The Environmental Studies Major

The Environmental Studies major is interdisciplinary with a set of core courses that draw from the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences.  Along with the six courses in this interdisciplinary core, students choose an Area of Concentration.  The Bachelor of Arts degree comprises a minimum of 11 courses.  The Bachelor of Science degree comprises a minimum of 14 courses.  In addition to the specific areas of concentration listed here as models, students may design their own unique area of concentration in consultation with their Environmental Studies faculty advisor.

Core Requirements

Bachelor of Arts

The core requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree consist of six courses.  Students usually complete the first five Environmental Studies core courses (ES 196, 211, 223, 225, and 230) by the end of the sophomore year, although the department recognizes that students enter the major from a variety of backgrounds and may take longer.  The 400-level capstone requirement is met in the senior year.

• ES 196 Environmental Science and Society
• ES 211 Principles of Ecology
• ES 223 Earth System Science
• ES 225 Introduction to Environmental Humanities
• ES 230 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• ES 400 Environmental Studies Seminar OR ES 460 Individualized Study: Research

Bachelor of Science

In addition to the six core requirements listed above, students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree must complete two additional two-course sequences in the natural sciences and fulfill a mathematics/statistics requirement. Students planning to attend graduate school in natural science related areas should choose the Bachelor of Science degree and speak with their advisor about additional natural science and math courses.

• Natural Sciences (choose at least two two-course sequences)
  Bio 111 Introduction to Ecology & Evolution and Bio 112 Form & Function of Living Organisms (preferred) OR
  Bio 113 Introduction to Phage Biology and Bio 114 Phage Genomics
  Chem 105 OR Chem 107 Chemical Structure and Bonding and Chem 108 Chemical Reactivity
  Phy 103 Elementary Physics I  and  Phy 104 Elementary Physics II OR
  Phy 109 Introductory Physics I and  Phy 110 Introductory Physics II OR
  Phy 111 Introductory Modern Physics I and  Phy 112 Introductory Modern Physics II

• Mathematics and Statistics (choose at least one option)
  Math 105-106 Calculus w/Precalculus
  Math 111 Calculus I
  Math 112 Calculus II
  Bio 260 Biostatistics                                                                  
  Econ 241 Intro. Econ. & Business Statistics                                                                    
  Pol 215 Political Science Research Methods

Area of Concentration

In addition to the core requirements, majors pursue advanced course-work within a particular topical area of concentration.  Students complete at least five courses within an area of concentration, three of which must be ES courses at or above the 240-level unless alternative arrangements are made with the Department Chair.  Some courses have prerequisites.  Courses may count more than once in the major, as long as the minimum number of courses is met for the Bachelor of Arts degree (11) and Bachelor of Science degree (14) respectively.

Suggested Areas of Concentration

Earth System Science

• ES 318 Glaciers and Records of Climate Change
• ES 322 Geomorphology OR ES 323 Geologic Disasters & Global Change
• One two-course sequence: choose from Chem 107-108 OR Phy 103-104 OR Phy 109-110 OR Phy 111-112

Energy and the Environment

• ES 240: Energy Production and Use
• One two-course sequence: Phy 103-104 OR Phy 109-110 OR Phy 111-112

Environmental Policy and Management

• ES 333 Environmental Policy
• Pol 101 American Government OR Pol 103 Intro. to International Relations OR
  Pol 104 Intro. to Comparative Politics

Environmental Science

Note: At least three courses should be chosen from the list of electives. 

• One mathematical/statistics course (see list under BS core requirements)
• Two two-course sequences in natural science (see list under BS core requirements)

Environmental Writing

• ES 241 Environmental Writing
• Eng 201: Writing the Public Essay

GIS and Spatial Analysis

• ES 263 Remote Sensing
• ES 312 Environmental Applications of GIS
• One statistics course (see list under BS core requirements)

Landscape Ecology and Land-Use

• ES 312 Environmental Applications of GIS OR ES 304: Landscape Ecology
• ES 245 Terrestrial Ecosystems OR ES 315 Land: Ecology, History, and Culture

Marine and Freshwater Ecology

• ES/Bio 306 Marine Ecology OR Bio 307 Freshwater Ecology (whichever is chosen, the other may be used as an elective)
• Bio 111 Introduction to Ecology & Evolution
• Bio 112 Form & Function of Living Organisms

Nature and Human Culture

• ES 252 The Rocky Mountain West: Cultural Geography
• ES 319 Environmental Film

Sustainable Development

• One course from: Econ 104, Pol 102, or Pol 103 (to be taken prior to ES 334 or ES 333)
• ES 333 Environmental Policy
• ES 334 Global Environment and Development

Conservation Biology

• ES 316 Conservation Biology
• Bio 111 Introduction to Ecology & Evolution
• Bio 112 Form & Function of Living Organisms

Self-designed Area of Concentration

A Self-designed Area of Concentration is one that combines courses from existing areas of concentration and elsewhere in the Gettysburg College curriculum in consultation with your advisor.  Students submit a plan of study including a list of courses, which must be approved by the Chair of the Environmental Studies Department.

The self-designed area of concentration is meant to allow you to take advantage of special circumstances, such as courses offered by visiting faculty, study abroad, or to combine courses in a unique and logical way to help you achieve your career goals.  Recent examples include areas such as Environmental Education or Environmental Health.

Electives

Environmental Studies

• ES 240 Energy: Production, Use, and Environmental Impact
• ES 245 Terrestrial Ecosystems
• ES 251 The Rocky Mountain West: Physical Geography
• ES 252 The Rocky Mountain West: Cultural Geography
• ES 263 Remote Sensing
• ES 304 Landscape Ecology
• ES/Bio 306 Marine Ecology
• ES 312 Environmental Applications of GIS
• ES 315 Land: Ecology, History, and Culture
• ES 316 Conservation Biology
• ES 317 Chesapeake Bay
• ES 318 Glaciers and Records of Climate Change
• ES 319 Environmental Film
• ES 322 Geomorphology
• ES 323 Geologic Disasters and Global Change
• ES 324 Soils, Water and the Environment
• ES 333 Environmental Policy
• ES 334 Global Environment and Development
• ES 350 Coastal Ecology of Maine
• One course among ES 122, 127, 128, 130, 162 or FYS 105, 120, 139, 148 or 156 as entry to the major by permission of the Department.

Samples from other Departments

• Anth 223 Indigenous Peoples, the Environment, and the Global Economy
• Ast 208 Topics in Astronomy
• Bio 200 Physiology of Plant Adaptations
• Bio 204 Biology of Flowering Plants
• Bio 211 Genetics
• Bio 218 Biology of Algae and Fungi
• Bio 227 Invertebrate Zoology
• Bio 230 Biostatistics
• Bio 307 Freshwater Ecology
• Bio 314 Evolution
• Chem 203 Organic Chemistry
• Chem 204 Organic Chemistry
• Chem 317 Instrumental Analysis
• CS 103 Introduction to Computing
• CS 111 Computer Science I
• Econ 208: Energy Economics
• Econ 216: Political Economy of Oil
• Econ 222: Issues in Environment and Resource Economics
• Econ 250 Economic Development
• Econ 341 Environmental Economics
• Eng 201: Writing the Public Essay
• Hist 103 Europe, Asia, and Africa: 1750-1930
• Hist 230 Native American-European Encounter in North America
• Hist 236 Urbanism in American History
• Hist 371 Modern African Environments: History, Ecology, and People
• IDS 255 Science, Technology, and Nuclear Weapons
• IDS 268 The Arts, Environment, and Religions of Indonesia
• Math 212 Linear Algebra
• OMS 406: Business, Ethics, and Civic Life (in American Watersheds)
• Phil 333 Philosophy and Science
• Pol 252 North-South Dialogue
• Pol 327: State Politics and Policy
• Pol 363 Politics of Developing Areas
• Phy 310 Atomic and Nuclear Physics
• Phy 325 Advanced Physics Laboratory
• Phy 352 Optics and Laser Physics
• Rel 226 Native American Religions

The ES Major Plan

It is strongly recommended that upon declaration of the ES Major, in consultation with one's Environmental Studies faculty advisor, students develop an ES major plan: a written statement explaining one's choice of an Area of Concentration in light of one's academic and career goals.  It includes a brief outline of plans for future courses, internships, off-campus study, and independent research.  While the plan may change, it encourages students to think intentionally about their academic careers and be better prepared to take full advantage of the learning opportunities available both on and off campus.

The Environmental Studies Minor

 The Environmental Studies minor consists of six courses:

• ES 196 Environmental Science and Society
• ES 211 Principles of Ecology OR ES 223 Earth System Science (May take both and use second course as elective)
• ES 225 Introduction to Environmental Humanities
• ES 230 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Two electives from the other ES courses (Note: only one course among ES 122, 123, 124, 126, 127, 128, 130, and 162 or FYS 105, 120, 139,148, or 156 can be counted towards the minor.)

Additional Opportunities

Environmental Education Certificate

The Department of Environmental Studies and the Department of Education are pleased to offer an Environmental Education Certificate. Students interested in this teaching certificate complete either the BA or BS in Environmental Studies and the Education Minor.  It is important to begin the education coursework as early as possible along with your ES courses, and we recommend that students discuss their plans with their ES advisor, as well as consult with Dr. Rinke in the Education Department.

Public Policy

Students interested in Environmental Policy have the option of participating in a second Public Policy major. The public policy major at Gettysburg College offers a flexible, rigorous, multidisciplinary curriculum that provides training for students interested in problem-solving in domestic or international public arenas.

Dual Degree Programs in Environmental Engineering and Environmental Management

Students spend 3 years at Gettysburg College and 2 years at a graduate institution in order to earn both their BS and either MS or MEM in five years total.

For additional information...

Contact the Department Chair, Rud Platt at rplatt@gettysburg.edu.

Revised September 2012/smp