Environmental Studies and Environmental Science

 

ADVICE FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS:

 

If you think you may be interested in majoring in either Environmental Studies or Environmental Science, here is advice on course selection for your first semester:

 

(1) Notify the environmental studies department chair that you are interested in majoring in environmental studies or environmental science (Prof. Brian Pedersen, pedersen@dickinson.edu, 717-245-1897). This is essential because the department's introductory courses typically fill. Whenever possible space is reserved for likely majors, but this can only be done prior to the course request period.

 

(2) Request ENVST 131, Environmental science. This course is required for the environmental studies and environmental science majors (and satisfies the College's natural science distribution requirement).

 

(3) Request the appropriate course to fulfill the College's foreign language requirement.

 

(4) Request additional courses. Here are some recommendations:

(a) Select a course that fulfills a major requirement. For environmental studies majors, ECON 100 or ECON 111 is a good choice (both satisfy the College's social science distribution requirement). For environmental science majors, ECON 111 and/or a mathematics course are good choices (for advice on which mathematics course to choose, see the mathematics section of this advising handbook; the mathematics courses also satisfy the College's quantitative reasoning requirement).

(b) Select a course that fulfills another College requirement (such as the U.S. Diversity or Comparative Civilizations requirement).
(c) Select a course that just sounds interesting to you, keeping in mind that this course may not fulfill any specific requirement (not all of your courses have to).

(5) If you have advanced placement credit, contact the environmental studies department chair for other course recommendations.

 

(6) Once you arrive on campus, visit the environmental studies department and talk to faculty members and current majors to learn more about the department and majors.

 

Keep in mind that the environmental studies and environmental science majors require more courses than most majors, provide real opportunities to customize your major, and have some very specific requirements. All 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 you arrive on campus.

A suggested four-year program for the Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors can be found in the Dickinson College Bulletin at http://www.dickinson.edu/bulletin/environ.html.       

To explore the Department’s activities, check the department’s Web site at  http://www.dickinson.edu/departments/envst/. The most recent course syllabi are posted on this Web site; be sure to look closely at the ENVST 131-132 syllabi to help inform your decision.

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Updated November 15, 2005