Technology and the Environment Minor

An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Minor at the

University of Virginia


General Description:

The increasing prevalence of technology has affected the environment in complex and often unforeseen ways. Society is now demanding that all disciplines of engineering be environmentally aware. Furthermore, those that use and distribute technology need to appreciate its far ranging impacts. For a more sophisticated understanding of the relationships between technology and the environment, engineers and managers require inter-disciplinary expertise.
The Technology and the Environment (TE) minor addresses these concerns with an interdisciplinary course of studies. A corner stone of the TE minor is basic knowledge of technologies that directly impact environmental systems. This technological foundation will allow students to build a more sophisticated understanding of how technology and the environment are inter-related. According to the interests of a student, courses from the areas of environmental planning and policy, history of the environment and technology, and management may be selected to complete the TE minor. Thus students from across the university may participate in the Technology and the Environment minor. Students interested in completing the minor should contact the minor coordinator Teresa Culver (tbc4e@virginia.edu, 924-6375).

Minor Curriculum

The minor will be composed of six courses. No more than two of these courses may be from a student's own department. Thus a student will be required to add breadth to their program through the completion of at least 4-courses outside of their major department.

All students are required to complete at least two courses in the environmental technology area, including either CE 205 - Introduction to Environmental Engineering or EVSC148 Resources and the Environment. Each student must then choose an emphasis, by completing three courses, in one of three areas: Environmental Planning and Policy, History of Technology and the Environment, or Management and Economics. The sixth course may be selected from any of the areas listed below. A student may petition the minor supervisory committee to include courses not specifically listed below.


Environmental Technology Courses (choose at least two courses):

Emphasis Areas ( choose at least three courses from one of the following areas)

Links to:

Last revised Sept 2008