BA in Environmental Studies

What can you do to protect the world?s natural resources? Are you concerned about reducing your carbon footprint? How will climate change affect your future? What role do our values play in setting environmental policy? If you?re passionate about questions like these, look into Iona?s Environmental Studies program. We will prepare you to tackle the most critical issues of our time by developing an integrated and comprehensive understanding of the ?Living Earth.? As a student in the Environmental Studies program, you?ll participate in local and international fieldwork, environmental justice, political advocacy, campus and community-wide discussions and valuable internships. You?ll learn to use the tools required to evaluate humankind?s impact on the environment, to assess and plan for its care and protection, and to move the world forward to a more sustainable future. Interdisciplinary by nature The Environmental Studies major is supported by three primary departments, offering these concentrations: Biology ? with an emphasis on ecological and environmental literacy Political Science ? Understand the process of politics and policymaking and their effects on competing multiple interests Religious Studies ? explore how your own faith and religions around the world can impact sustainability efforts and equal access to resources Upon completion of the Environmental Studies major, students will be able to: SLO 1: Understand and critique key concepts and methodologies from environmental science, policy, and religious studies as they appear in mass media, public policy, theory and/or empirical scholarship. SLO 2: Understand and evaluate the scientific, political, economic, social, cultural and/or ethical variables that contribute to environmental degradation and to engage in critical examination and purposeful response toward resolving environmental problems. SLO 3: Demonstrate written and verbal communication skills. SLO 4: Demonstrate research skills geared toward understand the relationship between academic environmental studies research and application in the field. Opportunities exist for additional and related study in a variety of departments about Environmental issues, including but not limited to: Biochemistry, Chemistry, Economics, History, Philosophy, and Sociology Goals of the individual concentrations will vary with student interest, but the primary competencies of each area will include: Development of oral, written, and critical research skills Gain and advance the perspective needed to address environmental challenges from a variety of positions Enhance and improve the opportunity for practical application of the skills learned in and out of the classroom Careers with environmental impact Those who understand the scientific, political, economic, social, cultural and ethical variables that contribute to environmental problems are in a position to make a positive impact in many different ways, as advocates, educators, policymakers and sustainability experts. Careers in the field of Environmental Studies include: Compliance Officers, Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability Manager, (corporate), Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Sustainability Manager (corporate, municipalities), Sustainability Planner (university/college, corporate, municipalities, state), Sustainability Supervisor (corporate).