Students now have the chance to study the environment from the perspective of their own discipline.

A new environmental inquiry minor that began this semester looks at environmental issues from multidisciplinary angles.

Ben Brooks (senior-political science) said the minor offers him a chance to merge his interest in the environment with his studies in political science.

"I've always been involved with something environmental," he said.

Don Epp, the professor in charge of the new minor, said it is designed to be accessible for students of all majors.

"It will open some students' eyes to the role of philosophy, ethics or journalism . . . to solve some (environmental) problems," he said.

Epp said the development of the program began with the establishment of the Environmental Consortium because the university wanted to consolidate environmental research and studies in different disciplines into one unit. The consortium is responsible for funding the program and also works to recruit faculty and to develop courses, William Easterling, director of the Environmental Consortium, said.

The goal is "to give students from a wide range of majors . . . an opportunity to take courses that are environmental," Easterling said.

Students enrolled in the minor will be required to take an intro course and a some that focus on a narrower topic, such as biodiversity and ecosystems or the environment and society.

The minor will include a final course based on a student's previous work to environmental research or a project. Epp said the course would allow students of various backgrounds to work together on a task.

The minor is an Intercollege Undergraduate Program, which means that it is not part of a specific college. Students in the minor have an adviser in their college who helps coordinate their involvement in the program.

"It wouldn't be difficult at all to integrate it with your current curriculum," said Brooks, who will be the first to graduate from the program. Epp said the foundation for the program is in place. Epp said it would be hard to predict the initial level of interest for the program, but he expected it would grow quickly. For more information about the minor, visit www.psu.edu/oue/env_i/default.htm.