B.S. Environmental Studies
Environmental studies and stewardship have a rich history in Hawaii—known both as an incredible location for biodiversity and unique ecosystems and as the “extinction capital of the planet.” Today, amid growing threats to our planet, the need for experts who are able to navigate the complex web of environmental issues and offer insight and solutions has never been higher.
The Environmental Studies major prepares you for those rigors.
Our program offers a multi-disciplinary approach, allowing you to analyze environmental problems—and their potential responses—through a variety of perspectives, including policy and law, science, economics, ethics and values and cultural sensitivity and awareness.
Our students enjoy small class sizes, individualized instruction and attention, a number of hands-on opportunities and, perhaps most importantly of all, hands-on learning that can happen right in their own backyard—the rich habitats that exist across the islands.
Experiential Learning
Students are invited to participate in numerous service-learning projects that benefit Hawaii’s fragile ecosystems, as well as give experience in the field. Among many varied projects, students have been involved:
- Counting migratory whale populations
- Removing alien algae from the reef
- Quantifying reef health
- Assessing native plant populations
- Removing miconia (an invasive alien plant species) from Hawaii forest habitat
Faculty
Our faculty members are leaders in their fields. They believe in the power of personal experience—stressing mentorship, collaboration and project-based learning inside and outside the classroom.
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