Enrollment in this minor will be available in Fall of 2025!

The Minor in Environmental Science administered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences provides foundational training for students interested in environmental sciences. After a broad introductory course, it provides a menu of courses that focus on the biology/ecology, chemistry, and systems components of environmental science.

The Minor is available as an elective to students outside of Earth and Environmental Sciences enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. With the approval of the department and college that administer the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the Minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree. However, at least 6 credits counted towards the requirements for this Minor must be unique. Unique credits must not be used to fulfill another university, college, or major requirement in the student’s program.

Students who plan to complete the requirements for the Minor should consult the undergraduate advisor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Minor is only open to majors outside of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Environmental Science Minor Requirements

The minor requires a minimum of 15 credits with at least 10 credits with GLG course codes and with at least one course selected from each of the following content areas.

One of the following introductory courses (4 credits)

• GLG 200 Introduction to Environmental Science and Global Change (4 credits)
• GLG 201 Introduction to Earth and Planetary Sciences (4 credits)

One of the following environmental biology and ecology courses (3 or 4 credits)

• GLG 304 Physical and Biological History of the Earth (4 credits)
• GLG 435 Geomicrobiology (4 credits)
• GLG 446 Ecosystems Modeling, Water and Food Security (3 credits)
• FOR 340 Forest Ecology (3 credits)
• IBIO 355 Ecology (3 credits)
• FW 410 Upland Ecology and Management (3 credits)
• FW 416 Marine Ecology and Management (3 credits)
• FW 417 Wetland Ecology and Management (3 credits)
• FW 420 Stream Ecology (3 credits)

One of the following environmental chemistry courses (4 credits)

• GLG 321 Mineralogy and Geochemistry (4 credits)
• GLG 421 Environmental Geochemistry (4 credits)

One of the following environmental systems courses (3 or 4 credits)

• GLG 303 Oceanography (4 credits)
• GEO 306 Environmental Geomorphology (3 credits)
• GLG 330 Biogeochemistry (3 credits)
• GLG 380 Natural Resources, the Energy Transition and the Environment (3 credits)
• GLG 411 Hydrogeology (3 credits)
• GLG 412 Glacial Geology and the Record of Climate Change (4 credits)
• GLG 431 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (4 credits)