Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies (ENST)

Program Director: Thomas Kinnaman

Coordinating Committee: Maria A. Antonaccio (environmental ethics), Diana Di Stefano (history), Craig Kochel (geology), Thomas C. Kinnaman (economics), Michael Malusis (civil and environmental engineering), Ben Marsh (physical geography), Molly McGuire (chemistry), Matthew McTammany (biology), Peter Wilshusen (sustainable resource management), Amanda Wooden (politics and policy)

Professor: Ben Marsh

Assistant Professor: Diana Di Stefano, Matthew McTammany, Peter Wilshusen, Amanda Wooden

Environmental studies is the interdisciplinary examination of how biology, geology, politics, policy studies, law, geography, religion, engineering, chemistry, and economics combine to inform the consideration of humanity’s effects on the natural world. This program educates the student to appreciate the complexity of environmental issues and solve them by working with citizens and experts in many fields. With a major in environmental studies, students have the electives to create a course concentration in an area of specialization while they simultaneously develop a breadth of interdisciplinary and methodological knowledge in the environmental fields that enables them to facilitate the definition and solution of environmental problems.

Specifically, the program has two major tracks: a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts. Each requires the interdisciplinary study of environmental issues and an understanding of the complexity of the relationship between humanity and the environment, while they allow the student to concentrate his/her studies in a field of particular interest to that student. The bachelor of arts program is designed for those who want to develop core concentrations in the social sciences, policy and law, or the humanities, although a science concentration is also possible with this choice. The bachelor of science program is specifically designed for students who want a concentrated knowledge of environmental life science as the core of their interdisciplinary environment education.

Most environmental studies majors benefit from studying abroad. Field-based programs – such as School for Field Studies or School for International Training – are especially appropriate for environmental students.

Bachelor of Arts. An interdisciplinary bachelor of arts major in environmental studies is offered for the student with an abiding interest in the general environmental problems faced by humans, and with special concern for the social and policy aspects of their solution. Environmental studies is a strong, broad, liberal arts degree. It also is a preparation for one of the growing numbers of environmental careers in planning, business, non-profits, law, enforcement, or education.

The bachelor of arts in environmental studies major requires 10 courses distributed as follows:

Life science core course: BIOL 208 Population and Community Biology
One earth science core course (List 1)
One social science core course (List 2)
Three science and technical courses (List 3)
Two social science and humanities courses (List 4), in addition to the social science core course
ENST 200 Environmental Studies Research Methods or MATH 216 Statistics I
One synthesizing senior course from: ENST 325 Senior Seminar, ENST 349 or 350 Senior Thesis (preferably taken as one-half credit in each of junior and senior year) or a course from a senior seminar list, provided each semester.

Bachelor of Science. A bachelor of science in environmental studies with a concentration in life sciences is offered for the student interested in the living environment of human and natural systems. As a bachelor of science major, it is meant to provide substantial depth in ecology, the life sciences, and related fields within the context of a liberal education. This major provides students with a rigorous background in environmental biology, focusing on topics such as biodiversity, conservation biology, aquatic biology, and behavioral ecology.

The bachelor of science major in environmental studies comprises 17 courses distributed as follows:

Two introductory biology courses, BIOL 207 Genetics and BIOL 208 Population and Community Biology to be taken during the first and sophomore years. BIOL 206 Organismal Biology may be substituted for BIOL 207 with adviser consent.
Four advanced biology courses from: BIOL 313 Mammalogy, BIOL 321 Behavioral Ecology, BIOL 330 Plant Systematics, BIOL 334 Limnology, BIOL 341 Organic Evolution, BIOL 353 Ecosystem Ecology, BIOL 354 Topical Ecology, BIOL 356 Plant-Animal Interactions, BIOL 357 Ornithology, BIOL 358 Invertebrate Zoology, BIOL 370 Primate Behavior and Ecology, BIOL 415 Conservation Biology
One earth science core course (List 1)
One social science core course (List 2)
Two science and technical courses (List 3) that are not biology courses
Two social science and humanities courses (List 4), in addition to the social science core course
Two courses in statistics, MATH 216 Statistics I and MATH 217 Statistics II to be taken first or sophomore years
Any two of the following chemistry or geochemistry courses: CHEM 160 Introduction to Environmental Chemistry, CHEM 360 Advanced Environmental Chemistry, GEOL 205 Introduction to Geochemistry, GEOL 305 Aqueous and Environmental Geochemistry.
Senior thesis: ENST 349 and 350, preferably taken as one-half credit in each of junior and senior years.

The minor in environmental studies requires five courses distributed as follows:

two courses from List 3 (Science and technical courses)
two courses from List 4 (Social science and humanities courses); ENST 100 may count for one of these courses.
BIOL 208, GEOG 110, GEOG 113, or GEOL 106.

Course lists

The bachelor of arts and bachelor of science environmental studies major programs are based on these lists of courses:

Earth science core: GEOL 106 Environmental Geology
Social science core: ECON 231 Resources and the Environment, ENST 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies (if taken before junior year), ENST 245 Environmental Policy and Politics
Science and technical courses: BIOL 321 Behavioral Ecology, BIOL 334 Limnology, BIOL 353 Ecosystem Ecology, BIOL 354 Tropical Ecology, BIOL 356 Plant-Animal Interactions, BIOL 357 Ornithology, BIOL 370 Primate Behavior and Ecology, BIOL 415 Conservation Biology, CHEM 160 Introduction to Environmental Chemistry, ENST 211 Environmental Pollution and Control, ENST 221 Hazardous Waste and Society, GEOG 231 Weather and Climate, GEOG 232 Evolution, Ecology, and Human Impact, GEOG 257 Global Environmental Change, GEOG 345 Food and Environment, GEOL 205 Introduction to Geochemistry, GEOL 207 Environmental Geohazards, GEOL 210 Geomorphology, GEOL 301 Geophysics, GEOL 305 Aqueous and Environmental Geochemistry, GEOL 310 Applied Environmental Geomorphology, GEOL 324 Hydrogeology.
Social science and humanities courses: ANTH 260 Anthropological Perspective on Human Environment Relations, ECON 231 Resources and the Environment, ENST 205 Green Utopias, ENST 207 American Environmental History, ENST 215 Environmental Planning, ENST 225 Environmental Dispute Resolution, ENST 226 Water Politics and Policies, ENST 230 Introduction to Ecological Design, ENST 235 Land Use: History, Ethics, and Politics, ENST 240 Sustainable Resource Management, ENST 242 Environmental History of the Developing World, ENST 245 History of American Environmental Politics and Policy, ENST 247 Environmental History, ENST 250 Environmental Policy Analysis, ENST 255 Environmental Justice, ENST 260 Environmental Law, PHIL 218 Ecology, Nature and the Future, RELI 226 Environmental Ethics

100. Introduction to Environmental Studies (I; 3, 0)
A first course in environmental studies, exploring our major impacts upon the environment in their cultural, political, historical, economic, and ethical context.

200. Environmental Studies Research Methods (I; 3, 0)
Students will learn quantitative and qualitative research methods related to environmental studies including research design, data collection, and analysis.

205. Green Utopias (II; 3, 0)
Introduction to literary utopias and to the cultural writings of various ecological movements offering alternative concepts to the increasing destruction of nature.

207. American Environmental History (II; 3, 0)
Explores American environmental history by asking; "How did Americans interact with their landscape?" and "What were the consequences?". The course proceeds both chronologically and topically. Crosslisted as HIST 212.

211. Environmental Pollution and Control (I; 3, 3)
Introduction for non-engineering students to the major areas of environmental engineering. Topics include air, noise, and water pollution, solid, hazardous, and radioactive waste and methods to treat and dispose of these pollutants. Not open to students in the College of Engineering.

215. Environmental Planning (I; 3, 0)
Explores the main approaches to planning theory and their environmental applications. Considers how environmental planning can promote the socio-ecological health and sustainability of democratic communities.

221. Hazardous Waste and Society (II; 3, 3)
Hazardous waste regulation, risk assessment and toxicology, overview of treatment technologies and site investigation, environmental audits, facilities siting and public participation, pollution prevention. Not open to students in the College of Engineering.

226. Water Politics and Policies (I; 3, 0)
Examines the evolution and philosophical foundations of water use as well as the politics surrounding current issues in water use.

228. The Loire. A Cultural Heritage or a “Wild” River of the Anthropecene? (I or II; 3, 0)
This course includes in-class lectures and on-site discovery of the river aboard traditional boats. Goals of the course are: to develop a good understanding of the links between a-biotic and biotic dynamics and human activities, to understand the importance and the necessity of the river management, especially on rivers like the Loire (wild aspects, hydrology, etc.) Prerequisite: Open only to students enrolled in the Bucknell en France program.

229. Environmental Thinkers (I or II; 3, 0)
Course explores environmental thought and the debate over America’s nature resources. Topics include: land use, environmental ethics, wise-use arguments, green politics, and current trends. May be crosslisted as HIST 229.

230. Introduction to Ecological Design (II; 3, 0)
The application of basic ecological principles to the design of buildings, landscapes, communities, and cities. Emphasis is placed on real situations in the local environment.

245. Environmental Policy and Politics (I; 3, 0)
An introduction to understanding the role of political institutions, stakeholders and policy porcesses (in the U. S and internationally) in addressing environmental problems.

250. Environmental Policy Analysis (II; 3, 0)
Focuses on problem-oriented policy analysis of domestic and international issues including ecosystem management, endangered species, protected areas, and community-based conservation.

255. Environmental Justice (II; 3, 0)
Utilizing the literature of moral, social and political philosophy, we will analyze how variations in our definition of justice dictate distinct public policies toward nature.

260. Environmental Law (I; 3, 0)
This course will examine the statutes, regulations and common law pertaining to risk and pollution abatement. We will both analyze current law and propose changes to better address the environmental problems involved.

319. Directed Research (I and II; R) Half or full course.
Supervised research or thesis work on environmental issues. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

349 and 350. Senior Thesis (I and II; R) Half to full course.
Independent thesis work under adviser’s supervision. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

371. Environmental History (I or II; 3, 0)
Intensive study of selected issues. Topics vary. Crosslisted as HIST 371.

Course offered occasionally: 240 Sustainable Resource Management, 242 Enviromental History of the Developing World, 247 Environmental History of the Ancient World, 325 Seminar in Environmental Topics