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Undergraduate Minor in Energy and Resources
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The Energy and Resources Group (ERG) is an academic unit within the University of California, Berkeley. Our vision is a future in which the twin goals of human well-being and a healthy environment are mutually and sustainably satisfied. ERG’s mission is to develop and transmit the critical knowledge needed to make such a future possible. We view society and the environment as an inextricably coupled system. ERG research, therefore, emphasizes (1) science-based knowledge of the environmental consequences of resource use; (2) analytical tools that promote efficiency, conservation, affordability and equity in energy and resource use patterns; and (3) a deep understanding of the social and institutional contexts in which resource and environmental problems arise, and in which creative and ethical solutions can be sustained. It is this synthesis of basic science, practical problem-solving and constructive social critique that defines ERG. ERG provides a dynamic academic environment in which students, core faculty, and affiliate faculty members communicate and collaborate freely and actively. This rich and diverse network of scholarship is represented in ERG’s broad research themes (Technology, Development and Society; Consumption, Resource Use and Equity; Global Change Science; Governance Challenges; and Ecological Economics), and is reflected in its curricular offerings. Most of these themes are not “fields” as defined by traditional academic departments. They have emerged through ERG’s integrative approach to research, and through applying our research to energy and resource problems at home and abroad. A structured approach to studies of energy and resources has two advantages: (1) Students receive guidance in selecting a coherent set of courses that can be tailored to their particular interests. (2) An officially recognized “minor” in energy and resources is of strategic importance when seeking jobs in the burgeoning areas of environmental science and policy. The Minor in Energy and Resources offers undergraduates the opportunity to develop basic knowledge and skills to help them address the complex and interdependent issues associated with the interaction of social, economic, political, technical, and environmental factors. Though it is designed primarily to complement majors in the natural sciences and engineering, students in any major with the appropriate prerequisites may pursue the ERG Minor. Based on a six-course set of prerequisites in mathematics and natural sciences, the minor is satisfied by completing five upper division courses, including two core courses and three electives. The great challenge of an interdisciplinary but rigorous education lies in training the student to use and to integrate multiple research methods. The core courses provide students with an introduction to interdisciplinary analysis, and to integrating tools and methods from different disciplines such as economics and ecology. They also cover key energy and resource issues. The electives allow further exploration of these concepts. The electives must be taken from the list approved by the ERG faculty or with permission by the appropriate ERG faculty as listed in the ERG Minor Detailed Guidelines and Course Information. The Energy and Resources Group is responsible for monitoring the minor program and will designate one faculty member as The Undergraduate Advisor. It is The Undergraduate Advisor who will be charged with certifying completion of the minor. All core faculty members will participate in advising students in the minor, just as they do graduate students. At the time that the student completes the minor program, the Energy and Resources Group shall notify the Office of the Registrar. Completion of the minor program will be noted on the student’s transcript of Berkeley work. If you are interested in pursuing the minor:
Detailed Guidelines and Course Information(.pdf) Intent to Declare ERG Minor (.pdf) For more information, contact: Carina Galicia ERG minor Faculty Advisor: Associate Professor Isha Ray Office Hours: Sign up for Office Hours with Professor Ray |
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