Major in Environmental Studies

The environmental studies major is composed of course work in four areas: four environmental studies core courses; 7-8 courses in a focus area; two environmental cognate courses; and an integrative capstone experience. Except for transfer students, the core courses and capstone experience must be Middlebury College courses, which for the purposes of the Environmental Studies major are defined as those offered by the undergraduate college during fall, winter, spring, and summer terms. The student’s advisor must approve any non-Middlebury College courses within the focus area; the ES Director must approve any non-Middlebury College courses within the rest of the major. A maximum of three non-Middlebury College courses may be credited toward completion of the major.

I. Core Course Requirements

All majors are required to complete four core courses, ENVS 0112, ENVS 0211, ENVS 0215, and one spatial analysis course, chosen in consultation with your advisor, from among the following: ENVS/GEOG 0251, ENVS/GEOG 0261, ENVS/GEOG 0271, or ENVS/GEOG 0281.

If possible, ENVS 0112 should be completed by the end of the fourth semester, and all four core courses by the end of the sixth semester. However, students unable to meet that goal may enroll in later semesters.

II. Focus Course Requirements
Majors must complete the 7-8 course requirements for one of 17 established foci. Foci fall into one of four academic divisions: arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. These divisions govern which cognate courses a student may take. Courses taken within the focus that are not specified must be approved by the student’s advisor, who must come from the student’s focus. As indicated, some foci automatically qualify the student for joint major status. Environmental Studies foci are as follows (specific requirements for each can be found further below):

Arts Foci:

  • Environmental Dance
  • Environmental Studies-Architecture joint major
  • Environmental Studio Art
  • Environmental Theatre

Humanities Foci:

  • Environmental History
  • Environmental Literature
  • Environmental Writing
  • Religion, Philosophy and the Environment

Natural Science Foci:

  • Conservation Biology (Environmental Studies-Biology joint major)
  • Environmental Studies-Chemistry joint major
  • Environmental Earth and Climate Sciences joint major

Social Science Foci:

  • Conservation Psychology
  • Environmental Economics
  • Environmental Justice
  • Environmental Policy
  • Environmental Studies-Anthropology joint major
  • Environmental Studies-Geography joint major

III. Cognate Course Requirements
Two cognate courses must be selected from the approved list of cognates, subject to the following:

For ES majors with a focus in the Natural Sciences (ESBI, ESSC, and ESCH):  

1 cognate from the approved list in the Social Sciences or Integrated Courses
1 cognate from the approved list in the Humanities/ARTS or from the Integrated Course list

For ES majors with a focus in the Social Sciences (ESEC, ESGG, ESEP, ESEJ, ESAN, ESCP)

1 cognate from the approved list in the Natural Sciences with a lab (this course should be completed by the end of junior year)
1 cognate from the approved list in the Humanities/ARTS OR from the Integrated Course list

For ES Majors with a focus in the Humanities or Arts (ESAE, ESDA, ESHI, ESAT, ESTH, ESET, ESLI, ESWR):

1 cognate from the approved list in the Natural Sciences with a lab (this course should be completed by the end of junior year)
1 cognate from the approved list in the Social Sciences OR from the Integrated Course list

Because integrative courses represent more than one academic division, they inherently represent an academic division outside the division of the student’s focus; therefore, all integrative courses can be counted by all majors toward completion of the cognate requirement, subject to the rules above. Not all approved cognates are offered each semester. Please check with relevant departments regarding course offerings.

IV. Advanced Integrative Capstone Requirement
After completing the required core courses, majors must complete the community-engaged environmental studies practicum ENVS 0401, open to juniors and seniors.

Senior Work in Environmental Studies

All seniors are required to take ENVS 0401, the ENVS senior seminar devoted to community-connected learning and requiring significant interdisciplinary work. ENVS does not universally require senior independent work; however, some foci within ENVS do.

Majors who are not required to complete independent senior work in their focus may, in consultation and approval of an advisor, apply to complete (optional) senior independent work in ENVS. Senior work in ENVS may be carried out as a one-term senior project (ENVS 0700) or as a multi-term senior thesis (ENVS 0700/0701).

All senior independent work carried out in ENVS or toward honors eligibility (i.e., carried out in a focus department) in Environmental Studies must be on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and environment; be supervised by at least one faculty advisor who is appointed in or affiliated with the environmental studies program; and must be presented publicly. In consultation with the thesis committee, students may present as part of the Spring Research Symposium or as a separate event arranged with the committee and ES Program.

For additional important details regarding the integrative capstone requirement and/or senior work options, please visit the senior work page.

Minor in Environmental Studies

The minor in environmental studies consists of five courses: three environmental studies core courses to be completed by the end of the sixth semester: ENVS 0112; ENVS or ENVS/PSCI 0211; and ENVS or ENVS/ENAM 0215; one course selected from among: ART 0348, DANC 0277, ECON 0265, ENGL 0227, ENVS 0209, ENVS 0210, ENVS 0220, ENVS 0230, ENVS 0395, ENVS 0485, HARC 0231, HIST 0222, PHIL 0356, PSCI 0214, PSYC 0233/0333; and one course from among: BIOL 0140, CHEM 0270, ECSC 0112, ECSC 0161, or ECSC 0323. Except for transfer students, the environmental studies core courses must be taken at Middlebury College. With the approval of the Environmental Studies program director, a maximum of one course taken off campus may be credited toward completion of other (e.g., non-core course) minor requirements.

Joint Majors

Environmental studies majors who focus in architecture, biology, chemistry, earth and climate sciences, geography, or anthropology automatically qualify as joint majors. Students may pursue a joint major between environmental studies and other majors. The other major usually overlaps the student’s focus and represents additional coursework in the focus. Students interested in completing such a “non-automatic” joint major should consult with the chair of their focus department about joint majors. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the environmental studies major, there is no reduction in course requirements for the environmental studies component of a joint major.

Focus Specific Requirements

Arts Foci

Environmental Dance: ARDV 0116; DANC 0160; DANC 260; DANC 0277 or       
DANC 1025; DANC 0284; DANC 0376; DANC 0700.

Environmental Studies-Architecture joint majorHARC 0130; HARC 0230; HARC 0231 (joint major capstone); HARC 0259; HARC 0330 (or a pre-approved substitute); one additional course taken in the department that deals with architectural history, theory or practice, urbanism, or modern/contemporary visual culture; HARC 0731 and HARC 0732, to be taken sequentially. Note: This joint major does not result in a professional degree in architecture. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in architecture are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Environmental Studio Art: One 100- or 200-level drawing course; HARC 0327 (strongly suggested) or other approved substitute in the history of art-practice; ART 0348; four electives in studio art, three of which must be at the 300-level; ART 0700.

Environmental Theatre: ARDV 0116 or THEA 0101; THEA 0102; THEA 0208; DANC 0277; THEA 0235 or a THEA literature course chosen in consultation with advisor; two THEA electives of which only one may be a Production Studio course; and completing a crew requirement. The crew requirement must be completed by the end of the 5th term and will normally be satisfied by undertaking a running crew assignment on a for-credit production; the requirement may also be fulfilled by stage managing a faculty show, or by completing THEA 0119 or THEA 0129.

Humanities Foci

Environmental History: HIST 0222; three 100-300-level HIST courses; one 400-level HIST course or equivalent approved by adviser; HIST 0600 or equivalent approved by adviser; one additional course from the ENVS humanities cognate list or an approved substitute.

Environmental Literature: ENAM 0103 or CMLT 0101; ENAM 0205; three approved environmental literature courses (see full list) of which one must be at the 100-200 level and one must be at the 300-400 level; one term of senior independent work, typically ENAM 0700, or, upon approval, a senior thesis, typically ENAM 0700/ENVS 0701.

Environmental Writing: ENAM 0103 or CMLT 0101; CRWR 0170 or CRWR 0175; two approved environmental literature courses (see full list) of which one must be at the 100-200 level and one must be at the 300-400 level; two 300-level writing workshops; one term of senior independent writing, typically ENAM 0701.

ReligionPhilosophy, and the Environment: ENVS 0395; PHIL 0356; ENVS 0700; and four courses in accordance with either the Religion track or the Philosophy track.

Religion track: Four RELI 100-200 level courses of which, at least, two should focus either on a particular religious tradition (e.g. Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism) or on a particular geographic area (e.g. religions of South Asia) and, at least, one should focus on an alternate religious tradition/geographic area. ANTH 0211 or HIST/PHIL 0237 maybe substituted for a 200-level course with approval of the advisor.

Philosophy track: PHIL 0150 or PHIL 0151; at least one ethics course selected among: PHIL 0205, PHIL 0210, PHIL 0285, or an approved alternative; at least one philosophy of science course selected among: PHIL 0214 (strongly recommended), PHIL 0216, or an approved alternative; an additional PHIL course selected in consultation with the advisor.

Students with strong comparative interests in both religion and philosophy should consult with their advisor.

Natural Science Foci

Conservation Biology (Environmental Studies-Biology joint major): BIOL 0140; BIOL 0145; BIOL 0392; two field methods courses chosen from BIOL 0203, BIOL 0205, BIOL 0304, BIOL 0308, BIOL 0323 and BIOL 0371; one organismal course chosen from among BIOL 0202, BIOL 0203, BIOL 0204, BIOL 0205 BIOL 0308 and BIOL 0310; and two BIOL electives chosen from the 0200-0700 level (only one of which can be BIOL 0500 or higher). Notes: BIOL 0203, BIOL 0205, and 0308 may count toward the field methods or the organismal requirement but not towards both. Winter Term courses offered through the Biology Department can be used to satisfy one of the elective courses; BIOL 0211 is a prerequisite for independent study in Biology (BIOL 0500 and higher). ENVS 0401 satisfies the required joint work for ENVS-BIOL joint majors. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in biology are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Environmental Studies-Chemistry joint major: CHEM 0103; CHEM 0104 or 0107; CHEM 0203, CHEM 0204; CHEM 0270; and CHEM 0311.  Students wishing to pursue graduate study in chemistry are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Environmental Studies-Earth and Climate Sciences joint majorOne introductory course (ECSC 0112 preferred), both core courses (ECSC 201, 202), three electives and a two-term senior thesis (ECSC 400, 700) focusing on geology and the environment. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in geology are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Social Science Foci

Conservation Psychology: PSYC 0105; PSYC 0201; PSYC 0202; PSYC 0233/0333; PSYC 0416 or PSYC 0423, and two additional courses to be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Environmental Economics: MATH 0121 or MATH 0122; ECON 0155; ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210); ECON 0211; ECON 0255; ECON 0265; ECON 0465 or ECON 0466; one course from among INTD 0222, ECON 0228, ECON 0365, ECON 0425, ECON 0427, ECON 465, ECON 0466, and ECON 0488.

Environmental Justice:  ENVS 208 (EJ in the Anthropocene); one course from the foundations list; three courses from the electives list; and two courses from the advanced list.  Substitute or additional courses not listed here, including Winter Term courses and off-campus courses, may count toward the focus with the approval of an ESEJ faculty adviser. This is a social science-based focus, so majors in ESEJ follow the cognate course requirements for the social science division.  Majors may count any humanities course listed for the focus (HIST, RELI, ENAM, PHIL, HARC, CLAS) as a cognate if they do NOT count it toward the focus.  In choosing their natural science cognate, ESEJ majors are encouraged to consider CHEM 270, Environmental Chemistry and Health for their natural science lab cognate.

Environmental Policy: ECON 0155; ECON 0265; ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) or MATH 0116 or PSYC 0201 or STAT 0118; PSCI 0214 or ENVS 0485; PSCI 0421 or PSCI 0452; two courses from among ENVS 0208, ENVS 0209, ENVS 0310, and any PSCI courses at the 0200-0300 level.

Environmental Studies-Geography joint major: GEOG 0100 or GEOG 0151; one GEOG course numbered between 0250 and 0300; four additional geography elective courses numbered below GEOG 0400, at least one of which must be numbered below 0250; and one 0400-level seminar or one 0700-level senior independent project. At least two of the electives must be semester-long courses completed on the Middlebury campus. The electives and seminar must be selected in consultation with, and approved by, the student’s Geography advisor. ENVS 0401 satisfies the required joint work for ENVS-GEOG joint majors.

Environmental Studies - Anthropology joint major. 
Choose one course from the following: ANTH 0103, ANTH 0107, ANTH 0109 or ANTH 0159
Students must take: ANTH 0211 and ANTH 0302
Choose one course from the following: ANTH 0306, ANTH 0396 or ANTH 0492
In addition, students must take three electives related to environmental topics from the Anthropology curriculum or ENVS 0210 or ENVS 0485 in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Students pursuing senior work may only count one semester towards their elective requirement. No more than one elective may be taken outside of the regular fall and spring semesters at Middlebury (e.g., as a winter term course or transfer credit).  Any departures from this program must be approved by the Anthropology department chair.

Other Environmental Perspectives

For students interested in studying the environment from perspectives for which there is not an established focus (e.g., international environmental studies, food studies), we recommend that students select the established focus that most closely meets their goals, select cognates that complement these goals, and, when possible, select topics on course assignments and projects that complement their goals and interests. Students are also encouraged to consider the possibility for intersecting study abroad opportunities with their goals and interests. Finally, students might consider completing a minor in environmental studies alongside a major of their choice. Students are encouraged to meet with the ES Director or with faculty advisors who advise for foci related to their interests to discuss their options.

Environmental Studies Program Honors

Program honors will be awarded to majors who complete a multi-term senior thesis on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and the environment and meet the following requirements: the thesis must be supervised by a faculty advisor who is appointed in or affiliated with the environmental studies program; the work must be presented publicly, orally defended before their committee, and be of superior quality (B+ or higher); the student must achieve an average GPA of B+ or higher in courses taken toward completion of the major. Courses counting toward the GPA in the major include core courses, courses taken in fulfillment of focus with the exception of senior thesis courses (i.e., 700-level courses are excluded), cognates, and ENVS 0401 (if taken). If extra cognates or courses within the focus were taken, those with the highest grades will be applied toward completion of the major and toward the GPA calculation for honors eligibility.