In the Environmental Studies Department at UC Santa Cruz, we see environmental problems as human problems, with societal causes, impacts, and solutions.
We use methods spanning the natural and social sciences to deliver collaborative, solutions-focused insights on food systems, conservation, sustainability, climate change issues, and environmental justice.
Academics
Undergraduate
Environmental Studies majors
We offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies with three optional concentration areas for students to develop specialized skills for more just and sustainable environmental management. We also offer two combined degrees that focus on interconnections with economics and biology. These are screening majors. Upper-level course options accommodate research, study abroad, and our many experiential learning opportunities.
Undergraduate
Agroecology major
A Bachelor of Arts degree in Agroecology prepares students to lead change in the food system by applying ecological concepts to the development of sustainable and just agricultural systems. Through hands-on experiences, students gain skills in research, fieldwork, production, and communication. Curriculum also emphasizes building understanding of the social, political, and economic aspects of agriculture. This is a screening major.
Graduate
M.A. in GIS
The Master of Arts degree in Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Technologies, Applications, and Research (GISTAR) is designed to meet growing regional demand for geospatial expertise. Housed in the Environmental Studies Department and taught by a large group of interdisciplinary faculty across campus, the program emphasizes emerging technologies, from drones and AI to Earth Engine.
Graduate
Doctoral degree and designated emphasis
Our doctoral program in Environmental Studies integrates ecology and social science and supports students in developing research with real-world applications for environmental problems. Students are admitted under a faculty sponsor, and academic and research goals are highly individualized to each student. We also offer a designated emphasis that enables graduate students from other departments to gain perspective from environmental studies.
Faculty
Our faculty are dedicated to innovative interdisciplinary environmental problem-solving through teaching and scholarship that is both influential and effective.
The disciplinary backgrounds of our faculty range from ecology to ecosystem science, sociology, anthropology, politics, geography, economics, planning, policy, and history. This mix of perspectives lends our department the open mindedness, literacy across disciplines, and commitment to collaboration that we believe is necessary to solve complex environmental problems.
Research
Research in the Environmental Studies Department tackles environmental challenges at every scale, from local to global.
From the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Amazon Rainforest, the coral reefs of the Central Pacific Ocean, the African Savanna, and beyond, we push forward innovative scholarship that promotes systemic change in our environment, institutions, and social relationships. Students at all levels immerse themselves in research alongside faculty members and through our many affiliated research centers and initiatives.
Department updates
Environmental Studies campus news
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