOSCI  444Practical Applications of GPS Surveying2
ENVIR ST/​ECON/​POLI SCI/​URB R PL  449Government and Natural Resources3-4
F&W ECOL/​SOIL SCI  451Environmental Biogeochemistry3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​HISTORY  460American Environmental History4
LAND ARC/​URB R PL  463Evolution of American Planning3
LAND ARC 511Geodesign Methods and Applications3
ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL  515Natural Resources Policy3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​LAND ARC/​URB R PL  532Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Planning3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  537Culture and Environment4
GEOG 538The Humid Tropics: Ecology, Subsistence, and Development4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  557Development and Environment in Southeast Asia3
LAND ARC 563Designing Sustainable and Resilient Regions4
ENVIR ST/​SOIL SCI  575Assessment of Environmental Impact3
LAND ARC/​ENVIR ST  581Prescribed Fire: Ecology and Implementation3
URB R PL 601Site Planning3
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  516Conservation Biology3
LAND ARC 668Restoration Ecology3
LAND ARC 677Cultural Resource Preservation and Landscape History3
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC/​SOIL SCI  695Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources3

Policy

ED POL 120Environmental and Sustainability Education in Wisconsin Policy and Practice3
URB R PL 215Welcome to Your Urban Future3
A A E/​ENVIR ST  244The Environment and the Global Economy4
POLI SCI 272Introduction to Public Policy3-4
ENVIR ST/​ENGL  305Rhetoric, Science, and Public Engagement3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  309People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems3
M H R 310Challenges & Solutions in Business Sustainability3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  336International Environmental Governance3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339Conservation and Climate Change - Local to International Strategies4
PUB AFFR 340Intermediate Evidence-Based Policymaking and Communication3
ENVIR ST/​A A E/​ECON  343Environmental Economics3-4
ENVIR ST/​AMER IND/​GEOG  345Caring for Nature in Native North America3
ENVIR ST 349Climate Change Governance3
A A E 352Global Health: Economics, Natural Systems, and Policy4
PUB AFFR 366U.S. Environmental Politics and Public Policy3
ECON 370Economics of Poverty and Inequality3
OTM 370Sustainable Approaches to System Improvement3
A A E/​INTL ST  373Globalization, Poverty and Development3
CURRIC/​C&E SOC/​ENVIR ST  405Education for Sustainable Communities3
ENVIR ST 417Sustainability Science, Technology and Policy1
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY/​LEGAL ST  430Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives3
F&W ECOL/​A A E  430Decision Methods for Natural Resource Managers3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  439US Environmental Policy and Regulation3-4
ENVIR ST/​ECON/​POLI SCI/​URB R PL  449Government and Natural Resources3-4
A A E/​ECON  474Economic Problems of Developing Areas3
CIV ENGR 494Civil and Environmental Engineering Decision Making3
ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL  515Natural Resources Policy3
ENVIR ST/​PHILOS  523Philosophical Problems of the Biological Sciences3
ECON/​A A E/​F&W ECOL  531Natural Resource Economics3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  534Environmental Governance: Markets, States and Nature3
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​SOC  540Sociology of International Development, Environment, and Sustainability3
SOC/​C&E SOC  541Environmental Stewardship and Social Justice3
URB R PL 551Climate Action Planning: Sustainable Transportation3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  557Development and Environment in Southeast Asia3
ENVIR ST 613Reproducibility Crises and Open Science in Environmental Studies3
SOIL SCI/​CIV ENGR/​M&ENVTOX  631Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects3
R M I 650Sustainability, Environmental and Social Risk Management3
REAL EST 651Green - Sustainable Development3

Water

ATM OCN/​GEOSCI  105Survey of Oceanography3-4
ZOOLOGY 115Freshwater: Past, Present, and Future3
ATM OCN/​BSE/​SOIL SCI  132Water and People3
CIV ENGR 311Hydroscience3
ENVIR ST/​ZOOLOGY  315Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources2
ZOOLOGY 316Laboratory for Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources2-3
CIV ENGR 320Environmental Engineering3
CIV ENGR 322Environmental Engineering Processes3
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC  361Wetlands Ecology3
BSE 473Water Management Systems3
ENVIR ST/​ZOOLOGY  510Ecology of Fishes3
ENVIR ST/​ZOOLOGY  511Ecology of Fishes Lab2
G L E/​GEOSCI  627Hydrogeology3-4
G L E/​GEOSCI  629Contaminant Hydrogeology3

Multi-thematic

ENVIR ST/​SOIL SCI  101Forum on the Environment1-2
CIV ENGR 121Sustainability Engineering for Non-Engineers3
ENVIR ST 202Careers in the Environment2
ENVIR ST 203Special Topics in Environmental Studies1-3
ENVIR ST 215Sustainability3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  255Introduction to Sustainability Science4
ENVIR ST 326Sustainability Tools: Systems Thinking & Life Cycle Assessment3
ENVIR ST 365Systems Thinking3
ENVIR ST 400Special Topics in the Environment: Biological Aspects of Envir St1-4
ENVIR ST 401Special Topics: Environmental Perspectives in the Physical Sciences1-4
ENVIR ST 402Special Topics: Social Perspectives in Environmental Studies1-4
ENVIR ST 403Special Topics in Environmental Studies1-3
ENVIR ST 404Special Topics in Environmental Humanities1-3
CIV ENGR/​G L E  421Environmental Sustainability Engineering3
M E 478Engineering Sustainability: Linking Technology, Policy, Health, and Economics3
CIV ENGR 495Sustainable Building and Materials3
CIV ENGR 522Hazardous Waste Management3
DS 555Sustainable Fashion Practices - Unraveled & Redesigned3

Residence and Quality of Work

  • A minimum of 8 credits must be taken in residence. 
  • A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in certificate courses.  
  • Courses taken on a pass/fail basis will not count toward the certificate.

Certificate Completion Requirement

This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain the social and historical processes that impact our current environments. Interpret the meanings, values, and aesthetics that are created, shaped, and revealed as humans interact with and modify the environments they inhabit.
  2. Explain ecological processes and fundamental principles of environmental sciences relating to humanity’s key environmental challenges of the past, present, and future.
  3. Analyze and respond to environmental questions by applying interdisciplinary approaches that integrate multiple perspectives, including those from a coordinate major.
  4. Recognize through critical thinking a diversity of viewpoints, ethical commitments, and disciplinary approaches to environmental concerns across various scales from the local to the global.
  5. Demonstrate excellent reading, writing, communication, and research skills, both individually and in interdisciplinary teams.

Advising and Careers

Environmental studies students are represented in majors across campus and in most undergraduate schools and colleges. Environmental studies certificate students should utilize the career office for their home school as appropriate. All students, not just Letters & Science students, can also benefit from SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science.