Climate impacts global environmental and ecological systems, human health, water availability, agricultural systems and food security, human migrations, and economic systems. Future climate change is projected to further worsen food insecurity, water scarcity, human migrations, and global conflict.
This major is designed to give the students a solid foundation on how the climate system works and competency in areas of data analysis, planning and mitigation, and science communication. Students will take core courses in climate science and complementary areas and select at least one focus area for additional specialization. Focus areas includes: advanced climate science; data visualization; design and planning for sustainability; food, agriculture and biodiversity; policy and human behavior; and science communication.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Graduates of the Climate Science degree will have the skills and knowledge to:
- Understand scientific principles and their application to scientific inquiry and to societal concerns relating to climate science.
- Demonstrate a broad understanding of the climate system, how it works on multiple timescales, and the utility of tools, such as models, and their strengths and limitations in the context of climate science.
- Demonstrate a broad understanding of climate issues and policies.
- Think critically about the range of climate information, data, and literature coming from a variety of sources and distill application-relevant knowledge.
- Demonstrate proficiency in data analysis and problem-solving of relevant climate systems, issues, and challenges.
- Understand societal concerns related to climate change to develop and/or promote practical and applied research within the climate change research community.
- Work with diverse teams whose members have a range of professional and disciplinary skills relevant to climate issues.
- Work to identify climate-related needs and develop strategies to address these needs.
- Use systems thinking approaches to better understand/solve climate change issues.
- Effectively communicate in oral, written, and visual formats.
Climate Science Core Curriculum
| CRP 2930 | Environmental Planning | 3 |
| or MATE 2200 | Globalization and Sustainability | |
| ECON 3800 | Energy, Environmental and Resource Economics | 3 |
| GEOL 1000 | How the Earth Works | 3 |
| or GEOL 1010 | Environmental Geology: Earth in Crisis | |
| GEOL 1000L | How the Earth Works: Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 3240 | Energy and the Environment | 3 |
| GEOL 4150 | Paleoclimatology | 3 |
| JLMC 3470 | Science Communication | 3 |
| MTEOR 1400 | Climate and Society | 3 |
| MTEOR 2060 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 |
| MTEOR 3600 | Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions | 3 |
| MTEOR 4040 | Global Change | 3 |
| Capstone Choice | 2 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Required Supporting Courses
| CHEM 1630 & 1630L | College Chemistry and Laboratory in College Chemistry * | 5-6 |
| or CHEM 1670 & 1670L | General Chemistry for Engineering Students and Laboratory in General Chemistry for Engineering | |
| or CHEM 2010 & 2010L | Advanced General Chemistry and Laboratory in Advanced General Chemistry | |
| ECON 1010 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| MATH 1600 | Survey of Calculus (MATH 1650 required for Advanced Climate Science Pathway) | 4 |
| or MATH 1650 | Calculus I | |
| PHYS 1310 & 1310L | General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | 5 |
| or PHYS 2310 & 2310L | Introduction to Classical Physics I and Introduction to Classical Physics I Laboratory | |
| STAT 3050 | Engineering Statistics | 3 |
| or STAT 1010 | Principles of Statistics | |
| or STAT 1040 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| Total Credits | 20-21 | |
- *
Students with previously earned credit for CHEM 1770 and CHEM 1770L may use it to meet this requirement.
Pathway Requirement
Students must complete one specialized pathway. All pathways require at least 15 credits; students choosing the Advanced Climate Science Pathway will complete 20 credits. All pathways require 9 credits at the 3000-level or higher. Students are encouraged to carefully review course prerequisites when planning course selections in their chosen pathways.
- Advanced Climate Science
- Data Visualization
- Design and Planning for Sustainability
- Food, Agriculture and Biodiversity
- Policy and Human Behavior
- Science Communication
Advanced Climate Science
| Advanced Climate Science requires MATH 1660; PHYS 1320 or PHYS 2320; plus 12 credits from the choices listed. The pathway requires 9 credits at the 3000-level or higher. | ||
| MATH 1660 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 1320 | General Physics II | 4 |
| or PHYS 2320 | Introduction to Classical Physics II | |
| 12 credits from the following: | ||
| AGRON 4050 | Soil-Plant-Animal-Atmosphere Physics | 3 |
| AGRON 4060 | World Climates | 3 |
| GEOL 4020 | Watershed Hydrology | 3 |
| GEOL 4110 | Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEOL 4520 | Intro GIS for Geoscientists (or other advanced GIS course such as GEOL 4880) | 3 |
| GEOL 4680 | Applied Geostatistics for Geoscientists | 3 |
| GEOL 4740 | Glacial and Quaternary Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 4790 | Surficial Processes | 3 |
| GEOL 4830 | Environmental Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| GEOL 4890 | Survey of Remote Sensing Technologies | 3 |
| MTEOR 2270 | Computational Meteorology I (or other computer programming course such as GEOL 5590) | 3 |
| MTEOR 3010 | General Meteorology | 4 |
| MTEOR 3410 | Atmospheric Physics I | 3 |
| MTEOR 4080X | Numerical Weather and Climate Prediction | 3 |
| MTEOR 4520 | Climate Modeling | 3 |
Data Visualization
| Data Visualization requires 15 credits from the choices listed. The pathway requires 9 credits at the 3000-level or higher. | ||
| ARCH 4390 | Computational Design Theory | 3 |
| ARTIS 2120 | Studio Fundamentals: Digital Media | 3 |
| ARTIS 3080 | Computer Modeling, Rendering and Virtual Photography | 3 |
| ARTIS 4080 | Principles of 3D Animation | 3 |
| ARTIS 4700X | Data, Code, and Form | 3 |
| ARTIS 4730 | Video Art | 3 |
| ARTIS 4750 | Interactive Art | 3 |
| CRP 2510 | Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| CRP 3510 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| CRP 4490 | Geodesign: Planning for Sustainable Futures | 3 |
| CRP 4560 | GIS Programming and Automation | 3 |
| GEOL 4520 | Intro GIS for Geoscientists | 3 |
| GEOL 4880 | Raster GIS for Geoscientists | 3 |
| LA 2110 | Digital Design Methods for Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| LA 4540 | Fundamentals of Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis | 3 |
| LA 4590 | Digital Design Methods for Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| STAT 3320 | Visual Communication of Quantitative Information | 3 |
Design and Planning for Sustainability
| Design and Planning for Sustainability requires 15 credits from the choices listed. The pathway requires 9 credits at the 3000-level or higher. | ||
| ARCH 4510 | Whole Building Energy Performance Modeling | 3 |
| ARCH 5580 | Sustainability and Green Architecture | 3 |
| CRP 2510 | Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| CRP 2910 | World Cities and Globalization | 3 |
| CRP 2930 | Environmental Planning | 3 |
| CRP 3010 | Urban Analytical Methods | 4 |
| CRP 3510 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| CRP 3830 | Theory of the Planning Process | 3 |
| CRP 4450 | Transportation Policy and Planning | 3 |
| CRP 4490 | Geodesign: Planning for Sustainable Futures | 3 |
| CRP 4490 | Geodesign: Planning for Sustainable Futures | 3 |
| CRP 4570 | Geogames for Civic Engagement | 3 |
| CRP 4600 | Social Justice and Planning | 3 |
| CRP 4840 | Sustainable Communities | 3 |
| CRP 4920 | Planning Law, Administration and Implementation | 3 |
| GEOL 4520 | Intro GIS for Geoscientists | 3 |
| GEOL 4880 | Raster GIS for Geoscientists | 3 |
| LA 2700 | Foundations in Natural Resource Policy and History | 3 |
Food, Agriculture and Biodiversity
| Food, Agriculture and Biodiversity requires 15 credits from the choices listed. The pathway requires 9 credits at the 3000-level or higher. | ||
| AECL 2310 | Principles of Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation | 3 |
| BIOL 4710 | Introductory Conservation Biology | 3 |
| AGRON 1800 | Global Agriculture in a Changing World | 3 |
| AGRON 1810 | Introduction to Crop Science | 3 |
| AGRON 1820 | Introduction to Soil Science | 3 |
| AGRON 3160 | Crop Structure-Function Relationships | 3 |
| AGRON 3170 | Principles of Weed Science | 3 |
| AGRON 3340 | Forage Crop Management | 3 |
| AGRON 3420 | World Food Issues: Past and Present | 3 |
| AGRON 4050 | Soil-Plant-Animal-Atmosphere Physics | 3 |
| AGRON 4060 | World Climates | 3 |
| BIOL 2040 | Biodiversity | 2 |
| BIOL 2110 | Principles of Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 3120 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 3550 | Plants and People | 3 |
| BIOL 3660 | Plant Systematics | 4 |
| BIOL 3700 | GIS for Ecology and Environmental Science | 3 |
| or NREM 4460 | Integrating GPS and GIS for Natural Resource Management | |
| ENT 3700 | Insect Biology | 3 |
| or AECL 3660 | Natural History of Iowa Vertebrates | |
| or BIOL 3540 | Animal Behavior | |
| ENT 3740 | Insects and Our Health | 3 |
| ENT 4710 | Insect Ecology | 3 |
| GLOBE 3040 | Socio-Economic Global Resource Systems | 3 |
| GLOBE 3600 | Global Health | 3 |
| HORT 3420 | Landscape Plant Installation, Establishment, and Management | 3 |
| HORT 4750 | Urban Forestry | 3 |
| NREM 3010 | Natural Resource Ecology and Soils | 4 |
| NREM 3110 | Field Ecology in Montana | 4 |
| NREM 3900 | Fire Ecology and Management | 3 |
| NREM 4520 | Ecosystem Management: Integrating Ecology, Society, and Policy | 3 |
Policy and Human Behavior
| Policy and Human Behavior requires POLS 2830 plus 12 credits from the choices listed. The pathway requires 9 credits at the 3000-level or higher. | ||
| POLS 2830 | Introduction to Environmental Politics and Policies | 3 |
| 12 credits from the following: | ||
| HIST 3620 | Global Environmental History | 3 |
| HIST 3630 | U. S. Environmental History | 3 |
| PHIL 2300 | Moral Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PHIL 3300 | Ethical Theory | 3 |
| PHIL 3340 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| POLS 3350 | Science, Technology, and Public Policy | 3 |
| POLS 3440 | Public Policy | 3 |
| POLS 4430 | Energy Policy | 3 |
| POLS 4800 | Ethics and Public Policy | 3 |
| PSYCH 3180 | Judgment and Decision Making | 3 |
| MATE 2200 | Globalization and Sustainability | 3 |
| SOC 3820 | Environmental Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 3310 | Social Class and Inequality | 3 |
| SOC 3480 | Global Poverty, Resources and Sustainable Development | 3 |
Science Communication
| Science Communication requires 15 credits from the choices listed. The pathway requires 9 credits at the 3000-level or higher. | ||
| BPMI 3230 | Scientific Illustration Principles and Techniques | 3 |
| BPMI 3260 | Illustration and Illustration Software | 3 |
| BPMI 3270 | Illustration as Communication | 3 |
| COMST 3270 | Persuasion and Social Influence | 3 |
| ENGL 3320 | Visual Communication of Quantitative Information | 3 |
| ENGL 3550 | Literature and the Environment | 3 |
| ENGL 4770 | Seminar in Technical Communication | 3 |
| JLMC 2600 | Media Controversies in Science and Technology | 3 |
| JLMC 4010 | Mass Communication Theory | 3 |
| JLMC 4740 | Communication Technology and Social Change | 3 |
| JLMC 4760 | World Communication Systems | 3 |
| PHIL 2060 | Introduction to Logic and Scientific Reasoning | 3 |
| PR 2200 | Principles of Public Relations | 3 |
| PR 3050 | Publicity Methods | 3 |
| PR 3230X | Strategic Communication in Agriculture and the Environment | 3 |
As majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Climate Science students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated above for the major.
LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 3000/4000 level. You must also complete the LAS world language requirement.
Communication Proficiency requirement: According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 2500.
Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. cultures and communities (formerly U.S. diversity) and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved courses. Discuss with your advisor how the two courses that you select can be applied to your graduation plan.
Climate Science 4-Year Plan
This plan is an example only; students should discuss their graduation plan with their advisor.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GEOL 1120 | 1 | GEOL 1130 | 1 |
| MTEOR 1400 | 3 | MATE 2200 | 3 |
| GEOL 1000 | 3 | CHEM 1630 | 4 |
| GEOL 1000L | 1 | CHEM 1630L | 1 |
| STAT 1010 | 4 | MTEOR 2060 | 3 |
| ENGL 1500 | 3 | Arts and Humanities choice | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ECON 1010 | 3 | GEOL 3240 | 3 |
| MATH 1600 | 4 | ECON 3800 | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 | 3 | Arts and Humanities choice | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | 1 | Climate Science Pathway choice | 3 |
| PHYS 1310 | 4 | U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity) choice | 3 |
| PHYS 1310L | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MTEOR 4040 | 3 | MTEOR 3600 | 3 |
| GEOL 4150 | 3 | JLMC 3470 | 3 |
| Climate Science Pathway choice (3000+) | 3 | Climate Science Pathway choice (3000+) | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities choice | 3 | Social Science choice | 3 |
| Elective (3000+ level) | 3 | Elective (3000+ level) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Climate Science Pathway choice (3000+) | 3 | Climate Science Pathway choice | 3 |
| Elective (3000+ level) | 3 | Climate Science Capstone Course | 2 |
| Arts and Humanities choice | 3 | Elective (3000+ level) | 3 |
| Elective (3000+ level) | 3 | Elective (3000+ level) | 3 |
| World Language 1010 choice/Elective | 3-4 | World Language 1020 choice/Elective | 3-4 |
| 15-16 | 14-15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120-122 | |||