Frequently Asked Questions

Declaring

Why should I declare a major in Environmental Studies?

The Environmental Studies major provides students with the breadth of understanding and the skills necessary for resolving environmental questions and creating a sustainable future on scales ranging from local to global. It does so through integrated, problem-oriented study and a broad range of courses across disciplines and schools. It offers opportunities to develop interests in a number of areas, including environmental science; environmental values, policy, and law; earth system science; public health; urban environmental problems; climate change; energy systems; environmental monitoring; environmental justice; and our complex relations with both domesticated and wild nature.

Declaring the major allows us to pair you with a major adviser on the full-time faculty, to grant you first-week access to ES courses, and to invite you to community events like career series and research seminars.

How do I declare an ES major or minor?

Read about the Department of Environmental Studies and the undergraduate degree requirements here. In order to declare an ES Major or Minor, PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DECLARE YOUR MAJOR OR MINOR.

For general questions about the Environmental Studies major and minor, please email environmental.studies.advising@nyu.edu.

Once I declare my major, do I still have an academic adviser at the College Advising Center?

Once you have declared your major, you will receive advising in your major and registration clearance from an adviser in Environmental Studies. However, your CAS Adviser will continue to be a resource for you throughout your four years, and you may meet with them, or a walk-in adviser, to answer any general questions you have that do not relate directly to your major such as CORE, degree progress, graduation, and other requirements.

Environmental Studies Advisers

Animal Studies Undergraduate Advising

For general questions about the Animal Studies minor, please email Christopher Schlottmann at cps236@nyu.edu.

Requirements/Audits/Courses

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR

To complete a major in Environmental Studies, students must satisfy the following requirements:

Receive a grade of C or better in the following three core courses (12 points):
•   Environmental Systems Science (ENVST-UA 100)
•   Environment and Society (ENVST-UA 101)
•   Environmental Studies Senior Seminar (ENVST-UA 900)
Receive a grade of C or better in the following requirements:
•   One "Methods of Inquiry" course (4 points)
•   One "Governance" course (4 points)
•   Four 4-point elective courses (16 points), this can include courses in other NYU schools and at NYU study away sites, available from the department, chosen in consultation with a departmental adviser. Internship in Environmental Studies (ENVST-UA 800) may count as one of the four electives.

Governance and Methods of Inquiry courses can also count as electives if the Governance and Methods of Inquiry requirements are already met. Courses satisfying the Methods of Inquiry, Governance, and Electives requirements can be found here. Pass/fail option may not be used for the major.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MINOR

To complete a minor in Environmental Studies, students are required to complete five 4-point courses (20 points):

Environmental Systems Science (ENVST-UA 100)

Environment and Society (ENVST-UA 101)

Plus three courses from the list of ES major electives.

Pass/fail option may not be used for the minor.

ANIMAL STUDIES MINOR

To complete a minor in Animal Studies, students must complete four (4) courses from the list below with a "C" or higher. Courses with grades below "C" will not count for the minor. Pass/fail option may not be used for the minor.

Animals & Society (ANST-UA 200/ENVST-UA 610/SOC-UA 970)

Primate Communication (ANST-UA 257/ANTH-UA 59)

Animals in Art and Literature (ANST-UA 300)

Introduction to Marine Ecology (ANST-UA 323)

Making Art in the Anthropocene (ANST-UA 393/AHSEM-UA 193/ENVST-UA 593/THEAT-UT 801)

Ethics and Animals (ANST-UA 400)

Animal Minds (ANST-UA 410)

Food, Animals, & The Environment (ANST-UA 440/ENVST-UA 440)

Literature and the Environment (ANST-UA 475/ENVST-UA 675/ENGL-UA 675)

Animals and Public Policy (ANST-UA 500/ENVST-UA 630)

Topics in Animal Studies (ANST-UA 600)

Primate Behavioral Ecology (ANTH-UA 54)

Comparative Biology of Living Primates (ANTH-UA 56)

Prehistoric Art and Symbolic Evolution (ANTH-UA 212)

Texts and Ideas: Topics—Animal Humans or Of Beasts and Books (CORE-UA 400)

Topics in Performance Studies: Animal Rites (DRLIT-UA 301)

Introduction to Marine Ecology and Conservation (ENVST-UA 323)

Animals, People, and Those in Between (ITPG-UT 2746)

Please note that all Animal Studies Graduate courses, except the Capstone, count as electives for the AS minor. These include:

Animals, Culture and Society (ANST-GA 1000)

Animals, Science and Philosophy (ANST-GA 2000)

Topics in Animal Studies (ANST-GA 2500)

A complete list of courses that count towards the Animal Studies minor can be found here.

ES HONORS

Please note that the Honors Seminar is an optional course whereas the Senior Seminar is a required course for all Environmental Studies major students. Therefore, the Honors Seminar course is taken in addition to the Senior Seminar course. The Honors Seminar is not a replacement course for the Senior Seminar and is only offered during the Spring semester.

What do I have to do in order to graduate?

Please consult the deadlines and instructions on how to apply to graduate on this page. As a reminder, in order to graduate you must complete 128 credits, complete all major/minor requirements, as well as any school-specific requirements. We recommend utilizing your Degree Progress Report (found within Albert) to ensure that you are on track to graduate.

How can I check on the status of my major, minors, CORE, and general requirements?

Please confirm your status in the major and other requirements using the Degree Progress Report function in Albert once per semester. You can find instructions on how to request a Degree Progress Report via the Albert Student Center in this document.

What if my courses don't appear correctly in my Degree Progress Report?

Email your advisor if there are any discrepancies, including the relevant course numbers, your N#, and the requirement in question. Doing so prevents problems with graduation, financial aid, and registration. CAS Advising can help with any questions unrelated to the ES major or minor, or AS minor. The relevant department can help with any questions related to your required minor or major.

Do any ENVST courses fulfill CORE requirements?

Environmental Quantitative Methods (ENVST-UA 310) fulfills the Quantitative Reasoning requirement in the Foundations of Scientific Inquiry component of the College Core Curriculum. View Quantitative Reasoning exceptions, subsitutions, and proficiency exams here.
Where the City Meets the Sea (ENVST-US 275) fulfills the Life Science requirement in the Foundations of Scientific Inquiry component of the College Core Curriculum. View Life Science exceptions, substitutions, and proficiency exams here.
The ES major fulfills the Societies and the Social Sciences component of the College Core Curriculum. View Societies and the Social Sciences exceptions, substitutions, and proficiency exams here.

What non-ENVST-UA courses count towards the ES major or minor?

Both ENVST-UA and courses listed here count towards the Environmental Studies major and minor. The courses that will count towards your major will not necessarily show up as ENVST-UA courses in Albert. You can enroll in any of the courses offered on that list, regardless of whether or not it is ENVST-UA, and it will count towards your major or minor. To view offerings by semester visit the ES course schedules page.

Courses that fulfill the Environmental Studies major and minor requirements are listed on our Program of Study. Semester-specific course listings, as well as syllabi, are here.

Natural Science I: Energy and Environment (CORE-UA 203) is equivalent to ENVST-UA 200, Topics in Environmental Science.

Courses at NYU’s Global sites that fulfill Environmental Studies major and minor requirements are listed on our Study Abroad page.

SHANGHAI - “Listed under Global China Studies and Social Science. Consult your departmental advisor for course equivalencies that may satisfy major and degree requirements.
- Chinese Environmental Studies - GCHN-SHU 243 - 4 points
- Environment and Society - SOCS-SHU 135 - 4 points
- Global Environmental Politics - SOCS-SHU 333 - 4 points
ABU DHABI -
- Environmental Engineering - ENGR-UH 3411 - 4 points
- Where the City Meets the Sea: Studies in Coastal Urban Environments - CDAD-UH 1016EQ - 4 points

The following Liberal Studies courses are equivalent to ENVST-UA courses indicated:

ENVST-UF 101 (Professor Nagle) is equivalent to ENVST-101, Environment and Society
ENVST-UF 101 (Professor Douglas) is equivalent to ENVST-UA 250, Topics in Environmental Science
ENVST-UF 101 (Professor Naro-Maciel) is equivalent to ENVST-UA 250, Topics in Environmental Science
LIVN-UF 101 (Professor Naro-Maciel) is equivalent to ENVST-UA 450, Topics in Environmental Values and Society

How many courses can I take away from NYU-NY?

At least five courses for the ES major must be taken at NYU-NY.

If I wanted to enroll in a graduate-level course, is permission/access code needed?

Access to graduate-level courses is at the instructor's discretion. ES students are encouraged to take appropriate graduate-level environmental courses. Registration information is on the semester specific course pages.

Can a course count for Environmental Studies if it is also being used for another major?

Yes, but no student may double count more than two courses between two majors, as long as both departments approve.

Can a course count for Environmental Studies or Animal Studies if it is also being used for another minor?

Yes, but no student may double count more than one course between the ES or AS minor and another major or minor.

Transfer Students & Liberal Studies Transition

How do I declare a ES major or minor as a LS student?

To declare the major or minor, LS students must fill out a cross school minor form via Albert. Keep in mind once you transfer into another school, you may need to re-declare the minor so please keep an eye on your degree audit. If you have already transferred into CAS, please fill out the declaration form.

Transfer Credits

How do I get non-NYU & LS courses, including those being transferred from other institutions, considered for academic credit?

First, the Department of Environmental Studies must approve the courses. Please send a complete syllabus to your ES adviser for initial approval. Second, you must complete a non-NYU study abroad form, available in Dean Kalb's office (Silver Center, Room 909B, 212-998-8140). This form must be signed by you, your ES adviser, and then brought to Dean Kalb's office for approval. Upon completion of the non-NYU courses, transcripts must be sent to Dean Kalb's office. Once the credits appear in your unofficial transcript, contact your ES adviser to apply them to your degree.

How many transfer credits can I apply to the major or minor?

Any transfer courses to be applied toward major or minor requirements must be approved by the department and may not exceed one-half of the required coursework for the major or minor. A maximum of 4 transfer courses can beF applied to the major, and a maximum of 2 transfer courses can be applied to the ES and AS minors.

Does AP Environmental Science count towards any ES requirements?

No.

More FAQS

What resources are available for Alumni?

Our alumni page is frequently updated with job postings, career series events, alumni news, scholarships, and paid and unpaid internship opportunities. Other parts of the page are helpful for graduate school and career opportunities. As an alumni, you will receive access to a private blog.

How can I get into the BA/MA program?

Undergraduate students who are already enrolled at NYU can pursue a discounted graduate education through an NYU BA/MA Program. Students in the College of Arts and Science (CAS) and the Global Liberal Studies (GLS) program may apply to the GSAS Bachelor's-Master's track if they:

Have completed 3 semesters at NYU. Transfer students must complete at least one semester in CAS/GLS before applying.
Have 2 semesters remaining in CAS or GLS after they apply to the Bachelor's-Master's track. For example, a student can apply to the Bachelor's-Master's track in Spring 2018 only if they plan to graduate no earlier than Spring 2019.
Have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Students must also have a minimum 3.0 to enter GSAS as full-time Master's students after they complete their undergraduate degree.
Satisfy any additional Bachelor's-Master's application prerequisites established by their graduate program of interest. These may include a certain major GPA, declaration of a particular major or minor, completion of specific courses, internships, or a meeting with the Master's program director prior to application.

Inquiries regarding the application process, please visit NYU BA/MA Program for more information. You can find information about M.A. student resources here.

How do I get a letter of recommendation?

For Letters of Recommendation by Environmental Studies faculty, please contact individual faculty members directly.
For first time requests, students must provide a month's notice during the semester and longer when school is not in session (Summer/Winter).
Please provide written details about what you are applying for.
Provide clear instructions on how to submit the letter.
Provide a personal statement or additional details as necessary.
If still unsure about how to submit a request, please see Letters of Recommendation Tip Sheet for reference.

What are the NYU STEM designated programs for F-1 students?

All NYU programs that are on the US government's STEM Designated Degree Program list are included here.

Where can I apply to receive funding for doing research or attending conferences?

For funding related to research check out the various funding sources provided by NYU here. For conference specific funding, apply for an NYU conference attendance grant here.
NYU also offers funding for students pursuing unpaid and low-paying internships in qualifying industries in the sustainability field. For more information on the Sustainability Internship Grant, click here.