Environmental Studies with a Specialization in Politics and Public Policy, BA

Environmental Studies

Gordon L. Miller, PhD, Environmental Studies Program Director

Objectives

The human presence within the natural world is both full of promise and fraught with peril. The Environmental Studies Program equips students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand the multiple dimensions of today’s daunting environmental problems. We thus empower new leaders to envision and enact sustainable forms of human-nature relations, not only for the benefit of our own species but also for the millions of other species with which we share the earth. We value and nurture as well the prospects for greater human meaning and purpose afforded by such optimal relations with nature, and we promote a concern for social and environmental justice in accord with the Jesuit-Catholic mission of the university. The program is “ecological” in orientation with regard to both subject matter and intellectual style, instilling an understanding of relationships within and between ecosystems and human systems while cultivating a critical capacity for interdisciplinary thinking. Students acquire a broad foundation by taking environmental courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities and gain a more focused depth of knowledge and expertise by completing a specialization in a chosen area.

In addition to learning in the classroom, students engage in a variety of field studies through which they develop observational skills, methods of ecological inquiry, and firsthand knowledge of local and regional habitats. Opportunities for education abroad extend these experiences into ecosystems and social systems in other countries. Students also complete an internship with an environmental agency or organization in order to gain pre-professional experience in the dynamics of environmental policies, problem solving, research, education, and advocacy.

A major in environmental studies provides a firm foundation for graduate education in many related fields and prepares students for rewarding careers with municipal, state, or federal environmental agencies, with a wide range of environmental nonprofits, and with businesses and industries.

Requirements

In order to earn the bachelor of arts degree with a major in environmental studies, students must complete a minimum of 180 credits with a cumulative and a major grade point average of at least 2.00, including the following:

I. Core Curriculum Requirements

ENGL 110 - College Writing: Inquiry and Argument 5
PHIL 110 - Introduction to Philosophy and Critical Thinking 5
HIST 120 or HIST 121 5
ENGL 120 - Introduction to Literature 5
MATH 118 or MATH 120 or above 5
Lab Science (CHEM 105 , ENSC 207 , or ISSC 120 required)*
Fine Arts (one approved 5-credit course) 5
PHIL 220 - Philosophy of the Human Person 5
Social Science I 5
Social Science II (ECON 271 or 272 required)*
Theology and Religious Studies Phase II (200-299 ) 5
PHIL 355 - Environmental Ethics *
THRS 324 - Religion and Ecology *
Interdisciplinary 3 to 5
EVST 489 - Senior Synthesis I: Environmental Leadership 3 *
EVST 490 - Senior Synthesis II: Research 2 *
*Included in major GPA.

II. College of Arts and Sciences Requirements

History requirement satisfied by HIST 351 *
Modern Language 115, 125, 135, or equivalent (15)

NOTE: All students with a major in the college of Arts and Sciences must demonstrate competency through the level of 135 in a language other than English. This competency is ordinarily achieved by successful completion of the three-course sequence: 115, 125, 135. Because these courses are a college requirement, no courses in the sequence may be taken on a pass/fail, correspondence, or audit basis. Placement into other than the beginning course of the sequence is achieved by acceptable performance on the Modern Language Competency Examination. See the Modern Languages Department for details on the examinations. Courses used to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences modern language requirement may not be used to fulfill environmental studies major requirements.

*Included in major GPA

III. Major Requirements

NOTE: In order to achieve maximum curricular efficiency, students should enroll in the courses that satisfy both Core and major requirements, as designated under Core Curriculum Requirements above, and noted below.

60 to 65 credits beyond the 25 that also satisfy core or college requirements, including:

EVST 120 - Introduction to Envrionmental Studies 5

Area I: Natural Sciences: 15 credits, including:

EVST 130 - Natural History: Perspectives & Practices 5
EVST 200 - Introduction to Ecological Systems 5
Choose one of the following courses in physical science (also satisfies Core):
CHEM 105 - Introduction to Environmental Chemistry 5
ENSC 207 - Air and Water 5
ISSC 120 - Introduction to Geology 5

Area II: Social Sciences and Public Policy: 15 credits, including:

Choose one of the follwoing two courses (also satisfies Core):
ECON 271 - Principles of Economics - Macro 5
ECON 272 - Principles of Economics - Micro 5
ANTH 338 - Culture, Ecology and Geography 5
PLSC 300 - Environmental Politics 5

Area III: Arts and Humanities (also satisfies Core and College requirements): 15 credits, including:

Area IV: Quantitative and Research Methods: 5 to 10 credits, including:

EVST 340 - Policy and Program Research 5
EVST 350 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 5
(This course not required for students pursuing a specialization in the Arts and Humanities area)

Area V: Internship

EVST 495 - Internship 5

NOTE:

Courses included in a specialization cannot satisfy requirements elsewhere in the major. The choice of a specialization should be made before the completion of 90 credits toward the degree and must be certified by submitting an “Addition of Another Major, Degree, Specialization, or Certificate” form to the Office of the Registrar.

Area VI: Specialization in Politics and Public Policy

NOTE: Lower-division courses–100 and 200 level–should be completed before upper-division course–300 and 400 level.

Choose one of the following two courses: (5)

Choose one of the following three options: (5 or 6)

PUBA 441 - Policy Analysis 3 to 5
or
ECON 468 - Natural Resource and Environmental Economics 5
or
CEEGR 476 - Environmental Law and Impact Studies 4
and
EVST 475 - Impact Statement Analysis 2