Environmental Programs

Saint Michael’s College offers several options for students interested in studying the environment, including a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a B.S. in Environmental Science.. Our Environmental Studies major is a truly interdisciplinary major, which includes the humanities, the social sciences, pre-professional fields, and the natural sciences working together. Environmental Studies graduates will be ready to enter the workforce or qualified to enter graduate programs in areas such as Environmental Law, Environmental Policy, Management, Conservation, or Humanities. We have an articulation agreement offering Saint Michael’s graduates preferential admission to the Vermont Law School noted for its programs in environmental law and policy. We also offer a minor in Environmental Studies. Students interested in environmental science and who wish to earn a B.S. degree should consider the new Environmental Science major at Saint Michael’s College. This B.S. is also an interdisciplinary major, drawing particularly from biology and chemistry, but sharing key courses with the environmental studies major. Environmental Science students will work directly with committed faculty, make significant use of the beautiful Vermont natural environment for field-based portions of laboratory experiments, and have access to some of the latest modern scientific instrumentation in the laboratory.

The Environmental Science Major

Contact: Associate Professor Bret Findley

The Environmental Science program at Saint Michael’s College gives students the opportunity to improve their scientific understanding of the human impact on our natural world and to engage in environmental problem-solving. It is an interdisciplinary major, leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. The curriculum is strongly rooted in chemistry and biology, and incorporates courses from our vibrant Environmental Studies program and from the humanities and social sciences. Students also have significant flexibility to tailor their degree to their individual interests.

Environmental Science students benefit from extensive interaction with dedicated faculty, both in and out of the classroom, and they receive hands-on experience with modern scientific instrumentation in the laboratory. Students can expect to make extensive use of our Vermont setting during the field-based portions of their laboratory experiences. Many experiential learning opportunities are available to complement their studies, including study abroad, community-engaged learning, student-faculty research, and many interesting internships. Students may also get involved in the environmental student groups and activities on our campus including Green Up and the Environmental Council.

The Environmental Studies Major and Minor

Director: Professor Nathaniel Lewis
Assistant Professors: Laura Stroup, Farrah Fatemi
Visiting Instructor: Anjanette DeCarlo

Although environmental problems frequently are defined within the natural sciences, their underlying causes and ultimate solutions lie equally within the scope of the social sciences and humanities. Environmental issues, then, must not only be understood in terms of science; they must also be recognized as the product of a complex mix of national and international social, cultural, economic and political forces. Our environmental studies curriculum, therefore, provides an interdisciplinary academic framework based upon the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The curriculum is also meant not to be restricted to problem solving, but rather to incorporate observation, appreciation, spirituality, and examination of nature and the relationship of humans with the environment. Students build upon this holistic framework to shape their own investigations into pressing domestic and global environmental problems, to gain insights into their relationship with nature and their role in the creation of a more sustainable world.