Faculty: Jonathon Amburgey, David Baddley, Matthew Baker, Bonnie Baxter, Dan Byrne, Christy Clay, Richard Collins, Lance Newman, Jeff Nichols, Brent Olson, Giancarlo Panagia, Michael A. Popich, Xiumei Pu, Tiffany Rivera, Gretchen Siegler, Michael Zarkin
Program Goals
- Understand interdisciplinary concepts, diverse perspectives, and debates in Environmental Studies.
- Communicate environmental issues effectively in a variety of media, to specialized and general audiences.
- Work effectively as leaders and collaborators to address environmental issues.
- Use empirical and conceptual tools to evaluate environmental conditions and the issues surrounding them.
- Improve the environment in which people, animals, and plants live, work, and play
Objectives
Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program combining the perspectives of the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences to provide students with multiple perspectives in some of the most challenging and exciting fields of inquiry today: the relationship between humans and the natural world, along with issues of conservation, preservation, pollution, climate change, rehabilitation, mitigation, endangered species, international development, and global change. The B. A. or B. S. degree in Environmental Studies can lead to careers working with business, industry, nonprofit environmental organizations, formal and informal education, and federal, state, and local governments, including jobs in National Parks and National Forests, in addition to continuing studies in graduate school in science or law. The minor in Environmental Studies provides a useful multidisciplinary supplement to studies in other fields.
Program Requirements
Students interested in the Environmental Studies major or minor should, during their first year, choose a faculty advisor who is a member of the Environmental Studies faculty and plan to meet with them for an in-depth conversation about the program and their degree options.
Students must meet the college-wide graduation requirements in addition to the Environmental Studies major:
- 124 total hours
- 30 upper division hours
- WCore requirements
Environmental Studies Major—Bachelor of Science Degree
| Requirement Description |
Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
| I. World Language Requirement | 8 | |
| Environmental Studies majors must complete eight credit hours in a single world language. | ||
| II. Required Core Courses | 21 | |
| BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology (4) | DATA 220 | |
| CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry I and Lab (4) | corequisites: CHEM 111R recommended/MATH 144 required | |
| CHEM 112 Principles of Chemistry II and Lab (4) | CHEM 111 | |
| DATA 220 Introduction to Statistics (4) | ||
| ENVI 101 Environment: Science, Society, and Culture (4) | ||
| ENVI 201 Green Careers (1) | ENVI 101 and sophomore standing | |
| III. Tools and Methods | 6-8 | |
| Take two of the following courses in consultation with your advisor: | ||
| ART 345 Video Production (4) | ||
| CMPT 140 Computer Science Principles (3) | ||
| CMPT 201 Introduction to Computer Science (4) | MATH 101 | |
| COMM 210 Media Writing I (4) | ||
| COMM 322 Multimedia Image Production (4) | ||
| COMM 326 Introduction to Web Writing and Design (4) | ||
| COMM 365 Intercultural and Global Communication (4) | ||
| DATA 350 Statistical Modeling (4) | DATA 220 | |
| ENGL 324 Creative Writing: Nonfiction (4) | ENGL 230 | |
| ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4) | ||
| ENVI 361 Writing the Environment (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| MATH 201 Calculus I (4) | MATH 144 or by placement test | |
| OEL 120 Outdoor Leadership (4) | ||
| IV. Experiential Learning | 3 | |
| Take three credit hours from the following courses: | ||
| ENVI 301 Field Study (1-4) (can be taken more than once) | ||
| ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (4) (course cannot be used elsewhere) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 401 Directed Study (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 440 Internship (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 450 Undergraduate Research (1-4) | ENVI 101 and instructor permission | |
| GEOL 350 Geology Field Experience (2) | GEOL 107, GEOL 110, or GEOL 111 | |
| HPW 305 Outdoor and Experiential Education (2) | ||
| A course taken during a study abroad experience may also be accepted but cannot be counted for credit elsewhere. | ||
| V. Environmental Science Electives | 8 | |
| Take eight credit hours from the following list or with advisor approval; only four credit hours may be earned during May Term: | ||
| ANTH 311 Human Evolution and Archeology (4) | ||
| ANTH 377 Environmental Anthropology (4) | ||
| ART 313 Environmental Art (4) | ||
| ECON 325 Environmental Economics (4) | ECON 253 or 263 | |
| ENGL 357 Environmental Literature (4) | ENVI 101 or two courses from: ENGL 221, 222, 223 | |
| ENVI 300 Special Topics in Environmental Studies (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 301 Field Study (1-4) (can be taken more than once) | ||
| ENVI 305 Geographic Information Systems (4) | ||
| ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (4) (course cannot be used elsewhere) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 340 Special Topics in Environmental Sciences (4) (may be taken more than once) | ||
| ENVI 350 Special Topics in the Civic Environment (4) | ||
| ENVI 351 The Global Environment (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 352 Water in the West (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 360 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 440 Internship (1-8) | ||
| HIST 320 Environmental History of the US (4) | one lower division HIST course or ENVI 101 | |
| HIST 335 Environmental History of Africa (4) | one lower division HIST course | |
| JUST 344 Environmental Justice (4) | ||
| PHIL 307 Environmental Ethics (4) | PHIL 102 | |
| PLSC 327 Environmental Politics (4) | ||
| VI. Science and the Environment Concentration | 20 | |
| Take twenty credit hours from the following list or with advisor approval, of which, fourteen must be 300-level or above; only four credit hours may be earned during May Term. | ||
| BIOL 202 Organisms and Evolution (4) | ||
| BIOL 204 Principles of Genetics (4) | CHEM 112 | |
| BIOL 205 Introduction to Cell Biology (4) | CHEM 112 | |
| BIOL 300 Special Topics (1-4) | ||
| BIOL 303 Microbiology (4) | BIOL 204, 205, and CHEM 112 | |
| BIOL 306 Aquatic Biology (4) | BIOL 203, DATA 220, CHEM 112 | |
| BIOL 310 Plant Biology and Lab (4) | BIOL 202, 203, 205, and CHEM 112 | |
| BIOL 315 Principles of Paleontology (4) | ||
| BIOL 404 Advanced Ecology and Lab (4) | BIOL 202, 203, CHEM 112, and either MATH 240 or DATA 220 | |
| CHEM 303 Organic Chemistry I and Lab (4) | CHEM 112 | |
| CHEM 304 Organic Chemistry II and Lab (4) | CHEM 303 | |
| CHEM 306 Quantitative Chemistry and Lab (4) | CHEM 112 and either PHYS 151 or 211 | |
| CHEM 307 Instrumental Analysis and Lab (4) | CHEM 112 and either PHYS 151 or 211 | |
| CHEM 320 Inorganic Chemistry and Lab (4) | CHEM 112 | |
| ENVI 102 Ecology of Food Systems (4) | ||
| ENVI 115 Science of the Environment (4) | ||
| ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4) | ||
| ENVI 340 Special Topics in Environmental Sciences (4) (may be taken more than once) | Variable | |
| GEOL 107 Geology of the American West | ||
| GEOL 111 Geology of National Parks (4) | ||
| GEOL 205 Climate Science & Consequences (4) | ||
| PHYS 151 Principles of Physics I and Lab (4) | MATH 144 | |
| PHYS 152 Principles of Physics II and Lab (4) | PHYS 151 or 211 | |
| PHYS 211 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I and Lab (4) | MATH 144 | |
| PHYS 212 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II and Lab (4) | PHYS 211 | |
| PSYC 388 Environmental Psychology (4) | PSYC 270 and PSYC 216 or JUST 216 | |
| PUBH 320 Environmental Health (4) | PUBH 305 | |
| WCSAM 202 Isotope Biogeochemistry (3) | ||
| VII. Senior Capstone | 4 | |
| ENVI 405 Senior Capstone (4) — offered spring (this course fulfills the WCore “Making Connections” requirement) OR
WCSAM 400 Science Capstone (2) (by advisor approval) |
||
| TOTAL HOURS FOR BS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR | 70-72 |
Recommended Plan of Study for Environmental Studies—Bachelor of Science Degree
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
| Freshman Year | BIOL 203 CHEM 111 DATA 220 WCore course (3-4) |
CHEM 112 ENVI 101 WCore course (3-4) WCore course (3-4) |
| Sophomore Year |
Environmental Studies elective (4) |
Language course (4) |
| Junior Year |
Science concentration course (4) |
Science Concentration course (4) |
| Senior Year |
Environmental Studies elective (4) |
ENVI 405 Senior Capstone (4) OR WCSAM 400 Science Capstone (4) |
Environmental Studies Major—Bachelor of Arts Degree
| Requirement Description |
Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
| I. World Language Requirement | 8 | |
| Environmental Studies majors must complete eight credit hours in a single world language. | ||
| II. Required Core Courses | 17 | |
| ENVI 101 Environment: Science, Society, and Culture (4) | ||
| ENVI 201 Green Careers (1) | ENVI 101 and sophomore standing | |
| ENVI 351 The Global Environment (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 361 Writing the Environment (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 370 Theories of Nature (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| III. Science Elective | 3-4 | |
| Students must complete one additional WCSAM course beyond WCore requirements. See WCore requirements and WCSAM Course Descriptions for education requirements and a full list of WCSAM courses. | ||
| IV. Tools and Methods | 6-8 | |
| Complete two courses from different departments from: | ||
| ANTH 391 Exploratory Ethnographic Research (4) | ||
| ART 180 Exploring Photography (4) | ||
| ART 345 Video Production (4) | ||
| COMM 310 Business and Professional Writing I (4) | COMM 210 | |
| COMM 322 Multimedia Image Production (4) | ||
| COMM 326 Introduction to Web Writing and Design (4) | ||
| COMM 370 Design Foundation (4) | ||
| DATA 110 Explorations in Data Science (4) | ||
| DATA 220 Introduction to Statistics (4) | ||
| ENVI 305 Geographic Information Systems (4) | ||
| HIST 240 Making History (4) | ||
| OEL 120 Outdoor Leadership (4) | ||
| PLSC 390 Research Methods (4) | ||
| SOC 390 Social Research Methods (4) | ||
| V. Experiential Learning | 3 | |
| Complete three credit hours from the following courses: | ||
| ENVI 301 Field Study (1-4) (can be taken more than once) | ||
| ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (4) (course cannot be used elsewhere) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 401 Directed Study (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 440 Internship (1-8) | ||
| ENVI 450 Undergraduate Research (1-4) | ENVI 101 | |
| A course taken during a study abroad experience may also be accepted but cannot be counted for credit elsewhere. | ||
| VI. Society and Culture Concentration | 18 | |
| Complete eighteen credit hours | ||
| ANTH 311 Human Evolution and Archeology (4) | ||
| ANTH 377 Environmental Anthropology (4) | ||
| ART 180 Photography (4) | ||
| ART 313 Environmental Art (4) | ||
| DATA 110 Explorations in Data Science (4) | ||
| DATA 220 Introduction to Statistics (4) | ||
| ECON 325 Environmental Economics (4) | ECON 253 or 263 | |
| ENGL 357 Environmental Literature (3) | ENVI 101 or two of the following: ENGL 221, 222, or 223 | |
| ENVI 300 Special Topics in Environmental Study (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 301 Field Study (1-4) (can be taken more than once) | ||
| ENVI 305 Geographic Information Systems (4) | ||
| ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (4) (course cannot be used elsewhere) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 340 Special Topics in Environmental Sciences (1-4) (may be taken more than once) | ||
| ENVI 350 Special Topics in the Civic Environment (4) | ||
| ENVI 352 Water in the West (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 360 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 440 Internship (1-8) | ||
| ENVI 450 Undergraduate Research (1-4) | ENVI 101 | |
| GEOL 205 Climate Science & Consequences (4) | ||
| HIST 320 Environmental History of the U.S. (3) | one lower division HIST course or ENVI 101 | |
| HIST 335 Environmental History of Africa (4) | one lower division HIST course | |
| HIST 365 Utah and the West (3)–offered alternate years | one lower division HIST course | |
| JUST 344 Environmental Justice (4) | ||
| OEL 120 Outdoor Leadership (4) | ||
| PHIL 307 Environmental Ethics (4) | PHIL 102 | |
| PLSC 327 Environmental Politics and Policy (4) | ||
| PSYC 388 Environmental Psychology (4) | PSYC 270 and PSYC 216 or JUST 216 | |
| VII. Senior Capstone | 4 | |
| ENVI 405 Senior Capstone (4) (this course fulfills the WCore “Making Connections” requirement) OR
WCSAM 400 Science Capstone (4) (by advisor approval) |
||
| TOTAL HOURS FOR BA ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR | 59-62 |
Recommended Plan of Study for Environmental Studies—Bachelor of Arts Degree
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
| Freshman Year | WCore Course (3-4) WCore Course (3-4) Language I (4) |
WCore Course (4) WCore Course (3-4) Language II (4) ENVI 101 (4) |
| Sophomore Year |
Science Distribution Course (4) |
ENVI 361 Writing the Environment (4) |
| Junior Year |
Tools and Methods course (3-4) |
Elective (4) |
| Senior Year |
Experiential Learning course (1-2) |
ENVI 405 Senior Capstone (4) OR WCSAM 400 Science Capstone (4) |
Environmental Studies Minor
| Requirement Description |
Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
| I. Required Courses | 19-20 | |
| A. ENVI 101 Environment: Science, Society, Culture (4)
B. Experiential Learning (3-4) Complete at least three credit hours from the following courses:
C. Environmental Studies Distribution (12) One course in each of Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, chosen from the lists below or in consultation with your advisor: |
||
| Humanities | ||
| ART 313 Environmental Art (4) | ||
| ENVI 330B Landscape and Meaning (4) – must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition | ENVI 101 or a History WCore course | |
| ENVI 330D America’s Best Idea (4) – must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition | ENVI 330A or 330B or ENVI 330C or HIST 325 taken concurrently | |
| ENVI 360 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities (1-4) | ||
| ENVI 361 Writing the Environment (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 363 Gender and the Environment (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 364 Spiritual Ecology (4) | ||
| HIST 320 Environmental History of the U.S. (3)—offered alternate years | one lower division HIST course or ENVI 101 | |
| PHIL 307 Environmental Ethics (4) | PHIL 102 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology (4) | pre- or co-requisite: DATA 220 | |
| ENVI 102 Ecology of Food Systems (4) | ||
| ENVI 115 Science of the Environment (4) | ||
| ENVI 305 Geographic Information Systems (4) | ||
| ENVI 410RR Applied Conservation Biology (3) – requires enrollment in Round River study abroad | ||
| ENVI 415RR Applied Ecology (3) – requires enrollment in Round River study abroad | ||
| ENVI 430RR Biology Field Methods (3) – requires enrollment in Round River study abroad | ||
| ENVI 435RR Intro to Natural History (3) – requires enrollment in Round River study abroad | ||
| GEOL 205 Climate Science & Consequences (4) | ||
| Social Sciences | ||
| ANTH 311 Human Evolution and Archaeology (4) | ||
| ANTH 377 Environmental Anthropology (4) | ||
| ANTH 399 Anthropology of Tourism (4) | ||
| ECON 325 Environmental Economics (4) | ECON 253 or 263 | |
| ENVI 330B Landscape and Meaning (4) – must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition | ENVI 101 or a History WCore course | |
| ENVI 330C The Native West (4) – must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 351 The Global Environment (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 352 Water in the West (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 353 Environmental Movements (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 370 Theories of Nature (4) | ENVI 101 | |
| ENVI 420RR Community Based Natural Resource Management (3) – requires enrollment in Round River Study abroad | ||
| ENVI 425RR Humans and the Environment (3) – requires enrollment in Round River Study abroad | ||
| JUST 344 Environmental Justice (4) | ||
| PLSC 327 Environmental Politics and Policy (4) | ||
| II. Electives | 4 | |
| Four additional hours chosen in consultation with the student’s minor advisor. Choose from the list above or with advisor approval. | ||
| TOTAL HOURS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MINOR | 23-24 |
