Environmental Science/Environmental Studies Advising Guide

Introduction

Known for having one of the oldest and strongest programs in the nation, Dickinson’s Environmental Studies department offers two majors, a B.S. in Environmental Science and a B.A. in Environmental Studies. The Environmental Studies Department recognizes that solutions to the human predicament require an interdisciplinary effort, incorporating ecological and social perspectives. The goals of the program include providing a sound academic background and an opportunity for students to use their education through research and community outreach. Thus, students and faculty are involved in collaborative research at the local, regional, and national levels on a wide variety of environmental problems; ranging from monitoring stream health collaboratively with grassroots activists to researching the mechanisms of forest mortality, and examining the link between air quality and student athlete performance.

 Introductory courses for the Environmental Studies major and the Environmental Science major are the same. Please check the Academic Bulletin for details on the upper-level courses required for each major.

Environmental Studies and Environmental Science major advising  worksheets

Introductory courses appropriate for prospective majors

Environmental Science (ENST) 131, and 130 or 132.  ENST 131 (fall) and either 130 or 132 (spring) are required for both the Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors (and all three courses meet the college’s natural science distribution requirement).  A student may not take both ENST 130 and 132.  Prospective majors usually enroll in ENST 131 in the fall and then enroll in ENST 132 in the spring.  Some students may start with ENST 130 in the spring, and then take ENST 131 during the fall of their sophomore year.    A score of 4 or 5 on the Environmental Studies Advanced Placement Exam will substitute for ENST 131, in which case students will take ENST 132 in the spring of their first year.

ECON 100, Contemporary Economics or ECON 111, Introduction to Microeconomics.
ECON 111 is the required course for the B.S. major, whereas either course counts for the B.A. major.  (These courses fulfill the prerequisite for ECON 222 Environmental Economics, which is required for both majors.)

ENST 111, Environment, Culture and Values or ENST 215, Jewish Environmental Ethics.

CHEM 131, 132 or PHYS 131,132:  B.S. majors are required to take two semesters of either chemistry or physics.   Generally, the 131 courses are only offered in the fall and the 132 courses are only offered in the spring, and the 131 courses are prerequisites to the 132 courses.  Thus, B.S. majors must plan to take a full year of chemistry or physics, starting in the fall.  B.S. majors who do not take this sequence in their first year should plan to take it in the sophomore year, to prevent conflicts with study abroad. 

Notify the Environmental Studies department chair, Professor Ashton Nichols (nicholsa@dickinson.edu), that you are interested in majoring in Environmental Studies or Environmental Science prior to or during the course request period. This is essential because the department’s introductory (100-level) courses typically fill quickly. Whenever possible, space is reserved for likely majors, but this can only be done prior to or during course selection. 

Introductory courses that fulfill distribution requirements  
Division IA:   
ENST 111, Environment, Culture, and Values
ENST 215, Jewish Environmental Ethics

Division II:    
ECON 100, Contemporary Economics
ECON 111, Introduction to Microeconomics

Division III, laboratory courses:
ENST 130, 131, and 132

QR requirement: 
MATH 121 (Statistics) or other MATH courses beyond MATH 120

 For Course descriptions and requirements for the major, refer to the Academic Bulletin: Environmental Studies and Environmental Science or the department website

Please note that majors in the Environmental Studies and Environmental Science programs require more courses than most majors. Although these programs provide real opportunities to customize the major, they have some very specific requirements. This means that careful planning and consultation with a faculty member in the Environmental Studies Department is essential. This planning and consultation can begin as soon as a student arrives on campus.

Off-campus study

Study off-campus may be either in the United States or abroad. Environmental Studies students are especially encouraged to participate in the Dickinson Science Program in Norwich, England, and in the University of Queensland Science Program in Brisbane, Australia. Other recommended programs include the School for Field Studies, which offers full-semester programs at centers around the world focusing on biological conservation, resource management, and sustainable development. Recommended off-campus programs of study in the United States include the Semester in Environmental Science at the Marine Biological Laboratory, and a semester program at The Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina.

Internships

The B.A. degree in Environmental Studies requires majors to complete transcript notation for an internship or research experience. There are many opportunities for such both on campus and in the Carlisle/Harrisburg community.  Students often complete this requirement during the summer break as well.  For more information, see: www.dickinson.edu/academics/programs/environmental-studies/content/Environmental-Studies-Internships/

Co-curricular Programs

The Environmental Studies department has numerous employment, internship, and research opportunities in our two major community outreach co-curricular programs: The Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) and the College Farm. Detailed information on these programs can be found on the department website.

 Students majoring in Environmental Studies or Environmental Science also often find employment, internship, and research opportunities with the Center for Sustainability Education.