Minor in Climate Change

The minor is open to all Cornell undergraduates. Administered by the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the minor is offered collaboratively with classes across campus coordinated by a committee of faculty from Cornell Engineering, the College of Agriculture of Life Sciences, and the College of Arts and Sciences.

During your final semester (or earlier if you have already completed your minor requirements), you should submit a completed climate change minor certification form to Annmarie Card in 2102A Snee Hall for approval. Please contact Annmarie Card with any questions about the minor certification process, to obtain the climate change minor certification form, or to be added to the email list with special events for climate change minors.

Students must earn a grade of C- or better in each course in the minor. S is acceptable in S/U only courses.

Contacts:

• Curricular topics: Natalie Mahowald (nmm63@cornell.edu)
• Administration: Annmarie Card (ac2666@cornell.edu)

1. Describe the physical mechanisms that underlie climate change and the drivers of uncertainty in the future climate projections.
2. Recognize how climate forces changes in ecosystems and agriculture, and how these can further amplify or mitigate climate change forcings.
3. Explain how humans interact with climate change, including historical, social science perspectives, mitigation and/or adaptation solutions.
4. Synthesize and communicate the multi-disciplinary complexities and uncertainties in the possible solutions to climate change.

Many courses across Cornell deal with the multi-facets of climate change. The minor is structured such that students without prerequisites can obtain the minor, thus enabling students from most any major at Cornell to obtain the minor.

This minor requires that students complete at least 18 credits of appropriate coursework as follows:

1. BEE 2000 Perspectives on the Climate Change Challenge (1 credit spring seminar consisting of public lectures on climate change)

2. At least one course in each of the following categories:

• Category 1: Physical Science Behind Climate Change
• Category 2: Ecosystems and Climate Change
• Category 3: Humans and Climate Change

3. Additional courses to meet the 18 credit requirement, chosen from the broad list (Categories 1-4) below.

Note: Only one course at the 1000 level can count for the minor, and at least 12 credits must be at the 3000 level or higher. Students enrolled before Fall 2022 can use the old minor requirements including courses.