Gulf Studies Certificate

Students in the Undergraduate Certificate in Gulf Studies learn about multi-faceted issues facing the Gulf region, including a focus on East and Southeast Texas. An interdisciplinary seminar, field course, and applied internship experience provide skills students need to work with communities, agencies, and companies in the region.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze Gulf region challenges through multidisciplinary lenses, integrating perspectives from engineering, physical sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts via literature study and field experiences;
• Develop and implement strategies to foster relationships and collaboration across diverse communities in Southeast Texas;
• Apply systems thinking to identify key leverage points for building resilience capacity in Gulf region ecosystems and communities;
• Critically examine and propose solutions for complex challenges facing the Gulf region, including natural disasters, rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, and economic disparities; and
• Demonstrate practical application of knowledge and skills through the completion of undergraduate research projects, internships, and/or professional portfolios focused on Gulf region issues.

Gulf Studies Undergraduate Certificate Requirements (9 hrs):

• GEOG/POLS 3398: Gulf Seminar (3 hrs; Spring semester)
• GEOG 3399/SOCI 3399: Gulf Field Studies (3 hrs; May minimester)
• Prescribed Electives (Choose 3 hrs from the following; Summer semester)
  • ARTS 4079 Independent Study
  • COMS 4378 Internship in Communication Studies
  • CRIJ 4073 Undergraduate Internship Criminal Justice
  • ENGL 4350 Technical Writing Internship
  • ETEC 4390 Directed Studies
  • GEOG 4399 Environmental and Geoscience Internship
  • GEOL 4399 Environmental and Geoscience Internship
  • HIST 3075 Independent Study
  • MCOM 4398 Professional Internship
  • PHIL 4385 Readings in Philosophy
  • POLS 4094 Political Science Internship
  • SOCI 4379 Internship in Applied Sociology