Environmental Science
Charles A. Dana Professor Richard K. Dunn (Chair); Associate Professor G. Christopher Koteas; Assistant Professor Laurie D. Grigg; Lecturer Benjamin DeJong; Research Associate George E. Springston
This major is interdisciplinary, designed for those with environmental interests and career goals. The program emphasizes experiential learning, commonly through field studies and outdoor education. Courses include real projects and original research participation. Students begin their curriculum with the development of a firm base in the sciences and mathematics. Each student develops an area of specialization by selecting a Concentration from one of two Options. Option I Concentrations lead to a heavier emphasis in science and engineering, and include Environmental Biology, Environmental Geology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, and Climate Science. Option II Concentrations result in a stronger emphasis in the social sciences, humanities, business, and include Environmental Policy & Management, Environmental Law & Protection, Environmental Writing, Green Design, and Environmental Education.
All Environmental Science majors take a pair of capstone courses involving an original research project and a seminar designed to synthesize their education and tie scientific thought to issues in society. The Department houses a number of instruments for environmental monitoring and analysis, and students also have access to resources in their area of Concentration.
Goals:
- To provide an interdisciplinary Liberal Arts degree program in Environmental Science having a strong foundation in the physical and life sciences with a focus on relationships connecting society and nature.
- To provide two options, one with a concentration in the sciences and engineering, and the other with a concentration in the social sciences and humanities.
- To provide instruction and experiences with emphasis on field studies, solution of active problems, and communication in a professional format.
Outcomes:
- Understand the physical laws of nature that control the formation and evolution of Earth materials and biological organisms
- Understand what controls the behavior of the chemical compounds that make up the inorganic and organic materials of the Earth
- Know how to define a problem, design a study to acquire data, critically analyze and interpret data, and discuss the implications of results
- Be able to think critically about published work, synthesize the content of such work, and present findings at a professional level both in writing and orally
- Meet the University's General Education Goals
Careers for this Major:
- Graduate education
- Industry and consulting
- Military
- Environmental agencies
- Non-profit organizations
B.S. in Environmental Science – Curriculum Map 2018-2019 Catalog
Option I
Concentrations for Option 1 are: Environmental Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Geology, Environmental Engineering, or Climate Science.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| BI 101 Principles of Biology I 1 | 4 | BI 102 Principles of Biology II 1 | 4 | ||
| EN 101 Composition and Literature I | 3 | EN 102 Composition and Literature II | 3 | ||
| GL 110 Introduction to Geology (General Education Lab Science) | 4 | GL 111 Oceanography (General Education Lab Science) | 4 | ||
| MA 107 Precalculus Mathematics (General Education Math) | 4 | MA 108 Applied Calculus (General Education Math) 2 | 4 | ||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 15 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| CH 103 General Chemistry I | 4 | CH 104 General Chemistry II | 4 | ||
| Concentration Elective | 3-4 | Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ||
| ES 270 Fundamentals of Environmental Science (OR) 3 | 4 | General Education Literature or ES 130 | 3 | ||
Free Elective (3 cr.) | MA 232 Elementary Statistics | 3 | |||
| ES 251 Sophomore Seminar in Environmental Science | 1 | Free Elective 3 | 3-4 | ||
| PH 323 Environmental Ethics (General Education Ethics OR ) | 3 | ||||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 15-16 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 16-18 | ||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ES 130 Introduction to Environmental Law (OR General Education Literature) | 3 | ||
| EC 201 Principles of Economics (Macro) (General Education Social Science) or 202 Principles of Economics (Micro) | 3 | Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ||
| PS 201 General Physics I | 4 | ES 340 Project Development in Environmental Science | 1 | ||
| General Education Arts & Humanities or PH 323) | 3 | PS 202 General Physics II | 4 | ||
| Free Elective (or ES 270) 3 | 3-4 | Free Elective 3 | 4-3 | ||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 16-18 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| BI 205 Ecology | 4 | Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ||
| Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ES 451 Environmental Science Seminar | 3 | ||
| ES 440 Research Project in Environmental Science (Capstone) | 3 | ES 460 Project Completion in Environmental Science | 1 | ||
| GL 255 Hydrogeology | 3 | General Education History | 3 | ||
| General Education Leadership | 1-3 | Free Elective 3 | 4-3 | ||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 14-17 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 14 | ||
| TOTAL CREDITS FOR THIS MAJOR: 120-128 | |||||
| 1 | EnvCH and EnvEG concentrations students take CH 103 and CH 104 as freshmen, and BI 101 and BI 102 in the second year. |
| 2 | Or equivalent, especially if needed as a prerequisite for Concentration courses. |
| 3 | Can be used out of sequence and to take more than one concentration elective concurrently. |
Available Concentrations – Option I
Environmental Biology Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| GL 261 | Field Geology | 4 |
| CH 205 | Survey of Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| BI 220 | Introductory Microbiology | 4 |
| BI 326 | Natural History of the Vertebrates | 4 |
| Two of the following: | 8 | |
| Plant Taxonomy | 4 | |
| Dendrology and Silvics | 4 | |
| Woodland Ecology and Management | 4 | |
| Total Cr. | 24 | |
Environmental Geology Concentration 2018-2019 Concentration
| GL 253 | Geomorphology | 4 |
| GL 257 | Sedimentology | 4 |
| GL 261 | Field Geology | 4 |
| GL 263 | Mineralogy | 4 |
| GL 200 level Elective or EG 203 Materials Science | 3-4 | |
| CH elective: CH204 or above, 3-4 cr. options only | 3-4 | |
| Total Cr. | 22-24 | |
Environmental Chemistry Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| CH 204 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| CH 205 | Survey of Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| GL 263 | Mineralogy | 4 |
| Three of the following: | 10-12 | |
| Field Geology | 4 | |
| Instrumental Methods (+/- CH 315 Lab) | 3/4 | |
| Materials Science | 3 | |
| Introductory Microbiology | 4 | |
| Total Cr. | 22-24 | |
Environmental Engineering Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| EG 109 | Introduction to Engineering I | 3 |
| CE 211 | Surveying | 3 |
| EG 203 | Materials Science | 3 |
| AP 221 | Site Development and Design | 3 |
| GL 253 | Geomorphology | 4 |
| One of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Field Geology | 4 | |
| Mathematical Computation and Modeling | 3 | |
CH elective: CH 204 or above, 3-4 cr. options only | 3-4 | |
| Total Cr. | 19-20 | |
Climate Science Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| GL 265 | Glacial Geology and Paleoclimate | 4 |
| CH 204 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| GL 253 | Geomorphology | 4 |
| MA 241 | Mathematical Computation and Modeling | 3 |
| Two of the following: | 6-8 | |
| Instrumental Methods (+/- CH 315 Lab) | 3/4 | |
| Geopolitics (recommended) | 3 | |
| Evolution | 4 | |
| International Law | 3 | |
| Total Cr. | 21-23 | |
B. S. in Environmental Science – Curriculum Map 2018-2019 Catalog
Option II
Concentrations for Option 2 are: Environmental Policy and Management, Environmental Law and Protection, Environmental Writing, Green Design, or Education
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| BI 101 Principles of Biology I | 4 | BI 102 Principles of Biology II | 4 | ||
| EN 101 Composition and Literature I | 3 | EN 102 Composition and Literature II | 3 | ||
| GL 110 Introduction to Geology (General Education Lab Science) | 4 | GL 111 Oceanography (General Education Lab Science) | 4 | ||
| MA 107 Precalculus Mathematics (General Education Math) | 4 | MA 108 Applied Calculus (General Education Math) | 4 | ||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 15 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| Concentration Elective | 3-4 | Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ||
| ES 270 Fundamentals of Environmental Science | 4-3 | MA 232 Elementary Statistics | 3 | ||
| ES 251 Sophomore Seminar in Environmental Science | 1 | PY 211 Introduction to Psychology (General Education Social Science) | 3 | ||
| PH 323 Environmental Ethics (General Education Ethics and General Education Arts & Humanities) or EN 276 Environmental Writing | 3 | General Education Literature or ES 130 | 3 | ||
| PO Elective 1 | 3 | PO Elective 2 1 | 3 | ||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 14 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 15-16 | ||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| CH Chemistry Elective | 4 | Concentration Elective | 3 | ||
| Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ES 130 Introduction to Environmental Law (or General Education Literature) | 3 | ||
| EC 201 Principles of Economics (Macro) | 3-4 | ES 340 Project Development in Environmental Science | 1 | ||
| EN 276 Environmental Writing or PH 323 Environmental Ethics | 3 | GL 253 Geomorphology (or Free Elective) 2 | 4 | ||
| SO 201 Introduction to Sociology (General Education Social Science) | 3 | General Education History | 3 | ||
| Free Elective 2 | 3-4 | ||||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 16-18 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 17-18 | ||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Cr. | Comp. | Spring | Cr. | Comp. |
| BI 205 Ecology | 4 | ES 451 Environmental Science Seminar | 3 | ||
| Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ES 460 Project Completion in Environmental Science | 1 | ||
| ES 440 Research Project in Environmental Science (Capstone) | 3 | Concentration Elective | 3-4 | ||
| General Education Arts & Humanities OR PH 323 | 3 | Free Elective 2 | 3-4 | ||
| General Education Leadership | 1-3 | Free Elective (or GL 253) 2 | 3-4 | ||
| Free Elective 2 | 3-4 | ||||
| Fall Semester Total Cr.: | 14-17 | Spring Semester Total Cr.: | 16-20 | ||
| TOTAL CREDITS FOR THIS MAJOR: 122-133 | |||||
| 1 | Selected from PO 105 American Politics, PO 215 International Relations and PO 305 Geopolitics; Green Design concentration students take EG 109 Introduction to Engineering I and EG 110 Introduction to Engineering II. |
| 2 | Can be used out of sequence and to take more than on concentration elective concurrently. |
Available Concentrations – Option II
Environmental Policy and Management Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| MG 101 | Introduction to Business | 3 |
| CS 120 | Business Applications & Problem Solving Techniques | 3 |
| SO 202 | Problems of Modern Society | 3 |
| PO 321 | U.S. Constitutional Law | 3 |
| MG 309 | Management of Organizations | 3 |
| MG 341 | Business Law I | 3 |
| Total Cr. | 18 | |
Environmental Law and Protection Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| CJ 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 102 | Substantive Criminal Law | 3 |
| CJ 402 | Law and Society | 3 |
| Two of the following three: | 6 | |
| U.S. Constitutional Law | 3 | |
| The Legislative Process | 3 | |
| State and Local Politics | 3 | |
| SO 202 | Problems of Modern Society | 3 |
| Total Cr. | 18 | |
Environmental Writing Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| EN 274 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| EN 364 | Intermediate Creative Writing | 3 |
| Four of the following: | 12 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| Survey of American Literature I | 3 | |
| Survey of American Literature II | 3 | |
| Literature of the Sea | 3 | |
| Literary Methods | 3 | |
| American Ethnic Literature & Cultural Literature | 3 | |
| Literature of the Developing World | 3 | |
| Introduction to Mass Media | 3 | |
| Total Cr. | 18 | |
Green Design Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog
| AP 111 | Fundamentals of Architecture | 4 |
| AP 118 | Fundamentals of Architecture II | 4 |
| AP 221 | Site Development and Design | 3 |
| AP 225 | Introduction to Passive Environmental Systems | 3 |
| AP 325 | Materials, Construction, and Design | 3 |
| One of the following three: | 3 | |
| History/Theory of Architecture I | 3 | |
| History/Theory of Architecture II | 3 | |
| History/Theory of Artchitectural III | 3 | |
| Total Cr. | 20 | |
Environmental Education Concentration 2018-2019 Catalog1
| ED 104 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| Five of the following: | 16-19 | |
| Learning and Teaching Strategies | 4 | |
| Special Needs Child | 3 | |
| Methods of Teaching Science to Elementary Students | 3 | |
| Reading and Writing in the Content Area | 4 | |
| Developmental Psychology | 3 | |
| Adolescent Psychology | 3 | |
| Learning and Memory | 4 | |
| Total Cr. | 19-22 | |
| 1 | For Environmental Education concentration students seeking licensure, a double major in Education, Elementary Teacher Licensure is required, and may require an additional semester for student teaching. |
Courses
ES 115 Geographic Info. Systems 3 Cr.
Introduction through geographic information systems (GIS) to spatial analysis, addressing a range of applications across disciplines. Students use GIS to analyze spatial data and problem solve real-world issues. During the final four weeks students design, implement, and present a GIS project. 3 lecture hours. Offered Spring, even years.
ES 130 Introduction to Environmental Law 3 Cr.
Major Federal pollution regulation schemes, enviromental economics, risk analysis, relevant common law, and constitutional and procedural issues are introduced. Vermont Enviromental Law is addressed, as is a survey of the extensive and often novel regulatory approaches of the state of Vermont. The course introduces enviromental law issues such as population, economic growth, energy, and pollution. Enviromental problems are defined and alternative approaches for dealing with them are examined. Existing statutory efforts such as the National Enviromental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act are analyzed. 3 lecture hours. Offered Spring, even years.
ES 1XL Enviromental Lab Sci. Transfer Elec 4 Cr.
This course is used for transfer when no equivalent Norwich course exists.
ES 1XX Enviromental Science Transfer Elec. 4 Cr.
This course is used for transfer when no equivalent Norwich course exists.
ES 251 Sophomore Seminar in Environmental Science 1 Cr.
This course introduces the fundamentals of scientific investigation and communication. A research project introduces the Scientific Method, while reading and comprehension of scientific literature is coupled with instruction in and application of technical and scientific writing. Other forms of scientific communication, including poster and oral presentations, are addressed. Students learn the appropriate techniques for displaying and interpreting scientific data. Students may not earn credit for both ES 251 and GL 251. Offered Fall semester.
ES 260 Project in Environmental Science 1-4 Cr.
Students conduct an independent study on an enviromental science field or labratory project. Topic chosen by mutual consent of the student and instructor. A written report is required. May be repeated one time for credit. Prereqs: GL 110 or GL 111 or GL 156, and Department Chair permission. Offered occ.
ES 270 Fundamentals of Environmental Science 4 Cr.
Investigates the atmosphere, hydroshere, lithosphere, and pedoshere and their interrelations as well as the affect they have on humans and the role that humans play in large-scale change within these spheres. Subjects include modern climate principles and golbal climate change, water as a natural resource, natural hazards such and landslides, earthquakes, and volcanoes, soil nutrient loss and erosion, sustainable agriculture, and other topics related to natural-human interactions. 3 lecture hours, 3 labratory hours. Prereqs: GL 110, GL 111, or GL 156. Offered Fall, odd years.
ES 290 Internship in Environmental Science 1-4 Cr.
A course for enviromental science internships on a topic chosen by mutual consent of the student and instructor. A written report is required. May be repeated one time for credit. Prereqs: GL 110, GL111, or GL 156, 2.0 cum. GPA and instructor or Department Chair permission. Offered occ.
ES 340 Project Development in Environmental Science 1 Cr.
Develops the skills for designing and executing an original scientific research project. Topics include research plan development, literature research to inform methodology, generation of site maps and protocols for collecting field and labratory data, and generation of a properly formatted research proposal. 1 lecute hour. Prereqs: J1, Enviromental Science major, instructor permission. Offered Spring.
ES 440 Research Project in Environmental Science 3 Cr.
A capstone original research project under the direction of a faculty member in coordination with others taking this course. Field and labratory work will generate new data on an expanding base; after analysis and interpretation, data will be presented in a techincal format. All aspects of the project will be intereted in the context of the literature. 3 lecture hours. Prereqs: ES 340. May not receive credit for both ES 440 and GL 440. Offered Fall.
ES 451 Environmental Science Seminar 3 Cr.
A capstone seminar experience integrating reading, writing, and group participation focused on Earth and enviromental issues. Discussions explore links between society and global systems. 3 lecture hours. Prereqs: S1. Credit cannot be received for this course and GL 451. Offered Spring.