Department
and Course Listings

Environmental Studies (ES) is a field of study that explores the various and complex relationships between human beings and their environment. Because understanding these relationships benefits from a variety of critical perspectives, the major is interdisciplinary; it includes courses in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. As a means of helping students develop the background and skills needed to understand and address environmental issues, the ES program includes components of ecology and environmental systems, the impacts of aesthetic representations of the environment, the history of environmental thought, the role of public policy and ethics in environmental decision-making, the various conceptions of “environment” held by different cultures, and the global nature of environmental problems. To ensure in-depth training in a specific discipline, the ES major also includes a “Focus” within the major (see below).

Through its “Core” courses (see below), the ES major provides a unique opportunity for students to organize their General Graduation Requirements around the interdisciplinary study of a broad and multifaceted theme: the environment. Those courses that students may complete toward the General Graduation Requirements are marked with an asterisk (*). Students interested in the following areas may find the program particularly useful: careers in education, public policy, resource management, public health, public administration, the non-profit sector, or the sciences; graduate study in environmental law or policy, economics, environmental literature, the sciences, or other related disciplines.

Given the interdisciplinary nature of environmental studies, the ES major is unusually large. Therefore, students planning to pursue an ES major should meet with an ES faculty member (listed below) and begin taking courses in the ES Core no later than the start of their sophomore year.

Faculty: Denny Clark (Religion), Peter Craig (Chemistry), Rochelle Johnson (English), Jasper LiCalzi (Politics and Economics), Don Mansfield (Biology), Tim Otter (Biology), Tim Shearon (Psychology), Katharine Seibold (Anthropology), Rob Stacy (English), Scott Truksa (Chemistry), Elizabeth Wakeman (Philosophy), Chris Walser (Biology).

The Environmental Studies Major:

Students pursuing an ES major complete ENV 200, ENV 400, and all of the “Core” courses, listed below, plus six to eight courses comprising a disciplinary “Focus.” Students are encouraged to complete some courses in the Core before beginning coursework toward the Focus. Students should consult an ES advisor for assistance with planning a course of study. Certain “double majors” are not permitted with ES.

The Environmental Studies Minor:

Students pursuing an ES minor complete ENV 200, ENV 400, and all of the “Core” courses, listed below, as well as a traditional academic major.

Interdisciplinary Foundations (3 units)

ENV-200 Nature and Culture: Introduction to Environmental Studies

The Environmental Studies Core (25-26 units)

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) can count toward the General Graduation Requirements.

The Core introduces essential concepts in environmental studies, foundational approaches to the study of the environment, and the specific ways in which environmental studies are practiced in various disciplines. Courses in the core should be taken as early as possible. (See course descriptions in the relevant sections of the catalog.)

Environment, Ecology, and the Sciences

*BIO 122 Introduction to Environmental Biology
*CHE 136, 136L Chemistry of the Environment and Lab

Environment and Natural Systems

GOG 150 Physical Geography

Analytical and Quantitative Skills (Some Foci specify which course a student should complete.)

*MAT 107 Physical Models in Mathematics
or
*MAT 211 Statistics

Environmental Thought in the United States

*ENG 299T.9 Environmental Visions

Global Perspectives of Environment

*ATH 3xx Cross-Cultural Approaches to the Environment

Public Policy and the Environment

*POE 339 Environmental Policy Analysis

Values and the Environment

choose one of the following (as appropriate; see Focus descriptions)

*PHI 333 Environmental Ethics
*PHI 250 Philosophical Perspectives in Science

*REL 251 Theology and the Sciences
or
an environmentally-focused literature course

The Senior Capstone Integrative Seminar (2 units)

ENV 400 Senior Capstone

The Focus (18-24 units)

In addition to the following foci, students may design a Focus in consultation with an ES advisor. All self-designed Foci must include in-depth study within a single field or discipline and should contain at least 10 upper-division units. Self-designed Foci must be approved by the ES program Committee.

Chemistry Focus

Students completing the Chemistry Focus may substitute for CHE 302 either CHE 412- 412L (Biochemistry) or CHE 420-420L (Inorganic Chemistry).

Requirements include:

CHE 141 General Chemistry I & Lab
CHE 142 General Chemistry II & Lab
CHE 252 Quantitative Analysis & Equilibrium
CHE 301 and CHE 302 Organic Chemistry
and CHE 451 Instrumental Analysis.

Conservation Biology Focus

To complete the Conservation Biology Focus, students must take Math 211 in the ES Core. In addition, to ensure that students have adequate quantitative preparation, they should complete either Math 212 or a course in Geographic Information Systems.

Requirements include:

BIO 130 Frontiers in Genetics
BIO 220 Organismal Biology or BIO 230 Cell & Molecular Biology
BIO 221 Population and Environmental Biology
BIO 260 Diversity of Life
BIO 306 Conservation Biology
one course in Systematics
and one additional course in either ecology or systematics.

Global Studies Focus

Students completing the Global Studies Focus must demonstrate a competency in a foreign language through the intermediate level (i.e., MFL 211-212 (French); MFL 223-224 (German), or MFL 232-233 (Spanish); for other languages, see an ES advisor). Students are also encouraged to complete a course in Geographic Information Systems.

Requirements include:

HIS 106 The History of World Civilization: Modern
POE 120 International Politics
POE 261 Introduction to Economics
ATH 305 Culture Change and the World System
POE 380 International Political Economy

and two Regional and National Case Studies: Students are encouraged to explore different geographic regions (Latin America, Asia, and Europe) and social science disciplines (anthropology, history, and political economy). Additional Social Sciences courses, winter session classes, winter ACI overseas study trips, or immersion study abroad may satisfy the requirement. Consult with your ES advisor. Choose two courses from:

ATH 249 Natives of South America
ATH 305 Contemporary Mexico
HIS 382 Modern Mexico
HIS 383 Brazil
HIS 385 Cuba and the Caribbean
HIS 345 Modern China
HIS 384 Modern Japan
HIS 338 Modern India
POE 302 Introduction to Asian Politics and Society
POE 371 Politics in Japan
POE 372 Politics in China
HIS 334 19^th Century Europe: the Industrial Nation and its
Discontents
HIS 348 20^th Century Europe: the Trials of Modernity
HIS 350 British Empire 1756-1960
HIS 353 Modern England

Literature Focus

Students completing the Literature Focus must take either Phil 333 or REL 251 in the ES Core.

Requirements include:

ENG 362.1 Origins and Traditions of the Literature of the United
States
ENG 351.1 Origins and Traditions in British Literature
ENG 359 Constructing World Literature
ENG 204.1 Techniques of Nature Writing
ENG 397 Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism
and two courses from the following (only one of which may have an environmental focus): any 300-level seminars or ENG 200.1/300.1 Nature Writing Workshop.

Course descriptions (see departmental listings)

ENV-200 Nature and Culture: Introduction to Environmental Studies 3.0 cr.
Pre-req: WRI 150. An investigation of the relationships among nature, self, and community, with special emphasis given to the interdisciplinary nature of environmental studies. The course is writing-intensive and pursues analysis of environmental issues and concepts. Students interested in the Environmental Studies major should complete this course during their freshman or sophomore years.

ENV-400 Senior Capstone 2.0 cr.
Pre-req: senior standing. An integration and synthesis of different disciplinary perspectives as they relate to a specific local or regional environmental issue. Students will bring to the seminar their expertise from their disciplinary foci, pursue independent research, and collaborate on a formal written project. This course satisfies the General Graduation Requirement for independent work.

Please note: The ES major was approved after the current catalog was published. For more information about this major contact Dr. Tim Otter at totter@albertson.edu.

Environmental Studies Minor:

(This minor is obsolete as of 05/02/2002. See new minor above)

The purpose of the Environmental Studies minor is to help students develop the critical and analytical skills needed to understand and address environmental issues. The program also encourages students to develop their environmental literacy and to deepen their understanding of the various and complex relationships between humans and their biological, physical, and cultural environment. Because understanding these relationships requires approaching our topics from a variety of critical perspectives, the minor is interdisciplinary, emphasizing courses in the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities. The Environmental Studies minor provides a unique opportunity for students to satisfy the College’s diverse general graduation requirements with courses focusing, in various ways, on the topic of the environment. The minor thus enables students to engage repeatedly in interdisciplinary study while emphasizing a common theme. Courses leading to the Environmental Studies minor culminate in an internship program, in which students participate during their senior year. The minor seeks to prepare students for careers in education, public policy, law, public health, or public administration, in the non-profit sector, or in the sciences, as well as for graduate study in a related discipline.

The minor consists of at least 31 credits, involving 12-17 credits in excess of courses that meet or count toward the general graduation requirements. Courses marked with a "+" are preferred.

Environmental Studies Core (8 credits)
ENV 200 Nature and Culture
ENV 300 Research for Environmental Internship
ENV 400 Environmental Studies Capstone
ENV 497 Environmental Internship

Basic Science and Math Core (14-15 credits)
MAT 211 Introduction to Statistics or MAT 311 Probability & Statistics
CHE 142+ General Chemistry II or CHE 136 Chemistry of the Environment
BIO 128 Biology of Extreme Environments or BIO 133+ Endangered Earth or BIO 140 Idaho Natural History or BIO 221+ Population and Environmental Biology.
GOL 101 Physical Geology

Electives (9 credits) At least nine credits from approved electives outside the division of the major, at least six of which must be upper division. Course selections must be approved by the student’s Environmental Studies minor advisor (not the major advisor). Courses listed in both Electives and Basic Science and Math Core areas cannot be counted in both areas.

Social Sciences
ATH 307 Science, Technology & Society
ATH 402 Native Issues in the Americas
GOG 152 Cultural Geography
POE 199T.01 Topics in Environmental Economics
POE 339 Environmental Policy Analysis
PSY 360 Environmental Psychology

Humanities
ENG 201.2 Topics: Exploration Narratives of the American West
ENG 200.1 or 300.1 Nature Writing Workshop I, II
ENG 204.1 Techniques of Contemporary Nature Writing
ENG 299T.9 Topics: Visions of Environment
JOU 301 or 302 Feature Writing or The Editorial Essay
PHI 308 Philosophical Perspectives in Science
PHI 333 Environmental Ethics
REL 251 Theology and the Sciences

Natural Sciences
BIO 128 Biology of Extreme Environments
BIO 133 Endangered Earth
BIO 140 Idaho Natural History
BIO 221 Population and Environmental Biology
BIO 306 Conservation Biology
BIO 318 Aquatic Ecology
BIO 322 Field Botany
CHE 141 General Chemistry
CHE 252 Quantitative Analysis
GOG 150 Physical Geography

ENV-200 Nature and Culture 3.0 cr.
Winter. An interdisciplinary investigation of environment and the relationship of self and humanity to nature. Emphasis is placed on the role and perspective of different disciplines in addressing environmental issues in their cultural and historical contexts. Students pursuing the Environmental Studies minor should take this course in the freshman or sophomore year.

ENV-300 Research for Environmental Internship 1.0 cr.
Fall, winter, spring. Prereq./coreq.: ENV 200 and basic science and math core for Environmental Studies minor. A directed research project designed in conjunction with the faculty supervisor to prepare the student for the intended Environmental Internship. This course should be taken at least one year before the internship.

ENV-400 Environmental Studies Capstone 1.0 cr.
Spring. Prereq.: ENV 200, completion of Basic Science and Math Core, and junior standing.. An integration and synthesis of different disciplinary perspectives applied to a theme such as Water, Forests or Land Use. Environmental analysis and environmental decision making is emphasized.

ENV-497 Environmental Internship 3.0 cr.
Fall, winter, spring. Prereq.: ENV 300 and senior standing. Supervised work in an environmental field in an approved firm, agency or office. A written summary or other product and a seminar are presented at the conclusion of the internship.