Climate Change Certificate

Why

There is a need for personnel who have a working knowledge of the science of climate change, its potential impacts, and adaptation and mitigation strategies to build climate resilient societies and landscapes.

Careers include scientists quantifying impacts, mitigation, and adaptation and practitioners and managers minimizing effects in natural and human systems.  

Who

Both undergraduate and graduate students in any program can earn the certificate.

What

The curriculum is designed to inform students about climate literacy across a range of disciplines. The curriculum builds in the flexibility for students to choose course topics of interest to them.

Curriculum (12 credits) 

Required course:

• GEOG 313/513 Global Climate Change

Choose three of the following elective courses:

• GEOG 317/517 Tree Rings and Environmental Change
• GEOG 401/512 Climatology
• GEOG 430 Climate Change Ecology
• GEOG 435 Climate Change Mitigation
• GEOG 455 Societal Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change
• GEOG 488 Geography of Energy Systems
• GEOL 435/535 Glaciology and the Dynamic Frozen Earth
• SOC 466 Climate Change and Society

Relevant seminar courses or other course substitutions may be approved by the department. (NOTE: You will need to file a substitution/waiver form to ensure these courses count toward the certificate.) These classes may include:

• GEOG 404/504 Climate Change Planning
• GEOG 411 Natural Hazards and Society
• BE 453 NW Climate and Water Resources Change
• ENGL 322 Environmental Literature and Cultures
• GEOG 410 Biogeography (as a substitute for GEOG 430, Climate Change Ecology) 

Students must declare the academic certificate through U of I Office of the Registrar.

For additional information contact Dr. Jeff Hicke (jhicke@uidaho.edu)

Declaring the Certificate

To officially declare the certificate, fill out the change of curriculum form. You only need the first page – fill out the section at the bottom related to Adding Certificates. The department chair signs the form and then you turn it into the Office of the Registrar. There is no fee and no penalty if you declare the certificate but do not fulfill the requirements.

Forms are also available in the main office of the Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences (McClure 201).

If you have questions regarding how long this process will take, please contact Student Services.