Malone University to offer new Environmental Studies program

Program Offerings

• Secondary major in Environmental Studies
• Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies minor
• Environmental Science minor

"We are so excited to be able to offer this at Malone," said Karyn Collie, assistant professor of biology. "Creation care is a natural outgrowth of Christian faith and practice, as we serve God and love others by stewarding the world that He has made and that we share with our global neighbors."

The program is designed to prepare students for careers or graduate studies in environmental fields or to apply concepts of sustainability in other career fields. The program is interdisciplinary, giving students a broad background in ethics, economics, and politics in addition to conservation and sustainability. Students also choose a concentration in the form of a second major, allowing students within the program to couple environmental studies with another passion, such as biology, chemistry, business administration, political science, creative writing, missions and cross-cultural ministries, or any other major that Malone has to offer.

One exciting feature of this program builds upon Malone's longstanding partnership with Au Sable Institute for Environmental Studies, which gives students opportunities to take field courses in Michigan, Washington, Costa Rica, and India.

Environmental studies majors will be required to complete independent research projects or internships that will allow them hands-on learning opportunities.

"Finally," said Collie, "Our senior seminar brings together students who have pursued diverse second majors to discuss common environmental problems. This interdisciplinary approach to problem solving prepares students well for real-world scenarios, in which they will need to work with others with different strengths to solve complex issues."