Why Environmental Studies at Yale?
At Yale, Environmental Studies combines the resources of a world-class research university with the close-knit community of a small undergraduate program.
Environmental challenges are among the defining issues of our time. Whether your interests lie in climate change, conservation, environmental justice, sustainability, public policy, or human health, Environmental Studies provides the knowledge and skills to understand complex environmental problems and develop meaningful solutions.
At Yale, Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary major that brings together the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students begin with a broad foundation before pursuing one of nine concentrations, conducting original research, and preparing for careers and graduate study across a wide range of environmental fields.
Our Mission
The mission of the Environmental Studies Major (EVST) is to train the next generation of
outstanding environmental scientists and leaders. The major provides Yale College non-majors
with the opportunity to gain fundamental understanding of the world’s major environmental
challenges. The EVST major is grounded in the liberal arts tradition and offers broad exposure
to introductory courses in social sciences, biophysical sciences, and the humanities.
Sophomores in the major develop progressive focus within one of nine concentrations:
Biodiversity & Conservation, Energy & Climate, Environmental Humanities, Environmental
Justice, Environmental Policy, Food & Agriculture, Human Health & the Environment,
Sustainability & Natural Resources, and Urban Environments. Students learn core knowledge in
biological and physical sciences from courses in earth and planetary science, chemistry, biology,
ecology, and environmental health to understand how humans change the environment, and in
turn how these changes affect planetary health. Within the social sciences, they learn to
understand motives behind human behavior in fields such as political science, anthropology,
economics, law, and ethics. They also learn the potential and limits of law and policy to affect
environmental quality and resource sustainability. Humanities courses in history, English
literature, art history, film, and music, train students to explore diverse representations of
nature, human influence, and environmental change. What knits these fields together?
Collectively, they provide a rich intellectual foundation to understand how societies may best
navigate toward a responsible future, one grounded in ethical principles of justice, equity, and security.
Educational Goals
- Interdisciplinary Learning: Environmental challenges cannot be understood through a single discipline. Students integrate perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences to understand environmental problems and develop innovative solutions.
- Ethical Reasoning: Students examine the ethical dimensions of environmental decision-making, including questions of justice, equity, responsibility, and sustainability.
- Research: Students learn to collect, analyze, and integrate scientific, quantitative, qualitative, and historical evidence. They apply these skills by conducting original research for their senior essay.
- Communication: Students develop strong written, oral, and visual communication skills to effectively communicate ideas to diverse audiences
- Leadership: Students build the leadership, organizational, and decision-making skills needed to address environmental challenges and become thoughtful environmental leaders.