About the Department
As a department, we are committed to examining, understanding, and addressing environmental challenges from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Environmental Studies integrates multiple disciplines across the biophysical and social sciences and humanities, from ecology and conservation biology to sociology and environmental history. We embrace epistemic diversity, seeking to learn from local communities, social movements, civil society organizations, and Indigenous communities. This interdisciplinarity influences the ways we think about the causes of and solutions to complex, contemporary environmental issues. Crucial to this approach is a recognition that degradation of our planet and social injustice are intricately intertwined.
Our faculty undertake environmental scholarship across diverse social, natural, and human-managed systems and built environments. Interdisciplinarity is also central to our curriculum. Our course offerings and internships are designed to emphasize experiential learning and enhance practical environmental problem solving skills in order to enable our students to more effectively address the environmental challenges of the 21st century.
Specific areas of strength include:
- Agroecology and sustainable food systems
- Conservation and restoration
- Environmental justice
- Geographic information system (GIS) and spatial analysis tools
- Global change (including climate change)
- Human geography
- Natural history
- Political ecology
- Science and technology studies
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
The Environmental Studies Department is working to cultivate an atmosphere of inclusion, grow the cultural competency of the department, better understand and correct systems of exclusion, and foster a space where a diversity of ideas, values, cultures, and perspectives are welcomed and respected. Read more about our equity-centered activities, publications, and initiatives on our DEI page.
Support Environmental Studies
We depend on private donations to fund the vital work happening in the Environmental Studies Department. If you share our passion for the planet and environmental justice, please help us provide outstanding learning opportunities for students and develop research outcomes that truly make a difference.
Alumni success stories
Caitlin Slay: Supporting successful organic certification programs
Caitlin Slay graduated in 2011 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a concentration in agroecology. After a few years working as a researcher and intern with UCSC’s Center For Agroecology and the Environmental Studies Department, she went on to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and California Certified Organic Farmers.
Jodi McGraw: Expert ecologist and conservationist
Environmental studies and biology double major Jodi McGraw leads her own consulting firm, dedicated to conservation planning, habitat restoration, ecological research, GIS spatial analysis, and cartography. Now, she mentors interns from UCSC who are interested in pursuing a career in these fields.
James Dawes: Founder of a sustainable contracting and remodeling business
Dawes is the founder of PlaceMakers, a contracting company in San Carlos, California that focuses on reducing waste and salvaging materials during demolition and construction processes. The classes Dawes took in environmental studies inspired him to re-imagine how resources are used in the building trade and to create a more sustainable future.
More alumni stories
More student stories
Are you one of our alumni? If so, we’d love to stay in touch. Be sure to update your contact and employment information with the campus, so that we can celebrate your successes and keep you in the loop on opportunities. You can also follow the Economics Department on social media at the links on the bottom of this page.
Environmental Studies Department by the numbers
$15.3m
in grant funding to support our research in the past five years
23
core faculty members working across four research areas
69%
of undergraduates participate in for-credit internships or field study
1 in 4
undergraduates have academic experiences with an international/global focus
94%
of Ph.D. candidates reported excellent abilities to design and conduct their own research projects
1 in 3
undergraduates volunteer or perform community service