SLU's New Major Part Environmental Studies And Math

CANTON - St. Lawrence University's newest major, which combines environmental studies and mathematics, aims to make graduates more attractive to potential employers.

"They'll go on to amazing jobs," said math professor Patti Frazer Lock, who, with Glenn R. Harris, chairman of the environmental students department, helped create the program.

"Statistics and math are so hot right now that our students can take their pick of jobs. In the environmental studies fields, I think they're really waking up to the fact that they need people with a qualitative background."

The major was set to go by Wednesday, which is the start of the academic year.

"We have two students that have already talked to me and Glenn," Ms. Lock said. "They came in early to get the major requirements so they could be working toward it, even before it was approved."

The university announced the major had received final approvals from the state late last week, though the program has been in the works for several years.

It will require students to take eight math classes and several others in the environmental studies department, as well as a class on "mathematical modeling" that combines the two.

That class, however, has not yet been finalized, Ms. Lock said.

Already, math students use examples from the environment - data about animal population or global warming - in their studies. Doing that can make math more real for students, Ms. Lock said.

The major is in response to requests from students, who say the program will widen their job opportunities once they graduate.

"We had quite a few graduates working on the math degree and going on to work in environmental studies," she said. "This is 10 years ago that this has been going on."