Augment Your Studies: The Environmental Systems and Society Minor at UCLA

Environmental and sustainability concerns are increasingly relevant across various professions, extending far beyond the traditional realm of environmental science. Recognizing this growing need, UCLA offers the Environmental Systems and Society minor, designed to provide students from any major with a distinct advantage. This minor enhances their primary field of study by incorporating courses that explore the intricate relationships between environmental sciences and the associated social and political issues.

Why Choose a Minor?

For students with diverse interests, a minor can be an excellent way to enhance their major or delve into a secondary area of study. By declaring a minor, students have the opportunity to explore subjects of personal interest, broaden their skill sets, and cultivate a more diverse academic profile. Minors can also provide a competitive edge when entering the job market. UCLA boasts over 100 minors, offering students the flexibility to create unique combinations with their chosen majors. For example, a food studies minor can nicely complement majors in chemistry, biology, communication, and many other fields.

The Environmental Systems and Society Minor: A Deeper Dive

The Environmental Systems and Society minor is specifically tailored for students seeking to augment their major program with coursework that examines the interplay between environmental science and related social and political considerations. The minor aims to foster a more profound understanding of environmental systems concerning air, land, water, and biological resources.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the Environmental Systems and Society minor, students must meet the following criteria:

Be in good academic standing, maintaining a grade-point average of 2.0 or higher.
Declare the minor by scheduling an appointment with the IoES (Institute of Environment and Sustainability) Student Affairs Officer (SAO).

Course Offerings

The Environmental Systems and Society minor offers a diverse range of courses that cover various aspects of environmental science and its societal implications. Here's a glimpse into some of the courses offered in Fall 2025, Winter 2026, and Spring 2026:

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Fall 2025

M30 Environmental Literature and Culture (Heise)
140 Foundations of Environmental Policy and Regulation (Boyd)
155 Energy and Society in a Time of Climate Change (Pincetl)
163 Business & The Natural Environment
175 Programming with Big Environmental Datasets

Winter 2026

10 Introduction to Environmental Science (Garrison/Tripati)
M131 Human Impact on Biophysical Environment (Li)
M153 Intro to Sustainable Architecture and Community Planning
M167 Environmental Justice through Multiple Lenses (Koslov)
168 Environmental Justice: Theory & Action (Montgomery)
185B/C Sustainability Action Research / Leaders
188A Sustainable Energy in Nature and Society (Rajagopal/Tommaso)

Spring 2026

134 Environmental Economics (TBD)
M169 Course title not provided

Student Perspectives

The Environmental Systems and Society minor attracts students from diverse academic backgrounds who share a common passion for environmental issues. Here are a few examples of UCLA students who have chosen this minor and their areas of interest:

Joseph Serafino (Class of 2026): An Environmental Science major with minors in Environmental Systems and Society and Geographic Information Systems, Joseph is interested in light pollution's impact.
Sammy Sisitsky (Class of 2027): A Civil Engineering major with a minor in Public Affairs, Sammy is interested in light pollution’s effects on animal life and ecosystems.
Aditya Murthy (Class of 2027): Majoring in Computer Science and Engineering with a minor in Public Affairs, Aditya works on improving LA city planning using big data, parallel computing, and machine learning techniques.
Synaia Faust: An Environmental Science major with a concentration in Conservation Biology and a minor in Geographic Information Systems, Synaia is interested in artificial lights’ impact on the health and cultural aspects of human lifestyle.
Louise Goldman: Studying Environmental Science, Louise is invested in combating urban artificial light overuse.
Ashley Gleason (Class of 2026): Majoring in Human Biology & Society and minoring in Environmental Engineering, Ashley is passionate about understanding light pollution and its impacts on marine and terrestrial animals.

These students, along with many others, demonstrate the interdisciplinary appeal of the Environmental Systems and Society minor and its relevance to a wide range of academic and professional pursuits.

Other Relevant Minors at UCLA

In addition to the Environmental Systems and Society minor, UCLA offers several other minors that complement studies in environmental science and related fields:

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Minor: This minor is ideal for students interested in the science of the atmosphere and oceans. To enter the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences minor, students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better and declare the minor officially with the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences department. At least five courses approved for the minor must be upper division.
Conservation Biology Minor: Designed for students who wish to augment their major program of study with courses addressing issues central to the conservation and sustainability of biodiversity and natural ecosystem processes.
Environmental Engineering Minor: This minor focuses on the application of engineering principles to environmental problems. To enter the Environmental Engineering minor, students must be in good academic standing (2.0 grade-point average or better) and have earned a C or better in Math 32A or 3C. Students can choose five courses from a list that includes Civil and Environmental Engineering 110, 150, 151, 152, 154, 155, 156A, 156B, 157A, 157B, 157C, 157L, C159, C164, M165, M166, Chemical Engineering 102A, and Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering 103, 105A. Note that credit for both MAE 105A & CH ENGR 102A will not be granted.
Environmental Health Concentration: This concentration is for students interested in the impact of environmental factors on human health. To enter the Environmental Health concentration, students must have earned a C or better in Chemistry 14A, 14B, 14BL, 14C (or 20A, 20B, 20L, 30A) and have an overall 3.0+ GPA in prep requirements for the Environmental Science major.
Geography/Environmental Studies Minor: This minor emphasizes a systems approach to understanding major environmental problems. Courses should be selected in consultation with the departmental adviser, and at least three of the five upper-division courses must be taken in residence at UCLA.
Earth and Environmental Science Minor: This minor studies the interaction of the solid Earth, oceans, and atmosphere with human activities and is especially appropriate for students intending to become K-12 teachers in Earth, physical, or life sciences. To enter the minor, students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better. A minimum of 20 upper division units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major or minor requirements in another department or program. Each minor course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better. Students must complete one course from Earth Planetary and Space Sciences 1, or any EPS SCI course 3through 17, or GE Cluster 70A, and one course from EPS SCI 51, 61, M71.

Important Considerations

Time to Degree and Unit Maximum: Students need to ensure they can complete the minor in addition to their major and any other minors within their normal time-to-degree (12 regular academic quarters) and/or within their unit maximum (216 units + AP units). If this is not feasible, a petition must be filed with the College for approval before admission to the minor.
Unit Completion: Students who have completed 150 or more units will also need permission from the College of Letters & Science to declare any minor.

Declaring the Minor

Students normally choose their minor/concentration by the end of their second year. To declare the Environmental Systems and Society minor, students must schedule an appointment with the IoES undergraduate counselor. Appointments can be made online via Calendly. When scheduling an appointment, students should include their phone number or Zoom link.

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