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2007-08 Catalog

Environmental Studies

Faculty Major Minor Approved Courses


253.535.7128

www.plu.edu/~envt
envt@plu.edu

The Environmental Studies Program at PLU examines the relationship between humans and the environment through a wide variety of perspectives within the university curriculum. The integrative approach of the program, essential to the development of an understanding of the global impact of human civilization on the natural environment of our planet, encourages students to blend many perspectives on environmental issues into their program of study.

The program, in keeping with the broad liberal arts objectives of the university, offers a major or a minor in Environmental Studies. Students have the opportunity to link environmental themes to any area of the curriculum they select in their complementary major or minor.

The program is overseen by an interdisciplinary faculty committee. Students interested in the Environmental Studies major or minor should meet with the chair of the Environmental Studies Committee.

Faculty: A committee of faculty administers this program: Teska, Chair; Aune, Behrens, Bergman, McKenna, McKenney, Naasz, O'Brien, Olufs, Todd, Whitman.

Major Requirements - 36 semester hours

All courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher.


Select one of the following courses, which introduce students to environmental issues through a multidisciplinary and integrated approach. These courses involve the construction and interpretation of arguments from a variety of perspectives:

Students are required to take courses that provide an in-depth study and exposure to environmental issues from the following disciplines.


Select two courses from the following, which emphasize the understanding of scientific reasoning and arguments, the interpretation of data and relationships in the natural world, and the scientific context of environmental issues. The courses must be from different departments:

  • BIOL 115: Diversity of Life
  • BIOL 116: Introductory Ecology
  • BIOL 424: Ecology
  • BIOL 426: Ecological Methods
  • CHEM 104: Environmental Chemistry
  • GEOS 332: Geomorphology
  • GEOS 334: Hydrogeology

Select two courses from the following, which focus on the understanding of the institutions within which environmental decisions are made and investigate the implementation and implications of environmental decisions. The courses must be from different departments:

  • ECON 111: Principles of Microeconomics: Global and Environmental
  • ECON 311: Energy and Natural Resource Economics
  • ECON 313: Environmental Economics
  • POLS 346: Environmental Politics and Policy

Select one course from the following, which examine the ways in which nature exists in human consciousness, values, and perceptions. Students receive guidance in careful reading, thoughtful writing, and sensitive attentiveness to nature and to environmental issues:

  • ENGL 234: Environmental Literature
  • PHIL 230: Philosophy, Animals and the Environment
  • RELI 365: Christian Moral Issues (Environmental Ethics only)

Select one course that integrates and applies environmental concepts within a special topic area. Courses listed in the specific line requirements may be used as an elective if they have not been used to satisfy that line requirement. This course should be selected in consultation with their program advisor:

  • BIOL 333: Comparative Ecology in Latin America
  • ECON 315: Investigating Environmental and Economic Changes in Europe
  • ENVT 325: Ecology: Community and Culture in Australia
  • ENVT 487: Special Topics in Environmental Studies
  • HIST 370: Environmental History of the United States
  • INTC 241: Energy, Resources, and Pollution
  • INTC 242: Population, Hunger, and Poverty or additional approved courses that meet outcomes/objectives


All majors must complete the following courses. It is expected that they will have completed all of the other requirements before these final courses.

  • ENVT 350: Environmental Methods of Investigation
  • ENVT 499: Capstone: Senior Project
  • A minor or major in another discipline.
  • An internship is required, either for the capstone project or as a separate experience. Students must complete a Learning Agreement and receive approval for their internship by the chair of Environmental Studies.
  • A minimum of 20 hours of upper-division credits is required in the major.

Minor Requirements - 20 semester hours, completed with grade of C or higher.

Select two courses from the following which examine the scientific foundations of environmental problems. The courses must be from different departments:

  • BIOL 115: Diversity of LIfe
  • BIOL 116: Introductory Ecology
  • BIOL 424: Ecology
  • BIOL 426: Ecological Methods
  • CHEM 104: Environmental Chemistry
  • ENVT/GEOS 104: Conservation of Natural Resources
  • GEOS 332: Geomorphology
  • GEOS 334: Hydrogeology

Students majoring in a natural science discipline and who have taken a higher-level Chemistry course (CHEM 115 or above) will be allowed to substitute another course in consultation with the Environmental Studies Committee.

Select one course from the following which pursue the study of institutions where environmental perspectives and policies are applied:

  • ECON 111: Principles of Microeconomics: Global and Environmental
  • ECON 311: Energy and Natural Resource Economics
  • ECON 313: Environmental Economics
  • POLS 346: Environmental Politics and Policy

Select one course from the following which examine values, perception, and expression as they relate to environmental issues:

  • ENGL 234: Environmental Literature
  • ENGL/RELI 239: Environment and Culture
  • PHIL 230: Philosophy, Animals and the Environment
  • INTC 241: Energy, Resources, and Pollution
  • RELI 365: Christian Moral Issues (Environmental Ethics only)

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