Academic Opportunities

For students who want to learn more about environmental issues and/or prepare for a related career, environment-related courses are offered by a variety of liberal arts and business departments. These courses can be taken by all students, regardless of major.

Core Curriculum

Start your Iona experience with an emphasis on the environment in the Earth Theme Columba Cornerstone experience. The Columba Cornerstone introduces students to time-honored questions in the liberal arts through the themes of Truth, Justice and Earth. Using these particular themes, students will explore questions about the nature of knowing, dive deeply into analyses of identities and probe the many dimensions of human interrelatedness.

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An Integrated Core Theme (ICT) is a set of four courses based on an interdisciplinary topic. The Stewardship of the Earth ICT consists of a Humanities Centerpiece course, The Story of the Universe: Foundational Cosmology and Earth History, and three integrated courses that come from departments across the University. See more information on the Integrated Core Themes.

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Programs of Study

Students who are interested in environmental advocacy and education may wish to minor in Environmental Studies. This minor is a unique blend of biology, political science and religious studies designed to provide a deep understanding of the "Living Earth."

Environmental Studies Minor

Faculty Research

Faculty and students are actively conducting research related to the environmental on diverse topics including environmental justice, environmental ethics, environmental policy, sustainable development, and conservation biology.