Major

The Environmental Studies program is designed to provide an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to studying the environment. As such, it both complements and embodies the liberal arts aim of combining strengths of the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities to prepare students to be well-equipped citizens in an increasingly globalized world. Core requirements for Environmental Studies majors are designed to fit requirements for graduate programs in Environmental Studies or related fields while the electives allow students to specialize in their particular interests. 

Core Requirements:

• EVST 110  Introduction to Environmental Studies 
• ENGL 275  American Literature and the Environment***          
            or 
  ENGC 306  Exploring Nature Writing 
• POLI 235  Public Policy 
            or 
  POLI 315  Environmental Policy and Management  
• 1 of the following:  
            PSYC 290  Statistics   
            BUSI 250  Principles of Statistics 
            MATH 215  Statistical Analysis   
            ANTH 335  Geographic Information Science  
• ECON 340  Environmental Economics 
• 1 of the following: 
            SOCI 375  Environmental Sociology   
            ANTH 312  Land of the Ancestors 
            ANTH 330 Human Impact on the Ancient Environments
• 1 of the following:  
            RELI 270  Ecotheology
            PHIL 270  Environmental Philosophy   
            PHIL 315  Ethics and Relations to Friend, Kin, and Community  
• EVST 497  Senior Seminar  
• Complete an internship with an environmental studies focus. The internship must be processed through the Office of Career Discovery and Internships and approved in advance by the Environmental Studies program chair. 
• Choose from three possible concentrations for their remaining courses. 

Natural Science Biology Concentration

• BIOL 150 Cell Biology
• BIOL 190 Botany
            or    
  BIOL 220 Zoology
• BIOL 250 Genetics
• BIOL 365 Ecology and Evolution
• CHEM 101   Chemistry of the Environment

Natural Science Chemistry Concentration

• BIOL 104  Environmental Biology
• CHEM 110 and 120  General Chemistry I and II
            or  
  CHEM 150  Accelerated General Chemistry
• CHEM 240  Organic Chemistry I
• CHEM 280  Environmental Analysis

Socio-cultural Concentration

• BIOL 104 Environmental Biology
• CHEM 101 Chemistry of the Environment
• 3 of the following courses from three different disciplines:  
            ANTH 312 Land of the Ancestors*
            ANTH 330 Human Impact on the Ancient Environments * 
            ANTH 360 Globalization and Transnationalism   
            ENGC/SOCI 306 Exploring Nature Writing *  
            ENGF 275 Film and the Environment   
            ENGL 275 American Literature and the Environment *  
            HIST 308 Ecology in American Indian History 
            PHIL 270 Environmental Philosophy *  
            PHIL 315 Ethics and Relations to Friend, Kin, and Community * 
            PHIL 490 Special Topics **  
            RELI 270 Ecotheology *  
            SOCI 300 The Urban Community 
            SOCI 340 Food, Culture and Nature   
            SOCI 362 Images of the City
            SOCI 375 Environmental Sociology * 

* If not taken in core requirements 

** Must be approved by the Environmental Studies program chair because some topics courses may not cover environmental concepts.

*** ENGL 275 American Literature in the Environment must be completed before the student's junior year.

Senior Capstone Experience

The Senior Capstone Experience for the environmental studies major consists of participation in the Senior Seminar course. EVST 497 Senior Seminar is a one semester course that involves common readings, research methods, and both written and oral presentation of independent research. The grade for the Senior Capstone Experience is based on the oral presentation and defense of research components of the senior seminar.