Goucher College 2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalogue 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
Goucher College 2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

Environmental Studies Major


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Upon declaring the environmental studies major, students choose one of two concentrations: environmental science (ESCI) or environment and society (ESOC). Students complete all required courses within their chosen concentration as well as a set of required courses designed to cultivate breadth. All environmental studies students complete the environmental studies core curriculum consisting of introductory, mid-level, and capstone courses. At the introductory level, all students (majors and minors) take courses spanning the natural and social sciences. Introductory courses in environmental science and environmental studies are designed to introduce students to the biological, physical, and chemical science of environmental change, as well as the human dimensions (social/political/cultural/economic) of such change.

At the 200 level, all environmental studies majors complete the core courses ES 210 and ES 230 Political Ecology, which draws from and integrates a range of disciplines to help students master a set of key concepts and analytical methods fundamental to environmental studies. During their senior year, students actively integrate the approaches and methodologies they have practiced and experimented with at the 100 and 200 levels toward further research on particular problem, issue, or theme of their choosing, based on their research and future career interests. This integration starts in a methodology course in which students select an environmental issue and propose to address it, and the integration culminates in the capstone course in which students implement their research proposal. Completing an internship is encouraged, but not required.

Note:


Writing proficiency in the major is fulfilled in ES 230 Political Ecology.

Majors choose a concentration in either Environment and Society (ESOC) or Environmental Science (ESCI) and complete required courses and breadth requirements. Students must receive at least a C- in all courses taken toward the completion of the major or minor.

ESOC Concentration


ESCI Concentration


Qualifications Required to Graduate with Honors


Honors are decided by a vote of the program faculty just prior to Commencement using the following guidelines:

A student must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in all 200- and 300-level courses that count toward the major.

A student must demonstrate a superior grasp of environmental studies skills and theories as well as their applications by completing either an academic thesis or a theoretical grounded body of analytical work that includes substantial written documentation.

 

 

Concentration in Prelaw Studies


Students interested in pursuing a legal career are encouraged to complete the prelaw concentration in conjunction with the requirements of the major (ESOC or ESCI). The prelaw concentration requires students to take courses outside of their major to expose them to methodologies and critical approaches not inherent to their own discipline but necessary for academic success in law school. A complete description can be found under Prelaw Studies.

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