Students doing field work

Why Choose an Environmental Studies Major?

The Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies is one of the world’s leading institutions for environmental studies and is the administrative home for the major. The major offers a robust and interdisciplinary curriculum that spans all contemporary disciplines that touch upon the environment. The curriculum includes biological sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences, as well as humanities, history, health, and modern culture.

The environmental studies major, offered by the College of Letters & Science and administered by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, provides unique opportunities for undergraduate students to broaden their studies through interdisciplinary coursework related to the environment. The major must always be completed in tandem with a second major. This requirement is unique to the environmental studies major and allows undergraduates the opportunity to both broaden and deepen the focus of their other major with a perspective on the environment that spans a wide range of topics and involves varying depths of application.

The major includes experiential learning opportunities via the capstone course and the field requirement and encourages global interaction through study or internships abroad. With numerous travel abroad possibilities and ongoing access to a large selection of extracurricular events, graduates have countless combinations available to them. The outcome is a solid academic foundation in the study of the environment and access to a network of multidisciplinary problem-solving colleagues.

In today's world, the program prepares students to address modern challenges using interdisciplinary problem-solving approaches, applying both an understanding of, and practical experience beyond, a single academic discipline. Employers purposefully seek individuals with interdisciplinary and international preparation, and environmental studies students are ready to meet that need.

Click here to see a complete list of faculty and staff affiliated with the Nelson Institute.

The Nelson Institute also offers two undergraduate certificates:

Environmental Studies Certificate
Sustainability Certificate

How to Get in

Declaring the Major

Students interested in declaring the Environmental Studies major should request a major declaration appointment. Information about declaring the major can be found at undergraduate advising.

Students who earn the Environmental Studies major may not also earn the Environmental Studies Certificate.

University General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.

General Education
  • Breadth—Humanities/Literature/Arts: 6 credits
  • Breadth—Natural Science: 4 to 6 credits, consisting of one 4- or 5-credit course with a laboratory component; or two courses providing a total of 6 credits
  • Breadth—Social Studies: 3 credits
  • Communication Part A Part B *
  • Ethnic Studies *
  • Quantitative Reasoning Part A Part B *

* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements.

School/College Requirements

The Environmental Studies major is always paired with another major. Please refer to the School/College degree requirements of the other major to learn about degree requirements or consult an advisor.

Requirements for the Major

The environmental studies major provides students with an academically rigorous course sequence that encompasses introductory through advanced understandings of the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies. Students must have a declared primary major, and are allowed to apply a portion of course work from that major for the environmental studies major, making it possible to complete their degree within four years.

  • 30 credits in the major as defined below.
  • Declare and complete a primary major. Students must have a primary major declared before reaching senior standing (86 credits) or the environmental studies major may be canceled.
  • At least 15 credits taken for the environmental studies major must be distinct, and not also meeting minimum requirements in another major. 
  • Students outside the College of Letters & Science may have to meet additional overlap requirements.

Foundation (12 Credits)

One course from each of the following four areas. Courses applied to Foundation cannot also be used in Theme or Capstone.

Environmental Humanities (3 credits)

ENVIR ST 113 Environmental Studies: Environmental Humanities3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI/​HISTORY  125 Green Screen: Environmental Perspectives through Film3
ENVIR ST/​ART HIST/​GEOG/​HISTORY/​LAND ARC  239 Making the American Landscape3-4
ENVIR ST/​RELIG ST  270 The Environment: Religion & Ethics3-4
HISTORY/​ENVIR ST/​GEOG  460 American Environmental History4
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  465 Global Environmental History3-4
ENVIR ST/​CLASSICS  488 Greeks, Romans and the Natural Environment3

Environmental Social Science (3 credits)

ENVIR ST 112 Environmental Studies: Social Science Perspectives3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  139 Global Environmental Issues3
ENVIR ST/​A A E  244 The Environment and the Global Economy4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339 Environmental Conservation4
C&E SOC/​SOC  140 Introduction to Community and Environmental Sociology4
C&E SOC/​F&W ECOL/​SOC  248 Environment, Natural Resources, and Society3

Environmental Physical Science (3 credits)

ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI  106 Environmental Geology3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  120 Introduction to the Earth System3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  126 Principles of Environmental Science4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  127 Physical Systems of the Environment4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​SOIL SCI  230 Soil: Ecosystem and Resource3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  255 Introduction to Sustainability Science4
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG  332 Global Warming: Science and Impacts3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG/​GEOSCI  335 Climatic Environments of the Past3
ATM OCN 100 Weather and Climate3
ATM OCN 101 Weather and Climate4
ATM OCN/​SOIL SCI  132 Earth's Water: Natural Science and Human Use3
SOIL SCI 301 General Soil Science3
PHYSICS 115 Energy and Climate3

Environmental Ecology (3 credits)

ENVIR ST 251 Ecology and the Global Environment3
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  260 Introductory Ecology3
ENVIR ST 413 Preserving Nature3
BOTANY 240 Plants and Humans3
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  460 General Ecology4
GEOSCI 110 Evolution and Extinction4
F&W ECOL 401 Physiological Animal Ecology3
F&W ECOL 550 Forest Ecology3

Theme (15 credits)

Five courses and 15 credits from any of the areas below. Courses may be concentrated in one area or distributed across multiple areas. Courses applied to the thematic areas cannot also be used in Foundation or Capstone.  

Biodiversity

ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL  100 Forests of the World3
ENVIR ST/​ENTOM  201 Insects and Human Culture-a Survey Course in Entomology3
ENVIR ST 251 Ecology and the Global Environment3
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  260 Introductory Ecology3
ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  360 Extinction of Species3
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC  361 Wetlands Ecology3
ENVIR ST 375 Field Ecology Workshop3
ENVIR ST 413 Preserving Nature3
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​GEOG  434 People, Wildlife and Landscapes3
ENVIR ST 613 Reproducibility Crises and Open Science in Environmental Studies3
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  651 Conservation Biology3
AGRONOMY/​BOTANY/​SOIL SCI  370 Grassland Ecology3
AGRONOMY/​ATM OCN/​SOIL SCI  532 Environmental Biophysics3
AGRONOMY/​ENTOM/​F&W ECOL/​M&ENVTOX  634 Ecotoxicology: Impacts on Populations, Communities and Ecosystems1
AN SCI/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  520 Ornithology3
AN SCI/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  521 Birds of Southern Wisconsin3
ANTHRO/​BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  410 Evolutionary Biology3
BIOCORE 181 Becoming a Scientist: Doing Biology Research2
BOTANY 240 Plants and Humans3
BOTANY/​GEOG  338 Environmental Biogeography3
BOTANY 401 Vascular Flora of Wisconsin4
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL  402 Dendrology: Woody Plant Identification and Ecology3
BOTANY 422 Plant Geography3
BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  450 Midwestern Ecological Issues: A Case Study Approach2
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL  455 The Vegetation of Wisconsin4
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  460 General Ecology4
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  672 Historical Ecology2
ENTOM/​ZOOLOGY  302 Introduction to Entomology4
ENTOM 490 Biodiversity and Global Change3
F&W ECOL 110 Living with Wildlife - Animals, Habitats, and Human Interactions3
F&W ECOL 401 Physiological Animal Ecology3
F&W ECOL 448 Disturbance Ecology3
F&W ECOL/​SURG SCI  548 Diseases of Wildlife3
F&W ECOL 550 Forest Ecology3
F&W ECOL 551 Forest Ecology Lab1
GEOG 538 The Humid Tropics: Ecology, Subsistence, and Development4
GEOSCI 110 Evolution and Extinction4

Climate

ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOSCI  102 Climate and Climate Change3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  171 Global Change: Atmospheric Issues and Problems2-3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG  322 Polar Regions and Their Importance in the Global Environment3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG  332 Global Warming: Science and Impacts3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN/​GEOG/​GEOSCI  335 Climatic Environments of the Past3
ENVIR ST 349 Climate Change Governance3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  355 Introduction to Air Quality3
ENVIR ST/​PHYSICS  472 Scientific Background to Global Environmental Problems3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  520 Bioclimatology3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  535 Atmospheric Dispersion and Air Pollution3
A A E 246 Climate Change Economics and Policy3
ATM OCN 100 Weather and Climate3
ATM OCN 101 Weather and Climate4
ATM OCN 425 Global Climate Processes3
ATM OCN 522 Tropical Meteorology3
CIV ENGR 525 Case Studies Exploring Infrastructure Sustainability and Climate Change3
ED POL 320 Climate Change, Sustainability, and Education3
GEOG/​GEOSCI  420 Glacial and Pleistocene Geology3
GEOG 523 Advanced Paleoecology: Species Responses to Past Environmental Change3
M E 466 Air Pollution Effects, Measurements and Control3
SOIL SCI 211 Soils and Climate Change2

Energy

ENVIR ST/​BSE  367 Renewable Energy Systems3
ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI  411 Energy Resources3
ENVIR ST/​ATM OCN  535 Atmospheric Dispersion and Air Pollution3
ENVIR ST/​A A E/​CIV ENGR/​URB R PL  561 Energy Markets3
ENVIR ST/​A A E/​ECON/​URB R PL  671 Energy Economics3
A A E/​ECON  371 Energy, Resources and Economics3
BSE 460 Biorefining: Energy and Products from Renewable Resources3
CIV ENGR/​G L E  535 Wind Energy Balance-of-Plant Design3
E C E 356 Electric Power Processing for Alternative Energy Systems3
M E 461 Thermal Systems Modeling3
M E 466 Air Pollution Effects, Measurements and Control3
PHYSICS 115 Energy and Climate3

Food and Agriculture

ENVIR ST/​AGROECOL/​AGRONOMY/​C&E SOC/​ENTOM  103 Agroecology: An Introduction to the Ecology of Food and Agriculture3
ENVIR ST 117 GreenHouse Roots Seminar1
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  309 People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems3
A A E/​C&E SOC/​SOC  340 Issues in Food Systems3-4
A A E/​AGRONOMY/​NUTR SCI  350 World Hunger and Malnutrition3
A A E/​AGRONOMY/​HORT/​PL PATH  367 Introduction to Organic Agriculture: Production, Markets, and Policy3
AGROECOL 303 Agroecological Systems: Working Towards Sustainability3
AGRONOMY 300 Cropping Systems3
AGRONOMY/​HORT  376 Tropical Horticultural Systems2
AGRONOMY 377 Global Food Production and Health3
C&E SOC/​SOC  222 Food, Culture, and Society3
C&E SOC/​SOC  650 Sociology of Agriculture3
CNSR SCI 360 Sustainable and Socially Just Consumption3
FOLKLORE 439 Foodways3
FOOD SCI 120 Science of Food3
HORT 370 World Vegetable Crops3
MED HIST/​PHILOS  344 Food Ethics3
NUTR SCI 132 Nutrition Today3
SOIL SCI 211 Soils and Climate Change2

Health

ENVIR ST/​ENTOM  205 Our Planet, Our Health3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI  213 Global Environmental Health: An Interdisciplinary Introduction3
ENVIR ST/​POP HLTH  471 Introduction to Environmental Health3
ENVIR ST/​POP HLTH  502 Air Pollution and Human Health3
A A E/​AGRONOMY/​NUTR SCI  350 World Hunger and Malnutrition3
AGRONOMY/​ENTOM/​F&W ECOL/​M&ENVTOX  632 Ecotoxicology: The Chemical Players1
AGRONOMY/​ENTOM/​F&W ECOL/​M&ENVTOX  633 Ecotoxicology: Impacts on Individuals1
AGRONOMY/​ENTOM/​F&W ECOL/​M&ENVTOX  634 Ecotoxicology: Impacts on Populations, Communities and Ecosystems1
C&E SOC/​POP HLTH  370 Introduction to Public Health3
CIV ENGR 422 Elements of Public Health Engineering3
CIV ENGR 423 Air Pollution Effects, Measurement and Control3
CIV ENGR/​M&ENVTOX/​SOIL SCI  631 Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects3
GEN&WS/​INTL ST  535 Women's Global Health and Human Rights3
HIST SCI/​MED HIST/​POP HLTH  553 International Health and Global Society3
M E 466 Air Pollution Effects, Measurements and Control3
SOIL SCI 430 Environmental Soil Contamination3

History, Culture, Society

ENVIR ST 112 Environmental Studies: Social Science Perspectives3
ENVIR ST 113 Environmental Studies: Environmental Humanities3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI/​HISTORY  125 Green Screen: Environmental Perspectives through Film3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  126 Principles of Environmental Science4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  139 Global Environmental Issues3
ENVIR ST/​ENGL  153 Literature and the Environment3
ENVIR ST/​GNS  210 Cultures of Sustainability: Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe3
ENVIR ST/​ART HIST/​GEOG/​HISTORY/​LAND ARC  239 Making the American Landscape3-4
ENVIR ST/​RELIG ST  270 The Environment: Religion & Ethics3-4
ENVIR ST/​ENGL  305 Rhetoric, Science, and Public Engagement3
ENVIR ST/​AMER IND  306 Indigenous Peoples and the Environment3
ENVIR ST 307 Literature of the Environment: Speaking for Nature3
ENVIR ST 308 Outdoors For All: Inequities in Environmentalism3
ENVIR ST 317 Community Environmental Scholars Program Seminar1
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  328 Environmental History of Europe3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  337 Nature, Power and Society3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339 Environmental Conservation4
ENVIR ST/​AMER IND  341 Indigenous Environmental Communicators3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI  353 History of Ecology3
ENVIR ST/​HIST SCI/​RELIG ST  356 Islam, Science & Technology, and the Environment3-4
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  369 Thinking through History with Animals3-4
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY/​LEGAL ST  430 Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives3
ENVIR ST/​PHILOS  441 Environmental Ethics3-4
ENVIR ST/​SPANISH  445 Culture and the Environment in the Luso-Hispanic World3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​HISTORY  460 American Environmental History4
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY  465 Global Environmental History3-4
ENVIR ST/​CLASSICS  488 Greeks, Romans and the Natural Environment3
ENVIR ST/​ENGL  533 Topic in Literature and the Environment3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  537 Culture and Environment4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  557 Development and Environment in Southeast Asia3
AMER IND/​HISTORY  190 Introduction to American Indian History3-4
AMER IND/​GEOG  410 Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges3
AMER IND/​LSC  444 Native American Environmental Issues and the Media3
ANTHRO 477 Anthropology, Environment, and Development3
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  672 Historical Ecology2
C&E SOC/​SOC  140 Introduction to Community and Environmental Sociology4
C&E SOC/​F&W ECOL/​SOC  248 Environment, Natural Resources, and Society3
CHICLA/​HISTORY  151 The North American West to 18503-4
CLASSICS 103 Nature, Race, and Human Difference3
ED POL 320 Climate Change, Sustainability, and Education3
F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  335 Human/Animal Relationships: Biological and Philosophical Issues3
LAND ARC 360 Earth Partnership Restoration Education: Indigenous Arts & Sciences1

Land Use

ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI  106 Environmental Geology3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  120 Introduction to the Earth System3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  127 Physical Systems of the Environment4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​SOIL SCI  230 Soil: Ecosystem and Resource3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  309 People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems3
ENVIR ST/​SOIL SCI  324 Soils and Environmental Quality3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  333 Green Urbanism3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  337 Nature, Power and Society3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339 Environmental Conservation4
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​GEOG  434 People, Wildlife and Landscapes3
ENVIR ST/​ECON/​POLI SCI/​URB R PL  449 Government and Natural Resources3-4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​HISTORY  460 American Environmental History4
ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL  515 Natural Resources Policy3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  537 Culture and Environment4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  557 Development and Environment in Southeast Asia3
ENVIR ST/​SOIL SCI  575 Assessment of Environmental Impact3
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC  581 Prescribed Fire: Ecology and Implementation3
ENVIR ST/​BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  651 Conservation Biology3
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC/​SOIL SCI  695 Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources3
A A E/​ECON/​REAL EST/​URB R PL  306 The Real Estate Process3
AMER IND/​LSC  444 Native American Environmental Issues and the Media3
BOTANY/​GEOG  338 Environmental Biogeography3
CNSR SCI 360 Sustainable and Socially Just Consumption3
ECON/​REAL EST/​URB R PL  420 Urban and Regional Economics3
F&W ECOL 410 Principles of Silviculture3
F&W ECOL/​SOIL SCI  451 Environmental Biogeochemistry3
GEOG/​URB R PL  305 Introduction to the City3-4
GEOG 344 Changing Landscapes of the American West3
GEOG/​URB R PL  505 Urban Spatial Patterns and Theories3
GEOG 538 The Humid Tropics: Ecology, Subsistence, and Development4
LAND ARC 106 3
LAND ARC 211 Shaping the Built Environment3
LAND ARC 311 Introduction to Design Frameworks and Spatial Technologies2
LAND ARC 373 Mindfulness in Restorative Environments3
LAND ARC 380 Plants for Ecological Design I2
LAND ARC 381 Plants for Ecological Design II1
LAND ARC/​URB R PL  463 Evolution of American Planning3
LAND ARC 511 Geodesign Methods and Applications3
LAND ARC 668 Restoration Ecology3
LAND ARC 677 Cultural Resource Preservation and Landscape History3
SOIL SCI 301 General Soil Science3
SOIL SCI 302 Meet Your Soil: Soil Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory1
SOIL SCI 430 Environmental Soil Contamination3
URB R PL 601 Site Planning3

Policy

ENVIR ST/​A A E  244 The Environment and the Global Economy4
ENVIR ST/​ENGL  305 Rhetoric, Science, and Public Engagement3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  309 People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  339 Environmental Conservation4
ENVIR ST/​A A E/​ECON  343 Environmental Economics3-4
ENVIR ST/​AMER IND/​GEOG  345 Caring for Nature in Native North America3
ENVIR ST 349 Climate Change Governance3
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​CURRIC  405 Education for Sustainable Communities3
ENVIR ST 417 Sustainability Science, Technology and Policy1
ENVIR ST/​HISTORY/​LEGAL ST  430 Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  439 US Environmental Policy and Regulation3-4
ENVIR ST/​ECON/​POLI SCI/​URB R PL  449 Government and Natural Resources3-4
ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL  515 Natural Resources Policy3
ENVIR ST/​PHILOS  523 Philosophical Problems of the Biological Sciences3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  534 Environmental Governance: Markets, States and Nature3
ENVIR ST/​C&E SOC/​SOC  540 Sociology of International Development, Environment, and Sustainability3
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  557 Development and Environment in Southeast Asia3
ENVIR ST 613 Reproducibility Crises and Open Science in Environmental Studies3
ENVIR ST/​URB R PL  668 Green Politics: Global Experience, American Prospects3
A A E/​INTL ST  373 Globalization, Poverty and Development3
A A E/​ECON  474 Economic Problems of Developing Areas3
A A E/​ECON/​F&W ECOL  531 Natural Resource Economics3
AMER IND/​LSC  444 Native American Environmental Issues and the Media3
C&E SOC/​SOC  541 Environmental Stewardship and Social Justice3
C&E SOC/​SOC  573 Community Organization and Change3
CIV ENGR 494 Civil and Environmental Engineering Decision Making3
CIV ENGR 522 Hazardous Waste Management3
CIV ENGR/​M&ENVTOX/​SOIL SCI  631 Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects3
ECON 370 Economics of Poverty and Inequality3
ECON/​SOC  663 Population and Society3
F&W ECOL 410 Principles of Silviculture3
M E 466 Air Pollution Effects, Measurements and Control3
M H R 310 Challenges & Solutions in Business Sustainability3
OTM 370 Sustainable Approaches to System Improvement3
POLI SCI 272 Introduction to Public Policy3-4
PUB AFFR 366 U.S. Environmental Politics and Public Policy3
R M I 650 Sustainability, Environmental and Social Risk Management2-3
REAL EST 651 Green - Sustainable Development3
URB R PL 215 Welcome to Your Urban Future3
URB R PL 551 Climate Action Planning: Sustainable Transportation3

Geospatial Analysis

ENVIR ST/​F&W ECOL/​G L E/​GEOG/​GEOSCI/​LAND ARC  371 Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing3
ENVIR ST/​CIV ENGR/​GEOG  377 An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems4
ENVIR ST/​CIV ENGR/​G L E/​GEOSCI  444 Practical Applications of GPS Surveying2
ENVIR ST/​GEOG/​LAND ARC/​URB R PL  532 Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Planning3
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC/​SOIL SCI  695 Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources3
GEOG 379 Geospatial Technologies: Drones, Sensors, and Applications3
GEOG/​URB R PL  505 Urban Spatial Patterns and Theories3
LAND ARC 311 Introduction to Design Frameworks and Spatial Technologies2
LAND ARC 511 Geodesign Methods and Applications3

Water

ENVIR ST/​ZOOLOGY  315 Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources2
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC  361 Wetlands Ecology3
ENVIR ST/​ZOOLOGY  510 Ecology of Fishes3
ENVIR ST/​ZOOLOGY  511 Ecology of Fishes Lab2
ATM OCN/​GEOSCI  105 Survey of Oceanography3-4
ATM OCN/​SOIL SCI  132 Earth's Water: Natural Science and Human Use3
BSE 473 Water Management Systems3
CIV ENGR 311 Hydroscience3
CIV ENGR 320 Environmental Engineering3
CIV ENGR 322 Environmental Engineering Processes3
G L E/​GEOSCI  627 Hydrogeology3-4
G L E/​GEOSCI  629 Contaminant Hydrogeology3
ZOOLOGY 316 Laboratory for Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources2-3

Multi-thematic

ENVIR ST/​SOIL SCI  101 Forum on the Environment1-2
ENVIR ST 202 Careers in the Environment2
ENVIR ST 203 Special Topics in Environmental Studies1-3
ENVIR ST/​ILS  255 Introduction to Sustainability Science4
ENVIR ST 326 Sustainability Tools: Systems Thinking & Life Cycle Assessment3
ENVIR ST 398 Independent Study: Sustainability Community Engagement1
ENVIR ST 400 Special Topics in the Environment: Biological Aspects of Envir St1-4
ENVIR ST 401 Special Topics: Environmental Perspectives in the Physical Sciences1-4
ENVIR ST 402 Special Topics: Social Perspectives in Environmental Studies1-4
ENVIR ST 403 Special Topics in Environmental Studies1-3
ENVIR ST 404 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities1-3
CIV ENGR/​G L E  421 Environmental Sustainability Engineering3

Beyond the Classroom Experience

The Beyond the Classroom experience in the Environmental Studies major can be met in one of the following ways:

  • A course from the list below. Courses used to meet the Beyond the Classroom experience requirement may also be used in other areas of the curriculum.
  • Participation in an environmental study abroad program where 50% or more of the contact hours are in an out-of-doors situation (see your advisor)
  • Participation in an environmental internship or similar experience where 50% or more of the contact hours are in an out-of-doors situation (field form summary must be submitted)

Beyond the Classroom experiences are expected to include one or more of the following: data gathering, reflective out of-classroom experience, practical application, performance/creation related to environment, outdoor experiences, community engagement/service. The Beyond the Classroom experience gives students practice in an outward-facing application of environmental studies and sustainability.

ENVIR ST/​ILS  126 Principles of Environmental Science4
ENVIR ST/​GEOG  127 Physical Systems of the Environment4
ENVIR ST/​ILS  255 Introduction to Sustainability Science4
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC  361 Wetlands Ecology3
ENVIR ST 375 Field Ecology Workshop3
ENVIR ST 398 Independent Study: Sustainability Community Engagement1
ENVIR ST/​CIV ENGR/​G L E/​GEOSCI  444 Practical Applications of GPS Surveying2
ENVIR ST/​ZOOLOGY  511 Ecology of Fishes Lab2
ENVIR ST/​LAND ARC  581 Prescribed Fire: Ecology and Implementation3
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL  402 Dendrology: Woody Plant Identification and Ecology3
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL  455 The Vegetation of Wisconsin4
BOTANY/​F&W ECOL/​ZOOLOGY  460 General Ecology4
F&W ECOL 551 Forest Ecology Lab1
LAND ARC 106 3
LAND ARC 360 Earth Partnership Restoration Education: Indigenous Arts & Sciences1
LAND ARC 363 Earth Partnership: Restoration Education for Equity and Resilience3
LAND ARC 373 Mindfulness in Restorative Environments3
LAND ARC 668 Restoration Ecology3
SOIL SCI 302 Meet Your Soil: Soil Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory1
ZOOLOGY 316 Laboratory for Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources2-3

Capstone requirement (3 Credits)

3 credits from:

A A E/​F&W ECOL  652 Decision Methods for Natural Resource Managers3
ENVIR ST/​SOIL SCI  575 Assessment of Environmental Impact3
ENVIR ST 600 Environmental Studies Capstone3

Residence & Quality of Work in the Major

  • 2.000 GPA in all ENVIR ST courses and courses in the major
  • 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in Residence.  Intermediate and Advanced level courses in the major are considered upper level.
  • 15 credits in ENVIR ST or in the major, taken on campus (at UW–Madison)

Honors in the Major

Honors in the Major is not available in Environmental Studies.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain the social and historical processes that impact current environments and sustainability issues. Interpret the meanings, values, and systems that are created, shaped, and revealed as humans interact with and modify the environments they inhabit.
  2. Explain systemic and 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 questions in environment and sustainability 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 and sustainability 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.

Sample Four-Year Plan

This Sample Four-Year Plan is a tool to assist students and their advisor(s). Students should use it—along with their DARS report, the Degree Planner, and Course Search & Enroll tools—to make their own four-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests. As students become involved in athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, volunteer experiences, and/or work, they might adjust the order of their courses to accommodate these experiences. Students will likely revise their own four-year plan several times during college.

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Coordinate major course3Coordinate major course3
Quantitative Reasoning A3ENVIR ST Foundation course (e.g. ENVIR ST 126)3
Foreign Language4Communication A (complete during your first year)3
ENVIR ST Foundation course (e.g. ENVIR ST 112)3-4Foreign Language/Elective4
 Elective3
 14 16
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Quantitative Reasoning B3-5Communication B4
ENVIR ST 306 (counts for Ethnic Studies)3INTER-LS 210: Taking Initiative2
ENVIR ST Breadth3-4ENVIR ST Breadth3
Coordinate major course3-4Coordinate major course3
 Elective3
 15 15
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Coordinate major course3Coordinate major course3
ENVIR ST theme3-4Coordinate major course3
ENVIR ST theme3-4ENVIR ST theme3-4
L&S Breadth/Elective3ENVIR ST theme3-4
L&S Breadth/Elective3L&S Breadth/Elective3
 15 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Coordinate major course3Coordinate major course3
Coordinate major course3ENVIR ST Capstone or remaining theme3-4
ENVIR ST Capstone or remaining theme3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
 15 15
Total Credits 120

Advising and Careers

The environmental studies major offers unique opportunities for undergraduate students to broaden their studies through interdisciplinary coursework related to the environment.  See undergraduate advising for more information about declaring the major or certificate.

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

We encourage our majors to begin working on their career exploration and preparation soon after arriving on campus. We partner with SuccessWorks to help you leverage the academic skills learned in your major and liberal arts degree, explore and try out different career paths, participate in internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and network with professionals in the field (alumni and employers).

Letters & Science graduates are in high demand by employers and graduate programs. It is important to us that our students are career ready at the time of graduation, and we are committed to your success.

L&S Career Resources

Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities.  SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.

In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.

Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.