Environmental Studies (Minor)
Program Description
The multidisciplinary minor in Environmental Studies affords an outstanding opportunity for making connections among fundamental scientific and engineering concepts, economic and sociological forces, and literary and artistic endeavors. This inherently interdisciplinary subject intimately connects to our existence and is especially relevant in Abu Dhabi, which has made a significant commitment to environmental sustainability. The minor is designed to integrate fundamental science and mathematics with economics and the arts to provide an understanding of the Earth system and the current and future challenges imposed on it as the human population grows.
The curriculum emphasizes both quantitative reasoning and descriptive analyses in courses that emphasize science, economics, social concerns, the humanities and arts to identify, explore, and solve fundamental problems of environmental concern. Whenever possible, the courses utilize the local environment as a natural laboratory for field trips and consider relevant local phenomena and issues.
The multidisciplinary minor in Environmental Studies requires four courses. In order to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of environmental concerns, students must take at least one course in each of the following areas: Environmental Science; Environmental Policy; and Environment, Culture, and Society. The minor in Environmental Studies is designed for students with broad disciplinary backgrounds.