Curriculum

Concentrations

  • Earth Science: Mineralogy/petrology, structural geology, hydrology, and soils related courses meld to provide an understanding of earth processes with an environmental emphasis. All students are required to take core lab courses, but may tailor additional courses to emphasize soils, mineral processing, economic geology, and/or hydrology and water quality. Students seeking teacher licensure must fulfill all requirements for the Earth Science concentration, as well as other requirements in the education department.
  • Ecology and Environmental Biology: Forest and wetland ecology, freshwater biology, and wildlife management are just a few of the areas that may be explored, depending on the student’s professional interests. Students may choose from a variety of advanced environmental science, ecology, botany, and zoology courses.

Environmental Management and Policy: This concentration’s interdisciplinary curriculum provides students with a solid understanding of the scientific, economic, political, and social complexities of contemporary environmental management challenges. As well, students learn about the tools for evaluating and carrying out management strategies. The goal of the concentration is to provide students with the broad education and experience necessary for careers in natural resource and environmental management. List of classes for 6 hours on environmental management and policy-relevant coursework:Recommended courses:

o   ECON 242 – Economics of Food
o   ECON 245 – Land Economics

o   ECON 339 – Environmental and Natural Resource Economics and Policy
o   MGMT 230 – Organizational Behavior and Theory
o   MGMT 300 – Legal and Ethical Environment
o   POLS 235 – Introduction to Law
o   POLS 327 – Constitutional Law
o   POLS 354 – Environmental Politics

  • Other courses:

o   ECON 314 – Economic Growth and Development
o   ENVR 326 [ATMS 326] – Air Pollution Formation and Impacts
o   MGMT 388 – Strategies for Leading Change
o   MGMT 423 – Seminar in Public Management and Leadership
o   MGMT 424 – Seminar in Organizational Power and Politics
o   POLS 220 – Introduction to American Politics
o   POLS 281 – Principles of International Relations
o   POLS 333 – United States Courts and Public Policy
o   POLS 336 – Money in Politics in the United States
o   POLS 351 – Public Policy and Administration
o   POLS 383 – International Political Economy
o   POLS 387 – International Organizations
o   POLS 389 – International Law
o   SOC 387 – Gender, Globalization, and Development
o   Or other approved by advisor

  • Individualized: This concentration provides the opportunity for design of a curriculum unavailable in the concentrations above. Like all majors, students complete the core courses in environmental studies but specialized courses are tailored to a common theme through consultation between the student and department chairperson. Examples of individualized options completed include environmental education, environmental planning, environmental journalism, and human ecology.

Declaration of Major or Minor

Students can declare their major or minor online.

Students may minor in environmental studies by completing 19 hours of specified courses.

Course Requirements

Review the course requirements in the UNC Asheville Course Catalog for each of the environmental studies concentrations and environmental studies minor.