2018-2019 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.
The 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 the program head for details.
Program Head: Robert Humston
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
Eugene William Hamilton III, Ph.D.—(2001)-2013
Professor of Biology
Ph.D., Syracuse University
David Jorgensen Harbor, Ph.D.—(1992)-2004
Professor of Geology
Ph.D., Colorado State University
Robert Humston, Ph.D.—(2008)-2018
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
Harvey Markowitz, Ph.D.—(2003)-2013
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Ph.D., University of Chicago
Interdisciplinary Major
Interdisciplinary Minor
ENV 110 - Introduction to Environmental Studies
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.
ENV 111 - Environmental Service Learning
Experiential Learning (EXP): Yes
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.
ENV 180 - FS: First-Year Seminar
Credits: 3
First-year seminar. Prerequisite: First-year standing. .
ENV 201 - Environmental Science
FDR: SC
Credits: 3
Prerequisite or corequisite: ENV 110. A foundation in the natural sciences for environmental studies students, this course introduces foundational concepts in earth ecological sciences and their application in understanding human-environment relationships. Local, regional, and global environmental case studies are considered. Humston.
ENV 202 - Society and Natural Resources
FDR: SS1
Credits: 3
Prerequisite or co-requisite: ENV 110 and declared major or minor in environmental studies A foundation in the natural sciences for environmental studies students, this course emphasizes understanding how socio-economic conditions are studied to inform and shape environmental policy. Local, regional, and global environmental case studies are considered. Kahn.
ENV 203 - Environmental Humanities
FDR: HU
Credits: 3
Prerequisite or co-requisite: ENV 110 and declared major or minor in environmental studies. An introduction to the examination of human-environment relationships arising from the humanities, this course draws broadly upon the fields of philosophy, history, cultural anthropology, eco-criticism, art and art history, and the emerging interdisciplinary field of environmental humanities. Students receive a broad introduction to humanist perspectives on environmental challenges and solutions and preparation for examining specific fields in greater depth later in their studies. Staff.
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 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.
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.
ENV 288 - Key Thinkers on the Environment
(HIST 288) FDR: HU
Credits: 3
“Key thinkers on the environment” are central to this course, ranging from ancient greats such as Aristotle to modern writers such as David Suzuki and E.O. Wilson about the ecosystem crises of the Anthropocene. We highlight certain 19th-century icons of environmentalist awareness and nature preservation, such as Alexander von Humboldt in Europe and Humboldtians in America, including Frederic Edwin Church and Henry David Thoreau. Rupke.
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.
ENV 365 - Advanced Topics in Environmental Ethics
(PHIL 365)
This course examines selected topics in environmental ethics. Topics may vary from year to year, and include the proper meanings and goals of environmentalism; the goals and methods of conservation biology; major environmental issues in current political debates; and balancing the ethical concerns of environmental justice and our responsibilities to future generations. Cooper.
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.
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 2018, ENV 395A-01: Environmental Values and Environmental Policy (3). What values shape environmental decisions? In economic terms, we seek to allocate resources so as to maximize social utility. However, our policy decisions regarding the environment also pursue certain ecological goals, such as the preservation of biodiversity and the maintenance of healthy and functioning ecosystems. In addition, environmental policy is constrained by ethical concerns such as the pursuit of environmental justice and our responsibilities to future generations. This course addresses such questions as: To what degree are these three kinds of policy goals in tension with one another? How can we clarify our thinking about these policy goals so as to harmonize them where possible and reasonably negotiate the tradeoffs when they come into conflict? Cooper.
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.
ENV 397 - Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies
Experiential Learning (EXP): YES
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENV 110 and completion of any two of the three remaining areas for the Program in Environmental Studies, and instructor consent. ENV 396 is strongly encouraged as preparation. 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.
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.
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.
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.
Winter 2019, ENV 403-01: Directed Individual Study: Compositble Disintegration (3). Determination of disintegration of various compostable materials in different composting processes. The research objective is to understand if single-use compostable materials break down in the way and the timeframe that they claim, and in what processes this disintegration works the best. Hodge.
Winter 2019, ENV 403-02: Directed Individual Study: Waste to Energy (3). Examination of alternative technologies for converting waste into energy, with a critical analysis of relevant literature. Kahn.
Staff.
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.
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