North Science Building 160
(213) 740-7770
FAX: 740-8566
E-mail: environ@rcf.usc.eduDirector: Sheldon Kamieniecki, Ph.D.*
Associate Director: Donal Manahan, Ph.D.*
*Recipient of university-wide or school teaching award.
The Environmental Studies Program offers students a range of options for studies related to the environment. Available degree programs in Environmental Studies include a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, and minors in social sciences, natural sciences and environmental planning and development. A Master of Arts degree in environmental studies is also awarded. The Bachelor of Arts program emphasizes studies in the societal aspects of environmental issues, along with a core set of courses in the basic sciences. This option emphasizes studies in the general social sciences, and includes areas of emphasis in business, geography, and public policy and management. The Bachelor of Science program contains areas of emphasis in biology, chemistry or earth sciences, together with a core set of courses in the social sciences. Students can also pursue a general social sciences track. The three minor degree programs provide students with primary interests in other majors an opportunity to incorporate an environmental theme into their undergraduate studies. All programs are highly interdisciplinary with faculty and courses drawn from many departments in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the Marshall School of Business, the School of Public Administration, School of Engineering and the School of Urban Planing and Development. A special effort is made to provide students with experience in dealing with actual environmental problems and policies through senior seminars, directed research projects with faculty, internships with government agencies and private corporations, the Santa Catalina Island semester and the School for Field Studies programs abroad.
The Master of Arts degree program in environmental studies is also interdisciplinary and focuses on public policy and its related facets. Those who graduate with an M.A. in environmental studies are well prepared to pursue careers in policy, planning or management in the public, private or nonprofit sector in either this country or abroad. In addition, the curriculum provides students with a foundation for acquiring a Ph.D. in environmental studies or a related field, or a law degree. Individuals who are already employed in the pollution control and remediation field will find the M.A. degree attractive as well. Upon completion of the graduate program, students will possess extensive knowledge of environmental science, environmental statistics and economics, law and regulation, policy and planning, development and economic growth, and global issues and problems.
Green Leaf Honors Society
The Environmental Studies Program at the University of Southern California is the home of Green Leaf, a national honors society that recognizes and rewards the brightest students throughout the country who are studying some aspect of the natural environment as undergraduates in college. A number of prominent environmental scientists and social scientists comprise a National Advisory Board. Undergraduate seniors who have an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher and are majoring in a field directly related to the natural environment may apply for admission to Green Leaf. Juniors who have an overall GPA of 3.75 or higher and are majoring in a discipline related to the natural environment are also invited to apply. In addition to completing an application for admission, students must submit an official copy of their transcripts, three letters of recommendation from faculty, and a short essay (between two and three pages long) explaining their future goals. In order to be accepted, students must not only meet the minimum GPA for their class level, but they also must have strong letters of recommendation and be able to express their future plans clearly in writing. Students who are accepted receive a pin (a green leaf), a certificate acknowledging their achievement, and an annual newsletter covering important issues, future educational options, and career opportunities. Applications for Green Leaf can be obtained from the Environmental Studies Program office.
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