FAMU’s new environmental studies bachelor’s degrees seek to boost diversity in field

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This fall, the FAMU School of the Environment will begin offering a new B.S. and B.A. degree in environmental studies. The degrees are designed for students seeking careers in environmental policy and management.

FAMU will join Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Florida International University (FIU) as the only universities in the Florida State University System offering degrees in environmental studies. FGCU and FIU have only graduated six African-Americans since 2011 in the field. FAMU’s program will be one way of increasing the number of African-American graduates in this field, which is an area of employment that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will grow by 19 percent by 2020.

Dean of the School of the Environment, Victor Ibeanusi, said students with social sciences, humanities and STEM backgrounds will find the new degree in environmental studies very appealing because the new program will offer both B.S./B.A. degree tracks.

“The global environmental changes and impact of today demand that we train students that are prepared to assume leadership positions with a knowledge base for understanding the long-term restoration and sustainability of the environment,” said Ibeanusi. “The new degree in environmental studies will add to our existing environmental sciences program as we prepare students to better understand the environmental policies and management that are needed to provide solutions to these global changes.”

According to the program proposal approved by the FAMU Board of Trustees, “it is expected that at least 50 students will enroll in the first year of implementation increasing to 175 by year five.”

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