Overview

Program highlights

The Environmental Sciences program of Northwestern University will help students learn to:

• Conceptualize environmental problems in a broad, interdisciplinary framework.

• Apply quantitative and qualitative critical thinking skills to environmental problems spanning local to global scales.

• Combine methods, perspectives, and practices in the natural sciences and engineering with those in the social sciences and humanities.

• Discriminate between different views to separate cause from effect, recognize overarching themes, and differentiate fact from opinion.

• Synthesize information in a way that promotes positive changes in human activity and offers solutions to existing and emerging environmental problems.

• Communicate effectively in a variety of forms and formats.

The major offers two tracks: science and policy. Both tracks share common foundation courses in science, mathematics, and social science and the same core curriculum. Advanced course work differs with track. The major entails three successive levels:

• Foundation Courses in basic science, mathematics, and social science.
• Core Courses that provide more specific education about the discipline.

• Advanced Studies Courses offering specialized training in key areas.