2013-2014 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Environmental Science Major
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Environmental Science Overview
Undergraduate Program
The interdisciplinary environmental science major introduces students to physical, biological, geographical and policy aspects of the natural environment. Following a set of common core courses, majors choose one of three tracks: Earth System Science, Environmental and Conservation Biology, or Environmental Science and Policy. The major provides training for those who want to continue on to graduate school or establish management, fieldwork, or laboratory careers in areas as diverse as ecology; conservation biology; teaching; environmental planning, protection, or regulation; water or air monitoring; and policy development.
Advanced students are encouraged to undertake directed research or internships and may do a senior project for honors. Environmental science faculty come from a wide range of Clark’s departments. Most are from Biology, Geography, and International Development, Community and Environment, but faculty with environmental interests are also to be found in departments as diverse as Chemistry, Economics, Political Science, Management, Philosophy, and Physics. Many of the research faculty of Clark’s George Perkins Marsh Institute are also contributors to the ES major.
For more information, please visit the Environmental Science Department’s website. Major Requirements
Clark environmental science majors may elect to concentrate in one of three areas: Earth System Science, Environmental and Conservation Biology, or Environmental Science and Policy.
Students who have clearly developed interests in environmental science when they arrive at Clark may be interested in satisfying some of their perspectives with environmentally-relevant perspective courses. A. Environmental and Conservation Biology Track
Environmental biologists explore the ways in which organisms evolve and interact with one another and their environments. Levels of exploration can range from molecular evolution and genomics to ecosystem level function. Conservation biology makes up one component of this field, focusing on the biological knowledge necessary to preserve biodiversity. Because the loss of biodiversity has reached crisis proportions, we offer a focused curriculum that enables students to bring appropriate biological tools and knowledge to efforts to develop conservation strategies and policies.
This track is designed to provide this focus and to allow students to design a curriculum that will prepare them for research and teaching in environmental and conservation biology. The environmental and conservation track carries the following requirements. We recommend that students interested in obtaining both a strong background in environmental and conservation biology and policy consider completing this track and then the accelerated B.A./M.A. degree in environmental science and policy. Environmental Science Core Courses (3)
These courses are intended to provide all students in the environmental science major with a common, general background and vocabulary in environmental science: Mathematics (2)
These pairs of courses offer students requisite mathematical and statistical skills for the discipline. The second statistics course must be approved by the ECB track advisor.
- Two Calculus courses (e.g. and )
or
or
- One Calculus course (e.g. ) and one Statistics course (e.g. )
Biology Core Courses (4)
These courses provide students with the knowledge needed for more advanced study in the field. Research Course in Biology (1)
These are courses that provide students with intensive research experiences that will enable them to develop the background needed to design and carry out their own research. With prior approval, courses in field programs may also satisfy this requirement. Seminar Course in Biology (1)
Seminar courses provide students with the opportunity to develop the ability to read and evaluate original literature and to develop verbal presentation and discussion skills at the same time they are exploring a new field of biology. Natural Science Electives (3)
Selection of one or more courses from this list will enable students to broaden their backgrounds in environmental and conservation biology. At least two of these courses should be in the natural sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) or in Math and Computer Science. At least one course must be at 200 level. This is not an exhaustive list. The ES director can approve other courses. Courses listed under research or seminar course options can also fulfill this elective. Courses in Environment and Society (2)
Selection of courses from this list will provide students with initial insights into the mutual impacts of the biological systems and human activities, as well as the processes entailed in decision making and policy development relative to environmental issues. Other recommendations:
Students interested in Environmental and Conservation Biology, whose interests overlap with those of a biology faculty member, and who meet B.A./M.S. academic requirements, should seriously consider participating in the Accelerated B.A./M.S. Degree Program. This program enables students with career goals that include research to develop a much deeper understanding of the field, and of the skills involved in hypothesis development, data acquisition and analysis, and written and verbal presentation skills. B. Earth System Science Track
Earth System Science uses an interdisciplinary approach to study the complex, interacting physical and biological components of the Earth’s land surface, atmosphere, cryosphere and oceans, placing an emphasis on observing, understanding and predicting global environmental changes.
The ESS track of the Environmental Science major program incorporates intensive field study, satellite remote sensing analysis, geographic information science (GISci), and computer simulation as tools for understanding, monitoring, and predicting Earth system behavior. The ESS program trains students for a wide range of professional endeavors as well as more advanced studies involving physical geography, forest ecology, landscape ecology, land-atmosphere interactions, hydrology, biogeochemistry, remote sensing, and GISci. Environmental Science Core Courses (3)
These courses are intended to provide all students in the environmental science major with a common, general background and vocabulary: Basic Skills (2; at least 1 at the 200 level)
These courses develop skills in statistics, modeling and database management. Elective Introductory Earth System Science Courses (4)
These courses include offerings in physical geography, hydrology, weather and climate, global warming, environmental chemistry and biodiversity. Elective Advanced Earth System Science Courses (4; at least 2 from Geography)
These are more narrowly focused, upper division courses in Earth Systems Science. Human-Environment Courses (2)
Human interaction with the global environment is addressed here, from economic, political, management, ethical, cultural and legal perspectives. Skills GIScience (1)
These offerings allow students to develop the knowledge to use Global and Environmental imaging and information systems. Research Experience
This can be fulfilled by an appropriate capstone course, an internship, the HERO program (see Clark Web pages), directed research (EN299), or an honors thesis (EN297). C. Environmental Science and Policy Track
The Environmental Science and Policy undergraduate program prepares students to deal with the complexities of environmental issues in society. The program provides students with an in-depth understanding of how human activity and technology are impacting the natural environment and provides social science and policy perspective on how these impacts can be minimized. The strong emphasis on the natural sciences ensures students understand the technical as well as the social aspects of the world’s most pressing environmental issues.
The environmental science and policy track carries the following requirements: Environmental Science Core Courses (3)
These courses are intended to provide all students in the environmental science major with a common, general background and vocabulary in environmental science: Mathematics (1 semester of statistics)
Introductory Science Courses (3)
These courses provide background in the sciences, including biology, chemistry and physics. Chosen from the following, the courses must draw on at least two different disciplines: ES&P Required Courses (2)
Science Electives (3; at least one at the 200 level)
These courses may be chosen from a wide range of advanced science electives in biology, chemistry, geography and physics. At least one must be at 200-level: ES&P Electives (4, with at least two at the 200 level)
Who is eligible:
Students who, by the end of the sophomore year, have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major and 3.25 overall, and who have a demonstrated research background to undertake the independent honors research, are eligible to apply for the honors program. What the Honors Thesis entails:
Honors students must successfully complete a two-semester independent research project conducted under the supervision of a faculty advisor and one additional faculty member (both must be members of the ES faculty) who together constitute the student’s Honors Committee. The project should make an original contribution to a body of knowledge. The product of the research will be a written thesis, the size and format of which to be decided jointly by the student and his/her faculty advisor. In addition to writing a thesis, the student will prepare and present a poster at Academic Spree Day in the spring of their senior year. How to apply:
- In the spring of the junior year the student presents a short letter of intent, approximately one page in length, to the Director of the ES Major. The letter should state the student’s intention to pursue the honors thesis; report the overall and major-specific GPA; specify the research topic; and name the members of the Honors Committee. Additionally, the letter should briefly describe the research question or hypothesis, and the general methodological approach to the research (for example: laboratory measurement, field measurements, survey, computer modeling, analysis of case studies, policy analysis, technology assessment, economic analysis, and so on).
- In addition to the letter of intent, the principal faculty advisor should write a supporting letter to director of ES. The advisor should state his/her opinion on the student’s readiness to conduct the proposed research, approve the project as conceived, and express willingness to supervise the work.
Admission to honors research:
- Deadline for the applications is April 1.
- The Faculty Steering Committee for the Environmental Science Major will review student applications and faculty support letters, and will notify the applicants of their admission to the honors program by May 1.
How to graduate with honors:
In order to graduate with honors the student must successfully conclude her/his research and have his/her thesis accepted by the Honors Committee. The deadline for submitting the completed Thesis is Wednesday of the third week in April. The student must additionally present the research results at Academic Spree Day. He/she must also maintain a GPA of 3.25 overall and 3.5 in the major until the end of their senior year. Environmental Science Faculty
Program
Charles Agosta, Ph.D.
John Baker, Ph.D. - Director of ES Program
Philip Bergmann, Ph.D.
Halina Brown, Ph.D.
Patrick Derr, Ph.D.
Timothy Downs, D.Env.
J. Ronald Eastman, Ph.D.
Jody Emel, Ph.D.
William Fisher, Ph.D.
Susan Foster, Ph.D. - Chair of ES Steering
Karen Frey, Ph.D.
Alex Gardner, Ph.D.
Jacqueline Geoghegan, Ph.D.
Robert Goble, Ph.D.
Barbara Goldoftas, Ph.D.
Frederick Greenaway, Ph.D.
Dale Hattis, Ph.D.
David Hibbett, Ph.D.
Dominik Kulakowski, Ph.D.
Todd Livdahl, Ph.D.
Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger, Ph.D.
Colin Polsky, Ph.D.
Robert Gilmore Pontius Jr, Ph.D.
Samuel Ratick, Ph.D.
Deborah Robertson, Ph.D.
Dianne Rocheleau, Ph.D.
John Rogan, Ph.D.
Joseph Sarkis, Ph.D.
Jennie Stephens, Ph.D.
Heather Wiatrowski, Ph.D.
Christopher A. Williams, Ph.D. Environmental Science Courses
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