Environmental Studies
Barbara Majchrzak, Holland Hall 327
507-786-3167
majchr1@stolaf.edu
wp.stolaf.edu/environmental-studies
Environmental studies explores the relationships between the earth's natural and physical systems, political, economic, and social systems, and human understanding of the environment as informed by ethics, philosophy, art, history, religion, and literature. The Department of Environmental Studies seeks to create a diverse and inclusive learning community that promotes an integrated understanding of humankind's relationship to the environment. It does this by encouraging rigorous study of the biological and physical processes that characterize the physical environment; critical examination of the political, economic, and social institutions that frame human interaction with the environment; and scholarly engagement with those philosophical, spiritual, literary, and artistic traditions that inform and reflect our understanding of the environment and our relationship to it.
Overview of the Major
Interdisciplinary inquiry and creative practice enable both broad and focused perspectives on environmental issues, problems, and possible solutions. This program offers a major with three areas of emphasis through which students choose to focus their work: the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the arts and humanities. In many cases work in these areas of emphasis overlaps with traditional departmental curricula, and students choose to complete a second major there. Recognizing the global and local dimensions of numerous environmental challenges and the need for learning outside of the classroom, the program provides a number of opportunities for studies abroad and in the field.
All students majoring in environmental studies take twelve required courses. Three of those courses emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, including an introductory course that explores the interdisciplinary nature of environmental questions and lays the groundwork for the major, an intermediate level course attending to the nature of environmental inquiry and how to integrate and apply one’s knowledge and skills for personal, civic and work-related roles, and a senior seminar course that challenges students to reflect on what they have learned throughout their studies and to generate a project proposal for future work. The department strongly encourages students to consider how study abroad and away experiences, internships, research, creative practice, and learning communities will contribute to knowledge of environmental systems, the relationships between humans and the environment, and to personal/professional growth.
Intended Learning Outcomes for the Major
The department offers a concentration in environmental studies for students wishing to complement another major with a suite of courses focused on the environment.
Intended Learning Outcomes for the Concentration
Study Abroad and Study Away
Students should consult with their adviser and the environmental studies chair in planning their off-campus study, and they must receive approval from the chair before counting work from study abroad or study away programs toward an environmental studies major or concentration. The programs listed below have or allow a substantial focus in environmental studies and will generally contribute to the satisfaction of environmental studies major requirements:
-
Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand (faculty-led semester St. Olaf College)
-
CAPA Global Cities Internship Program (Sydney, Australia)
-
CAPA Program at University of Technology Sydney (Sydney, Australia)
-
DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia (Copenhagen, Denmark)
-
LSE General Course (full year, social science focus; London, UK)
-
Oregon Extension
-
Washington Semester (American University)
-
Wilderness Field Station (Coe College)
Requirements for the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVST 137 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| ENVST 237 | Integration and Application in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| ENVST 399 | Seminar in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Nine courses in areas of emphasis: | 9.00 | |
| Select six additional courses specific to the area of emphasis chosen (natural science, social science, or arts and humanities) and three additional courses from outside the selected area of emphasis. Unless permission is granted by the chair, a course may not count for more than one requirement in the major. | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
*By completing this major, the student also satisfies the OLE Core Writing in the Major requirement.
Areas of Emphasis in the Environmental Studies Major
Natural Science
The natural science area of emphasis seeks to give students a broad exposure to the range of problems encountered by scientists working in environmental fields and the investigative tools they use, while providing a solid foundation for further study in one of the contributing disciplines. Students planning careers in environmental science are strongly urged to consider an additional major in biology or chemistry. Nine courses are required in addition to the introductory, integration/application, and capstone courses specified above:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Three courses from outside your area of emphasis. | ||
| Select one or two social sciences courses from the following: | 1.50 | |
| Environmental Sustainability in Japan (study abroad) | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Environmental Policy and Regulation | ||
| Sustainable Development | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with social science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
or ENVST 381 | Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies | |
| Topics in Global Environmental Politics | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Human Geography | ||
PSCI 221 Environmental Policy (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
| Environmental Psychology at Rocky Mountain National Park (study away) | ||
SOAN 222 Cultural Anthropology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
SOAN 247 Disasters | ||
SOAN 297 Topics (when taught as Environmental Anthropology) | ||
| Select one or two arts and humanities courses from the following: | 1.50 | |
| Literature and the Environment | ||
| The Culture of Nature | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with arts and humanities focus and approved by the chair) | ||
or ENVST 381 | Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies | |
| Green Germany | ||
| Environmental History of Latin America | ||
NORW 224 Contemporary Nordic Literature (when taught with ENVST focus) | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Ecology, Justice & the Christian Tradition | ||
| Select one statistics modeling and mapping course from the following: | 1.00 | |
| Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Statistics 1 | ||
| Statistics 2 | ||
| Select one intermediate chemistry course from the following: | 1.00 | |
| Organic Chemistry II and Synthesis Laboratory II (0.25) | ||
| Analytical Chemistry and Analytical Laboratory (0.25) | ||
| Select one intermediate ecology course from the following: | 1.00 | |
BIO 226 Terrestrial Ecology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
| Ecological Principles | ||
| Select two environmental science courses from the following: 1 | 2.00 | |
BIO 224 Marine Ecology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Land Use in Costa Rica (study abroad) | ||
| Geophysics: Perspectives on the Dynamic Earth | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with natural science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Directed Undergraduate Research | ||
Any course from those listed in level III. | ||
| Select one level III course in environmental science: | 1.00 | |
| Limnology | ||
| Field Ecology | ||
| Selected Topics (when taught with environmental studies focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Selected Topics in Chemistry (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with natural science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
- 1
One of these two courses must carry Environmental Studies Departmental designation.
Social Science
The social science area of emphasis seeks to provide students with a broad exposure to the methods and models employed by social scientists working in the environmental field. In addition to the introductory, integrative/application and capstone courses (specified above), students select nine additional courses from the following groups:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses from outside your area of emphasis. 1 | ||
| Select one or two natural science courses of the following: | 1.50 | |
BIO 224 Marine Biology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
BIO 226 Terrestrial Ecology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) 2 | ||
| Ecological Principles 2 | ||
| Selected Topics (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Land Use in Costa Rica (study abroad) | ||
| A Matter of the Environment with Lab | ||
| Analytical Chemistry and Analytical Laboratory (0.25) | ||
| Selected Topics in Chemistry (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Geophysics: Perspectives on the Dynamic Earth | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with natural science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with natural science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Select one or two arts and humanities courses of the following: | 1.50 | |
| Literature and the Environment | ||
| The Culture of Nature | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with arts and humanities focus and approved by chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with arts and humanities focus and approved by chair) | ||
| Green Germany | ||
| Environmental History of Latin America | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Nordic Lit: Window on Society (Taught in Englis (when taught with environmental science focus) | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Select one methodological analysis course of the following: | 1.00 | |
| Introductory Econometrics | ||
| Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Analyzing Politics and Policies | ||
| Research Methods in Psychology | ||
| Foundations of Social Science Research: Quantitative Methods | ||
| Principles of Statistics | ||
| Statistics 1 | ||
| Statistics 2 | ||
| Economic analysis courses: | ||
| ECON 121 | Principles of Economics (or ECON 110-ECON 120) | 1.00 |
| ECON 242 | Environmental Economics | 1.00 |
| Select one environmental political policy and institutions course of the following: | 1.00 | |
| Environmental Policy and Regulation | ||
| Topics in Global Environmental Politics | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Select two social science electives of the following: | 2.00 | |
| Environmental Sustainability in Japan (study abroad) | ||
| Development Economics | ||
| Environmental Policy and Regulation | ||
| Sustainable Development | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (if taught with social science emphasis and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (if taught with social science emphasis and approved by the chair) | ||
| Directed Undergraduate Research (when taught with social science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Topics in Global Environmental Politics | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Human Geography | ||
PSCI 221 Environmental Policy (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
| Environmental Psychology at Rocky Mountain National Park (study away) | ||
SOAN 222 Cultural Anthropology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
SOAN 247 Disasters | ||
SOAN 297 Topics when taught as Environmental Anthropology | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
- 1
No more than two courses from one area of emphasis.
- 2
Either BIO 226 (Environmental Science in Australia) or BIO 261 can count for this requirement.
Arts and the Humanities
The arts and humanities area of emphasis examines the ways human cultures and artistic expression interconnect with one's surroundings. In particular it explores the notion of nature as a cultural construct. This area of emphasis requires nine courses in addition to the introductory, integrative/application, and capstone courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses from outside your area of emphasis. 1 | ||
| Select one or two natural science courses of the following: | 1.50 | |
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Land Use in Costa Rica (study abroad) | ||
BIO 224 Marine Biology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
BIO 226 Terrestrial Ecology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) 2 | ||
| Ecological Principles 2 | ||
| Selected Topics (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| A Matter of the Environment with Lab | ||
| Analytical Chemistry and Analytical Laboratory (0.25) | ||
| Selected Topics in Chemistry (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Geophysics: Perspectives on the Dynamic Earth | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with Natural Science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with Natural Science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Select one or two social science courses of the following: | 1.50 | |
| Environmental Sustainability in Japan (study abroad) | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Environmental Policy and Regulation | ||
| Sustainable Development | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with social science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with social science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Topics in Global Environmental Politics | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
PSCI 221 Environmental Policy (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
| Environmental Psychology at Rocky Mountain National Park (study away) | ||
SOAN 222 Cultural Anthropology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand) | ||
SOAN 247 Disasters | ||
| Select up to five level II courses in the arts and humanities of the following: | 5.00 | |
| Ecocriticism and Renaissance Literature | ||
| Literature and the Environment | ||
| The Culture of Nature | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with arts and humanities focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with arts and humanities focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Green Germany | ||
| Environmental History of Latin America | ||
NORW 224 Topics in Contemporary Nordic Literature (when taught with and ENVST focus) | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Select at least one level III topics course in arts and humanities of the following: | 1.00 | |
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies | ||
Level III course in another department if taught with an environmental studies arts and humanities focus and approved by the chair | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
- 1
No more than two courses from one area of emphasis.
- 2
Either BIO 226 (Environmental Science in Australia) or BIO 261 can count for this requirement.
Requirements for the Concentration
The environmental studies concentration balances an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to the environment with the disciplinary strengths of a traditional major represented by the areas of study: natural science, social science, arts and humanities. Students may utilize environmental studies-related upper-level courses within their own discipline to complete requirements of the concentration if the courses have a significant component that addresses environmental concerns. Unless permission is granted by the chair, a course may not count for more than one requirement in the concentration. Successful completion of at least 6 courses with a grade of C or better is required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVST 137 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| ENVST 237 | Integration and Application in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Select one natural science course of the following: | 1.00 | |
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Land Use in Costa Rica (study abroad) | ||
BIO 224 Marine Biology (Environmental Science in Australia) | ||
BIO 226 Terrestrial Ecology (Environmental Science in Australia) 1 | ||
| Ecological Principles 1 | ||
| Selected Topics (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by chair) | ||
| A Matter of the Environment with Lab | ||
| Analytical Chemistry and Analytical Laboratory (0.25) | ||
| Selected Topics in Chemistry (when taught with environmental science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Geophysics: Perspectives on the Dynamic Earth | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with natural science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with natural science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Select one social science course of the following: | 1.00 | |
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Environmental Policy and Regulation | ||
| Sustainable Development | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with social science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with social science focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Topics in Global Environmental Politics | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
PSCI 221 Environmental Policy (Environmental Science in Australia) | ||
| Environmental Psychology at Rocky Mountain National Park (study away) | ||
SOAN 222 Cultural Anthropology (Environmental Science in Australia) | ||
| Disasters | ||
SOAN 297 Topics when taught as Environmental Anthropology | ||
| Select one arts and humanities course of the following: | 1.00 | |
| Literature and the Environment | ||
| The Culture of Nature | ||
| Contemplative Desert Ecologies (study away) | ||
| Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with arts and humanities focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (when taught with arts and humanities focus and approved by the chair) | ||
| Green Germany | ||
| Environmental History of Latin America | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Nordic Literature: A Window on Society (when taught with environmental science focus) | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Electives: Students choose one additional environmental studies course from among those listed above for the major. This may (but need not) include the senior seminar. Elective courses from other departments must have a significant component that addresses environmental concerns, but they need not have environmental issues as their exclusive focus. For some electives, students may be required to negotiate specific assignments with the instructor and the chair to receive credit toward the concentration. | 1.00 | |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
- 1
Either BIO 226 (Environmental Science in Australia) or BIO 261 can count for this requirement.
Because of their interdisciplinary character, environmental studies courses are quite appropriate for students seeking to fulfill general education requirements. Environmental studies courses often fulfill one or more of the OLE Core requirements. Some students use the ENVST concentration to create an environmental focus to their general education experience.
Courses
ENVST 137: Introduction to Environmental Studies
This interdisciplinary course uses basic concepts of environmental science to explore global environmental issues. Topics are drawn from recent texts and current periodic literature, and participants will recognize many of the themes from coverage in the media. Because most environmental problems involve issues beyond the sciences, the class examines the economic, political, and ethical dimensions of environmental questions and environmental decision-making. Offered each semester. This course is equivalent to ENCON 111 and students can earn credit from only one of them.
ENVST 202: The Culture of Nature
This interdisciplinary course focuses on how the human species creatively apprehends the rest of nature and our environments and has brought our values to bear on environments for good or for ill. The course samples a variety of arts and humanities disciplines structured around a set of nature-oriented and environmental questions and themes. Students sharpen their ability to perceive the world around them in environmentally sound ways through insights offered by various art forms and thinking generated within environmental history, philosophy, religion, and cultural studies. Students undertake work that a) helps them better retain and articulate their multivalent knowledge of culture and nature; and b) challenges them to share such knowledge in a world increasingly needful of healthier connections between people, cultures and the environment. Offered annually.
ENVST 232: Environmental Policy and Regulation
This course analyzes environmental regulation in the United States with respect to its historical evolution, its ability to achieve environmental targets, its efficiency or cost-effectiveness, its distributional impact on jobs, people, and industries across the country, and its international ramifications. Offered annually. Also counts toward business and management studies concentration.
ENVST 233: Environmental Justice
This course examines environmental issues foregrounded by questions of social justice, exploring how to combine concern for the natural world with attention to inequality and power. How do intersecting oppressions contribute to environmental crises? How do people and communities negotiate with the unequal impacts of environmental degradation? We will experiment with interdisciplinary approaches to unpack the possibilities of "environmental justice" and to engage in research and activism that is radically accountable to the environment and to other people.
ENVST 235: Sustainable Development
In this course, students examine the ethical underpinnings of the sustainable development concept; explore the interdependence of society and environment in a variety of contexts (primarily but not exclusively in "developing" countries); learn about the social factors that have led economic growth to be particularly unsustainable, especially with respect to the environment. Offered periodically.
Prerequisite: ENVST 137.
ENVST 237: Integration and Application in Environmental Studies
Framed by a focus on a contemporary environmental topic, the course attends to the nature of environmental inquiry, one's perspectives and values, and how to use one's knowledge and skills for personal, civic and work-related roles. Individual and team projects connected to community needs teach students how to think and work across the department's three areas of emphasis in an experiential learning framework. Offered each semester.
Prerequisite: ENVST 137, at least one course in two of the three areas of emphasis, and a declared environmental studies major or concentration.
ENVST 238: Biophilia
If love makes the world go 'round might it also play a role in restoring it? In the present ecological age, human practices are changing environments in unprecedented ways. This course explores whether -and if so how- a love of nature can promote shared planetary health. Students consider the working Biophilia Hypothesis and ways connection with other-than-human life fosters human flourishing through focused study on childhood and human development, design, and the built environment. This course fulfills an Environmental Studies elective.
Prerequisite: ENVST 137 or ENCON 111.
ENVST 242: Contemplative Desert Ecologies (study away)
The starkness of the desert has long inspired and challenged spiritual pilgrims. The Chihuahuan Desert Slopes of northern New Mexico remain a critical topos for contemplative thought and practice, while also an increasingly-vulnerable landscape. In this course students immerse within desert ecologies and explore Christian and indigenous spiritual traditions to examine how spirituality is enriched through sustained access to the natural world and how ecological understanding is deepened through contemplative ways of being. Offered periodically during January Term. Also counts toward religion major.
ENVST 245: Global Climate Change
This course is an interdisciplinary seminar on climate throughout the earth's history, including recent changes caused by humankind. It examines the climate system in the larger framework of planetary evolution and explores evidence from the geologic record for climates of the past. Using current scientific literature, students investigate causes of climate change and consider scenarios for future climate based on models incorporating alternative global development strategies. Offered annually.
Prerequisites: sophomore standing; one level I biology, chemistry, or physics course or ENVST 137 strongly encouraged.
ENVST 255: Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
Remote sensing and GIS are increasingly used to address basic and applied questions in the environmental sciences and a host of other disciplines. Students survey available remote sensing image types and learn to process (ground-truthing, GPS, scanning, digitizing) and interpret remotely sensed images. They also learn theory and practice of geographic information systems (basic cartography and spatial statistics). Students attend lectures plus one three-hour laboratory per week. Offered annually. Also counts toward public health studies concentration.
Prerequisites: ENVST 137 or a level I course in biology, chemistry, or physics.
ENVST 268: Sustainable Land Use in Costa Rica (study abroad)
Students examine several tropical socio-ecological systems, including those situated in rainforest, montane cloud forest, dry forest, coastal, agricultural and urban landscapes. They learn about the impact of human activities on these systems and about Costa Rica's various policies and management practices aimed at more sustainable land use. Students consider how each person can contribute to sustainability within their own communities, and they gain practice through hands-on community conservation efforts. Offered periodically in January term.
Prerequisite: ENVST 137 or ENCON 111 or permission of instructor.
ENVST 281: Topics in Environmental Studies
Students study topics related to the environment. Topics vary from year to year at the discretion of the instructor. Topics may include Environment and Theology, Environmental Justice, Ecotourism, and Literature of the Poles. Class is largely discussion-based but may include a lab/fieldwork component depending on the topic. May be repeated if topic is different. Offered annually.
ENVST 294: Academic Internship
ENVST 298: Independent Study
ENVST 381: Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies
Students study topics related to the environment. Topics vary from year to year at the discretion of the instructor. Recent topics offered include Ecosystem Research, Landscape Art, Imaging Environmentalism, and Landscape and Regional Change in the Arctic.
ENVST 394: Academic Internship
ENVST 396: Directed Undergraduate Research
This course provides a comprehensive research opportunity, including an introduction to relevant background material, technical instruction, identification of a meaningful project, and data collection. The topic is determined by the faculty member in charge of the course and may relate to their research interests. Offered based on department decision. May be offered as a 1.00 credit course or .50 credit course.
Prerequisite: determined by individual instructor.
ENVST 398: Independent Research
ENVST 399: Seminar in Environmental Studies
A capstone seminar for seniors in the major, this course involves intensive study of special topics through reflective writing, student generated research projects, presentations, and a grant proposal. Topics relate to local or regional environmental issues of interest to the students, and it provides participants with opportunities to interact with alumni, government and regulatory agencies, and community groups. The work culminates in a grant proposal where students rely on the expertise gained from their environmental studies courses and work in other majors as applicable. Offered fall semester.
Prerequisites: ENVST 137, ENVST 237, and senior status, or permission of the environmental studies chair and instructor.
AS/ES 277: Environmental Sustainability in Japan (study abroad)
Students investigate community-based approaches to environmental sustainability during this January Term course taught at the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) in northern Japan. Students explore how ARI builds on local Japanese resources to support its mission of training rural leaders from developing countries in organic agricultural practices. Activities include field trips, discussions, and symposia with Japanese students, as well as hands-on participation in the daily food life at ARI. Offered periodically during January Term. Apply through Smith Center for Global Engagement. Counts toward Asian studies, Japanese, and environmental studies majors and Asian studies and environmental studies concentrations.
Prerequisites: preference given to students with prior coursework in either Asian studies or environmental studies.
BI/ES 226: Conservation Biology
Conservation biology focuses on the study of biological diversity. Students examine why people should be concerned about the number and types of species on earth, what factors threaten the survival of species, and how people can conserve them. Using principles of ecology and evolution, with input from other disciplines, students gain a better understanding of the impact of humans on biodiversity and the importance of responsible environmental decision-making. Offered annually.
Prerequisite: One natural science course.
BI/ES 228: Environmental Health
Human health is affected by the biological environment, a teeming world of parasites and diseases, and the physical environment -- the water, air, and landscapes that we inhabit. Human interactions with the environment have changed rapidly, as human populations grow, travel increases, and ecosystems are altered. This course touches upon traditional environmental topics such as air and water quality and integrates newer public health challenges such as emerging diseases and food-borne illnesses. Offered periodically. Also counts toward business and management studies and public health studies concentrations.
Prerequisite: an introductory science course.
BI/ES 350: Biogeochemistry: Theory and Application
The study of global change and human environmental impacts requires students to link concepts from biology, chemistry, and physics. Students investigate these links by exploring current theories in biogeochemistry, with an emphasis on understanding the feedback between physical and ecological processes and the coupling of multiple element cycles. Students attend lectures plus one three-hour lab per week. Laboratory activities focus on a practical exploration of the methods biogeochemists use, including experience with a variety of instruments. Offered periodically. Also counts toward mathematical biology concentration.
Prerequisite: any level II biology, chemistry, or physics course or permission of instructor.
ES/PS 201: Topics in Global Environmental Politics
Population growth, industrialization, and the consumption of fossil fuels have increased global environmental problems. The course examines the ways in which nation-states and/or international institutions have addressed these environmental concerns. Depending on the instructor, the focus of the course is either the environmental problems of a particular area (e.g., Latin America, Russia or Asia) or a broader global arena (e.g., international institutions and the environment). Offered alternate years. Counts toward international relations concentration.
ES/PS 276: Environmental Politics
Analysis of environmental policy includes the politics of agenda setting, policy selection and program implementation, and the effects of policy outcomes. Offered annually. Also counts toward business and management studies concentration.
Environmental Studies Courses in Other Departments
Natural Sciences
BIO 224 Marine Biology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand)
BIO 226 Terrestrial Ecology (Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand)
BIO 253 Water in Morocco: Precious, Precarious, and Problematic (study abroad)
BIO 261 Ecological Principles
BIO 363 Limnology
BIO 371 Field Ecology
BIO 391 Selected Topics (when taught with environmental focus)
CHEM 124 A Matter of the Environment with Lab
CHEM 248 Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 254 Synthesis Laboratory II (0.25)
CHEM 255 Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 256 Analytical Laboratory (0.25)
CHEM 391 Selected Topics in Chemistry (when taught as Environmental Chemistry)
SDS 172 Statistics 1
SDS 272 Statistics 2
Social Sciences
ECON 121 Principles of Economics
ECON 242 Environmental Economics
ECON 343 Development Economics
ID 234 Human Geography
PSCI 220 Analyzing Politics and Policies
PSCI 221 Environmental Policy (Environmental Science in Australia & New Zealand)
PSYCH 227 Environmental Psychology at Rocky Mountain National Park (study away)
PSYCH 230 Research Methods in Psychology
SOAN 222 Cultural Anthropology (Environmental Science in Australia & New Zealand)
SOAN 247 Disasters
SOAN 297 Topics in Sociology and Anthropology (when taught as Environmental Anthropology)
SOAN 371 Foundations of Social Science Research: Quantitative Methods
Environmental Studies Major - Plans of Study
This is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements for this major at St. Olaf. This tool is meant as a guide and does not replace working closely with the student's academic advisor.
Arts and Humanities Emphasis
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| FYS 120 or WRIT 120 |
First-Year Seminar (or Conversation Program - ENCON) or Writing and Rhetoric |
1.00 |
| ENVST 137 | Introduction to Environmental Studies (if not in the ENCON conversation program) | 1.00 |
| World Language | 1.00 | |
| Credits | 3 | |
| January Term | ||
| ENCON 111 | Big Data and Bigger Challenges (if in the ENCON program) | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| WRIT 120 or FYS 120 |
Writing and Rhetoric (or Conversation Program - ENCON) or First-Year Seminar |
1.00 |
| World Language | 1.00 | |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENVST 237 | Integration and Application in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENVST 381 | Advanced Research Topics in Environmental Studies (or non-dept arts and humanities course; plan ahead to meet this requirement) | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ENVST 399 | Seminar in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Natural Sciences Emphasis
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| FYS 120 or WRIT 120 |
First-Year Seminar (or Conversation Program - ENCON) or Writing and Rhetoric |
1.00 |
| ENVST 137 | Introduction to Environmental Studies (if not enrolled in ENCON program) | 1.00 |
| World Language | 1.00 | |
| Credits | 3 | |
| January Term | ||
| ENCON 111 | Big Data and Bigger Challenges (if in the ENCON program) | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| WRIT 120 or FYS 120 |
Writing and Rhetoric (or Conversation Program - ENCON) or First-Year Seminar |
1.00 |
| World Language | 1.00 | |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ENVST 237 | Integration and Application in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ENVST 399 | Seminar in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
Social Sciences Emphasis
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| FYS 120 or WRIT 120 |
First-Year Seminar (or Conversation Program - ENCON) or Writing and Rhetoric |
1.00 |
| ENVST 137 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| World Language | 1.00 | |
| Credits | 3 | |
| January Term | ||
| ENCON 111 | Big Data and Bigger Challenges (if in the ENCON program) | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| WRIT 120 or FYS 120 |
Writing and Rhetoric (or Conversation Program - ENCON) or First-Year Seminar |
1.00 |
| ECON 121 | Principles of Economics | 1.00 |
| World Language | 1.00 | |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ENVST 237 | Integration and Application in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ECON 242 | Environmental Economics | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ENVST 399 | Seminar in Environmental Studies | 1.00 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 10 | |
Students must successfully complete the equivalent of 35 St. Olaf credits through a combination of full-credit and fractional-credit courses to earn the Bachelor of Arts.
Visit the Environmental Studies department webpage for more information.
Department Chair, 2024-2025
Seth I. Binder
Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies
environmental and natural resource economics and policy; development economics; sustainable development
Diane K. Angell
Associate Professor of Practice in Biology
conservation biology; ecology; evolutionary biology
Xochizeltzin Castaneda-Camacho
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Jenna M. Coughlin
Assistant Professor of Norwegian
Norwegian language and culture; Nordic literature and media; ecocriticism; gender studies
Evan Davis
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Max Dresow
Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Anne M. Gothmann (on sabbatical 2024-25)
Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Physics
Jacob Grossman
Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies
Daniel Handeen
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Daniel J.B. Hofrenning
Professor of Political Science; Martin E. Marty Chair in Religion and the Academy
American politics; religion and politics; parties and elections; public policy
Paul T. Jackson
Professor of Chemistry and Environmental Studies
green chemistry; environmental chemistry; water quality; sustainability
Kiara Jorgenson (on sabbatical 2024-25)
Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Religion
Anthony D. Lott (on sabbatical calendar year (Feb 2025-Jan 2026))
Associate Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies
international law; international relations; international security
Juliet Patterson
Associate Professor of Practice in English
creative writing; contemporary American poetics; hybrid literature; environmental literature
Charles E. Umbanhowar
Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies; Director of Natural Lands
prairie ecology; botany; paleoecology; fire ecology; biogeochemistry