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SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
BS Science - Environmental Studies Option
Learning Objectives and Assessment Plan
Educational Objectives:
The Environmental Studies Option is geared toward students whose interests and skills in science are more cross-disciplinary than those students who pursue traditional majors in biology, chemistry, computer science, math or physics. The educational objectives of the Option are to produce high-caliber graduates:
- who are well versed in a broad range of topics in the sciences, business, humanities, and the arts and have strong technical knowledge in the environmental sciences.
- who are prepared to further their education in graduate school and/or directly pursue productive professional careers in the private, state, federal, educational, or environmental-advocacy sectors.
- who can demonstrate possession and application of higher-level learning skills in critical thinking and problem solving as applied to environmental issues.
- who can utilize field observation, analysis, and synthesis skills to document, explain, and predict environmental processes.
- who can utilize the cross-disciplinary research literature to analyze and synthesize environmental issues and their socio-economic and political implications.
- who in their future careers will be able to work both on cross-disciplinary teams and function independently as environmental specialists.
Educational Outcomes:
Graduates of the program are expected to demonstrate:
- a strong ability to apply knowledge in the sciences, the humanities & social sciences, the arts, and political sciences to explore and understand environmental processes and issues.
- an aptitude for designing, conducting, and communicating the results of literature-based research on environmental topics.
- well-developed skills in field-based analysis and research acquired through field course, internship, undergraduate research, or study-abroad experiences.
- skill at working productively as individuals and in cross-disciplinary teams.
- skill at effectively communicating environmental concepts and issues to diverse audiences.
- application of Geographic Information Systems to geospatial description and analysis in environmental research.
- a comprehensive understanding of major environmental issues facing global society today.
- an ability to understand and use selected techniques and analytical/survey tools in the practice of environmental science.