Environmental Studies Major

Major Requirements

The Environmental Studies Major has four major components that together form the basis for a robust background for our students.

Introductory Courses: These courses are meant to introduce students to the range of topics and approaches utilized in studying environmental issues.
- ENVI 133 - Environmental Science or ENVI 140 - The Earth’s Climate System
- ENVI 215 - Environmental Politics and Policy
- ENVI 235 - Environmental History
Intermediate Courses: These courses are designed to give students an overview of the important texts that scholars and practitioners use as the basis of their understanding of environmental issues and in to give students a “real world” experience working in the environmental field. The courses are also meant to allow students to reflect on their goals as majors in environmental studies
- ENVI 280 - Environmental Classics
- ENVI 489 - Environmental Leadership Practicum
- ENVI 490 - Environmental Studies Leadership Seminar
Capstone Courses: These courses are intended to provide students the opportunity to utilize their background in environmental studies to address an environmental issue as part of an interdisciplinary team.
- ENVI 488 - Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies or ENVI 477 /GEOG 488 - Comparative Environment and Development Studies or ENVI 478 /GEOG 488 - Cities of the 21st Century or ENVI 644 - Honors Project in Environmental Studies.
Disciplinary or Interdisciplinary emphasis: The emphasis allows students to gain depth in a particular disciplinary approach to examining environmental issues or in a particular environmental theme or problem considered from an interdisciplinary perspective. The emphasis includes a series of six courses to provide depth and a methods course to insure students have the appropriate “tools” to implement their area of study.

The Environmental Studies major consists of nine–ten courses (40 credits) in environmental studies and related subjects plus a seven-course emphasis. Since some double counting of courses is allowed, the total number of courses must exceed 15 (60 credits).

The ten course requirement is distributed as follows:

Introductory Courses: Must take three

ENVI 133 - Environmental Science or ENVI 140 - The Earth’s Climate System
ENVI 215 - Environmental Politics/Policy (Environmental Politics and Policy)
ENVI 234 - American Environmental History (Environmental History)

Required Environmental Studies Courses: Four courses

ENVI 280 - Environmental Classics: Prerequisite: two of three introductory courses and typically taken second semester of sophomore year.
ENVI 488 - Sr Seminar in Environmental St or ENVI 477 - Comparative Environment and Development Studies/GEOG 488 - Seminar (Comparative Environment and Development Studies) or ENVI 478 - Cities of the 21st Century/GEOG 488 - Seminar (Cities of the 21st Century) or ENVI 644 - Honors Independent (Honors Project in Environmental Studies).
ENVI 489 - Environmental Leadership Pract (preferred) or ENVI 624 - Internship
ENVI 490 - Envi St Leadership Seminar

Distribution Courses: Introductory Environmental Studies courses may be distributed as follows:

One Natural Science course (beyond the required introductory course): Pre-approved courses include Environmental Studies ENVI 120 , ENVI 130 , ENVI 133 , ENVI 140 , ENVI 144 , ENVI 150 and ENVI 285 and Environmental Studies ENVI 194 , ENVI 294 , ENVI 394 (natural science topic courses). Other natural science courses require prior approval by the Environmental Studies Department Chair.
One Social Science Course: Pre-approved courses include Environmental Studies ENVI 225 , ENVI 231 , ENVI 232 , ENVI 252 , ENVI 258 , ENVI 270 , ENVI 333 , ENVI 335 , ENVI 365 , ENVI 368 , ENVI 477 , ENVI 478 , ECON 119 when taught by Amy Damon or Sarah West, and Environmental Studies ENVI 194 , ENVI 294 , ENVI 394 (social science topic courses). Other social science courses require prior approval by the Environmental Studies Department Chair.
One Humanities Course: Pre-approved courses include Environmental Studies ENVI 229 , ENVI 236 , ENVI 237 , ENVI 260 , ENVI 262 , ENVI 265 , ENVI 340 , ENVI 343 , ENVI 345 , ENVI 370 , Environmental Studies ENVI 194 , ENVI 294 , and ENVI 394 (humanities topic courses). Other humanities courses require prior approval by the Environmental Studies Department Chair.

The senior capstone requirement in environmental studies will be satisfied by completing ENVI 488 (Senior Seminar) or ENVI 477 /GEOG 488 (Comparative Environment and Development Studies) or ENVI 478 /GEOG 488 (Cities of the 21st Century) or ENVI 644 (Honors Project in Environmental Studies).

Disciplinary or Interdisciplinary emphasis: Seven courses: Introductory Environmental Studies courses may not be counted

Disciplinary Option

6 courses in a discipline, 2 must be 300-level courses
1 methods course related to the focus of the emphasis

*Disciplinary emphasis in departments other than anthropology, biology, chemistry, economics, geography, geology, history, philosophy, political science or physics must be approved by the chair.

Interdisciplinary Option

6 courses organized around a clear theme or environmental problem, 2 must be 300-level courses
1 methods course related to the focus of the emphasis

*All interdisciplinary emphasis plans should be designed in consultation with members of the Environmental Studies Department and must be approved by the chair.

*Some examples of interdisciplinary emphasis plans might be: environmental science, global citizenship, environmental justice, natural resources management.

Preapproved Disciplinary Emphases can be found on the Environmental Studies site.

Preapproved Interdisciplinary Emphases can be found on the Environmental Studies site.