The Environmental Studies Minor

The environmental studies minor is designed to give students in any major a significant understanding of the physical, cultural, political, and spiritual dimensions of human relationships with the environment. Multidisciplinary in nature, this minor provides a basic foundation in ecological literacy while emphasizing the insights which the humanities and social sciences can offer into the complex interactions between human cultures and their natural surroundings.

What can students expect to gain from a minor in environmental studies at Webster?

The basic environmental literacy necessary to

  • understand environmental problems and why they exist,
  • live more lightly on the planet,
  • make environmentally informed choices as a voter, and
  • work towards a more sustainable relationship with the local and global environments.                                         

 
What is required to complete an environmental studies minor?

SCIN 1520 Environment 3 hour
SCIN 1521 Environment: Lab 1 hour

and 15 credit hours from the following:
(with at least 3 credit hours coming from the first three courses listed)

GNST 1300
Technology, Science, and Society: Environmental Literacy 3 hours
HIST 1010
Topics in History: American Environmental History 3 hours
PHIL 2360
Environmental Ethics 3 hours
ANSO 1090 Topics in Geography: Geographic Transitions 3 hours
ENGL 3500
Contexts: Nature Writing in America 3 hours
HIST 2080
History of Disease and Medicine 3 hours
HRTS 3400
Human Rights and the Environment 3 hours
ISTL 2600
Natural Systems and Sustainable Ecologies 3 hours
JOUR 3750
Environmental Journalism 3 hours
POLT 2500
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Politics: International Environmental Politics 3 hours
POLT 2500
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Politics: Sex, Drugs, and Garbage 3 hours
RELG 1000 Roots of Religion: Experiences of the Sacred, Mystery, and Nature 3 hours
RELG 1050
Experience and Values: Ecology and Spirituality 3 hours

Students may substitute other environmentally oriented classes (such as topics classes, new classes, and classes that give credit for internships and other forms of experiential learning) into the second category with the approval of the environmental studies coordinator. Please note that some of the additional courses not listed above that count toward the minor are included on our course listings page.

For more information, contact Karla Armbruster or Stephanie Schroeder.