Home 2016-2017 Undergraduate College Catalog Undergraduate Programs of Study(Majors, Minors & Requirements) Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies

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Undergraduate Programs of Study(Majors, Minors & Requirements)

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Environmental Studies Major Requirements

Environmental Studies Minor

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 a new Environmental Studies Classroom that is situated within an environmental research park on the campus. This sustainable classroom is associated with a Living Machine that filters water from the nearby Holladay stream that runs through the campus. 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 laboratory and greenhouse located within the biology department, for studies of aquatic toxicology and various other controlled laboratory experiments.

Faculty and Professional Interests

Nancy E. Todd (Chair of Environmental Studies) Ecology and evolution, anatomy, forensic biology, environmental studies

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

Adjunct Faculty

Sunera Rahman Global environmental science and 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-.)
Prospective Environmental Studies Majors interested in enrolling in Principles of Biology I or II also need to complete the Biology Placement Exam, which is an online exam located on Blackboard at http://blackboard9.mville.edu.

Upper Level Requirements:

One Introductory Environmental Science course

Choose from the following 3 courses:

BIO 1016

Endangered Earth

BIO 2016

Global Environmentalism

or BIO 2007 Current Environmental Problems

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.

The Ecology Sequence (2 courses)

BIO 2010

Foundations of Ecology OR BIO 2025 Aquatic Ecology

BIO 3056 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of

C or better; Principles of Chemistry I and II (with Lab)

with grade of C- or better)

Environmental Ecology

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

BIO 3059 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of C or better)	Marine Biology
BIO 3013 (Prerequisites: BIO.1001 and BIO.1002 with a minimum grade of C; CHM.1001, CHM.1002, CHM.1003 and CHM.1004 with minimum grades of C-)	Microbiology
BIO 3007 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of C or better, Principles of Chemistry I and II (with Lab) with grade of C- or better)	Human anatomy and physiology
BIO 3032 (Prerequisites: BIO.1001 and BIO.1002 with a minimum grade of C; CHM.1001, CHM.1002, CHM.1003 and CHM.1004 with minimum grades of C-)	Parasitology
BIO 3047 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of C or better, Principles of Chemistry I and II (with Lab) with grade of C- or better)	Vertebrate Biology
BIO 3055	Plant Biology
BIO 2019	Introduction to Geology
BIO 2025	Aquatic Ecology
BIO 3018	Invertebrate zoology
BIO 3005 (Prerequisite: BIO.1001, BIO.1002, CHM.1001, CHM.1002)	Developmental Biology

Other electives may fulfill this requirement, but must be approved by the Program Director or Departmental Chair. 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):

BIO 3099 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of

C or better, Principles of Chemistry I and II (with Lab)

with grade of C- or better)

Research Seminar

BIO 3499

(Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of

C or better; Principles of Chemistry I and II (with Lab)

with grade of C- or better; BIO.3099: Research Seminar with

grade of C- or better)

Senior Research

BIO 3998

(Prerequisites BIO.1001 and BIO.1002, with a minimum grade of

C; BIO.3099 and BIO.3499 with a minimum grade of C-;

CHM.1001, CHM.1002, CHM.1003, and CHM.1004 with a minimum

grade of C-)

Senior Evaluation

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

This program will provide students with a working knowledge of, and sensitivity toward, current environmental problems, so that they may address environmental challenges from a multidisciplinary approach. This minor can be tailored to a variety of majors and concentrations including Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Education, and English Writing, in order to provide a unique and individualized course of study.

The Minor in Environmental Studies provides students with a solid foundation in basic environmental sciences, specifically biology, physiology, ecology, and sustainability. Additionally, students focus on the in-depth analyses of local and global environmental challenges, and the dynamic relationships which exist between humans and their world. The independent project is a key requirement of the capstone Environmental Ecology course. It is designed to integrate the skills and vision from the students’ major area of study within the examination of an important scientific issue in environmental studies.

Prerequisites

Principles of Biology I and II (4 credits each)

Requirements

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

BIO 1016	Endangered Earth
BIO 2016	Global Environmentalism
BIO 2019	Introduction to Geology
BIO 2025	Special Topics: Aquatic Ecology

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

BIO 3005 (Prerequisite: BIO.1001, BIO.1002, CHM.1001, CHM.1002)	Developmental Biology
BIO 3007 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of C or better, Principles of Chemistry I and II (with Lab) with grade of C- or better)	Human Anatomy and Physiology
BIO 3013 (Prerequisites: BIO.1001 and BIO.1002 with a minimum grade of C; CHM.1001, CHM.1002, CHM.1003 and CHM.1004 with minimum grades of C-)	Microbiology
BIO 3018	Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 3031 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II)	Aquatic Biology
BIO 3047 (Prerequisites: Principles of Biology I and II with grade of C or better, Principles of Chemistry I and II (with Lab) with grade of C- or better)	Vertebrate Biology

One Capstone course (4 credits)

BIO 3055

(Prerequisites: BIO.1001, BIO.1002)

Environmental Ecology (includes laboratory and integrative project)

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: