Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Climate Science Minor


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Coordinator: Bill Lukens
Phone: (540) 568-7134    
Email: lukenswe@jmu.edu 

Coordinator: Mary Kimsey
Phone: (540) 568-6722    
Email: kimseymb@jmu.edu

The Climate Science Minor introduces students to the domain knowledge and analytical skills necessary for understanding and investigating Earth’s climate system. The program serves as an organizing framework for students interested in climate science and will broaden disciplinary expertise for advanced study, graduate programs and/or employment. The minor is structured in three tiers:

1) Introductory lecture and lab courses serve as an entry point to the program (4 credits total);

2) Content-specific courses build domain knowledge in climate science (minimum of 3 courses);

3) A minimum of one course focused on mathematical and/or data analytical skills provides tools necessary for working with scientific data; and

4) The remaining credit hours to fulfill the 18 credit-hour minimum requirement may consist of additional courses closely aligned with climate science, such as undergraduate research, internships and honors theses, upon approval by the program director(s).

Students are encouraged to discuss with their advisors or the program director(s) how climate science may interface with their primary degree program(s). The Climate Science Minor requires a minimum of 18 credit hours, and no more than six credits from the minor may be used to double-count with a major or another minor.

Introductory Lecture and Lab: 4 Credit Hours


A total of four credit hours of introductory lecture and lab course(s) must be taken:

Analytical Skills: 3-4 Credit Hours


At least one course focused on analytical skills must be taken. Choose at least one course from the follow lists, and note that only one programming course or one geospatial course may be counted toward the 18 credit hour total for the minor:

Other Course Options: 0-2 Credit Hours


Students who have not fulfilled the 18 credit hours1 with the above courses may fill the remaining credit hours with a course or research experience approved by the program director(s). Course content must include a focus on Earth’s climate system at any scale, and may include intersections with society, individuals and/or natural systems. Examples of course options include but are not limited to the following.

Footnotes


1 Students who have met the 18 credit hour requirement for the minor should speak to their advisor about the possibility of having the “Other Course Option” waived.
2 These courses have prerequisites listed.
3 These courses require director approval.

Total: 18 Credit Hours


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