CONTENTS

• Overview of the Minor
• Requirements
• Description of Environmental Studies Courses
• How to Declare the Minor
• Other Important Information
• Advisory Committee
• College of Charleston Course Schedule

  OVERVIEW OF THE MINOR

The Environmental Studies minor is offered for undergraduate students who are interested in learning more about the natural environment and the ecology of the planet, as well as gaining an understanding of the relationship of political, social, cultural and economic activities to the environment. The minor is intended to serve as a bridge between scientific knowledge and the other disciplines relevant to the study of environmental issues. Students minoring in Environmental Studies should gain greater insight into the inter-relatedness of events and an appreciation for local, national, and international environmental problems. The minor is designed to provide an interdisciplinary understanding of environmental factors; it is not intended to be a vocational track to equip students for careers in environmental areas.

  REQUIREMENTS

Students must complete a minimum of 19 credit hours of environmental coursework from the three separate categories of courses indicated below. This includes at least 9 semester hours of science and mathematics environmental courses, at least 6 hours of humanities or social science environmental courses, and at least 4 hours of interdisciplinary environmental courses (ENVT courses), including ENVT 200 (Introduction to Environmental Studies, offered every fall) and at least one additional ENVT course (typically the environmental studies seminar, ENVT 395, offered every spring). Special topics courses offered by departments will be approved by the coordinator on a course-by-course basis when they have sufficient (1/3) environmental content. The Coordinator issues a list of approved environmental courses prior to registration for each term (and posts it on this website). Inquiries about courses not on the list should be directed to the Coordinator.

Note: Only one course in the student's major department may be applied to the minor. Only one mathematics course may be chosen. Courses used to satisfy the minor may not be used to satisfy any other minor. At least nine hours in the minor at the 200 level or above must be earned at the College of Charleston.

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON COURSE SCHEDULE

CATEGORY I:  NATURAL SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ENVIRONMENTAL COURSES

At least 9 semester hours.
Take at least 3 courses plus prerequisites from the following:

CATEGORY II: SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES ENVIRONMENTAL COURSES

At least 6 semester hours.
Take at least 2 courses plus prerequisites from the following:

CATEGORY III:  INTERDISCIPLINARY ENVIRONMENTAL COURSES

At least 4 semester hours.
Take ENVT 200 plus at least one additional course from the following:

  DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES COURSES

ENVT 200: Introduction to Environmental Studies (3)
An introduction to interdisciplinary thinking about the relationships between humans and their environments and the practical problems resulting from these relationships. The course considers basic elements in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences that are essential for understanding interactions of humans with the environment. Prerequisite: sophomore standing

ENVT 350: Independent Study in Environmental Sciences and Studies (1-4)
A directed research project on some dimension of environmental science and studies, approached from an interdisciplinary perspective
-Corequisite or Prerequisite: at least 3 courses in the environmental studies minor
-Enrollment by permission of instructor and coordinator of program

ENVT 352: Special Topics in Environmental Science and Studies (1-4)
An interdisciplinary study of a particular area of environmental concern. Topics will vary. Course may be taken twice for credit, with permission of the coordinator, if topics are substantially different.
-Corequisite or Prerequisite: at least 3 courses in environmental studies minor;
-Prerequisite: if cross-listed with special topics course in another department,the prerequisites of that department will apply

ENVT 395: Environmental Studies Seminar (1)
An interdisciplinary seminar on current environmental issues. May be taken twice with approval of coordinator
- Corequisite or Prerequisite: at least 3 courses in the Environmental Studies Minor

  HOW TO DECLARE THE MINOR

To declare the Minor in Environmental Studies:

1. Get a Declaration of Minor form (available from any department office, the Env. Minor bulletin board across from 218 Science Center, or the minor coordinator's door, 143 Science Center).
2. Have your Major advisor sign the Declaration of Minor form.
3. Once completed, drop off the Declaration of Minor form at B. Lee Lindner 's (the minor coordinator's) mailbox (Physics Department, 101 Science Center), or on the minor coordinator's door, 143 Science Center.

  OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

To have the Minor in Environmental Studies recorded on your transcript, complete a Verification of Minor request (available from the Env. Minor bulletin board across from Science Center 218 or from the minor coordinator's door, 143 Science Center). You should complete the Verification of Minor request the semester you plan to complete the minor. Deliver the Verification of Minor request to Dr. B. Lee Lindner in the Physics and Astronomy office. The Environmental Studies Coordinator, not the Registrar’s Office, evaluates student records for minors.

Please note the College policy concerning the number of minors a student may earn: “Credit may be received for up to two concentrations or minors, and courses used to satisfy the requirements of one may not be applied toward a second.”

You may count only one course in your major toward the Environmental Studies minor, in order to fulfill the interdisciplinary nature of the minor. For example, a Biology major may count only one Biology course toward the Minor and must take the remaining natural science and math environmental courses for this minor from a discipline other than Biology.

  ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Calvin Blackwell (Economics), Tim Callahan (Geology), John Creed (Political Science), Ned Hettinger (Physics), (Philosophy), Steve Jaume (Geology), Martin Jones (Math), Frank Kinard (Chemistry), Lee LindnerPaul Marino (Biology), Deb McCarthy (Sociology), Jane McCullough (Urban Studies), Susan Morrison (Biology), John Rashford (Anthropology), Carol Toris (Psychology), Reid Wiseman (Biology).

Departments Associated with the Minor
Anthropology | Biology | Chemistry | Economics | Geology | Math | Physics | Political Science | Philosophy | Psychology | Sociology

Updated 4/22/07 by Jenna King-Lewis, jennamorrison@comcast.net