Academics

Academics

Environmental Studies Major

Environmental Studies majors are trained in interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the relationships between humans and the environment. Students orient their studies around one of three areas of emphasis: 

• Natural Sciences
• Social Sciences
• Arts & Humanities

The Environmental Studies department also offers an Environmental Studies concentration that can be integrated with any major on campus. Students pursuing a concentration may combine environment-focused upper-level courses within their own discipline with a set of courses focused on the environment, including two integrative courses in the Environmental Studies department. 

Academic Civic Engagement Classes

Academic civic engagement (ACE) is applying classroom learning within a community context for the common good. Often, this work entails close collaboration with local and global community partners.

Many St. Olaf courses with an environmental studies focus include an ACE component. For instance, Environmental Studies 237, which is required for both majors and concentrators, always includes a community engagement project. 

Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (CURI)  

The CURI program provides opportunities for St. Olaf students from all academic disciplines to gain an in-depth understanding of a particular subject through working closely with a St. Olaf faculty member in a research framework. These research collaborations take place during both the summer and the academic year. The CURI program also provides funding for students to disseminate their research to a wider audience by presenting at conferences or in other appropriate venues. Many CURI research projects are related to issues of sustainability.