Skip to content
  • Apply Now
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Graduate Programs
  • Weissman Strategic Plan
Baruch college | Baruch College-logo Baruch College-logo City University of New York CUNY-logo

Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

Menu

    About Us
    • Dean’s Welcome
    • Dean’s Office Staff
    • Dean’s Advisory Council
    • Weissman Strategic Plan
    • Weissman Assessment
    Degrees and Departments
    • Academic Departments
    • Degree Requirements
    • Graduate Programs
    • Undergraduate Majors and Minors
    • Online Bulletin
    • Honors Program
    Student Resources
    • Declare a Liberal Arts Major
    • Declare a Minor
    • Declare an Optional Focus (for Zicklin students)
    • Academic Appeals
    • Academic Help
    • Careers and Internships
      • Graduate Careers
    • Advisement
    Faculty & Staff Resources
    • Scholarly Opportunities & Professional Development
    • Weissman Committees
    • Teaching in Freshman Learning Communities
    • Directory
    Arts & Culture
    • Baruch Performing Arts Center
    • Sidney Mishkin Gallery
    • Sidney Harman Writer-In-Residence Program
    • Sandra K Wasserman Jewish Studies Center
    • Fine and Performing Arts
    The Weissman Newsletter
    • Weissman School of Arts and Sciences
    • Weissman Academic Departments
    • Undergraduate Majors and Minors
    • Environmental Sustainability Minor
    • Apply
      • Undergraduate Programs
      • Graduate Programs
    • Academic Departments
    • Degree Requirements
    • Graduate Programs
    • Undergraduate Majors and Minors
    • Online Bulletin
    • Honors Program

    Environmental Sustainability Minor

    Department of Natural Sciences

    The Department of Natural Sciences, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, and the Zicklin School of Business offer a joint interdisciplinary program in environmental sustainability. This minor is suitable for both business and liberal arts students who have an interest in developing a critical understanding of interactions between human society and the broader global ecosystem. The program emphasizes economic, legal, and philosophical issues of environmental sustainability.

    The prerequisite to this minor is completion of one of the following options: 1) completion of a course that satisfies the Scientific World CUNY Pathways requirement and a one-semester college natural science course that fulfills the Pathways Life and Physical Sciences requirement; or 2) Declaration of a Biological Sciences major; or 3) Departmental Permission.

    Note completion of ENV 1003 and 1004 is the recommended entry route to the minor for those with majors outside of the natural sciences.

    To complete the minor in environmental sustainability (11–12 credits) students must take one course at the 3000-level or above in environmental studies (ENV) offered by the Department of Natural Sciences, any other course from the electives listed below, and a required capstone course (ENV 4005, ENV 4900, or IDC 4010/H).

    Requirements for the Minor

    Choose one (Scientific World course or STEM variant course):

    BIO 1011 Fundamentals of Biology: Human Biology Lecture 3 credit
    BIO 1015 Fundamentals of Biology – Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology 3 credit
    CHM 1003 Fundamentals of Chemistry 3 credit
     ENV 1003  Fundamentals of Ecology 3 credit
    PHY 2002 Fundamentals of Physics: Theory and Practice 3 credit
    PSY 1001 General Psychology 3 credit
    BIO 2010 Principles of Biology I 4 credit
    CHM 2003 General Chemistry I 4 credit
    PHY 2003 General Physics I 4 credit
    PHY 3010 Quantitative Physics I 4 credit

    AND choose one (Life and Physical Sciences course or STEM variant course):

    BIO 1012 Fundamentals of Biology: Human Biology Laboratory 3 credit
    BIO 1016 Fundamentals of Biology – Laboratory Research in Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology 3 credit
    CHM 1004 Fundamentals of Chemical Laboratory Techniques 3 credit
    ENV 1004 Fundamentals of Ecological Research 3 credit
    PHY 2001 Fundamentals of Experimental Physics 3 credit
    BIO 2010 Principles of Biology I 4 credit
    CHM 2003 General Chemistry I 4 credit
    PHY 2003 General Physics I 4 credit
    PHY 3010 Quantitative Physics I 4 credit
    or
    Departmental Permission

    Choose one of the following:

    ENV 4005 

    Ecosystem Sustainability 4 credits

    ENV 4900 

    Environmental Sciences Capstone (formerly Topics in Environmental Science) 4 credits

    IDC 4010/

    IDC 4010H

    The Susan Locke Interdisciplinary Capstone in Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change 3 credits

    At least one course from this list:

    BIO 3009

    Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development (ENV 3009)

    4.5 credits
    BIO 3016
    Environmental Modeling (ENV 3016)
    4 credits

    BIO 3020

    Biology of Invertebrates (ENV 3020)

    4 credits
    BIO 3030

    Principles of Evolution: Processes, Patterns, and the History of Life (ENV 3030) formerly History and Evolution of Life

    4 credits
    BIO 3032
    Animal Behavior (ENV 3032), (PSY 3032)
    4 credits

    BIO 3040

    Plants in Action 4 credits

    BIO 3050

    Freshwater Ecology (ENV 3050)

    4 credits

    ENV 3001

    Introduction to Environmental Science 4 credits

    ENV 3002

    Energy Conservation 4 credits

    ENV 3003 

    Human Conservation 4 credits

    ENV 3005 

    Economic and Legal Aspects of Ecology 4 credits

    ENV 3008

    Air and Water Pollution 4 credits

    ENV 3015/

    ENV 3015

    Tropical Reef Ecology (Lecture and Lab) 4 credits

    ENV 3060

    Earth Systems (PHY 3060) 4 credits

    ENV 3062

    Astrobiology (BIO 3062) (PHY 3062) 4 credits

    ENV 3070

    Agroecology 4 credits

    ENV 3400

    Special Topics in Environmental Sciences 4 credits


    One course from this list or a second Natural Sciences electives from the list above:

    BLS 3200
    Climate Justice (LTS 3200, PAF 3200) 3 credits
    CIS 3700*
    Green IT 3 credits
    ECO 3511*
    Contemporary Economic Development 3 credits
    GEOG 3009
    Introduction to Human Geography (ANT 3009)
    3 credits
    GEOG 3036
    World Regional Geography (ANT 3036)
    3 credits
    JRN 3800
    Covering Climate Change (formerly Environmental Reporting) 3 credits
    LAW 3122*
    Law and the Environment 3 credits
    LAW 3400*
    Law, Business and Sustainability 3 credits
    MGT 3800*
    Management and Society  3 credits
    PAF 3442
    Cities and Sustainability (formerly The Environment, Political Choices, and Public Policy) 3 credits
    PHI 3200
    Environmental Ethics, Law, and Public Policy 3 credits
    POL 3317
    The Politics of Energy and the Environment 3 credits
    PSY 3185
    Environmental Psychology 3 credits

    *For the purposes of this program, this course counts as an Arts and Sciences course.

    Students are expected to complete the minor requirements in place at the time they are officially accepted into their programs. Please review the College Bulletin for the relevant academic year.

    Spring 2026 Environmental Sustainability Course Offerings

    (Subject to Change)


    IDC 4010 Susan Locke Capstone in Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change 

    MTA-LEC Regular; Class Number: 26441

    In-Person: Tu 11:10AM – 2:05PM

    Instructor: Elizabeth Heath/Benjamin Iuliano


    BIO 3032 Animal Behavior

    (Crosslisted with ENV 3032 EMWA-LAB Regular; 27273, ENV 3032 EMWB-LAB Regular; 27275,  ENV 3032EMWL-LEC Regular; 27272, PSY 3032 EMWA-LAB Regular; 27796, PSY 3032 EMWB-LAB Regular; 27797, EMWL-LEC Regular; 27795)

    EMWA-LAB Regular; Class Number: 27135

    In-Person: MoWe 12:25PM – 2:05PM

    Instructor: Sarah Bengston

    EMWB-LAB Regular; Class Number: 27955

    In-Person: Friday 10:45AM – 12:25PM

    Instructor: Sarah Bengston

    EMWL-LEC Regular; Class Number: 27133

    In-Person: MoWe 2:30PM – 3:20PM

    Instructor: Sarah Bengston


    ENV 3001 Introduction to Environmental Science 

    CFA-LAB Regular; Class Number: 27959

    In-Person: Fr 12:50PM – 3:20PM

    Instructor: Chester Zarnoch

    CFL-LEC Regular; Class Number: 27270

    In-Person: Fr 10:45AM – 12:25PM

    Instructor: Chester Zarnoch


    LAW 3400 Law, Business & Sustainability

    CTRA-LEC Regular; Class Number: 27510

    In-Person: TuTh 10:45AM – 12:00PM

    Instructor: Valerie Watnick


    MGT 3800 Management and Society

    CTRA-LEC Regular; Class Number: 25196

    In-Person: TuTh 10:45AM – 12:00PM

    Instructor: Ryan Teschner

    MFA-LEC Regular; Class Number: 25195

    Online Mix: Fr 11:10AM – 2:05PM

    Instructor: Yesenia Morillo

    PMWB-LEC Regular; Class Number: 25194

    In-Person: MoWe 5:50PM – 7:05PM

    Instructor: Yesenia Morillo


    PAF 3442 Cities and Sustainability

    ETRA-LEC Regular; Class Number: 27579

    In Person: TuTh 2:30PM – 3:45PM

    Instructor: Bryan Jones


    POL 3317 The Politics of Energy and the Environment 

    FMWA-LEC Regular; Class Number: 26914

    Online Synchronous: MoWe 4:10PM – 5:25PM

    Instructor: Christopher Dekki


    PSY 3185 Environmental Psychology

    CMWA-LEC Regular; Class Number: 27374

    In Person: MoWe 10:45AM – 12:00PM

    Instructor: Patrycja Sleboda-Sobolev


    Contact

    Department of Natural Sciences
    646-660-6200

    Program Director:
    Professor Chester Zarnoch
    646-660-6239 (Environmental Science)


    Weissman School of Arts and Sciences
    • Contact Us
    • About Our Site
    • Privacy
    • Site Map
    • Text Only
    Baruch College | One Bernard Baruch Way
    55 Lexington Avenue (at 24th Street) | New York, NY 10010
    646-312-1000
    CUNY logo
    CUNY logo