Climate Change Studies, BA

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Admissions Contact Information
Undergraduate Recruitment & Admissions
Central Welcome Center
(860) 832-2278
admissions@ccsu.edu

Academic Contact

Charles Button
Professor
Geography, Anthropology, & Tourism
Professor
Geography
Ebenezer D. Bassett Hall
417-08
860.832.2788
buttonche@ccsu.edu
Mark Evans
Professor
Earth and Space Sciences
Nicolaus Copernicus Hall
532
860.832.2936
evansmaa@ccsu.edu

Climate Change Studies, BA

Central to Tackling Climate Change.

Central’s Bachelor of Arts in Climate Change Studies provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of climate change and its human impacts.  This degree emphasizes coursework in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and behavioral sciences.  Graduates will have the knowledge to make meaningful contributions in helping to address the causes and human impacts of climate change. We prepare graduates for career pathways in policy, planning, journalism and communication, cultural resource management, policy aspects of sustainability, business, education, government, non-profit organizations, environmental consulting, and more.

Program Features

  • Interdisciplinary 36 credit program
  • Classes on-campus and online
  • Opportunity to double major or minor in an allied field
  • Faculty with expertise drawn from a wide spectrum of academic disciplines  
  • Opportunities to participate in capstone projects that provide the skills and experiences valued by employers.
  • Access to state-of-the-art labs  
  • Financial aid and scholarships available

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to explain the basics of climate change and how it relates to the earth's energy balance.
  • Students will be able to identify various sources of evidence to understand what is responsible for climate change and how we know it.
  • Students will be able to analyze the societal impacts of climate change and explain why climate change matters.
  • Students will be able to compare strategies for mitigating the environmental, economic, political, and ethical impacts of climate change.

Central’s interdisciplinary B.A. and B.S. programs will help fill an urgent and growing need for a professional workforce trained with the knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to help reduce greenhouse gases and help communities and individuals prepare for extreme weather, sea level rise, and other impacts associated with climate change.

Katie Dykes, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

What You'll Gain

  • Ability to apply scientific understanding of climate change to address social problems in creative ways
  • Communication skills necessary to connect professional and grass-roots organizations, the scientific establishment, and the general public
  • Capacity to engage in community outreach and education efforts