Here at the dawn of the 21st century our planet faces daunting environmental challenges.  Global warming, depletion of the ozone layer, endangered species and loss of biodiversity, air and water pollution, toxic waste and resource depletion threaten irreversible damage.   Our efforts to address these issues seem only to have had a minor impact.

We have no choice. There is no easy solution.  To restore and maintain a quality environment will place increasing demands on people, industries and governments locally, nationally and internationally.  To prepare the leaders, thinkers and planners necessary to meet this challenge, the Environmental Studies Program at USC offers an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the serious environmental problems that we face in this century.