Environmental Studies Minor Requirements
2024 - 2025 Catalog
Environmental Studies minor
A minor in environmental studies requires completion of eight courses (24 - 28 credits) as follows. In meeting the requirements of this interdisciplinary minor, a student must use at least nine credits that are not also used to meet the requirements of any other major or minor. A student may not complete both a major and a minor in environmental studies.
- Required courses: ENV 110, 201, 202, 203, 397
- Social Sciences: one course from ACCT 303, ECON 255, 257, 259; ENV 282, 295; POL 233
- Natural and Physical Sciences: complete one of the following:
a: one course chosen from BIOL 217, 245, 322, 330, 332; EEG 231, 240, 311;
b: students who have previously completed BIOL 111/113, EEG 100, 101, 102 or 105 may choose one course from BIOL 398; ENV 250; or EEG 141, 150. - Humanities: one course chosen from ARTS 236; BUS 345; ENGL 207, 214 (ENV 214), ENGL 263 (ENV 263); ENV 230, 330; HIST 288 (ENV 288); PHIL 150, 282, 365 (ENV 365); REL 207, 285; SOAN 285, 286 (ECON 286).
Additional topic-based courses will be allowed by substitution only when approved in advance, and will be announced when offered.
- Required courses:
- ENV 110 - Introduction to Environmental Studies
Credits 3 Prerequisite first-year or sophomore class standing An interdisciplinary introduction to environmental studies with an emphasis on how societies organize themselves through their social, political and economic institutions to respond to environmental problems. The course begins with a discussion of the development of environmental thought, focusing on the relationship between humans and the environment. Participants then discuss alternative criteria for environmental decision making, including sustainability, equity, ecological integrity, economic efficiency, and environmental justice. The course concludes with an examination of contemporary environmental issues, including global warming, invasive species, energy and the environment, tropical deforestation, and the relationship between the environment and economic development in developing countries.
- ENV 201 - Applied Environmental Science
FDR SC Science, Math, CS Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite ENV 110 and environmental studies major or minor A foundation in the natural sciences for environmental studies students, this course introduces foundational concepts in earth ecological sciences and their application in understanding human-environment relationships. Local, regional, and global environmental case studies are considered.
- ENV 202 - Society and Natural Resources
FDR SS1 Social Science - Group 1 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite ENV 110 and environmental studies major or minor A foundation in the natural sciences for environmental studies students, this course emphasizes understanding how socio-economic conditions are studied to inform and shape environmental policy. Local, regional, and global environmental case studies are considered.
- ENV 203 - Environmental Humanities
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite ENV 110 and environmental studies major or minor An introduction to the examination of human-environment relationships arising from the humanities, this course draws broadly upon the fields of philosophy, history, cultural anthropology, eco-criticism, art and art history, and the emerging interdisciplinary field of environmental humanities. Students receive a broad introduction to humanist perspectives on environmental challenges and solutions and preparation for examining specific fields in greater depth later in their studies.
- ENV 397 - Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies
Credits 3 Prerequisite ENV 110, environmental studies major or minor, and senior class standing An interdisciplinary capstone course intended for students in the environmental studies program. Students analyze a particular environmental issue and attempt to integrate scientific inquiry, political and economic analysis and ethical implications. The particular issue changes each year.
- Social Sciences:
- ACCT 303 - Sustainability Accounting
Credits 3 Prerequisite ACCT 100 This course examines best practices and key debates in sustainability accounting and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Sustainable business practices meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. Increasingly, accountants are playing an important role in measuring, reporting, and auditing corporate impacts on society and the environment so that corporations can be held accountable and more sustainable business practices can be implemented.
- ECON 255 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
Credits 3 Prerequisite ECON 100, 180, 180A, or both ECON 101 and ECON 102 The course serves as an introduction to environmental and natural resource economics. Economic principles are used to evaluate public and private decision making involving the management and use of environmental and natural resources. Aspects pertaining to fisheries, forests, species diversity, agriculture, and various policies to reduce air, water and toxic pollution will be discussed. Lectures, reading assignments, discussions and exams will emphasize the use of microeconomic analysis for managing and dealing with environmental and natural resource problems and issues.
- ECON 257 - Economics of the Chesapeake Bay: Agriculture, Recreation, Fisheries and Urban Sprawl
Credits 4 Prerequisite ECON 100, ECON 101, ECON 180, or ECON 180A This course examines the causes of, consequences of, and solutions to the environmental problems of the Chesapeake Bay, using economic tools in an interdisciplinary context. The course will spend approximately four days in the Chesapeake Bay area. Students work as a group to develop a plan to recover the Chesapeake Bay to promote its ecological health and the ecological services that it provides for the watershed.
- ECON 259 - Supervised Study Abroad: The Environment and Economic Development in Amazonas
Credits 4 Prerequisite instructor consent Amazonas is a huge Brazilian state of 1.5 million sq. kilometers which retains 94 percent of its original forest cover. This course examines the importance of the forest for economic development in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy, and how policies can be develop to promote both environmental protection and an increase in the quality life in both the urban and rural areas of Amazonas. The learning objectives of this course integrate those of the economics and environmental studies majors. Students are asked to use economic tools in an interdisciplinary context to understand the relationships among economic behavior, ecosystems and policy choices. Writing assignments focus on these relationships and look towards the development of executive summary writing skills. Spring Term Abroad course.
- ENV 282 - Commodification of Nature
Credits 3 This course studies the nature-society relationship in the colonial and modern world by analyzing the history of instrumental raw materials that have been commodified as part of the development of capitalism. Drawing on dependency, unequal exchange, and world-systems theories, we will examine commodity chains and trade relations between the Global North and the Global South, with an emphasis on ecological and social issues. We will also analyze environmental justice topics related to these episodes, as well as possible paths to transcend the asymmetric cross-national power relations characterizing the modern world. The course is also intended to help students develop their analytical thinking, writing, research, and communication skills.
- ENV 295 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies
Credits 3 Prerequisite ENV 110 or BIOL 111 This course examines special topics in environmental studies, such as ecotourism, the environment and development, local environmental issues, values and the environment, global fisheries, global climate change, tropical deforestation and similar topics of importance, which could change from year to year. This is a research-intensive course where the student would be expected to write a significant paper, either individually or as part of a group, of sufficient quality to be made useful to the scholarly and policy communities.
- POL 233 - Environmental Policy and Law
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite ECON 100, ECON 101, ECON 180, ECON 180A, or POL 100 A study of major environmental laws and the history of their enactment and implementation. Discusses different theoretical approaches from law, ethics, politics, and economics. Reviews significant case law and the legal context. Emphasis is on domestic policy with some attention to international law and treaties.
And when appropriate and approved in advance:
- BUS 390 - Supervised Study Abroad
Credits 4 Prerequisite instructor consent These upper-level courses cover topics of current interest in business administration for which international travel provides a unique opportunity for enhancing understanding. Emphasis changes from year to year. Prerequisites as specified by the instructor and approval of the International Education Committee.
- Natural Sciences:
- a:
one course chosen from:
- BIOL 217 - Aquatic Ecology
Credits 4 Prerequisite BIOL 111, 113, and a MATH course numbered 101 or greater This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the ecology of freshwater systems, with laboratory emphasis on streams and rivers in the local area. It includes a review of the physical and biological properties of freshwater ecosystems as well as current issues relating to their conservation. Laboratory activities focus around monitoring the impacts of current stream restoration efforts in local watersheds.
- BIOL 245 - Ecology
Credits 4 Prerequisite BIOL 111 and BIOL 113 An introduction to the study of interactions between organisms and their environments. Topics are arranged hierarchically: a) evolution and elementary population genetics; b) population dynamics and regulation; c) interspecific competition, predation, parasitism and symbiosis; d) community structure, energy and material flux in ecosystems. Laboratory is field oriented and investigative.
- BIOL 322 - Conservation Genetics
Credits 3 Prerequisite BIOL 220 A study of the central issues of population genetics and their application to species preservation and conservation. Topics include genetic surveys of rare or threatened species; population structure and dispersal; inferring population histories from genetic data; phylogenetics of threatened species' groups; hybridization between species; the use of genetic data in captive breeding programs and the prosecution of endangered species legislation; and the use of biotechnologies, such as cloning.
- BIOL 330 - Experimental Botany: Global Climate Change
Credits 4 Prerequisite BIOL 111, 113, and either a Biology, Bioengineering, or Environmental Studies major Lectures focus on the major impacts of global climate change (elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide and elevated temperatures) on plant function (photosynthesis and respiration) and plant communities. Additional topics include global carbon budgets, plant carbon sequestration, and agricultural impacts. Participants review the pertinent primary literature and conduct a term-long laboratory research project. Laboratory course.
- BIOL 332 - Plant Functional Ecology
Credits 4 The emphasis and location of the study area differs from year to year. Information regarding the specific course topic and field trip schedule is made available in the fall. Through novel research projects in a variety of field settings (e.g., on-campus, Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains, The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem), this field-based laboratory course covers topics which investigate the vital roles that plants play in shaping Earth's ecosystems. Topics focus on the responses of native plants to environmental stresses, such as global climate change (elevated temperature and carbon dioxide and drought), herbivory, and invasive species. Field and laboratory exercises focus on testing hypotheses through experiments using a variety of species from intact plant communities. A review of the pertinent literature is used to develop and conduct a term research project. Laboratory course. Additional course fee required, for which the student is responsible after Friday of the 7th week of winter term.
- EEG 314 - Environmental Field Methods
Credits 4 Prerequisite or Corequisite: EEG 100, EEG 101, EEG 102, EEG 103, EEG 105, EEG 107, or EEG 200 An introduction to the study of standard methods, equipment and tools used in environmental field investigations. Special attention is given to methods used by geoscientists to measure, record, and report field observations associated with groundwater, surface water, soil and air. Focus is given to the validity of data obtained using various investigative strategies as well as data handling and presentation. The course has an intensive field component using the local watershed as a model environmental system.
- EEG 240 - Hydrology
Credits 4 Prerequisite or Corequisite: EEG 100, EEG 101, EEG 102, EEG 103, EEG 105, EEG 107, or EEG 200 Systems and processes of water movement on and below the Earth's surface. Encompasses the theoretical and applied aspects of soil moisture, runoff, flooding, groundwater movement, and water-well use. Numerical evaluation of flow properties from field and lab data describing water movement in soils, aquifers, and streams.
- EEG 248 - Earth and Environmental Geochemistry
Credits 4 Prerequisite or Corequisite: EEG 100, EEG 101, EEG 102, EEG 103, EEG 105, EEG 107, or EEG 200 In this course, students will learn the fundamental geochemical concepts that govern the ways in which matter is distributed and transported across our planet, grounded in an environmental context. Students will engage with the fundamental principles of geochemistry and apply their knowledge to understand the major controls on water and soil health, the (in)stability of minerals, weathering processes, radionuclides, and the origin and distribution of elements throughout our planet and solar system. A particular emphasis is given to one of the most important topics of today and its connections to climate change - carbonate geochemistry. The course emphasizes reading scientific literature and improving scientific communication, learning analytical techniques, and using of instrumentation to complete field and laboratory-based projects.
- BIOL 217 - Aquatic Ecology
- b:
students who have previously completed BIOL 111/113, EEG 100, 101, 102, or 105 may choose one course from:
- BIOL 398 - Selected Topics in Ecology and Evolution
Credits 3 Topics include ecology, behavior, evolution, and natural history of selected taxonomic groups. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Prerequisites vary with topic.
- ENV 250 - Ecology of Place
Credits 4 Prerequisite instructor consent Think globally, study locally. This course explores globally significant environmental issues such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable delivery of ecosystem goods and services, and environmental justice, as they are manifested on a local/regional scale. We examine interactions among ethical, ecological, and economic concerns that shape these issues. Students are fully engaged in the development of policy recommendations that could guide relevant decision makers. The course incorporates readings, field trips, films, and discussions with invited experts.
- EEG 141 - Global Climate Change
FDR SC Science, Math, CS Distribution Credits 3 A study of Earth's complex climate system and the impact of human activities on future climates. Through readings, discussions, data analyses and modeling exercises, the past and future changes in temperature, ocean circulation, rainfall, storminess, biogeochemistry, glacial ice extent and sea level are explored.
- EEG 150 - Water Resources
FDR SC Science, Math, CS Distribution Credits 3 In this course, we will explore the fundamental role of water in shaping our lives and our planet. We will dive into the relationship between human societies and freshwater resources that impact drinking water availability, water pollution, water scarcity, etc. We will also learn about the components of the earth's hydrosphere and their interactions with special focus on freshwater resources. The course will focus on water crisis issues from various parts of the world and discuss potential remediation plans.
- EEG 155 - Oceanography
FDR SC Science, Math, CS Distribution Credits 3 Introduction to physical oceanography and marine geology; tides, waves, currents, and the interaction of oceans and atmosphere; submarine landscapes; and sedimentary, volcanic, and tectonic activity in the ocean basins.
- BIOL 398 - Selected Topics in Ecology and Evolution
- Humanities:
- ARTS 236 - Land and Passage
FDR HA Fine Arts Distribution Credits 3 This course demonstrates how sculpture can be expanded to include places, passing through places, ecology, and ephemeral installations. Students will develop art processes to articulate a variety of human relationships with environmental sites, and more generally, the exterior. We will study historical and contemporary examples of sculpture and art practices that utilize visual arts to express the complexities of environmental subjects. The course will include projects to develop an expanded definition of sculpture by investigating local geography, regarding comparative sites as subjects, reviewing material history, and considering the ways that passage through local places can constitute both form and meaning. Course work includes readings, in-class discussions, research, and creating projects using traditional and found materials.
- BUS 345 - Business Ethics
Credits 3 Prerequisite ECON 100, 180, or 180A, and ACCT 100, and at least sophomore class standing An examination of the moral and ethical issues associated with management policy and executive decisions. The course examines the basic approaches to moral reasoning, macro-moral issues concerning the justice of economic systems, and micro-moral issues, such as the following: conflict of interest, whistle blowing, discrimination in employment, product safety, environment, and advertising. Preference to BSADM, ACCT, or JMCB majors OR ENTR minors during first round of registration.
- ENGL 207 - Eco-Writing
FDR HA Fine Arts Distribution Credits 3 An expeditionary, multi-genre course (fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry) in environmental creative writing. Readings focus on contemporary "EcoWriters." We take weekly expeditions, including creative writing hikes, a creative writing visit to a Thai Forest Buddhist monastery, and a creative writing visit to the workshops of a landscape painter and bloomsmith. The course involves moderate to challenging hiking. We research the science and social science of the ecosystems explored, as well as the language of those ecosystems. The course has two primary aspects: (1) reading and literary analysis of multi-genre eco-literature and (2) developing skill and craft in creating EcoWriting through the act of writing in these genres and through participation in "writing workshop."
- ENGL 214 - Environmental Poetry Workshop
FDR HA Fine Arts Distribution Credits 3 A single-genre poetry course in the practice of writing environmental poetry, involving poetry workshops, the literary study of environmental poetry (historical and contemporary), and critical writing.
- ENGL 263 - Nature as Self: Environmental Literature in the Anthropocene
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 This course will study American fascinations with ideas of "Nature" and "Self" as they manifest in contemporary literature and thought. We will discuss the implications of these categories for humans as members of ecosystems as well as of "advanced societies." We will read essays, novels, and poetry at the cutting edge of American environmental writing, as well as those who contribute to its historical path. We will test our own understandings of human roles in relation to the greater-than-human world and will consider implications that these understandings may carry for the individual life as well as for a globalized world in which ecological issues are of great concern.
- ENV 288 - Key Thinkers on the Environment
(HIST 288)
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Same as HIST 288. Key thinkers on the environment are central to this course, ranging from ancient greats such as Aristotle to modern writers such as David Suzuki and E.O. Wilson about the ecosystem crises of the Anthropocene. We highlight certain 19th-century icons of environmentalist awareness and nature preservation, such as Alexander von Humboldt in Europe and Humboldtians in America, including Frederic Edwin Church and Henry David Thoreau.
- ENV 365 - Seminar in Environmental Ethics
(PHIL 365)
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Same as PHIL 365. This course examines selected topics in environmental ethics. Topics may vary from year to year, and include the proper meanings and goals of environmentalism; the goals and methods of conservation biology; major environmental issues in current political debates; and balancing the ethical concerns of environmental justice and our responsibilities to future generations.
- HIST 288 - Key Thinkers on the Environment
(ENV 288)
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Same as HIST 288. Key thinkers on the environment are central to this course, ranging from ancient greats such as Aristotle to modern writers such as David Suzuki and E.O. Wilson about the ecosystem crises of the Anthropocene. We highlight certain 19th-century icons of environmentalist awareness and nature preservation, such as Alexander von Humboldt in Europe and Humboldtians in America, including Frederic Edwin Church and Henry David Thoreau.
- PHIL 150 - Ethics and the Environment
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 This course is a philosophical exploration of one's responsibilities to the natural world. It has three main objectives: first, to provide an understanding of different dominant ethical theories and their application to animals, plants, and ecosystems; second, to provide an understanding of major environmental issues in current political debates, such as climate change, species preservation, and sustainable development; and third, to facilitate the development of a student's own ethic towards the environment.
- PHIL 282 - Philosophy of Biology
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 An examination of philosophical issues raised by biology, with an emphasis on current evolutionary theory. Topics include the structure of the theory of evolution by natural selection, an examination of the concepts of fitness and adaptation, the role of teleological explanation in biology, reductionism, the nature of biological species, individuality, levels of selection, and sociobiology.
- PHIL 365 - Seminar in Environmental Ethics
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Same as ENV 365. This course examines selected topics in environmental ethics. Topics may vary from year to year, and include the proper meanings and goals of environmentalism; the goals and methods of conservation biology; major environmental issues in current political debates; and balancing the ethical concerns of environmental justice and our responsibilities to future generations.
- REL 207 - Nature and Place
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Same as ENV 207. Through a consideration of work drawn from diverse disciplines including philosophy, religious studies, literature, art, and anthropology, this course explores a variety of ideas about and experiences of nature and place.
- REL 285 - Introduction to American Indian Religions
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 285. This class introduces students to some of the dominant themes, values, beliefs, and practices found among the religions of North America's Indian peoples. The first part of the course explores the importance of sacred power, landscape, and community in traditional Indian spiritualities and rituals. It then examines some of the changes that have occurred in these traditions as a result of western expansion and dominance from the 18th through early 20th centuries. Lastly, the course considers some of the issues and problems confronting contemporary American Indian religions.
- SOAN 285 - Introduction to American Indian Religions
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Same as REL 285. This class introduces students to some of the dominant themes, values, beliefs, and practices found among the religions of North America's Indian peoples. The first part of the course explores the importance of sacred power, landscape, and community in traditional Indian spiritualities and rituals. It then examines some of the changes that have occurred in these traditions as a result of western expansion and dominance from the 18th through early 20th centuries. Lastly, the course considers some of the issues and problems confronting contemporary American Indian religions.
- SOAN 286 - Lakota Land Culture, Economics and History
(ECON 286)
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 4 Prerequisite ECON 100, ECON 101, ECON 180, or ECON 180A Same as ECON 286. This class focuses on the cultural, economic, and historical dimensions of the Lakotas' (Titonwan tawapi ) ties to their lands as expressed in their pre- and post-reservation lifeways. It includes a 10 day field trip to western South Dakota to visit and meet with people in the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations and the Black Hills.
one course chosen from:
complete one of the following:
one course chosen from: