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Environmental Studies

 

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Departmental Mission Statement

Requirements for Major

Core Curriculum

Elective Concentrations

Environmental Studies/Social Science

Environmental Studies/Geology

Environmental Studies/Biology

Requirements for Minor

Course Descriptions

 

Director, Fred Van Dyke

 

The Environmental Studies Program of Wheaton College represents that part of the Wheaton College community in which students learn the science and service of environmental stewardship, the understanding and care of God’s physical creation. Through acts of scholarship and service, students and faculty protect environmental systems, inform the global church, and influence society and culture to make appropriate responses of stewardship that reflect creation care.

            Students take a core curriculum of 36 hours covering the issues and intellectual identity of environmental studies, the foundational paradigms of natural and social sciences needed to address environmental problems, the theology of creation and stewardship, and the practical experience of performing acts of environmental study and management as expressions of service to God, other human beings, and to the non-human creation. The environmental studies curriculum is completed through 10 hours of more advanced study in which students select one of three concentration areas. In each concentration, more advanced expressions of theory and practice in lectures, discussions, laboratory, field experience, and environmental research prepare the student not only to be a more effective servant as an environmental professional, but to become an agent of transformation of the professional culture of environmental studies in ways that increase Christian influence and expression in this field.

            The Environmental Studies Program of Wheaton College is supported by the facilities and courses of the College’s Science Station in South Dakota's Black Hills, and by the campuses of the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies in the United States and India, in which Wheaton participates as a member college. Close cooperation with the Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR) program, and the requirement of an applied experience in Environmental Studies ensures students opportunity for a full range of academic and professional experiences in environmental studies in a variety of cultural settings.

            Students who complete an Environmental Studies major are granted a Bachelor of Science degree unless they request a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Core Curriculum (Required of all students)  36 hours

 

ENVR 221 Introduction to Environmental Studies

HNGR 112 Third World Issues (2)

BIOL 241 College Biology I

CHEM 231 Introductory Chemistry I

GEOL 221 Physical Geology for Science Majors

SOC 326 Environment and Society

            Prerequisites: SOC 115 or consent of instructor

ENVR 241 Quantitative Methods       

            May fulfill prerequisite for BIOL 351 in place of BIOL 252

GEOL 371 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (2)

BIOL 351 General Ecology

            Prerequisites: BIOL 241 and BIOL 252 or ENVR 241

ENVR 495/496 Environmental Studies Research/Internship (2)

ENVR 494 Environmental Studies Capstone (2)

 

Elective Concentrations (Choose one)

Environmental Studies/Social Science – Choose 10 hours

 

Select a minimum of 10 hours from the list below

Required

B EC 211 Principles of Microeconomics

 

Other Approved Electives

ANTH 362 Globalization

ANTH 426 Cultural Ecology (2)

B EC 365 Economic Development and Growth (prerequisite B EC 211)

B EC 372 Environmental Economics (prerequisite B EC 211)

BIOL 482 Conservation Biology

GEOL 372 GIS Practicum (2)

GEOL 388 Appropriate Technology and the Environment (2)

HNGR 381 Topics in Development (2 or 4)

IR 353 Comparative Public Policy (2)

PSCI 341 Environmental Politics (2)

PSCI 347 Renaissance and Modern Political Philosophy

PSCI 386 Congress and American Politics

SOC 469 Social and Political Movements )2)

Environmental Studies/Geology – Choose 10 Hours

 

Select a minimum of 10 hours from the list below

Required

GEOL 437 Hydrogeology

 

Other Approved Electives

BIOL 353 Stream Ecology

BIOL 385 Marine Biology (2)

GEOL 331 Global Climate Change

GEOL 332 Studies in Regional Geology

GEOL 336 Process Geomorphology

GEOL 342 Fundamentals of Geochemistry (2)

GEOL 343 Fundamentals of Mineral Science (2)

GEOL 344 General Petrology and Petrography

GEOL 355 Introduction to Soil Science

GEOL 365 Physics of the Earth (2)

GEOL 372 GIS Practicum (2)

GEOL 388 Appropriate Technology, Development, and the Environment (2)

GEOL 412 Field Geology (6)

PHYS 315 Meteorology (2)

Environmental Studies/Biology – Choose 10 hours

 

Select a minimum of 10 hours from the list below

BIOL 242 College Biology II

BIOL 343 Plant Taxonomy (3)

BIOL 344 Economic Botany

BIOL 352 Parasitology (2)

BIOL 353 Stream Ecology

BIOL 356 Genetics (prerequisite BIOL 242)

BIOL 371 Animal Ecology

BIOL 372 Field Zoology (3)

BIOL 374 Bioinformatics (prerequisites BIOL 242 and BIOL 356)

BIOL 382 Field Natural History

BIOL 385 Marine Biology

BIOL 482 Conservation Biology

GEOL 355 Introduction to Soil Science (2)

GEOL 372 GIS Practicum (2)

GEOL 437 Hydrogeology

 

Requirements for a minor in Environmental Studies include 20 hours: ENVR 221 (4), BIOL 241 (4), 351 (4), GEOL 221 (4), 371 (2), and two additional hours as advised by the Director of the Environmental Studies Program.

Environmental Studies Courses (ENVR)

 

ENVR 221. Introduction to Environmental Studies. An introduction to the historical and contemporary problems and dilemmas in environmental studies, their scientific bases, sociological implications, ethical dimensions, and avenues for constructive response. Three lectures, three hours laboratory.

ENVR 241. Quantitative Methods. Quantitative methods are necessary to adequately describe, analyze, and understand environmental processes. The course includes an introduction to three distinct areas of analysis common in environmental problems–basic statistics, multivariate and spatial statistics, and numerical modeling. Emphasis is on computer use and applications of the methods to study of the environment. Three lectures, three hours laboratory. Prerequisites: ENVR 221, MATH 115 or equivalent competency. S 2009

ENVR 319. Environmental Ethics. A survey and analysis of major scientific problems and foundational philosophies underlying contemporary environmental ethics and the application of environmental ethics to the scientific and professional practice of conservation and environmental stewardship in scientific research, personal decision making, and professional environmental management. Prerequisite: Lab science course; meets upper division General Education requirement.

ENVR 331x. Global Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future. See GEOL 331.

ENVR 391. Environmental Modeling. Increasingly models are used to understand and solve environmental processes and systems and to aid in environmental management. The course will introduce students to a variety of modeling methods (e.g. physical/mathematical, discrete/continuous, finite difference/finite element, stochastic/deterministic) and give environmental examples from the geological, biological, climatological, and socio-politico-economic fields. Students will analyze a problem and determine which type of model is appropriate and then proceed to construct the model. They will evaluate existing models with respect to boundary conditions, input, resolution, numerical stability, and appropriateness of assumptions. Three lectures, three hours laboratory. Prerequisites: ENVR 241. Alternate years. S 2008

ENVR 421. Basic Applications in Agronomy. A survey of concepts and methods in crop science. Subject matter is intended to provide background for domestic, as well as international interests.  Topics in lecture and lab include agricultural ecology, forestry, food-crop production, and growth optimization in various environments.  Three lectures, three hours laboratory. Prerequisites: introductory biology lab course, ENVR 221, or permission of the instructor. Alternate years. S 2009

ENVR 431. Introduction to Environmental and Geotechnical Engineering. A survey of concepts and problem solving involving the interaction of people and earth systems. Subject matter is intended to provide background for domestic, as well as international interests. Topics in lecture and lab include basic systems analysis, energy, pollution abatement, water systems, construction criteria, and testing/utilization of earth materials. Three lectures, three hours laboratory. Prerequisites: ENVR 221 and ENVR 241 or PHYS 221, PHYS 231 or permission of the instructor. Alternate years. F 2009

ENVR 494. Environmental Studies Capstone. A senior capstone course teaching the motivations, theory, and methods needed to practice the vocations of environmental studies as expressions of Christian faith and service equipping students to act as transformative agents in a professional environmental culture through scholarship in environmental study and conservation of environmental systems. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing and approval of the program director of Environmental Studies. S 2008

ENVR 495. Environmental Studies Research. Field, laboratory, or library research involving selection of a research problem, review of appropriate professional literature, completion of data collection and analysis, and preparation of one or more professional papers submitted for presentation or publication in an appropriate professional venue. Requires direct supervision and mentoring by the program director of Environmental Studies or faculty approved by the director. (2-4)

ENVR 496. Environmental Studies Internship. An extended and concentrated experience in research, management, or education in environmental studies under approved professional supervision and college guidelines. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or higher and approval by the program director of Environmental Studies. (2-4)

ENVR 497. Environmental and Conservation Studies Research Seminar. A weekly seminar featuring presentations of on-going primary research on problems of environmental and conservation studies in the natural and social sciences. Graded pass/fail. One hour per week. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or higher. F 2008. (1)

Revision Date: May 1, 2008

 

 

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