Environmental Studies Minor

Coordinator: Professor Richard Kujawa

The environmental studies minor provides students with an opportunity to pursue a program of study designed to develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary and complex nature of environmental issues. Although environmental problems frequently are defined within the natural sciences, their underlying causes and ultimate solutions often lie within the social sciences and humanities. Environmental issues, then, must not only be understood technically; they must be understood as the product of social, cultural, economic and political forces in society. This minor will provide an academic framework within which students will consider these multiple facets of environmental issues.

The environmental studies minor is structured for students with strong interest in environmental issues but who do not necessarily wish to pursue post-graduate opportunities in the natural sciences. Students seeking a natural science program to prepare themselves for graduate or career opportunities in areas such as environmental biology or chemistry should consider the environmental science major.

Required for the Environmental Studies Minor:

BI 151 - General Biology Credits: 4 cr.
Or the following full-year sequence:
CH 103 - General Chemistry Credits: 4 cr.
CH 107 - General Chemistry Credits: 4 cr.

And choose:

Three of the following courses, identified as “minor electives,” at least two of which are Social Science or Humanities courses (students concentrating in a natural science must take all three “minor electives” outside the natural sciences):

BI 221 - Population Ecology Credits: 4 cr.
BI 238 - Ecosytem Ecology Credits: 4 cr.
BI 242 - Community Ecology Credits: 4 cr.
BI 250 - Tropical Ecology Credits: 2 cr.
EC 351 - Environmental Economics Credits: 4 cr.
GG 211 - Geography of Water Credits: 3 cr.
GG 327 - Environmental Policy Credits: 4 cr.
PO 327 - Environmental Policy Credits: 4 cr.
SO 215 - Population Analysis Credits: 4 cr.

Note:

Alternative electives will be considered. These may include courses that are not part of regular college offerings. Possible alternatives include: Special Topics courses with a clear environmental emphasis; internships with a clear environmental focus that are taken for credit as apart of Saint Michael’s program of study; or courses to be transferred from other institutions (including those taken while studying abroad). Students seeking credit for alternative courses should discuss their plans with the Environmental Studies Coordinator in advance. Proposals will be promptly evaluated by Environmental Studies Program faculty.

In addition:

Students must complete a senior paper which demonstrates depth of understanding of the multiple facets of a specific environmental topic, preferably related to the field of the student’s major. The paper will be evaluated by two faculty, one of whom must be a member of the environmental studies program.