BS Earth Science and Policy

Global climate change and environmental change on a more local scale present major challenges for our future. The solution to these problems requires people with a solid scientific understanding of natural earth/environmental systems, and also an understanding of  the  social, economic, and  political dimensions of  these problems. This major is intended to bridge the gap between the physical, natural sciences (the Earth sciences) and the social sciences, with the understanding that intelligent, effective solutions to environmental problems will require people who grasp the scientific and social dimensions of environmental problems. This major is intended to produce graduates who not only grasp these problems, but who can also apply a wide array of quantitative tools and fundamental principles to generate practical solutions.