Carnegie Mellon University
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The major in Environmental Policy (which is only offered as an additional major) focuses attention on the interaction of humans with the environment from a multitude of perspectives. Human activities have had and continue to have large-scale and long-term consequences for environmental quality. Environmental quality relates to the quality of our daily lives, to our physical health, and to the future vitality and even survival of human society. The Additional Major in Environmental Policy is designed to provide students with the interdisciplinary background and skills necessary to understand environmental issues. It emphasizes three general areas: (1) humanities and the arts; (2) social sciences; and (3) natural science and technology . The humanities emphasis concerns the ethical, legal, and historical basis of environmental concerns as well as their aesthetic manifestations. The social science area concentrates on the economic and political nature of environmental problems and possible policy options and responses. The natural science and technology focus includes the exploration of ecology as well as the role of technology as both problem creator and problem solver.

Undergraduate- level degree programs: Architecture BXA Intercollege Degree Programs Civil and Environmental Engineering Scholars in Humanities and Sciences Program Information on all undergraduate majors can be found in the University course catalog: http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/previous/1213_catalog.pdf

The primary mission of the environmental sciences minor is to prepare students in the Mellon College of Science for careers or postgraduate education in the diverse fields of environmental science. We feel strongly that these endeavors must be grounded in strong fundamental science; consequently, the program extends majors in the Mellon College of Science. We also award minors to students from other colleges, provided that they can build a course of study with sufficient scientific rigor to meet the standards of the program. As a capstone program, the minor is built around advanced courses that extend as well as broaden the specialized education associated with the major programs. Environmental sciences are highly interdisciplinary in nature, and while it is necessary that students have an exposure to introductory courses in several of these disciplines, it is by no means sufficient; in-depth knowledge is required. We encourage all students to pursue generally broad studies, including subjects that encompass human interactions with the environment, and will provide guidance to all students interested in the area. We encourage those students who intend to devote focused attention to environmental sciences to pursue this minor. Environmental Sciences are broadly defined as pursuits designed to develop fundamental understanding of the natural environment and human interactions with the environment. Research problems are frequently motivated by perceived problems (air, water and soil pollution, reduction in biodiversity, global climate change, etc...), but inevitably extend to the fundamental mechanisms underlying these phenomena. Research can be highly specialized (focusing for example on the biochemistry of a particular enzyme or the synthesis of a particular catalyst) or highly general (focusing for example on the complex, nonlinear interactions of populations on complex ecosystems). Our program is designed to ensure that students of the field are conversant with questions on all of these scales, from the microscopic to the global.

Human activities can have large-scale and long-term consequences for environmental quality. The thoughtful analysis of these consequences is required if we desire a sustainable society. The minor in Environmental Studies is designed to provide students with the interdisciplinary background and skills necessary to understand environmental issues. It emphasizes three general areas: humanities, social sciences, and technology and natural science. The humanities emphasis concerns the ethical, legal, and historical basis of environmental concerns. The social science area concentrates on the economic and political nature of environmental problems. The technology and natural science focus includes the exploration of the biological, chemical, and physical nature of the environment and the role of technology in both problem creation and problem solution.

reen practices and responsible environmental stewardship will enable sustainable growth and a healthy environment. EESS education and research at Carnegie Mellon involves interdisciplinary inquiry that spans engineering, science, social sciences, and policy. Through courses and research in air quality, water quality, remediation, industrial ecology, sustainable engineering, energy, and nanotechnology, EESS is forward looking and aims to provide skills, analysis tools, and technologies to meet environmental stewardship and sustainability challenges of the 21st Century.

Minor in Science, Technology and Society Minor in Architecture Minor in Building Science and Design Information about all undergraduate minors and majors can be found in the course catalog: http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/previous/1213_catalog.pdf