Environmental Studies Concentration

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In recent decades, issues related to the environment have emerged as key concerns at local, national, and international levels. The Environmental Studies Concentration is designed to give students a broad exposure to a range of environmental issues and to provide multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the complexity of factors that affect the environment and our understanding of it.

Requirements

1. Completion of six courses to include:

a. CIS 171 - Introduction to Environmental Studies

b. One course in the natural sciences:

BIO 103 - Special Topics in Biology I
Topic subject to approval by the Environmental Studies Concentration faculty liaison.
BIO 104 - Special Topics in Biology II
Topic subject to approval by the Environmental Studies Concentration faculty liaison.
BIO 321 - Ecology
CHE 103 - Topics in Chemistry
Topic subject to approval by the Environmental Studies Concentration faculty liaison.
CHE 107 - Chemistry of the Environment
CHE 304 - Topics in Environmental and Green Chemistry
PHY 103 - Physics of the Environment
Or another science course approved by the Environmental Studies Concentration faculty liaison.

c. One course in the social sciences:

d. One course in the humanities:

e. One elective course: either a second course from one of the lists above, or another course approved by the Environmental Studies Concentration faculty liaison. Examples of relevant courses include:

f. CIS 472 - Environmental Success and Failure

2. In order for any additional course to be considered for the concnetration, at least 50% of its content must pertain to the environment. Methodology courses that do not focus on environmental topics are not eligible for this requirement.

3. No more than one course may count toward both the student’s major and the concentration.

4. In addition to CIS 171, only two other courses at the 100 level may count toward the concentration, and these two courses must be from two different departments.

5. A grade of C- or higher is required in all courses applied toward the concentration.

6. No course applied toward the concentration may be taken pass/fail. (Exceptions: students who have passed CIS 171 in Spring 2007 or Fall 2007; and courses taken away from Davidson that do not receive letter grades.)

7. No more than two courses taken away from Davidson may count toward the concentration, and these courses must be approved by the Environmental Studies Concentration faculty liaison. BIO 381-385 count as courses taken away from Davidson.

Application Procedure:

The Environmental Studies Concentration is administered by the Environmental Studies Advisory Committee. The faculty liaison is Dr. Annie Ingram. Students submit a written application to the Environmental Studies Advisory Committee by the last day of class of the spring semester of the junior year. The proposal will specify the courses to be used to satisfy the concentration requirements. Earlier application increases the opportunity for coherence and flexibility in planning the applicant’s course of study. Certification of completion of all the requirements for the concentration is made by the Registrar upon the recommendation of the Environmental Studies Advisory Committee.