Minor in Climate Change
About the Minor
Climate change is one of the most serious challenges of our lifetime, and in the coming decades will impact every aspect of our lives and careers. Even though actions are being taken to reduce global emissions, today’s students will live through a period of rapid climate change that is without precedent in human history.
This minor in climate change will provide an overview of the Earth’s climate system and the science of climate change, as well as how to understand, mitigate, and adapt to its potential impacts from varied disciplinary perspectives. In addition to coursework, there is a praxis requirement for the minor, which could be fulfilled through an independent research, design, or engagement project, participation as an observer at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties meeting, developing a climate action plan for a local municipality, or partaking in a community-based learning course related to the impacts of climate change. There is no unit requirement associated with this praxis requirement.
Program Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 24.0 credits of coursework. Coursework must include one of three core courses that introduce students to the physical science basis of the earth’s climate system and climate change, three courses from the natural sciences and engineering tracking, and three courses from the social sciences, humanities, and entrepreneurial track. Coursework that is undertaken to fulfill the praxis requirement (such as a CBL or research credits) count towards unit requirements under the appropriate track. Please note, some of these courses have prerequisites or are not offered every year. Students should coordinate their plan of study in coordination with the minor advisor. Additional courses may be used to fulfill the unit requirement with approval, such as coursework with a significant environmental and/or climate change component, courses taken abroad, special topics courses, and synonymous cross-listed or graduate sections.
| Core Course | ||
| Select one of the following courses: | 3.0 | |
| Earth Systems Processes | ||
| The Science of Climate Change | ||
| Weather I: Climate and Global Change | ||
| Social Science and Humanities Courses | ||
| Select 12.0 credits from the list below: | 12.0 | |
| Resource and Environmental Economics | ||
| Cities and Sustainability | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Introduction to Identities and Communities | ||
| The History of Climate Change | ||
| Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Logistics | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Environmental Philosophy | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Political Economy of Climate Change | ||
| Cities and Climate Change | ||
| Science, Technology, & Public Policy | ||
| Sociology of the Environment | ||
| Global Climate Change and Society | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Sociology of Disasters | ||
| Introduction to Power and Resistance | ||
| Natural Science, Engineering and Design Courses | ||
| Select 9.0 credits from the list below: | 9.0 | |
| Solutions to Climate Change | ||
| Fundamentals of Solar Cells | ||
| Introduction to Renewable Energy | ||
| Solar Energy Engineering | ||
| Renewable Energy Systems | ||
| Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| An Entrepreneur's Introduction to Land: Its Essence, Ethics, and Opportunity | ||
| 3BL - Triple Bottom Line | ||
| Energy Entrepreneurship | ||
| Global Warming, Biodiversity and Your Future | ||
| Energy and the Environment: Iceland | ||
| Natural Disasters | ||
| Introduction to Oceanography | ||
| Solar Energy Fundamentals | ||
| Adapting to a Hotter Climate: Protecting Health of Vulnerable Populations | ||
| Total Credits | 24.0 | |
Additional Information
Please contact Dr. Andrew Frederick Smith at afs52@drexel.edu.