Environmental Studies Major

Description

At McDaniel College, Environmental Studies is more than a major–it’s a call to action. This program immerses you in the dynamic relationships between people and planet as you explore how human choices and evolving natural processes shape our environments and how we live, work, and play in them. Blending insights from the natural and social sciences, our interdisciplinary approach equips you with the knowledge and hands-on skills to tackle today’s most pressing socio-ecological challenges and champion inclusive, innovative solutions. Through experience- and project-based coursework, you’ll investigate urgent global and local issues, engage in community-based projects, and learn to navigate diverse perspectives. By the time you graduate, you’ll be prepared to collaborate across sectors, solve problems creatively, and build a more sustainable, just future as both an environmental professional and global citizen.

Requirements

Core & Capstone (24 credits)

• ENV 1131 - Environmental Problem Solving
• ENV 2117 - Environmental Geology
• ENV 2151 - Sustainability #
• ENV 2204 - Society and Natural Resources #
• ENV 3120 - ENV Junior Seminar #
• ENV 4494 - ENV Senior Seminar

Select Six Courses (24 credits) from:

• ENV 1132 - Geological Hazards
• ENV 1T01 - Health in the Anthropocene
• ENV 1T03 - Urban Ecology
• ENV 2118 - Changing Food Systems
• ENV 2120 - Geographic Information Systems
• ENV 2121 - Exploration of the Environment
• ENV 2122 - Global Environmental Justice
• ENV 2152 - Earth History
• ENV 2203 - Science of Soil, Water and Air
• ENV 2207 - Environmental Management
• ENV 2215 - Environmental Policy
• ENV 2T03 - Forest Ecology
• ENV 3106 - Conservation Biology
• ENV 3110 - Climatology
• ENV 3111 - Sustainable Agriculture
• ENV 3113 - Conservation Ethics
• ENV 3114 - Wetland Ecology
• ENV 3T03 - Restoration Ecology & Lab
• ENV 2298/3398/4498 - Independent Study in Environmental Studies
   

• Eight of the 24 elective credits may be selected from:

• BIO 1172 - Tropical Marine Biology (Field Study)
• BIO 2204 - Botany
• BIO 3317 - Ecology
• CHE 2211 - Chemistry of Consumer Products
• ENG 2254 - Nature Writing
• ENG 3308 - Writing in Law and Policy
• FYS 1260 - Food Trucks on Every Corner
• HIS 3332 - China’s Troubled Waters
• PSI 1101 - Introduction to Political Science

Total Credit Hours: 48

Departmental Writing Requirement:

The Department of Environmental Studies extends writing through required core courses for the major. Student who major in Environmental Studies are required to take the courses as notated by the # symbol.

Requirements for Departmental Honors

Honors in ENV will be awarded to graduating seniors who have earned at least a 3.50 GPA in the ENV major. Students who wish to receive Honors in ENV must enroll in the program by committing to a project that demonstrates their leadership in the field of environmental studies, such as serving as an officer of a student club, completing independent research, or engaging in other extra-curricular activities that support issues related to environmental sustainability.