Minor Track FAQ's

Sustainable Energy and Sustainability are tracks of the environmental studies minor. Please note that whichever track you choose, your transcript will say "Environmental Studies Minor". To complete a specific track, students may choose courses focused on energy/sustainability and on knowledge and experience needed to address energy or sustainability challenges. Overall, the Sustainable Energy or Sustainability track will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to understand diverse perspectives on energy/sustainability challenges and to tackle real-world energy/sustainability problems in our communities and the world at large.

Click here to go to the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society. The Institute is a resource for both undergraduate and graduate students, providing opportunities to study the intersection of energy and society comprehensively, from the perspective of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering.  IIES will help train the next generation of leaders who will seek solutions to the challenges posed by the world's energy needs.

Most courses applicable to the Sustainable Energy or Sustainability minor do not have prerequisites. Of those with prerequisites, most are basic introductory courses that a number of students complete for various majors in their first year. Only a few courses require upper level courses as prerequisites and the minor can be completed without taking these particular courses.

The environmental studies major cannot be modified due to its interdisciplinary nature. However, environmental studies majors can declare "sustainable energy" or "sustainability" as their elective focus by choosing courses focusing on these concepts in the major.  See Environmental Studies Major Worksheet.

Non-ENVS majors can modify their major with ENVS and can focus on "sustainable energy" or "sustainability" by taking three elective courses focused on teaching sustainability concepts, one of which can be from outside the ENVS program. (See Other Major Modified with ENVS worksheet).

To declare an ENVS major, minor, or other major modified with ENVS, please email Kim Wind to get started.

No one course can be used to satisfy multiple majors and/or minors in any department at the College. A course that is being counted towards fulfilling a requirement of the Sustainable Energy or Sustainability minor cannot be counted towards filling the requirements of any other major or minor.