BA.ENVS1 - Environmental Studies

Rachel Brummel (program director) 

Rachel Brummel (program director)

The interdisciplinary major in environmental studies is designed to provide students with fundamental resources for understanding the complex and dynamic relations between humans and the natural world. The major integrates perspectives from the social sciences, the natural sciences, and humanities to develop the conceptual and analytical skills required for a critical approach to environmental issues. Students completing a major in environmental studies also gain depth of knowledge in one specific area of study through an area of concentration within a major plan and complete a senior project as a capstone experience.

Required for an Environmental Studies major: Twelve courses including six core courses and a six course concentration area, plus a senior project.

Core Courses: ENVS 134; ENVS 250; ENVS 258; ENVS 485; PHIL 140; BIO 151.

Senior Project: 2 semesters of ENVS 490.

Major Plan Concentrations:

*denotes courses with prerequisite(s) outside of the major or minor

Plan I: Sustainability and Social Change: ENVS 260; one of the following: ENVS 175, POLS 240, BIO 256; two of the following, at least one from ENVS: ENVS 150, ENVS 224, ENVS 240, ENVS 320, ANTH 306, BIO 250, ECON 262, SOC 468, PAID 450 Food & Environment; two of the following, from two different disciplines, with at least one course numbered 300 or above and applying no more than one course that counts toward another major or minor: ENVS 280, ENVS 340, ENVS 360, ANTH 203, ECON 255, ENG 212, FCUL 210, HIST 291, HIST 293, SOC 356, SOC 472*, POLS 247, POLS 355.

Plan II: Environmental Science: one of the following: CHEM 141, CHEM 151 and CHEM 152, or CHEM 201; one of the following: BIO 152, MATH 140 or above, or ENVS 175; ENVS 220; one of the following: BIO 256 or CHEM 202; one of the following: ENVS 224, BIO 243, BIO 250, BIO 251, BIO 252, BIO 258, or 4 credits from CHEM 344, CHEM 345, and CHEM 346; one of following (may not include a course counting toward another major or minor): ENVS 320, BIO 354*, or BIO 365.

Plan III: Individualized: Students develop a proposed course of study for their concentration in consultation with an environmental studies faculty member. This proposal must explain the six courses to be taken for the concentration, how they link together, and the rationale behind the proposal as relates to the student’s educational goals. The proposed course plan must include two 300 level courses and no more than one 100 level course. Such proposals are typically completed during the spring semester of the sophomore year and must be submitted to the Environmental Studies Steering Committee no later than Dec. 1 of the junior year.

Required for an Environmental Studies minor: ENVS 134 or BIO 151; ENVS 250; ENVS 258; ENVS 485; and PHIL 140.

Required for an Environmental Science minor: ENVS 134; BIO 151; one of the following: CHEM 141, CHEM 151 and CHEM 152, or CHEM 201; ENVS 220; one of the following: ENVS 175, ENVS 224, BIO 243, BIO 250, BIO 251, BIO 252, BIO 258, or 4 credits from CHEM 344, CHEM 345, CHEM 346; one of the following (may not include a course counting toward another major or minor): ENVS 320, BIO 354, BIO 365.