2015-2016 University Catalog archived
Environmental Studies (ENV)
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Environmental Studies offers both an interdisciplinary major and an interdisciplinary minor, requiring an understanding of the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, designed to educate students in a broad class of issues related to the environment and humanity’s place in the natural world. Students employ this interdisciplinary approach to develop a comprehensive understanding of the causes, consequences, and solutions to environmental problems. This is not only an academic experience but also an expansion of the students’ capacities as citizens, allowing them to become aware of the scientific, ethical, and policy issues they will face in their local communities, their professions, and in the broader world community. The major consists of a set of required and elective courses designed to provide a broad platform of knowledge upon which to build a career and graduate study in the environmental area.
A variety of environmental courses are taught in other departments. See the elective courses listed in the Environmental Studies major leading to BA degree or Environmental Studies minor to understand the interdisciplinary nature of the program.
Environmental Studies minor is a series of related courses intended to both complement and enhance the student’s chosen major(s) in a different discipline. Interested students are encouraged to talk to the director of the program early in their academic careers in order to discuss which course of study is more appropriate to their academic needs and career plans.
HONORS: An Honors Program in environmental studies is offered for well-qualified majors; see department head for details.
Program Head: James R. Kahn
Core Faculty
First date is the year in which the faculty member began service as regular faculty at the University. Second date is the year of appointment to the present rank.
James F. Casey, Ph.D.—(1998)-2007
Associate Professor of Economics
Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Gregory J. Cooper, Ph.D.—(1999)-1999
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Mary Lisa Greer, Ph.D.—(2003)-2009
Associate Professor of Geology
Ph.D., University of Miami
David Jorgensen Harbor, Ph.D.—(1992)-2004
Professor of Geology
Ph.D., Colorado State University
Robert Humston, Ph.D.—(2008)-2012
Associate Professor of Biology
Ph.D., University of Miami
Lawrence E. Hurd, Ph.D.—(1993)-1993
John T. Herwick, M.D., Professor of Biology
Ph.D., Syracuse University
James R. Kahn, Ph.D.—(2000)-2000
John F. Hendon Professor of Economics
Ph.D., University of Maryland
James Perrin Warren, Ph.D.—(1984)-1996
S. Blount Mason Jr. Professor of English
Ph.D., Yale University
Interdisciplinary Major
Interdisciplinary Minor
ENV 110 - Introduction to Environmental Studies
FDR: SS5
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: First-year or sophomore standing or instructor consent. An interdisciplinary introduction to environmental studies with an emphasis on how societies organize themselves through their social, political and economic institutions to respond to environmental problems. The course begins with a discussion of the development of environmental thought, focusing on the relationship between humans and the environment. Participants then discuss alternative criteria for environmental decision making, including sustainability, equity, ecological integrity, economic efficiency, and environmental justice. The course concludes with an examination of contemporary environmental issues, including global warming, invasive species, energy and the environment, tropical deforestation, and the relationship between the environment and economic development in developing countries. Kahn. Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
ENV 111 - Environmental Service Learning
Credits: 1
Prerequisites: ENV 110 and instructor consent. Practical application of student knowledge of environmental issues based on supervised volunteer work in the greater Rockbridge community. Students will participate in a service-learning environment. Topics will include environmental education, campus sustainability, conservation and sustainable agriculture in the surrounding region. The course culminates with a paper integrating students’ knowledge with practical application throughout the term. Staff. Planned Offering: Fall, Winter, Spring
ENV 180 - FS: First-Year Seminar
Credits: 3
First-year seminar. Prerequisite: First-year standing. . Planned Offering: Offered occasionally. Each first-year seminar topic is approved by the Dean of The College and the Committee on Courses and Degrees. Applicability to FDRs and other requirements varies.
ENV 207 - Nature and Place
(REL 207) FDR: HU
Credits: 3
This course explores a variety of ideas about and experiences of nature and place Through a consideration of work drawn from diverse disciplines including philosophy, religious studies, literature, art, and anthropology. Questions to be Considered may include: what is the nature of place in our societies, and is there a place for nature in our cultures? How have human beings made places for themselves to dwell in or out of nature? What might make a place a sacred place? Are there any sacred places? ( Kosky
ENV 210 - Biogeography and Sense of Place
Credits: 4
Through field studies of plant species, complemented by discussions of readings that describe the history of the field of biogeography, from the early 19th century to the present, we explore the underlying evolutionary and ecological processes responsible for patterns of distribution, and the lessons this information provides for species conservation. We focus most especially on the work of Charles Darwin in his groundbreaking narrative, The Voyage of the Beagle . Students practice a variety of writing techniques to develop their own skills in observation and interpretation. Warren. Planned Offering: Spring
ENV 211 - The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Service Learning
Credits: 4
This course is intended to create a community partnership between Washington and Lee University’s Program in Environmental Studies, Boxerwood Nature Center, and the Natural Bridge Soil and Water Conservation District. The partnership will serve the Rockbridge County School system by supporting classroom curriculum with experiential opportunities that will encourage a more complete understanding and appreciation of the watershed and promote responsible stewardship. The course will prepare students to conduct meaningful watershed investigations that address significant issues pertaining to local watershed and the Chesapeake Bay. The course will highlight both natural and cultural entities that influence water quality in the Bay watershed. Students will participate in service projects that will draw connections between water quality and use and ultimately gain a greater understanding of the Chesapeake ecosystem, including how a sense of place and service play a role in environmental stewardship. Holter. Planned Offering: Spring
ENV 212 - Land Use and Aquatic Ecosystems in the Chesapeake Watershed
FDR: SC
Credits: 4
Prerequisite: ENV 110 or instructor consent. This field-based course examines Chesapeake aquatic ecosystems from the headwaters through the estuary and how they are affected by human land use. Emphasis is placed on current research and management practices aimed at restoring degraded habitats and promoting sustainable land use and environmental stewardship in coastal watersheds. Humston. Planned Offering: Spring 2013 and alternate years.
ENV 250 - Ecology of Place
Credits: 4
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Think globally, study locally. This course explores globally significant environmental issues such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable delivery of ecosystem goods and services, and environmental justice, as they are manifested on a local/regional scale. We examine interactions among ethical, ecological, and economic concerns that shape these issues. Students are fully engaged in the development of policy recommendations that could guide relevant decision makers. The course incorporates readings, field trips, films, and discussions with invited experts. Cooper, Hurd. Planned Offering: Spring 2013 and alternate years
ENV 295 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENV 110 or BIOL 111. This courses examines special topics in environmental studies, such as ecotourism, the environment and development, local environmental issues, values and the environment, global fisheries, global climate change, tropical deforestation and similar topics of importance, which could change from year to year. This is a research-intensive course where the student would be expected to write a significant paper, either individually or as part of a group, of sufficient quality to be made useful to the scholarly and policy communities. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.
Winter 2016, ENV 295: Special Topic: Ecology of Amazonia (3) . Second six weeks. Prerequisite: ENV 110 or BIOL 111. Origins of the Amazon Basin. The course covers geological and hydrological aspects of this huge basin, including basic concepts of biodiversity and its measures and concepts of “river continuum” and “flood pulse”. We also cover the origins and key factors of aquatic biodiversity in the Amazon basin and the natural and human threats to Amazonian biodiversity. Freitas. Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
ENV 390 - Special Topics: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Environmental Issues
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENV 110 and 9 credits at the 200 level or above in the environmental studies major. This course examines causes of, consequences of, and solutions to contemporary environmental problems. Though topics vary from term to term, the course has a specific focus on the integration of environmental science, policy, and thought so students understand better the cause and effect relationships that shape the interaction between human and environmental systems. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Staff. Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
ENV 395 - Special Topics in Environmental Ethics
Credits: 3
This course explores areas of topical concern within the field of environmental ethics. The issues explored may vary from year to year. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.
Fall 2015, ENV 395-01: The Environmental Philosophy of Aldo Leopold (3). No prerequisite. Student may not also register for PHIL 395. Aldo Leopold is arguably the seminal figure in the history of environmental ethics. This course is an in-depth examination of his thought. Using primary and secondary sources, we explore the development of his major contributions to environmental philosophy. Among the topics included are 1) his land ethic; 2) the nature of his environmental aesthetic; 3) his views on the value of wilderness; 4) his prescient focus on the role of apex predators; 5) his emphasis on the connection between biodiversity and ecosystem function; 6) his development of an ecology of place; and 7) his philosophy of outdoor recreation. (HU) Cooper. Planned Offering: Winter, Spring
ENV 396 - Pre-Capstone Research Seminar
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Declaration of a major or minor in environmental studies. In this seminar, students develop a proposal for the research that they will conduct in the subsequent Winter-term class, ENV 397. Both quantitative and qualitative research projects are encouraged and all research projects must have an interdisciplinary component. Students develop their research questions, prepare progress reports, annotated bibliographies, discussions of data, methods, and the significance of their proposed research. The final product is a complete research proposal which serves as a blueprint for the capstone research project. Students are also responsible for reviewing the work of classmates. Staff. Planned Offering: Fall.
ENV 397 - Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENV 110 and completion of any two of the three remaining areas for the Program in Environmental Studies, and instructor consent. An interdisciplinary capstone course intended for students in the environmental studies program. Students analyze a particular environmental issue and attempt to integrate scientific inquiry, political and economic analysis and ethical implications. The particular issue changes each year. Staff. Planned Offering: Winter
ENV 401 - Directed Individual Studies
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: ENV-110 and instructor consent. Students undertake significant original research or creative activity in the area of environmental studies, under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Planned Offering: Fall, Winter, Spring
ENV 402 - Directed Individual Studies
Credits: 2
Prerequisite: ENV-110 and instructor consent. Students undertake significant original research or creative activity in the area of environmental studies, under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Staff. Planned Offering: Fall, Winter, Spring
ENV 403 - Directed Individual Studies
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: ENV-110 and instructor consent. Students undertake significant original research or creative activity in the area of environmental studies, under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Staff. Planned Offering: Fall, Winter, Spring
ENV 493 - Honors Thesis in Environmental Studies
Credits: 3-3
Prerequisite: Senior standing, honors candidacy, and consent of the environmental studies faculty. Honors Thesis. Staff. Planned Offering: Fall-Winter
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