• Department Links ▼
  • Environmental Studies Home
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Courses
  • Departmental News
  • History
  • Links
  • Randolph G. Pack Environmental Institute
  • The ESF Writing Program
  • ECN - Environmental Communication Network
  • Mission and Objectives
• Undergraduate Programs ▼
  • Overview
  • Options:
  • Environment, Communication & Society
  • Policy, Planning & Law
  • Biological Science Applications
  • Student Club
  • Student Handbooks
  • Related Sites:
  • Urban Minor
  • Study Abroad
• Graduate Programs ▼
  • Overview
  • Current Graduate Students
  • Recent Grad Alumni
  • ESF Graduate School links:
  • Admissions
  • Funding
  • Student Handbooks
• Careers & Alumni ▼
  • Careers in Environmental Studies
  • ESF Career Services Jobs Database
  • Internships in Environmental Studies
  • Donate

Mission Statement

The Department of Environmental Studies seeks to advance knowledge of the social and cultural dynamics of ecological sustainability. It does so through interdisciplinary research, teaching, and outreach, focused on environmental policy, communication, and decision-making in the scientific community, government, business, non-governmental organizations and citizens, locally, globally, and internationally.

Our Objectives

The Department of Environmental Studies promotes and builds effective environmental citizenship locally to globally. Our teaching, research, and service seek to enhance understanding, build communication skills, and provide forums and programs that:

• Facilitate linkages between environmental policy and the social/ biophysical sciences;
• Act as catalysts to integrate the social sciences, humanities, and biophysical sciences on the ESF campus;
• Engage communities outside the institution to build civic capacity and involvement;
• Address the special challenges and opportunities of the human built, urban environment;
• Provide support for productive decision making and dispute resolution processes;
• Reflect the diversity of world views and environmental philosophies;
• Facilitate better understanding of diverse interests within and beyond the institution;
• Engage and critique environmental policies and trends, e.g., environmental justice, sustainable development, global climate change, wilderness preservation; and
• Celebrate the wonder of the natural world.

Vision

A top-ranked, cutting-edge, environmental studies program that integrates the social sciences, humanities, and biophysical sciences to enhance environmental policy and decision-making processes in order to achieve ecologically sustainable societies.

(Jan. 2002; Mar. 2005)