Environmental Science

ENV 311 Geology

Credit:

One credit*. Open to juniors and seniors.

Prerequisite:

None.

This course is designed to be on par with a standard college-level introductory geology course. Students explore the major concepts of physical geology through observation and interpretation, using all of Franklin County as our laboratory. Students begin the semester with a study of the scientific method and the evidence for many of our current theories about geologic time and the formation, structure, and history of the earth. Identification of common minerals and rock types follows, including opportunities for frequent and in-depth field trips to local outcrops. The course concludes with an independent research project of the student’s own choosing, or in some years, with a class research project investigating a geologic question of local interest for which no complete answer is known.

ENV 411 Environmental Studies

Credit:

One credit. Spring semester. Open to juniors and seniors.

Prerequisite:

Biology I. This course does not award laboratory science credit.

Working from a scientific foundation, students are introduced to environmental issues using an interdisciplinary approach. By exploring these issues through the humanities and social sciences as well as the natural sciences, students begin to understand the complexities of people’s relationships with the natural world and the challenges we face as individuals, as societies, and as a global community in charting a course for sustainable life on Earth. Topics explored in the course include the relationship of people with the natural world through time; ecology; population biology and human population issues; resource availability and use, including energy resources; pollution and wastes; environmental ethics and environmental law; and loss of biodiversity. Students learn about these topics through readings and discussion, as well as individual and group projects that offer opportunities to pursue personal interests in depth.

ENV 415 Environmental Studies: An International Perspective

Credit:

One credit. Open to juniors and seniors who are enrolled in a study abroad course.

Prerequisite:

Biology I. This course does not award laboratory science credit.

This course is designed to accompany study abroad programs as a third credit. Students will begin on campus with a general study of environmental principles during the first half of the semester, including ecology, population, water resources, energy, and waste. As the travel portion of their study abroad course approaches, they will prepare for a topic in environmental studies with specific application to their destination country. Once abroad, students will use available resources to deepen their knowledge of their chosen topic and to complete a research project related to the topic. Upon their return to campus, students will finalize their research projects and present their findings in a public forum to conclude the course.

ENV 511 Advanced Placement Environmental Science

Credit:

One credit.*

Prerequisite:

B+ or better in high school biology and chemistry, and strong reading and writing skills.

Open to juniors and seniors who submit a written application and receive department approval.

The goal of the course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems, both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them (or both). This interdisciplinary course embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. Among the many topics covered are ecology, population dynamics, sustainable resource use, air, water, and soil pollutants, and global changes and their consequences. Field research, laboratory exercises in and out of the classroom, and a final project are all incorporated into the AP syllabus.