Climate Studies (BS)

This program is highly interdisciplinary and designed to address the increasing interest in dealing with the problem of climate change. Students will gain a foundation in climate science, technical and communication skills, and have high flexibility in following one or more interdisciplinary focus areas (in art, business, communication, public policy, geographic information systems and mapping, or go deeper into a variety of science possibilities). The problem of climate change goes well beyond basic science and in order to appropriately solve current and future problems caused by its effects, a highly interdisciplinary approach and experts with many different types of skills are needed. A wide variety of these areas of expertise exist at Plymouth State and this program uses them to prepare professionals that can address one or more of the many needs related to studying, educating people about, planning for, regulating, adapting to, and dealing with climate change and its many effects, by building on the students’ own interests and skills.

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Students can go deep into one or two interdisciplinary focus areas or sample from various disciplines as long as they take at least three low level courses and five upper level courses. Students must keep in mind when planning their courses, that many of them have prerequisites (included in the required or optional courses). Students can take more than the minimum number of courses to follow their interests using their free electives and/or consider appropriate minors or certificates or a second major that might also use some of these courses.

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Besides fulfilling the Interdisciplinary Focus requirement, the courses below can be used to aid in completing one or more minors or certificates. Possible minors of interest: Anthropology/Sociology, Applied Ethics, Art, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Computing, Digital Media Design and Development, Economics, Expository Writing, Geography, Graphic Design, Marketing, Mathematics, Media Studies, Peace & Social Justice, Political Science, Professional Communication, and Sustainability. Possible certificates of interest: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Transformative Innovation & Design entrepreneurship (TIDE).

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Students with previous experience in a language must take a placement exam to determine the appropriate level course in which they should register. Otherwise students can start with the Spanish (SP 1011) or French (FR 1011) Language and Culture Studies I course. We recommend that those interested in taking a foreign language as a communication focus area choose to take more courses in the same language with the ultimate goal of effective communication in such language.

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Directions should total 20 credits (unless the major has a waiver for a specific Direction).

Check all course descriptions for prerequisites before planning course schedule. Course sequence is suggested but not required.

To complete the bachelor’s degree in 4 years, you must successfully complete a minimum of 15 credits each semester or have a plan to make up credits over the course of the 4 years.  For example, if you take 14 credits one semester, you need to take 16 credits in another semester.  Credits completed must count toward your program requirements (major, option, minor, certificate, general education or free electives)

• Knowledge and applications of climate science
• Earth’s systems and the role of climate within these systems
• Historical, current and predicted future status of Earth’s climate
• Methods of climate research, research design, data collection, and data handling

• Effects, hazards, consequences within and between science and social disciplines and societal sectors

• Technical oral and written communication of climate information
• Public oral and written communication of climate information

• Use and assessment of climate-related information
• Promotion and practice of science-based decision-making

• Application of climate and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to an appropriate capstone project

The career possibilities are many, and include the fields of climate communication/public education, emergency management, conservation, public policy, science journalism, formal education, planning, and a variety of different types of private industry and government jobs working in the various aspects of the climate problem.

There are likely future career possibilities that we cannot foresee at the moment, and because of that, graduating students with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, who can adapt and learn new tools and follow new paths, is of great importance.