BA in Interdisciplinary with Emphasis in Environmental Studies
Degree Program Description
The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary with an emphasis in Environmental Studies is an individually-designed major for students interested in acquiring a broad understanding of environmental issues and the complex causes underlying them. Students design their major to reflect their own interests and goals in the field. Individualized majors of this kind require a higher level of commitment than is typical of traditional majors because students must do the work of building their own degree. The program prepares students for graduate study and careers in education, law, business, public policy, humanitarian aid, non-profit organizations, and government. The majority of students with the degree work in areas such as advocacy and outreach as well as policy and regulation.
Major Program Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary with an emphasis in Environmental Studies is an individually-designed major for students interested in acquiring a broad understanding of environmental issues and the complex causes underlying them. Students design their major to reflect their own interests and goals in the field. Individualized majors of this kind require a higher level of commitment than is typical of traditional majors because students MUST do the work of building their own degree. The program prepares students for graduate study and careers in education, law, business, public policy, humanitarian aid, non-profit organizations, and government. The majority of students with the degree work in areas such as advocacy and outreach as well as policy and regulation. Find additional information and course options at https://omd.missouri.edu/?q=env-st/index.
Students in this major must complete 5 specified Core courses to fulfill College of Arts and Science Foundation Requirements and an additional 39 hours minimum for the major. In addition, students must complete all university graduation requirements and Arts and Science Foundation Requirements. A minimum grade of C- is required for courses taken for the major. A minimum cumulative GPA in all major coursework is 2.0.
In addition, students must complete all College of Arts and Science and University graduation requirements, including University general education.
Required Core Coursework
Biological, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences
- Complete a general education approved Biological Sciences course. BIO_SC 1010, BIO_SC 1060, BIO_SC 1200, or BIO_SC 1500 are recommended course options.
- Complete a general education approved Geology course. GEOL 1100 or GEOL 1200 are the recommended course options.
- Complete a general education approved Chemistry course. CHEM 1100, CHEM 1320 and CHEM 1330 are recommended course options.
- One lecture with a corresponding laboratory must be completed.
- Laboratories should be taken with the corresponding lecture or after the lecture course is completed, but not before completing the corresponding lecture course.
Social Sciences
- Complete a general education approved Economics or Agricultural Economics course. ECONOM 1014, ECONOM 1015, ABM 1041, or ABM 1042 are recommended.
Major Requirements
Policies
- A total of 39 hours is required for the major.
- Students must complete 30 hours numbered 2000 or higher in the major.
- 18 hours numbered 3000 level or higher are required in the major.
- D-range grades are not allowed in the major.
- A minimum grade of C- is required for courses taken for the major.
- A minimum cumulative GPA in all major coursework is 2.0.
Natural Dimensions
- Complete 15 hours of coursework in this section.
- The course levels will be determined by the academic advisor.
- Refer to the list of Natural Dimensions courses to find options.
Social Dimensions
- Complete 15 hours of coursework in this section.
- The course levels will be determined by the academic advisor.
- Refer to the list of Social Dimensions courses to find options.
Practicum Core
- Complete ABM 2070W or NAT_R 2160.
- Complete 3 hours of Service Learning, Internships, or Readings.
- Complete an additional 3 hours of Service Learning, Internships, or Readings.
- Service Learning, Internship, or Readings can be taken as a single course for 6 hours.
Service Learning, Internships, & Readings
Policies
- The Capstone must be completed in the final 45 hours of coursework.
- Students must earn a C- or higher to fulfill the Capstone requirement.
- Students must have a Capstone approved by their academic advisor.
- Students may complete an Internship or Readings that is not used as a Capstone.
- Students may not earn retroactive credit for internships.
Internships 4940
- Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA to apply for approval of an internship project.
- Students must not have any active Student Conduct holds.
- Students may not complete an internship at an existing position.
- Students must work 50 hours for each credit hour earned.
- During the Internship period, students must submit the following assignments:
- a well-written proposal outlining the details of the internship must accompany the application
- a carefully-prepared factual report about the internship which addresses the questions outlined in the student’s internship proposal
- a résumé which includes the student’s internship experience and documents the tangible skills they attained while working
- an interpretative essay in which students connect what they have learned from their internship experience with their academic work in their individualized major
- Internship supervisors must submit a performance evaluation.
- Internships receive a grade of S or U (pass/fail).
- The Office of Multidisciplinary Degrees reserves the right to deny internship project approval to any student it believes will not be a good representative of the University.
Readings 4960
Students work independently with MU faculty on research and/or professional projects. A student finds a campus professor with whom to work. Together, they create concrete objectives for a meaningful project. The professor guides and supervises the student towards completion of the project and is responsible for awarding a letter grade for the course.
Service-Learning 4970
Service-Learning provides hands-on experience in service experiences that are coordinated in collaboration with MU and the community. Service-Learning experiences create valuable learning environments for students as they connect with the community in partnerships that provide effective and far-reaching assistance to those in need. To apply, students must have a 2.5 GPA or higher.
Semester Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 1100, 1050, or STAT 1200 | 3 | General Education Biological Science Course | 5 |
| POL_SC 1100 | 3 | General Education Chemistry Course | 4 |
| GEOL 1200 | 4 | ENGLSH 1000 | 3 |
| General Education Humanities Course | 3 | General Education Behavioral Science Course | 3 |
| 13 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| General Education Social Science Course 2000+ | 3 | ABM 2070W | 3 |
| General Education Humanities Course | 3 | Second Language II | 4-5 |
| General Education Behavioral Science Course | 3 | General Education Economics Course | 3 |
| Second Language I | 4-5 | General Education Humanities Courses 2000+ | 6 |
| General Elective Course 1000+ | 3 | ||
| 16-17 | 16-17 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Natural Dimensions Course 2000+ | 3 | Natural Dimensions Course 2000+ | 3 |
| A&S Diversity | 3 | Natural Dimensions Course 3000+ | 3 |
| Second Language III | 3-4 | Social Dimensions Courses 3000+ | 6 |
| Writing Intensive 1000+ | 6 | Writing-Intensive/Social Dimensions Course 3000+ | 3 |
| 15-16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Natural Dimensions Course 3000+ | 3 | Natural Dimensions Course 3000+ | 3 |
| Social Dimensions Course 3000+ | 3 | Internship, Readings or Service Learning Project | 3 |
| Internship, Readings or Service Learning Project | 3 | General Elective Courses 1000+ | 7 |
| General Elective Courses 1000+ | 6 | ||
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Credits: 118-121 | |||
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.