Furman University
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Furman maintains general education requirements for all undergraduate students in order to graduate. Through the General Education Requirements, the university requires all students to complete a set of courses designed to: - Invigorate and stimulate intellectual curiosity - Broadly prepare students in a diverse set of disciplines, including the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and the fine arts - Encourage intellectual inquiry in sufficient depth to allow one to contribute to a greater body of knowledge - Develop expressive capabilities in writing, speaking, and the arts - Cultivate world citizenship—an understanding of those not like oneself - Integrate knowledge into a meaningful synthesis All undergraduate students must fulfill a "Humans and the Natural Environment" requirement (courses listed as NE). The description of this requirement is as follows: Humans are affecting the dynamics of the planet; they are changing the composition of the atmosphere, the currents in the oceans, and the productivity of natural ecosystems. Because modern societies require more energy, food, and materials than ever before, we are increasingly dependent on stable, productive, and sustainable natural systems. Ironically, our societies are becoming increasingly urban and increasingly insulated from nature just as these ineluctable dependencies are becoming increasingly important. In order to foster an appreciation for these dependencies, courses will emphasize some aspect of the interactive relationships between humans and the natural environment.

Furman offers: B.S. in Sustainability Science - The Sustainability Science major focuses on the critical linkages between global environmental, human, and social systems and emphasizes complex systems analysis focusing on understanding sustainability related problems and assessing potential solutions. B.S. or B.A. in Earth and Environmental Science- How do we achieve an environmentally safe and socially just space for humanity in a world of increasingly limited natural resources?​​ That is the quintessential challenge of the 21st century, and lies at the heart of Furman’s Department of Earth and Environmental Science​s. Our department takes a holistic, systems-based approach to seek solutions to this challenge and examines the full range of geological, environmental, and sustainability issues.