Environmental Studies (ENV)
Professors Dixon, Lorenz and Vickery; Associate Professor Cunningham; Assistant Professor Oemke; Instructor Borrello.
Environmental problems involve issues of energy, environmental degradation, sustainability, health and global climate change. Questions about how we utilize and manage natural resources and foster and maintain healthy and sustainable communities test our understanding of the technologies, organizational structures, institutional processes, and cultural norms that contribute to our quality of life. Students engaged in the Environmental Studies Program will find that definitions of these problems and creation of effective solutions must be approached from multiple, overlapping disciplinary as well as international perspectives.
Major Requirements
Potential majors are highly recommended to consult with the ENV program chair(s) as soon as possible to develop an appropriate curricular plan. A firm grasp of statistics is critical for all of the major tracks and a minimum of MTH 116 (which counts towards the Distributive Requirements in the Natural Sciences — Mathematics/Computation) is expected. Further mathematical and analytical requirements will be discussed between the potential major and program chair(s) and will be tailored to the student's specific academic and career goals.- The ENV major consists of 30 core credits and 28 credits in one of three tracks of study according to the student's interest.
- Core: ENV 105; ENV 110 or GEO 101; BIO 120 or BIO 121; CHM 115; and three courses selected from: POL 141, PHL 225, COM 253, and ECN 340; Capstone experience: ENV 480.
- Tracks: Complete 28 credits in one of the following tracks:
- Environmental Health: Eight upper-level credits in science including: BIO 207 or ENV 226; BIO 308 or 309; four additional upper-level credits in an environmental topics course (ENV 380); 12 credits from: EHS 270, 328, 331, 430; four credits from: COM 243 or 343.
- Environmental Policy: Twelve credits selected from: PAF 150, 350, POL 131, 217, 225, 242 and 341; four credits from: HST 122 or POL 335; four credits from: COM 227 or 327; four credits from: PHL 228 or SOA 325; four credits from: ECN 340.
- Environmental Science: Twenty upper-level credits from programmatic coursework from EHS, BIO, CHM, BCM, PHY, MTH/CSC; eight additional, upper-level elective credits that refine the student's interest in the realm of environmental studies.
Minor Requirements
Twenty-six credits which must include: ENV 110; 8 credits from ENV 105, BIO120, 121; CHM 115; 12 credits from: POL 141, PHL 225, ECN 340 and COM 253; and two credits from ENV 480.
Environmental Studies students are recommended to conduct research or take a Spring Term experience abroad that utilizes our relationships with various institutions such as Equatorialis Universidad in Quito, Ecuador. MTH 116 (Statistics) and/or MTH 121 (Calculus) are strongly advised to fulfill NS-3 distributive requirements. MTH 121 is required for most graduate work.
| ENV 105. | Introduction to Environmental Studies (NS-1) | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 credits | ||
| Examination of humans and their relationship to the natural environment. Explores current status of environmental problems, controversies and solutions. | ||
| ENV 110. | Environmental Geology (NS-2) | |
| 4 credits | ||
| MTH 101 | ||
| Investigation into the causes of geologic hazards such as earthquakes, mass movement, volcanoes and desertification. Includes investigation into geologic process involved in the formation of energy and material resources, their origin, uniqueness and the impact of their use on the environment. Topics center on the interrelationships among all physical Earth processes. | ||
| ENV *380. | Environmental Problems and Issues | |
| 4 credits | ||
| ENV 105, 110 and one additional course from the ENV curriculum. | ||
| Examination of selected environmental issues and problems. Content varies. Topics may include pollution, energy, natural resources, land use planning and recycling. | ||
| ENV *385. | Practicum | |
| 2-4 credits | ||
| ENV 105, 110 and one additional course from the ENV curriculum. | ||
| ENV *480. | Topics Seminar in Environmental Studies | |
| 2 credits | ||
| 16 credits in minor or Senior Standing or Permission | ||
| Capstone course in environmental studies. Interdisciplinary approach incorporating scientific knowledge with policy and humanistic issues that are applied to real-life environmental problems. | ||
| ENV *499. | Independent Study | |
| 1-4 credits | ||
| ENV 105, 110 and one additional course from the ENV curriculum. | ||