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Climate Studies Minor—launching Fall 2026!

Starting in Fall 2026, students will have access to an interdisciplinary minor focused on climate change and climate solutions!

The new Climate Studies minor provides opportunities for students to prepare to contribute to positive climate action in their future professions and communities. This minor also helps students increase their employability—LinkedIn’s 2025 Green Skills Report documents that “green talent is far more likely to secure a job, getting hired at a global rate 46.6% above the economy-wide hiring rate.” Learn more about Climate and Careers.

Climate Studies Minor Program of Study 

“Climate Studies” includes climate science and all other disciplinary and interdisciplinary explorations of climate change’s causes, consequences and solutions (i.e., mitigation and adaptation strategies). Students from all majors may earn an undergraduate minor in Climate Studies by successful completion of an interdisciplinary program of 18-19 semester hours with at least 3 different prefixes among the courses taken:

Basic Climate Science Course (3-4 hours)

Students are encouraged to meet this requirement before taking other courses for the minor. Choose one course:

  • BIO 1103 – Global Climate Change and Earth’s Life (4)
  • GES 1050 – Conservation of Natural Resources in a Changing Climate (3)
  • GES 1103 – Environmental Change, Hazards, and Resources (4)
  • GES 2301 – Energy Extraction in Appalachia (Past, Present, and Future) (3)
  • GHY 1010 – Global Environmental Systems (3)
  • GHY 1011 – Global Climate Change (4)
  • GHY 1012 – Global Change of the Biosphere (3)
  • GHY 3100 – Weather and Climate (3)
  • PHY 1830 – The Physical Principles of Energy and Sustainability (3)
  • PHY 3140 – Environmental Physics (3)
  • PHY 3150 – Atmospheric Science (3)
  • SD 2610 – Science for Sustainability (3)

Climate Studies Electives (15 hours)

Choose from courses tagged with the Climate Studies (CLI) attribute in the Undergraduate Bulletin and/or the registration system. Climate Studies (CLI) courses are offered by many academic programs across campus, and may include a course(s) that also counts in your major. See our list of Climate Studies Electives.

* Note that Climate Studies (CLI) courses are not the same as Gen Ed Sustainability & Climate Literacy (SCL) courses, although there is some overlap (i.e., some SCL courses are also tagged with the CLI attribute).

Total Required Hours (18-19 hours)

Courses taken for the Climate Studies Minor must include at least 3 different prefixes (e.g., ART, GHY, MGT).

A minimum of 9 hours must be “in residence,” i.e. courses taken through App State (can include study abroad, App State online courses, etc.).

Faculty Contacts

Advising is not required for this minor. If you have any questions about your Climate Studies Minor coursework, please contact Laura England (englandle@appstate.edu) or Shea Tuberty (tubertysr@appstate.edu).