Climate Studies (B.S.)

Climate Studies (B.S.)
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The most important issues of our time and the future.


Plymouth State’s Climate Studies B.S. degree is the only one of its kind in New Hampshire and one of very few in the entire nation. Featuring a core of atmospheric and environmental science courses and a large number of optional courses in focus areas, it allows students to follow their interests and skills and gain new ones in this important field.


This program is highly interdisciplinary and designed to address the increasing interest in dealing with the problem of climate change. Students will gain a foundation in climate science, technical and communication skills, and have high flexibility in following one or more interdisciplinary focus areas (in art, business, communication, public policy, geographic information systems and mapping, or go deeper into a variety of science possibilities). The problem of climate change goes well beyond basic science and in order to appropriately solve current and future problems caused by its effects, a highly interdisciplinary approach and experts with many different types of skills are needed. A wide variety of these areas of expertise exist at Plymouth State and this program uses them to prepare professionals that can address one or more of the many needs related to studying, educating people about, planning for, regulating, adapting to, and dealing with climate change and its many effects, by building on the students’ own interests and skills.

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Academic Operations Manager
Phone: (603) 535-2325
Office: Exploration & Discovery, Boyd Science Center Rm 122, MSC 48, Plymouth, NH 03264
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Curriculum & Requirements

Course Title Credits
Major Requirements
CLM 1000Introductory Climate Studies Seminar1
MT 2000Fundamentals of Meteorology and Climatology (GACO)3
ESP 2110Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy II4
ESP 3201Energy and Society4
ESP 3326Climate, Risk, and Adaptation (GACO)3
CM 3095Technical Communication (TECO,WRCO)4
CLM 4000Climate Studies Capstone Project2
ESP 4441Climate Change3
Math and Technical Skills
MA 2300Statistics I (QRCO)3
MA 2130Precalculus (QRCO)4
or MA 2550 Calculus I (QRCO)
Take one of the following:3-4
GE 2050
GIS I: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (QRCO,TECO)
CS 2010
Computing Fundamentals (TECO)
CS 2370
Introduction to Programming
Interdisciplinary Focus Areas
Take three lower-level (1000/2000) courses and take five upper-level (3000/4000) courses 1,224-32
Communication Focus
CM 2000
Studies in Communication and Media (TECO)
CM 2006
Intercultural Communication
CM 2007
Strategic Communication
CM 2405
Public Speaking
CM 2775
Media and Cultural Studies (TECO)
CM 2915
Communication and Leadership
CM 2995
Professional Social Media
CM 3485
Global Perspectives in the Media (GACO)
CM 3675
Journalism in the Digital Age (TECO,WRCO)
SU 3333
Environmental Humanities (WRCO)
HI 4200
Career Launch: Tell Your Story
Foreign Language 1000/2000 3
Foreign Language 3000/4000 3
Science Focus
BI 1110
Biological Science I (TECO)
BI 1120
Biological Science II
CH 2335
General Chemistry I (QRCO)
CH 2340
General Chemistry II
ESP 2100
Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy I
MT 2250
Introduction to Weather Analysis and Forecasting
PH 2110
College Physics I
PH 2120
College Physics II
PH 2510
University Physics I
PH 2520
University Physics II
BI 3240
Conservation (DICO,GACO)
BI 3260
Freshwater Ecology
BI 4750
Plant Diversity & Evolution
ESP 3310
Hydrology
ESP 3335
Environmental Geology (TECO)
ESP 3550
Environment and Health (WECO)
ESP 4310
Advanced Conservation Ecology
MT 3725
Instruments and Observations in Meteorology
MT 4155
Air Quality
Geographic Information System and Mapping Focus
GE 3050
GIS II: Advanced Geographic Information Systems
GE 4010
Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing
GE 4050
Geospatial Technology Applications
GE 4060
GIS Programming
Public Policy and Planning Focus
PO 1035
World Politics (GACO)
EPL 2105
Community Planning
ESP 2305
Foundations of Environmental Policy (WRCO)
PO 1025
American Government
PO 2025
Public Administration (DICO)
PO 2050
Comparative Politics and Government
EPL 3100
Environmental Planning
EPL 3150
Introduction to Permaculture
PO 3255
Model United Nations (GACO,INCO)
EPL 3270
Sustainability in Residences
ESP 4325
Decision Making in Environmental Management
GE 3080
Economic Geography
PO 3060
Political Analysis and Policy (WRCO)
SO 3605
Sustainability in Practice (WECO)
Art Focus
AR 1045
Art Foundations 2D: Composition and Content
AR 1065
Art Foundations 3D: Design and Meaning
AR 1075
Art Foundations Drawing: Line and Language
PT 2600
Photography I
AR 3015
Painting
AR 3125
Painting: Process Exploration
AR 3295
Printmaking: Cut, Carve, Etch
AR 3325
Printmaking: Silkscreen and Alternative Processes
AR 3575
Art and Sustainability
Business Focus
ENT 2040
Foundations of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
BU 2240
Business Statistics (QRCO)
BU 2440
Business, Ethics, and Society
BUS 1100
Introduction to Marketing and Sales
ENT 3030
Social Entrepreneurship
BU 3220
Business and the Environment
ESP 3340
Introduction to Ecological Economics
General Education Requirements
EN 1400Composition4
IS 1115Tackling a Wicked Problem4
CTDICreative Thought Direction3-4
PPDIPast and Present Direction3-4
SIDIScientific Inquiry Direction3-4
SSDISelf and Society Direction3-4
Directions (choose from CTDI, PPDI, SIDI, SSDI) 44-8
DICODiversity Connection3-4
WECOWellness Connection3-4
INCPIntegrated Capstone4
Electives25-14
Total Credits120
1

Students can go deep into one or two interdisciplinary focus areas or sample from various disciplines as long as they take at least three low level courses and five upper level courses. Students must keep in mind when planning their courses, that many of them have prerequisites (included in the required or optional courses). Students can take more than the minimum number of courses to follow their interests using their free electives and/or consider appropriate minors or certificates or a second major that might also use some of these courses.

2

Besides fulfilling the Interdisciplinary Focus requirement, the courses below can be used to aid in completing one or more minors or certificates. Possible minors of interest: Anthropology/Sociology, Applied Ethics, Art, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Computing, Digital Media Design and Development, Economics, Expository Writing, Geography, Graphic Design, Marketing, Mathematics, Media Studies, Peace & Social Justice, Political Science, Professional Communication, and Sustainability. Possible certificates of interest: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Transformative Innovation & Design entrepreneurship (TIDE).

3

Students with previous experience in a language must take a placement exam to determine the appropriate level course in which they should register. Otherwise students can start with the Spanish (SP 1011) or French (FR 1011) Language and Culture Studies I course. We recommend that those interested in taking a foreign language as a communication focus area choose to take more courses in the same language with the ultimate goal of effective communication in such language.

4

Directions should total 20 credits (unless the major has a waiver for a specific Direction).

Check all course descriptions for prerequisites before planning course schedule. Course sequence is suggested but not required.

To complete the bachelor’s degree in 4 years, you must successfully complete a minimum of 15 credits each semester or have a plan to make up credits over the course of the 4 years.  For example, if you take 14 credits one semester, you need to take 16 credits in another semester.  Credits completed must count toward your program requirements (major, option, minor, certificate, general education or free electives)

Plan of Study Grid
Year OneCredits
CLM 1000 Introductory Climate Studies Seminar 1
MT 2000 Fundamentals of Meteorology and Climatology (GACO) 3
ESP 2110 Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy II 4
MA 2300 Statistics I (QRCO) 3
IS 1115 Tackling a Wicked Problem 4
EN 1400 Composition 4
CTDICreative Thought Direction 3-4
PPDIPast and Present Direction 3-4
SSDISelf and Society Direction 3-4
 Credits28-31
Year Two
ESP 3201 Energy and Society 4
ESP 3326 Climate, Risk, and Adaptation (GACO) 3
MA 2130
or MA 2550
Precalculus (QRCO)
or Calculus I (QRCO)
4
Take one of the following: 3-4
GE 2050
GIS I: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (QRCO,TECO)
CS 2010
Computing Fundamentals (TECO)
CS 2370
Introduction to Programming
Interdisciplinary Focus - Lower Level (3 courses) 9-12
SIDIScientific Inquiry Direction 3-4
Elective 3-4
 Credits29-35
Years Three and Four
CM 3095 Technical Communication (TECO,WRCO) 4
ESP 4441 Climate Change 3
Interdisciplinary Focus Upper Level (5 courses) 15-20
CLM 4000 Climate Studies Capstone Project 2
Directions (choose from CTDI, PPDI, SIDI, SSDI) 4-8
WECOWellness Connection 3-4
DICODiversity Connection 3-4
INCPIntegrated Capstone 4
Electives 11-21
 Credits49-70
 Total Credits120

During the completion of their B.S. Climate Studies degree, our students will be introduced to, practice, develop, and should be able to demonstrate competency at the completion of their program in the following four areas:
 
SLO 1 – Climate-system Knowledge
  • Knowledge and applications of climate science
  • Earth’s systems and the role of climate within these systems
  • Historical, current and predicted future status of Earth’s climate
  • Methods of climate research, research design, data collection, and data handling
SLO 2 – Climate Impacts Knowledge
  • Effects, hazards, consequences within and between science and social disciplines and societal sectors
SLO 3 – Effective Climate Communication
  • Technical oral and written communication of climate information
  • Public oral and written communication of climate information
SLO 4 – Climate Evidence and Source Evaluation
  • Use and assessment of climate-related information
  • Promotion and practice of science-based decision-making
SLO 5 – Interdisciplinary Integration of Climate with Other Disciplines
  • Application of climate and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to an appropriate capstone project

The career possibilities are many, and include the fields of climate communication/public education, emergency management, conservation, public policy, science journalism, formal education, planning, and a variety of different types of private industry and government jobs working in the various aspects of the climate problem.

There are likely future career possibilities that we cannot foresee at the moment, and because of that, graduating students with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, who can adapt and learn new tools and follow new paths, is of great importance.

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