Environmental Studies

Director: Girdler

Affiliated Professors: Cherem, Einspahr, Fong, Garcia-Weyandt, Koenig, Latiolais, Loechli, Love,
C. Lewis, J. Lewis, Lindley, Manwell, M. Wollenberg

The concentration in environmental studies is based upon the recognition that environmental and resource problems are not just biological, geological, economic, or political. Therefore, the concentration is structured as an interdisciplinary study by selecting appropriate courses from the natural and social sciences, as well as the humanities, in order to pool knowledge from across traditional disciplinary lines. This information is essential for an interdisciplinary assessment, analysis, and evaluation of environmental problems.

Students interested in environmental studies are urged to keep this interest in mind when selecting a site for study abroad. If approved ahead of time by the Director, up to one course from study abroad can count toward the completion of the concentration. Moreover, pursuing these interests abroad emphasizes the important international dimensions of many environmental issues while often permitting students to gain familiarity with some problems (and their possible solutions) in other countries. Courses from study abroad sites in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kenya, and Thailand are particularly suitable.

The Concentration in Environmental Studies

Six units are required.

Take at least one course from each of the four numbered groups listed below (* indicates that a course has a pre-requisite course, usually a 100-level course in the same department), and two additional courses from any of the groups or the additional elective list. Study Abroad courses, Independent Study courses, and Senior Individualized Projects may be approved on a case by case basis; please consult with the Program Director.

Four required courses (one from each of four numbered groups below):

  • 1. Natural Science
    • ENVS 115 Environmental Science (to be taken as early as possible)
  • 2. Social Science
    • ANSO 232 Nature and Society
    • ANSO 330 Water, Environment & Society
    • ANSO/ENVS 365 Humans and Non-Humans*
    • CES 100 Traditional Ecological Knowledge
    • CES 300 Body, Land, and Labor
    • ECON 235 Environmental and Resource Economics* (highly recommended)
    • POLS 267 Environmental and Political Theory
  • 3. Arts & Humanities
    • ARTX 234 Structure & Space
    • ENGL 151 Reading the World: Environments: Gardens
    • ENGL 156 Reading the World: Social Justice
    • ENGL/SEMN-217 World Indigenous Literatures
    • ENGL 218 Water Stories: From the Great Lakes to the Pacific
    • ENGL/SEMN-492 American Indian Literature and the Law*
    • HIST 211 History of Leisure and Recreation in America
    • HIST 212 American Environmental History
    • PHIL 108 Ecological Philosophy
    • PHIL 310 Critical Social Theory
  • . Senior Seminar (must have senior standing to enroll)
    • ENVS 490 Senior Seminar
    • ECON 492 Climate Change
    • ENVS/SEMN 495 Finding a Home in the World: Lessons in Sustainability from the Ancient Mediterranean

Two additional elective courses selected from any courses listed above or below:

Elective Courses (do not count as one of four required categories):

  • BIOL 232 Plant Biology & Fungal Biology
  • BIOL 396 Entomology*
  • BIOL 480 Topics in Biology: Plant-Animal Interactions
  • CES 340 Plant Communication/Kinship
  • CLAS/SEMN 212 Ancient Humans & Other Animals
  • CHEM 240 Analytical Chemistry*
  • ENVS/PHYS 295 Introduction to Climate Science with Lab
  • GERM 203 Advanced German I
  • GERM 420 Green Germany
  • SEMN 202 Plants and Human Health
  • SEMN 211 Seed Stories, Sovereignty, & Stewardship

* indicates that a course has a pre-requisite, usually a 100-level course in the same department

Note: New courses with environmental or sustainability themes may be approved throughout the year that are not on the required or elective course list. Students are encouraged to ask the Program Director for permission to count such towards the concentration. Additional special topics one-time course offerings may count as electives depending on content (e.g. ENGL, RELG); please discuss the suitability of these courses with the Program Director.

Environmental Studies Courses

ENVS 115 Environmental Science In this course you will (1) build a basic understanding of the physical and natural systems that make up the biosphere on Earth (land, water, atmosphere, and life) stressing the dynamics of these interconnected systems; (2) develop a scientific understanding of the causes and consequences of several of the major environmental problems facing today's society; (3) acquire the tools to enable you to think critically about other current and future environmental challenges you will face as a member of contemporary society. One weekend field trip is required. This course is required for the Environmental Studies concentration.
ENVS 232 Nature and Society This course will introduce students to the sub-discipline of political ecology, a field broadly concerned with the relationships between nature and social power. In other words, this course will focus on developing an understanding of how social relations and politico-economic systems produce environmental problems, structure access to natural resources, the resulting struggles over 'nature' and how and in whose interests these may or may not be resolved. Because the field is broad, the course has been structured into themes that we will explore each week. Must have completed ANSO-103.
ENVS 295 Intro to Climate Science What shapes Earth's climate, and how do we make sense of the changes we observe? This course offers a deep dive into the science of Earth's climate system. You will learn to build and work with mathematical models of the climate, analyze observations of Earth's climate system, and explore predictions made by climate models. Along the way, we'll examine how human-caused climate change affects both the environment and society. Must have completed ENVS-115.
ENVS 365 Humans and Non-Humans What does it mean to be human? What is the history of the notion of the human, and who or what has been excluded from it? What does it mean to study non-humans through a humanistic frame? How can we know non-human beings? What kinds of knowledges exist at the edges of the discourse on the human? This course will introduce students to these issues through a combination of readings that engage with the field known as new materialisms to consider the ways in which the study of humanity has been challenged by new modes of thinking about being, producing situated answers to these questions. Take ANSO-103;
Must have taken ANSO-103 and any level 200 ANSO course.
ENVS 490 Senior Seminar Examination and analysis of selected contemporary environmental and resource problems and issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. In addressing these issues, special attention is given to the application and integration of principles, theories, and analytical techniques introduced in the core courses. Topics covered in the seminar are likely to vary annually as new problems, policies, and solutions develop. Seniors only.
ENVS 495 Finding a Home in the World People have struggled with how to live sustainably and to mitigate environmental damage at least since humans began farming. Since that time, we have existed in a struggle with the world we occupy for resources to sustain us and to fulfill our desires, and yet there have always been those who have found a harmonious balance within it. This class will be an exploration of how to become part of that latter group, examining struggles, practices, and solutions from the ancient Mediterranean and from today, and working on a community-based project. This is a service-learning course.
ENVS 593 Senior Integrated Project Each program or department sets its own requirements for Senior Integrated Projects done in that department, including the range of acceptable projects, the required background of students doing projects, the format of the SIP, and the expected scope and depth of projects. See the Kalamazoo Curriculum -> Senior Integrated Project section of the Academic Catalog for more details. Permission of department and SIP supervisor required.
ENVS 600 Teaching Assistantship