Paths Through the Major

bridge at rock creek road

Two majors, and many possible paths through the program

Bucknell environmental majors have many choices to make. This page is meant to give guidance about class choices for majors and potential majors. All declared -- or merely interested -- environmental students should feel free to talk to any of the environmental faculty for informal guidance about course choices.

 Ask for help anytime from the program director, or from any professor in the program that you know. (See the Faculty list.)

 Semester/ Year 

 For All Students 

 For environemntal studies students 

 For environmental science  students

First semester,
First year

  Most of your 'CCC' distribution courses can be satisfied within the major.

  Geol 103 is a great first environmental course.

  Consider 2 or 3 of: GEOL 103, ECON 103, ENST 201, CHEM 201, MATH 201, or MATH 216

Second semester,
First year

 

  ENST 100 is not the right first-course for an environmental studies major.  Take ENST 201 instead.

  BIOL 208 (or possibly GEOG 332 Fall semester)

  Consider ECON 103, CHEM 202, MATH 201, or MATH 216

First semester,
Second year

  Choose a study-abroad program. Especially consider the field opportunities in School for Field Study or School for International Training.

  As a BA student, you have plenty of time to look around at different potential majors.

  GEOG 332 is a Fall course, required for the major

  GEOG 332 (or BIOL 208 Spring semester)

  Finish MATH and CHEM

  Look at the List A and List C courses; you need one of each.

Second semester,
Second year

  Consider applying for summer research support through the McKenna or the university programs.

  Internship advice is available from CDC.

 It is important to register for ENST 201 for this semester. 

 Declare the major. Work on choosing your concentration.

  College distribution courses should be completed by now.

  List D courses

  Pre-register with the BIOL department for 300-level BIOL courses

  Plan ahead for the chance to study abroad.

First semester,
Junior year

  Study abroad? Plan ahead.

  Methods -- ENST 302 -- is for Fall Junior year.

List D courses

Second semester,
Junior year

  Consider applying for summer research support through the McKenna or the Program for Undergraduate Research programs.

  Internship and job advice is available from CDC.

  Independent study /thesis/ internship are possible choices for Senior year courses.

  ENST 411, Spring Junior or (preferably)Senior years

  List D courses

  ENST 349 -- Senior thesis?

  Summer research grants are especially good ways to get a start of your thesis work.

First semester,
Senior year

  Honors thesis is an opportunity for those with a GPA above 3.5 to graduate with honors, but plan ahead.

  Apply to graduate school?

  Check your "Academic Progress Report" to be sure that the courses you've taken are credited right.

 

  List D courses

  ENST 349 -- Senior thesis is usually taken over 2 semesters -- half course each semester.

Second semester,
Senior year

  Think about using your extra electives to expand your set of skills -- GIS? -- or for improving some aspect of your education you overlooked.

  ENST 411 -- Senior clinic

  ENST 350 & ENST 411