The undergraduate minor in Environmental Education is offered to students interested in building environmental literacy (environmental knowledge, attitudes, skills & behaviors) among pre-K through adult audiences. This minor may be right for you if you are interested in careers in informal science education (e.g., in museums or aquaria), environmental interpretation (e.g., parks and nature centers), formal K- 12 education, or any other career that involves connecting people with the environment. The minor is designed to give an opportunity to make substantial progress toward the NC Environmental Education Certification program, a certification listed as a requirement (or working towards) for positions within many parks and informal science education facilities, and recognized and favored nationally by many museums, aquaria, and nature centers.

Application for admission to any University minor program is now available via MyPack Portal. Admission will be based upon the student’s academic record, and in most cases no longer requires departmental review. To apply to the Environmental Education minor, go to Add a Minor. Students will be notified on a rolling basis. Once accepted into the Environmental Education Minor, students will be able to sign up for Minor courses. A limited number of minor seats will be reserved in the courses on the minor list.

Contact

Kathryn Stevenson
Associate Professor
Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management
Biltmore 4008D, Box 8004
919.515.2739
kathryn_stevenson@ncsu.edu

SIS code:  15EEDM

Plan Requirements

To be certified as having completed the minor in Environmental education, students must have a minimum 2.0 grade point average across all courses used toward the minor. The minor will be certified prior to graduation. The minor must be completed no later than the semester in which the student expects to graduate from his or her degree program. Paperwork for the minor should be completed no later than during the registration period for the student’s final semester at NC State. Other specifications include:

• Enrollment in the minor is open to any student at NC State.
• Students must take 6 hours of required courses and 9 hours of electives for a total of 15 hours, per the course requirements list
• No more than six (6) hours of transfer credits can be used toward the minor.

Required Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours	Counts towards
EMS 350	Teaching Environmental Education	3
PRT 485	Environmental Education in Practice	3

Elective Courses¹

Course List

Code	Title	Hours	Counts towards
Natural Sciences 2		3
FW 221	Conservation of Natural Resources
FW 333	Conservation Biology in Practice
FW 373	Vertebrate Natural History
FW 403	Urban Wildlife Management
NR 350	International Sustainable Resource Use
FW 411/511	Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries
SMT 302	Processing of Biomaterials
PSE 335	Principles of Green Chemistry
ES 100	Introduction to Environmental Sciences
ES 200	Climate Change and Sustainability
PB 200	Plant Life
PB 220	Local Flora
SSC 185	Land and Life
MEA 135	Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory
FOR 260	Forest Ecology
FOR 330	North Carolina Forests
FOR 339
Teaching & Facilitation Courses 3		3
EMS 205	Introduction to Teaching Science
EMS 375	Methods of Teaching Science I
PRT 230	Foundations of Outdoor Recreation Management
PRT 342	Recreation and Park Interpretive Services
PRT 415	Principles and Practices of Outdoor Leadership
AEE 325	Planning and Delivering Non-Formal Education
AEE 435	Professional Presentations in Agricultural Organizations
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Environment 4		3
PRT 203	Humans and the Environment
BIO 227	Understanding Structural Diversity through Biological Illustration
CNR 250	Diversity and Environmental Justice
IDS 201	Environmental Ethics
HI 440	American Environmental History
ARE/EC 336	Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics
LAR 221	Introduction to Environment and Behavior for Designers
LAR 444	History of Landscape Architecture
Total Hours		9

¹

Students must take 3 hours of Natural Sciences courses, 3 hours of Teaching and Facilitation courses, and 3 additional hours from either one of these categories OR from the Interdisciplinary Perspectives courses. Students who identify other courses more appropriate to their goals should consult with the minor advisor to seek permission for those courses to count.

²

These courses are meant to provide the content knowledge commonly used in environmental education, which usually includes natural history or identification knowledge, knowledge of ecosystems, or knowledge of environmentally friendly practices.

³

These courses are intended to give students a background in teaching and learning theory and practices.

⁴

Select 3 hours from here OR from any of the courses in the other two areas. These courses are designed to give students a broader view beyond natural science and teaching. These courses may be particularly useful to those interested in a specific topic (e.g., environmental justice) or who anticipate employing EE principals in a diversity of careers (e.g., planning departments).