SAN DIEGO — UC San Diego has become the first major public college in the country to require students to take a course on climate change. This will apply to all undergraduate students who began school this fall, no matter which major.
"There's a lot of misinformation about climate change, climate change science and what we might be facing in coming years," said Katherine Barbeau, a UCSD professor.
That's why she says the university wants students to learn about the science and potential impacts of climate change.
"Our ideas are typically through social media or things we see throughout the day that we use to formulate our beliefs. It's good as an individual to formulate your own way of thinking," said Anthony, a chemical engineering major.
While others say it might not be necessary.
"I would say it's okay but if you're somebody in another major maybe it's not as applicable to you," said Angela Gushiken, a senior at UCSD.
Several classes will be offered and students will need to choose at least one. The classes span from planetary health to politics in natural disasters and energy economics.
"I think it's a good thing. climate change is happening and accelerating at rapid paces," SAID Jacob Brittain, he graduated from Pitzer College.
Although UCSD is the first major public university with the requirement, Brittain says his private liberal arts college in LA had a similar requirement. He says the climate change courses students took were related to their major.
"I think it really helped students relate their future and their career they're looking at with their major into how to apply the studies they're giving them at the college," he said.
This new requirement applies to about 7,000 students who will graduate in the class of 2028.