Interdisciplinary programs expand student learning while enabling intellectual growth. They combine two or more academic disciplines to offer students ample opportunities to achieve their individual academic and professional goals.
Oregon State University is renowned for its unique, innovative and career-focused interdisciplinary programs in the areas of environmental and natural sciences.
Enhance your undergraduate study with an interdisciplinary minor:
A minor in environmental sciences can be fruitfully combined with a major program in biology, zoology, chemistry, microbiology, physics or mathematics to gain a well-rounded education in scientific and policy issues that include global climate change, pollution, biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and balancing resource use and preservation.
Minimum of 27 credits required.
Principles of Climate: Physics of Climate and Climate Change
World Soil Resources
Hydrogeology
The undergraduate Geographic Information Science (GIS) Certificate offers students of mathematics, statistics, physics and allied fields a pathway to specialize in geographic information systems. The discipline combines theory and principles underlying geospatial data collection, technologies to manage and analyze geospatial data, computational and statistical models to model geospatial data, digital cartography and other areas. The GIScience undergraduate certificate consists of 27 credit hours. GIS professionals are in high demand for jobs in government, NGOs, and the private sector, and have rewarding careers in natural resource management, online and interactive mapping, business, planning, and many others.
Forest Surveying
Remote Sensing: Principles and Applications
Geovisualization: Web Mapping
The undergraduate Geology minor provides a means for students majoring in physics, chemistry, and related fields to develop a strong geology background as part of their program. Minimum of 14 unique credits required.
Physical Geology
Earth Systems Science
Igneous Petrology
Students majoring in biology, microbiology and allied fields with an interest in natural resources management can choose to complete the Natural Sciences minor which provides a broad exposure to the natural resources field. Minimum of 27 credits required.
Principles of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Rangeland Ecology and Management
Land and Water
The Sustainability minor includes core and tailored elective courses to expand students’ knowledge and experience of their primary major in the context of sustainability principles and frameworks. Science majors across the disciplines of physics, chemistry, and the life sciences with an interest in the various dimensions of sustainability can add on this minor. The sustainability minor requires earning 27 credits.
Social Dimensions of Sustainability
Environmental Economics and Policy
Environmental Chemistry
Science majors with a foundation in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics and with an interest in the marine environment can pursue a minor in oceanography. In addition to core courses, elective courses are offered in the fields of ocean and climate science and biological science that cover diverse aquatic environments from coastal mangroves to ice-covered polar regions. This minor will add rigorous interdisciplinary breadth and a broad environmental sciences background to any undergraduate program, broadening employment prospects and enhancing chances for gaining admission to graduate programs. Students must complete 14 unique credits.
Oceans, Coasts and People
Polar Oceanography
Aquatic Biological Invasions
The Education Double Degree Program provides science and mathematics majors a flexible, focused pathway to earn two undergraduate degrees concurrently — one in a science or mathematics major and one in education. This program is highly suitable for biology, mathematics, chemistry and physics majors who want to pursue careers as elementary, middle and high school teachers and aspire to make a difference as education leaders. New, more accessible undergraduate options in the Education Double Degree provide a means for addressing gaps in science and mathematics teaching. Post-baccalaureate students from other institutions who pursue the Education Double Degree will be required to satisfy the University’s double degree requirement of 36 credits.
Civil Rights and Multicultural Issues in Education
Science or Mathematics Pedagogy and Technology
Teacher as Reflective Practitioner
This minor provides students the most up-to-date information on production methods involved in the care and management of companion animals, livestock, and poultry.
Introduction to Animal Science
Introduction to Wildland Ecology
This minor is designed for students pursuing degrees in other fields that require a knowledge of plant biology. Minimum of 27 credits required.
Genetics
Plant Ecology
Plant Physiology
The minor provides a solid foundation in social determinants of health and prepares students interested in the allied health services and sciences, as well as those primarily focused on public health, to apply principles of health equity, cultural competence and humility, and global thinking. Students learn about the global health processes (e.g. migration, discrimination, and polarization) that shape health outcomes. This program is fully online. Minimum of 27 credits required.
Global Nutrition
Introduction to the Health Care System
Foundations of Environmental Health
The Health Management and Policy minor provides students with a background in public health, with an emphasis on the management of healthcare programs and agencies, including hospitals, medical clinics, health insurance plans, and public health organizations. It is ideal for students interested in learning more about the U.S. health care system, including Business, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Physical Therapy students. Students pursuing a Public Health major cannot add a Health Management and Policy minor. Minimum of 33-36 credits required.
Introduction to Microeconomics
Introductions to Health Care Management
Foundations of Epidemiology
The nutrition minor is an excellent addition for food science and technology or kinesiology students wanting a good foundation in basic nutritional principles. The minor requiring a year of general chemistry and two terms of organic chemistry as pre-requisites to BB 350 Elementary Biochemistry in addition to the courses listed below. This minor will not prepare you to become a dietitian (RDs). Minimum of 32 credits required.
Elementary Biochemistry
Applied Food and Nutrition
Nutrition Across the Lifespan
