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Environmental Studies

The program in Environmental Studies provides students with a solid foundation in basic environmental sciences, specifically biology, physiology, and ecology. Additionally, students focus on in-depth analyses of local and global environmental challenges, and the dynamic relationships that exist between humans and their world. This major will provide students with a working knowledge of current environmental problems, so that they may address environmental challenges from a multidisciplinary approach.

Environmental Studies Facilities

The college has just completed a new Environmental Studies Classroom that is situated within an environmental research park on the campus. This classroom is a LEED-certified green building, and is associated with a Living Machine that filters water from a nearby stream. Combined with the environmental park, this area provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate research in stream ecology, forestry, and ecosystem studies.

In addition to the Environmental Park, there is an environmental research lab located within the biology department, for studies of aquatic toxicology and various other controlled laboratory experiments. The biology also has a greenhouse, which is currently slated for renovation.

Faculty and Professional Interests

Nancy E. Todd (Chair) Ecology and evolution, anatomy, vertebrate biology, environmental studies

Wendy McFarlane Comparative physiology, environmental physiology, marine biology/ecology

Environmental Studies Major Requirements

Entry-level requirements and co-requisites:

• Principles of Biology I and II, completed with a minimum grade of C, or evidence of high achievement in equivalent course work, as a prerequisite for all biology courses above the 2000 level. If a C - or below is received in either class, it must be retaken and passed with a minimum grade of C before students can progress to the 3000-level electives.
• Principles of Chemistry I and II, Principles of Chemistry I and II Lab, completed with a minimum grade of C-.
• Biostatistics or Statistics for the Social Sciences (completed with a minimum grade of C-.)

Upper Level Requirements:

• One Introductory Environmental Science course

  Choose from:

• One Approved Environmentally-related course from another department (approval from Chair of Environmental Studies)
• The Ecology Sequence (2 courses)

• Four additional biology electives, three of which need to be laboratory courses

All elective major courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.

Environmental Studies Senior Research Program

In addition to the requirements as outlined above, environmental studies majors must also complete the following 3-course sequence (see course descriptions below for further details):

Note: All students in the Senior Research Program are required to attend the senior presentations, and all majors are encouraged to attend.

Environmental Studies Minor

Prerequisites

• Principles of Biology I and II (4 credits each)

Requirements

• One Bio/Environmental Science course (3 credits). Choose from:

• One additional Science course with laboratory (4 credits) Choose from:

• One Capstone course (4 credits)

• One Environmentally-relevant course* from another department (3 credits). Must be outside of student‘s major area of study and the Natural Sciences. (*course may have prerequisites)

  Examples include:

  • Environmental chemistry
  • Environmental geography
  • Environmental sociology

Other classes may also be appropriate, see the Environmental Studies Chairperson for assistance.

Statistics for the Social Sciences and Tropical Rain Forest Ecology are strongly recommended for this program.

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