• Return to Normal University Operations on Thursday, Feb. 20

    Lenoir-Rhyne University will return to normal university operations on Thursday, Feb. 20, at our all of our campus locations—Hickory, Columbia and Asheville. Classes will resume as scheduled, and all offices will be open.

    UPDATE: Feb. 20, 9:15 a.m. (from Academic Affairs)
    Due to the recent weather changes in Hickory, you may opt to move your classes to remote delivery today if you have concerns about safely traveling to campus. If you choose to hold classes remotely, please notify your students and your dean as soon as possible.

    For those holding in-person classes, we ask that you exercise flexibility with attendance policies, understanding that some students may face transportation challenges or safety concerns. Students should not feel compelled to risk unsafe travel conditions to attend class.

    Please communicate your teaching plans to your students and your dean.

    Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring everyone's safety while maintaining academic continuity.

Environmental Science & Policy Minor

Our program is for those who are interested ecology and want to understand the earth’s environmental issues.

Our courses focus on such topics as biology, ecology, field work, government and policy making, microorganisms, climate, topography and more.

You will gain a basic understanding of ecosystems, study the impact of humans on our environment, understand the methods of measuring and managing contaminants, and research the problems and challenges of developing policies designed to protect our land.

Our minor in Environmental Science and Policy, combined with a major such as biology, mathematics or engineering physics, is excellent preparation for graduate study. It is also particularly helpful for those students interested in science education.