Iowa State University
6-19-96

Contacts:
Bill Crumpton, Botany, (515) 294-4752
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917

IOWA STATE PROPOSES ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAM

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University is seeking approval for a new undergraduate degree in environmental science. The new bachelor of science degree would be the first such undergraduate degree to be offered by an Iowa Regents institution.

University officials submitted a request for the new degree program to the Iowa State Board of Regents at a meeting today (June 19) in Cedar Falls.

The proposed interdisciplinary program in environmental science will be a collaboration between ISU's College of Agriculture and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The new degree is in agreement with Iowa State's Strategic Plan for 1995-2000, which recognizes the importance of environmental and interdisciplinary programs.

The proposed program will train students in the integrated analysis of environmental systems. In addition to a core of basic science courses, upper level courses will accentuate the application of scientific skills ranging from the analysis of small-scale to large global environmental processes and problems.

The new degree program will become available to students pending approval by the Board of Regents.