All majors enrolled in this program take a 4-course core curriculum, 11-12 hours of concentration courses within their major, selected adjunct courses and 30-33 hours of electives (major electives and general electives). This curriculum introduces students to the major global and regional environmental issues facing the planet today, and provides students with the knowledge and problem-solving skills that will enable them to play an active role in understanding our global and regional ecosystems and contributing to their future well-being. Depending on the area of concentration, this curriculum will prepare students for entry into graduate or professional schools and career paths in a diversity of fields such as environmental research, environmental policy/law, sustainability planning and development, natural resource management and conservation, environmental communications, environmental education, creative writing, environmental consulting and many others, in both public and private sectors. Graduating seniors must also complete an exit interview with the Program Director.
2011-2012 Environmental Studies (Humanities) Degree Program Course List (DPCL)
2012-2013 Environmental Studies (Humanities) DPCL
2011-2012 Environmental Studies (Social Sciences) DPCL
2012-2013 Environmental Studies (Social Sciences) DPCL
Environmental Science and Environmental Studies majors are expected to complete a 4-course core curriculum that consists of an introductory foundations course, a course in statistics, an ecology and evolution course, and a senior capstone course (The Senior Experience).
Environment Core Courses:
Concentration Courses include 3-4 advanced courses within the Biological Sciences (B.S.), the humanities (B.A.), or social sciences (B.A.) depending upon the major and area of concentration chosen by the student. For the Environmental Science (B.S.) degree, the concentration courses include a combination of lecture only and lecture + lab courses.
In addition to the concentration and core courses, students will take appropriate major elective and adjunct courses in each of the three main program areas: natural sciences/mathematics, social sciences/business/law, and humanities/arts. These courses are intended to provide students with an increased understanding of the breadth of perspectives examining environmental issues and to strengthen fundamental skills and knowledge in the natural sciences and the environment. All students are required to take a course in Environmental Ethics or Environmental Philosophy. B.S. and B.A. (Humanities concentration) students are required to take Environmental Sociology. Beyond these requirements, the specific adjunct and major elective courses required vary depending upon the major and area of concentration.
Adjunct and Major Elective Course Requirements for the B.A. in Environmental Studies (Humanities Concentration):
Adjunct and Major Elective Course Requirements for the B.A. in Environmental Studies (Social Science Concentration):
The culmination of the major and minor is a Senior Capstone Experience consisting either of an internship (ENVA A497), a research project (ENVA A498) or an independent study (ENVA A499). Students generally enroll for one of these options in their senior year and must submit a proposal for approval by the Environment Program Chair. The internship or research/independent study project must be directed by a participating Environment faculty member selected by the student. Please refer to the Senior Capstone Experience link below for specific requirements.
The Senior Capstone Experience allows students to participate in a large spectrum of learning experiences that contribute to their environment education and prepare them for future work in environmental fields. In the past, internships have included work with a variety of public agencies, private companies, and nonprofit organizations, including the Student Conservation Association, the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, the Audubon Nature Institute, the Crescent City Farmer’s Market, Hollygrove Market and Farm, and the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. (Contact the program for a current list of internship descriptions and locations.) Research and independent study projects have included work on such topics as public lands issues, global climate change impacts, international environmental agreements, solid waste issues, deforestation, interstate water use agreements, corporate ethics, wetland loss, and alternative transportation.