The mission of the Environmental Biology major is to provide students with an understanding of the structure, function and interrelationships of diverse living systems within the context of earth's changing environment. It addresses some of the most important issues of our timeclimate change and declining biological diversity--and efforts to address these problems. To this end, students take courses in both the Environmental Science and Biology departments, including laboratory and field courses that help them learn how to design and test hypotheses, use modern scientific equipment, interpret data, and evaluate and solve problems. Students learn scientific communication skills by critiquing research articles, writing laboratory reports and research papers, and participating in oral presentations and debates.<br><br>Environmental Biology students are encouraged to become involved in research under the guidance of a faculty member at Barnard or elsewhere in New York City. Our urban setting, the proximity to the Hudson River, and the numerous affiliations we maintain with Columbia University through LamontDoherty Earth Observatory, the Earth Institute, and the School of Public Health, as well as Black Rock Forest, the American Museum of Natural History, and other institutions, allow us to offer undergraduates unparalleled opportunities for student research and educational experiences. Upon successful completion of our program, our students are well prepared to pursue successful careers in research, teaching or the allied health sciences. The Environmental Biology major is appropriate for students interested in careers as diverse as university-level research and teaching, curatorial work and research in natural history museums and parks, environmental education, and decision-making in environmental policy, law, public health, and government agencies.