Faculty develop new climate studies minor
The environmental studies department is developing a proposal to create a new climate studies minor that is focused on the science, policy and solutions of climate change. The department hopes to implement the minor into the curriculum by the spring of 2023.
As the effects of climate change threaten millions of people worldwide, CSB/SJU plans to further prepare a generation of aware and educated students.
The environmental studies department is developing a proposal for the addition of a climate studies minor to their department. With an approval from the institutions, the minor would likely be available by spring 2023.
The climate studies minor would address a smorgasbord of perspectives on climate change, such as science, policy and solutions on both a global and local scale. Assistant professor for the environmental studies department Corrie Grosse said that climate change is an interdisciplinary problem.
“It’s what’s called a ‘wicked problem,’ meaning that we can’t solve it with one particular approach. There’s no silver bullet solution. We need all disciplines looking at this issue,” Grosse said.
Classes would include different attributes from the Integrations curriculum. As the name of the curriculum suggests, classes would integrate perspectives on natural and social sciences, along with climate justice and policy.
As the environmental studies department compiled a list of required and elective classes, they reached out to faculty members for suggestions on classes that fulfill the 25% topic-specific content requirement necessary for a class to be admitted into a major or minor’s curriculum. Multiple departments such as education, chemistry, nutrition and political science offer applicable electives that would allow students to integrate their climate change knowledge into other disciplines.
On a global scale, this minor would enable a group of 20 selected students to attend United Nations climate negotiations to put their learnt capabilities into action. Even for those unable to attend, a role playing class, in which students practice developing and proposing global climate policy, would deepen their activism abilities.
At a community level, some students would work for local non-profit organizations and organize on-campus events related to racial and climate justice.
Grosse said this minor would enhance skills and knowledge that would benefit CSB/SJU and the wider community.
“St. Ben’s and St. John’s students are movers and shakers in the world. They’re passionate about making a difference, and I think this will equip them with some tools [that] will be beneficial for our local and global communities,” Grosse said.
Environmental studies major and CSB sophomore Lauren Funke said that this minor could complement different subject areas and interests.
Like Grosse, Funke hopes that the opportunity to pursue other interests would attract more students to the climate studies causes and to CSB/SJU in general.
“I know that there are a lot of political science [majors] that might find it helpful as a minor even if they’re not interested in environmental studies because it’s such a prevalent topic right now. You would still have to learn those skills even if you didn’t want environmental studies as your major,” Funke said.
Students and faculty alike are passionate about climate justice, especially with its relevancy and urgency in the modern world.
“I’m really committed to ensuring [and] recognizing that climate change is a social justice issue,” Grosse said. “Personally, I think climate crisis is the most important thing we should be thinking about because it’s an existential threat to everyone.”
