The greatest challenge for the coming century is the transition to a sustainable society for human activities and aspirations that does not threaten the ecological systems that support it.
Education is of crucial importance in achieving a balance between ecology and humanity.
Citizens who want a voice in determining the fate of the planet require knowledge and experience in a wide variety of disciplines since this quest raises fundamental questions about human values, lifestyles and our place in nature. Environmental studies takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions with the natural environment. It integrates the different perspectives of the humanities, social sciences, biological sciences, and physical sciences and applies these perspectives to pressing environmental concerns. Because environmental problems and potential solutions do not stop at disciplinary boundaries, the environmental studies minor draws from a wide range of academic disciplines to allow students to study the linkage between disciplines too often kept separate. Natural Sciences Students wishing to pursue a minor in environmental studies must have a firm grasp of the process of science and the interpretation and presentation of scientific data.