Botany, Biology, Geology, and Geography address foundations in plant and animal biology, community and population ecology, biogeography, cultural uses of plants, major land, water, and atmospheric processes, and the effects of human activities and population growth. Students can choose concentrations in Environmental Geology, Environmental Biology, and Environmental Chemistry. Recently an interdisciplinary Environmental Science major was established through cooperation among the departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Geology. College of Engineering and Mathematics The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers an environmental curriculum option integrating biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Students study a broad spectrum of environmental topicsfluid flow, solid properties, characteristics and behavior of water, wastewater, air, solid wastes and hazardous wastesand develop skills in addressing pollution problems.
Seniors participate in a comprehensive design project related to the environment.
The home of the original land grant college, CALS carries on the mission of teaching responsible stewardship principles for lands and waters. Students, staff, and faculty in the departments of Animal Sciences, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Nutrition and Food Sciences engage in environmentally related teaching, research, and outreach. Experiential education is central to these programs. The Center for Sustainable Agriculture sets up student internships, applying ecologically-based agricultural theory and practice. The college teaches about the complexities of managing agroecosystems for social, economic, and ecological health as well as for human safety, productivity, and well-being.