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 analytic skills required for a balanced approach to environmental issues. Students completing a major in environmental studies also gain depth of knowledge in one specific area of study through a concentration.

Required for a major: Twelve courses including six core courses and a six course concentration area. No more than three courses counting for another major or minor may be applied to the environmental studies major. Writing requirement completed with ENVS 485.

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

Concentration Areas

Plan I: Environmental Policy: ECON 130, ECON 255; POLS 355, ENVS 360; one of POLS 247, ENVS 340; one of ENVS 240, ENVS 248; PAID 450: Ethics, Energy and Climate Policy, PAID 450: Food and the Environment.

Plan II: Environmental Science: one of the following: CHEM 141, CHEM 151 and CHEM 152, or CHEM 201; BIO 152 or MATH 140 (or higher); ENVS 220; ENVS 210 or BIO 256; one of ENVS 225, BIO 250, BIO 251, BIO 252, BIO 253, BIO 258; one of ENVS 320, BIO 354, BIO 365.

Plan III: Environment, Culture and Society: ANTH 101 or SOC 101; ANTH 203 and HIST 291; SOC 301 or ANTH 210; two courses from ANTH 303, ENVS 340, SOC 356, SOC 358, SOC 472 or SOC 475.

Plan IV: 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. This 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; PHIL 140, ENVS 258, ENVS 250 and ENVS 485. No more than two courses counting for another major or minor may be applied to the environmental studies minor.

Required for an Environmental Science minor: BIO 151, ENVS 134; one of the following: CHEM 141, CHEM 151 and CHEM 152, or CHEM 201; two courses (one must be from ENVS) from ENVS 210, ENVS 220, ENVS 225, BIO 250, BIO 251, BIO 252, BIO 253, BIO 258; one course from ENVS 320, BIO 354, BIO 365. No more than two courses counting for another major or minor may be applied to the environmental science minor.