Wilderness Studies Minor

Program Director: Raymond Winter, Ph.D.

Overview 

The Wilderness Studies Minor unites interdisciplinary study, experiential learning, and Christian faith in the holistic exploration of creation. In so doing, students engage the humanities (such as history, literature, philosophy, and cultural perspectives), theological perspectives, and the natural sciences (such as ecology, biology, and environmental science) in broader conversations related to sustainability and stewardship. Learning extends beyond the classroom through wilderness immersion, where students engage higher learning in the literal ecosystems they study. These experiences invite reflection and action in humanity's relationship to the land and shape the ways culture and story define our understanding and treatment of nature. Rooted in community, faith, and academia, this program prepares students for vocations in public lands management, field research, education, and ministries that connect people to God, each other, and the natural world.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Interdisciplinary Understanding: Students will be able to integrate knowledge from the humanities, environmental science, and social policy to analyze human relationships with wilderness and creation.
2. Experiential Competence: Students will demonstrate proficiency in practical outdoor skills such as navigation, backcountry safety, and leadership in wilderness settings.
3. Humanities and Cultural Insight: Students will interpret and reflect on cultural, historical, philosophical, and literary perspectives of wilderness to understand how human stories and traditions shape our relationship to the natural world.
4. Faith and Stewardship Integration: Students will articulate a Christian understanding of environmental stewardship and humanity's responsibility for creation care, connecting faith with practice.
5. Vocational Application ("Internship"/Certification): Students will acquire and apply learning toward potential career and ministry contexts such as outdoor education, public land management, or community and church-based programs as evidenced by certification in three areas.

Locations Offered

Main Campus Fresno