Academic Year:
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies
The BA in Environmental Studies (ENVR) assists students in gaining a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the environment and environmental systems, the impact of humans on the environment and environmental impacts on humans, the importance of environmental understanding when making economic, political and other policy choices.
The goal is to give students in the program a broad-based, interdisciplinary introduction to environmental policies and issues; the common analytical tools needed to explore them in depth through their specific concentration areas; and the ability to integrate and synthesize information from a multidisciplinary perspective in oral and written format through a capstone course.
The BA in Environmental Studies program’s foundation courses are in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences with a focus in understanding the environmental field. This, along with their specific concentration area, allows students in connecting science and society and balancing the needs of humans and other inhabitants with the needs to conserve the earth’s precious resources while developing strategies, policies and approaches to solve environmental issues and reduce environmental impact.
There are 4 concentrations in Environmental Studies: International Environmental Politics and Policy; Environmental Law, Policy and Politics; Environmental Economics and Resource Policy; and Environment, Society and Sustainability.
General and University Requirements:
Program Requirements:
A second writing course involving significant writing experience including two papers with a combined minimum of 3,000 words to be submitted for extended faculty critique of both composition and content. This course must be taken after completion of 60 credit hours. Appropriate writing courses are designated on the registrar's course search page.
| Foreign Language (minimum grade of D-) |
0-12 |
Completion of the intermediate-level course (107 or 112 or 214) in an ancient or modern language. The number of credits needed and initial placement will depend on the number of years of high school study of foreign language. Students with four or more years of high school work in a single foreign language, or who have gained proficiency in a foreign language by other means, may attempt to fulfill the requirement in that language by taking an exemption examination through the Foreign Languages and Literatures Department.
| Mathematics requirement:(one of the following four options with a minimum grade of D-) |
0-4 |
OPTION ONE:
| MATH 113 |
Contemporary Mathematics (designed for students who do not
intend to continue the study of mathematics) |
| or |
|
| MATH 127 |
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning
|
OPTION TWO:
MATH 114
|
College Mathematics and Statistics (designed for students who
do not intend to continue the study of mathematics) |
| or |
|
| MATH 115 |
Pre-Calculus (designed for students who intend to continue the
or study of mathematics)
|
| or |
|
| MATH 117 |
Pre-Calculus for Scientists and Engineers |
OPTION THREE:
Successful completion of any mathematics course at or above the 200-level except MATH 201, MATH 202, MATH 205, MATH 250, MATH 251, MATH 252, MATH 253, MATH 266, MATH 300 or MATH 450.
OPTION FOUR:
Successful performance on a proficiency test in mathematics administered by the Department of Mathematical Sciences. (0 credits awarded)
The math requirement must be completed by the time a student has earned 60 credits. Students who transfer into the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment with 45 credits or more must complete this requirement within two semesters.
Program Breadth Requirements:
At least 2 different areas must be represented in each group.
Program Core Requirements:
| ENSC 101 |
Introduction to the Environment |
3 |
| BISC 104 |
Principles of Biology with Laboratory |
4 |
| CHEM 100 |
Chemistry and Human Environment |
3 |
| GEOL 105 |
Geological Hazards |
3 |
| GEOL 115 |
Geological Hazards Laboratory |
1 |
| FREC 100 |
Sustainable Development |
3 |
ECON 151 |
Introduction to Microeconomics |
|
OR
Field Experience: An approved 3-6 credit studies field experience in which the student integrates the components of his or her concentration in an experiential learning environment. This requirement could be fulfilled by an internship, study abroad experience and/or a research experience.
Studies Concentrations: 5-6 courses clustered in concentrations that are distributed throughout the colleges and across disciplines (see listings below).
Capstone Course: ENSC 450: Proseminar: The Environment
This 3 credit capstone course serves as a culminating experience and is to be completed during the last semester of the senior year. This course will engage students in an exploration and discussion of the history and state of environmental studies and its connection to local, regional, national and global scale environmental issues. Students will develop and refine critical thinking skills and interdisciplinary problem-solving strategies. It serves to be a culminating experience for students on the “science-side” and the “studies-side” to collaboratively solve problems and discuss issues in the current environmental literature.
Electives: After required courses are completed, sufficient credits must be taken to meet the total minimum credits required for the degree.
| CREDITS TO TOTAL A MINIMUM OF |
124 |
International Environmental Law, Policy, and Politics ConcentrationEnvironmental Economics and Resource Policy ConcentrationEnvironmental Law, Policy, and Politics ConcentrationEnvironment, Society, and Sustainability Concentration
Although every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information in the Catalog,
students and others who use the Catalog should note that the policies, rules, regulations,
requirements for graduation, course offerings, and other materials reproduced in the Catalog change
from time-to-time and that these changes may alter the information contained in this Catalog.
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