Department Website: http://environmental.sewanee.edu/
Visiting Assistant Professor Carter, Program Director
Associate Professor Pond, Art
Professor Palisano, Biology
Professor Evans, Biology
Professor Haskell, Biology
Associate Professor McGrath, Biology
Associate Professor Zigler, Biology
Professor Bachman, Chemistry
Assistant Professor Sherwood, Environmental Studies and Archaeology
Associate Professor Shibata, Chemistry
Assistant Professor White, Chemistry
Professor Gottfried, Economics
Professor Gatta, English
Professor Potter, Forestry and Geology
Professor Shaver, Forestry and Geology
Professor Knoll, Forestry and Geology
Professor Torreano, Forestry and Geology
Professor Kuers, Forestry and Geology
Professor Smith, Forestry and Geology
Associate Professor Levine, History
Associate Professor Dale, Mathematics and Computer Science
Associate Professor Miller, Music
Professor Peters, Philosophy
Professor Hart, Physics
Professor Durig, Physics
Professor Smith, Religion
Professor Brown, Religion
Devan Allen McGranahan, Environmental Fellow
Program Mission
The Environmental Studies Program brings together students, faculty, and staff from 13 academic departments to study, discuss, and research environmental issues at local, national, and international scales. The goal is to expose the students to a variety of viewpoints concerning environmental issues, and to give them the interdisciplinary tools they need to become environmental problem solvers before they graduate from Sewanee. Five majors, two minors, and a certificate are offered in the Environmental Studies Program.
Majors:
The five majors include Environmental Policy, Ecology and Biodiversity, Natural Resources and the Environment, Environmental Chemistry, and Arts and Humanities. There are 11 required courses for each of the majors, including a senior capstone course.
Environmental Studies Minor:
The minor in Environmental Studies consists of six courses taken from the approved Environmental Studies course list. The minor requires EnSt 200 (Introduction to Environmental Studies), two social science/policy courses (from the approved list), two science courses (from the approved list), and an additional sixth course of their choosing (from the approved list).
Watershed Science Certificate:
The Watershed Science Certificate is designed for students interested in gaining a better understanding of the interactions among the physical, chemical, and biological factors that affect our watersheds and wetlands. Students pursuing the certificate take a range of courses that focus on water resources and watershed science. In addition to hydrology, students take at least one half-course in applied watershed science, and choose additional watershed science courses from a list that contains offerings in a variety of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, forestry, geology, and environmental studies. Each student completes the Certificate with the Watershed Science Capstone course, a multidisciplinary, project oriented course in which students address issues related to two or more of the following topic areas: the interaction of biological processes and watershed function, chemical processes in streams and watersheds, the relationship between forested landscapes and hydrologic systems, or geological processes in terrestrial aquatic systems. The capstone project may be a semester project created solely for the capstone, or may begin as a watershed-related summer internship project that is further developed by the student during an academic semester.
Students who obtain the Certificate will be better prepared to pursue graduate training in watershed science and other hydrologic disciplines, or to begin careers associated with watershed science and management.
Students deciding to pursue the certificate should contact one of the faculty members of the Watershed Certificate Organizing Committee to develop his or her study plan. The Organizing Committee is also available to help a student identify his or her area of emphasis and primary faculty supervisor for the ESci 430 Watershed Science Capstone; together the student and primary supervisor identify the second discipline and arrange to work with a faculty member in that area.
Watershed Certificate Organizing Committee
- Professor Knoll, Forestry and Geology
- Associate Professor McGrath, Biology
- Assistant Professor White, Chemistry
Five-and-a-half courses required (these courses cannot be used to fulfill any degree requirements in the student’s major or minor)
Core Watershed Science courses required (10 semester hours)
- Geol 314 / Fors 314: Hydrology
- Either Geol 315: Watershed Contaminant Hydrology (half course, 2 hours) or Fors 260: Forest Watershed Measurements (half course, 2 hours)
- ESci 430: Watershed Science Capstone
- (Students who take Geol 314 / Fors 314 to fulfill a requirement for their major may take in its place a full course from the additional coursework list that follows.)
Additional Watershed Science coursework required (12 semester hours from the following)
- Fors 262: Forest and Watershed Restoration
- Fors 270: Water Resource Policy and Law
- Fors 303 / Geol 303: Soils
- Fors 305: Forest Ecology
- Either Chem 101: General Chemistry I or Chem 103: Earth, Air, Water and Fire: An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry (103 recommended)
- Biol 210: Ecology
- Biol 235: Freshwater Conservation
- EnSt 217: Fundamentals of GIS or other GIS course, (half or full course, 2 or 4 hours)
- EnSt 240: Island Ecology (summer program; only 4 hours count toward the Certificate)
- EnSt 310: Comparative Watershed Studies (half course, 2 hours)
- EnSt 311: Comparative Watershed Studies Field Course (summer; half course, 2 hours)
Religion and Environment Minor:
- Professor Robin Gottfried, Director
- Offered by interdisciplinary faculty, in conjunction with the Environmental Studies Program and the Center for Religion and Environment
The ways we interact with the natural world reflect the deep-seated values of the society to which we belong and the experiences of nature we have as individuals. Religion, and the spiritual experiences of individuals that inform religious thought, provide profound insights into how we perceive the world around us and guidance as to how to interact with it. The minor in religion and environment encourages students to integrate religious insights and spiritual experience with the natural and social sciences to better understand how religion and the natural world affect one another. Accordingly, the minor includes coursework in natural and social environmental science along with coursework in religion. Because the minor encourages students to reflect on their own spiritual experience and beliefs as they relate to the environment, it culminates in a capstone experiential course involving environmentally related service or action along with reflection on the meaning of that engagement.
Five-and-a-half courses required
• EnSt 200: Introduction to Environmental Studies
• Phil 230: Environmental Ethics
• EnSt 431: Practicum in Religion and Environment (half-course)
Choose two from the following Religion list
- Relg 125: Religion and Animals
- Relg 307: Religious Environmentalism
- Relg 341: Religion and Ecology
- Relg 350: Field Methods in Religious Studies
- Relg 353: Buddhism and the Environment
- Relg 393: Rural Religion
- Theo 360: Creation, Evolution, and God (three semester hours)
Choose one from the following lists: either Policy or Natural Science Policy
• Econ/PolS 381: The Political Economy of Sustainable Development
• EnSt 332: Archaeological Resource Management and Policy
• EnSt 336: Environmental Land-Use Policy
• Fors 201: Natural Resource Issues and Policies
• Fors 270: Water Resource Policy and Law
Natural Science
• Biol 105: Biology and People
• Biol 107: People and the Environment
• Biol 130: Field Investigations in Biology (Field-Based)
• Chem 101: General Chemistry (Lab)
• Fors 121: Introduction to Forestry (Lab)
• Geol 121: Physical Geology (Lab)
• Geol 235: Earth Systems and Climate Change
• Phys 105: Energy and the Environment
Environmental Studies: Policy — An interdisciplinary major designed to examine important environmental issues and the political, social, and biological ramifications of environmental policy.
Eleven Courses Required:
EnSt 200: Introduction to Environmental Studies (writing intensive)
EnSt 400: Seminar in Environmental Studies (senior capstone course)
Each of the Following (Core Courses):
Econ 335: Environmental Economics
EnSt 334: Environmental Policy and Law
Phil 230: Environmental Ethics
Two of the Following (Policy in Action):
Econ/PolS 381: The Political Economy of Sustainable Development
EnSt 332: Archeological Resource Management and Policy
EnSt 336: Land-use Policy
Fors 201: Natural Resource Issues and Policies
Fors 270: Water Resource Policy and Law
Pols 382: International Environmental Policy
Two Natural Science Courses (one of which must be either Field-Based or Lab)
One of the following (Physical Science):
Chem 101: General Chemistry (Lab)
Geol 121: Physical Geology (Lab)
Geol 235: Earth Systems and Climate Change
Phys 105: Energy and the Environment
One of the following (Life Science)
Biol 105: Biology and People
Biol 107: People and the Environment
Biol 130: Field Investigations in Biology (Field-Based)
Fors 121: Introduction to Forestry (Lab)
One of the following (Tools and Skills):
CSci 120: Introduction to Environmental Computing
EnSt 217: Fundamentals of GIS
EnSt 220: Reading the Landscape
EnSt 340: Tools for Environmental Policy Analysis
Stat 204: Elementary Statistics
One additional elective:
A course selected from the approved Environmental Studies Catalog List
Environmental Studies: Ecology and Biodiversity — An interdisciplinary major that integrates coursework in biology, ecology, and evolution with other environmental disciplines.
Eleven courses required:
Biol 132: Cellular, Molecular and Physiological Biology or Biol 133: Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology
Biol 210: Ecology
Biol 211: Biodiversity: Pattern and Process
One capstone class: EnSt 400: Seminar in Environmental Studies –or– Biology 315: Advanced Ecology and Biodiversity –or– Biol 444A
Three biology classes from Ecology and Biodiversity list:
Biol 200: Entomology
Biol 201: Ornithology
Biol 202: Invertebrate Zoology
Biol 206: Plant Ecology
Biol 207: Biology of Lower Plants
Biol 209: Advanced Conservation Biology
Biol 213: Evolutionary Biology
Biol 215: Fungi AND Biol 216. Algae and Bryophytes
Biol 221: Environmental Physiology of Plants
Biol 222: Advanced Conservation Biology
Biol 232: Human Health and the Environment
Biol 235: Freshwater Conservation
Biol 241: Rainforests and Coral Reefs AND Biol 251: Field Study in Belize
Biol 250: Molecular Evolution
Biol 260: Cave Biology
Biol 309: Ecology and Biodiversity Seminar
Biol 310: Plant Evolution and Systematics
Biol 313: Ecosystems and Global Change
Biol 317: Wildfire in the Southern Appalachians
Biol 339: Studio Course in Microbiology
Biol 340: Microbiology
Biol 350: Environmental Physiology and Biochemistry of Animals
EnSt 220: Reading the Landscape
Students who have completed the Island Ecology summer program may count the program as one course in this list.
Three classes in the study of the environment from a non-scientific perspective:
EnSt 200: Introduction to Environmental Studies
Classes in humanities or social science from the Humanities/Social Science list
One class in the scientific study of the environment from a science department other than biology:
Chem 101: General Chemistry I
Chem 102: General Chemistry II
Chem 103: Earth, Air, Water and Fire: An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry
Chem 111: Advanced General Chemistry
Fors 121: Introduction to Forestry
Geol 121: Physical Geology
Phys 101: General Physics I
Phys 102: General Physics II
Phys 105: Environmental Physics
Phys 106: Foundations of Global Warming
Note that many graduate programs in ecology and biodiversity require one or more semesters of physical science (chemistry, geology, and/or physics)
Required for a B.S. (but not for a B.A.) in Ecology and Biodiversity:
Statistics, and three additional Math / Stat / science classes outside Biology, including at least two lab science classes.
Note: The major field is defined as all Biology classes listed above, Biol 130, EnSt 140, EnSt 200, EnSt 217, EnSt 240, EnSt 317, and EnSt 400. Study abroad courses count inside the major field if the majority of the work in the course concerns the scientific study of ecology and biodiversity; study abroad courses will count outside the major field if the majority of the work for the course concerns social science, humanities or other work outside the natural sciences.
Environmental Studies: Natural Resources and the Environment — An interdisciplinary major that integrates coursework in forest ecosystems and geology with other environmental topics.
Eleven and one-half courses required:
1. EnSt 200: Introduction to Environmental Studies
2. Fors 121: Introduction to Forestry
3. Geol 121: Physical Geology
4. One of the following:
Biol 130: Field Investigations in Biology
Biol 200: Entomology
a biology laboratory course
Chem 100: Foundations of Chemistry
Chem 120: General Chemistry
Phys 105: Energy and the Environment
Phys 106: Foundations of Global Warming
5. Four of the following:
Fors 211: Dendrology
Fors 262: Forest and Watershed Restoration
Fors 303: Soils
Fors 305: Forest Ecology
Fors 312: Silviculture
Fors 319: Natural Resource Management Decisions
Geol 215: Economic Geological Resources
Geol 221: Mineralogy
Geol 222: Historical Geology
Geol 225: Sedimentology
Geol 314: Hydrology
Geol 325: Field and Structural Geology
6.Two additional courses from Forestry, or Geology, or from the Environmental Studies Approved Courses Lists for Environmental Studies Majors
7. Fors / Geol 332: Junior Presentations in Forestry and Geology (0.5 credit)
8. Fors / Geol 432: Senior Interdisciplinary Field Project (1.0) (Capstone)
Required for B.S. (but not for B.A.) in Natural Resources and the Environment
Two science lab courses not in Fors/Geol (Chemistry recommended)
Two other math or science courses
Environmental Studies: Environmental Chemistry: An interdisciplinary major that integrates coursework in chemistry with other environmentally related disciplines.
Eleven courses required:
Chem 102: General Chemistry II OR Chem 111: Advanced General Chemistry
Chem 201: Organic Chemistry
Chem 308: Inorganic Chemistry
Chem 311: Chemical Analysis
Two additional Chemistry courses numbered 200 or higher other than 301, 401, 444
EnSt 200: Introduction to Environmental Studies
Three additional courses chosen from the Environmental Studies Lists. At least one course must be chosen from
1. Humanities/Social Science list and at least one must be chosen from 2. Sciences list from a department other than Chemistry.
One Capstone course: EnSt 400, EnSt 240, Chem 444, OR Chem 494
Recommended (outside the major) for the B.S. track
Math 102: Calculus II
Phys 101 and 102: General Physics OR equivalent
Stat 204: Elementary Statistics
One additional science lab course outside of chemistry
Environmental Studies: Arts and Humanities — An interdisciplinary major that explores humanity’s evolving relation to the environment with the benefit of diverse perspectives offered by history, literature, art, philosophy, and religion.
Eleven courses required:
EnSt 200: Introduction to Environmental Studies (writing intensive)
EnSt 400: Seminar in Environmental Studies (senior capstone course)
Six courses from the following themed categories, with at least one course from each of the first two groups and no more than four courses from any group.
Culture and History
Anth 298: Ecological Anthropology
Engl 220: Poetry, Nature, and Contemplation
Engl 396: American Environmental Literature
EnSt 100: Walking the Land
Hist 100: The Environment in History (only when the course bears this topical subtitle)
Hist 229: The Many Faces of Sewanee
Hist 386: African Environmental History
Rusn 363: Environmentalism and Ecocide in Russian Literature and Culture
Religion and Values
Anth 312: Place, Ritual, and Belief
Phil 230: Environmental Ethics
Relg 125: Religion and Animals
Relg 307: Religious Environmentalism
Relg 341: Religion and Ecology
Relg 353: Buddhism and the Environment
Relg 393: Rural Religion
Arts, Landscape, and Design
Art 242: The Lens and the Landscape: Documentary Studies and the Environment
Art 263: Intermediate Documentary Projects in Photography
Art 282: Sustainable Structures
Art 343: Advanced Video Production (also Thea 343)
Art 363: Advanced Documentary Projects in Photography
Art 381: Advanced Sculpture
Musc 269: Music of the Birds and Bees: Music and Nature
One Policy course from the following
EnSt 332: Archeological Resource Management and Policy
EnSt 336: Land-use Policy
Fors 270: Water Resource Policy and Law
Fors 201: Natural Resource Issues and Policies
Econ/Pols 381: The Political Economy of Sustainable Development
Pols 382: International Environmental Policy
Two Natural Science courses (one of which must be either field-based or lab)
One of the following (Life Science):
Biol 105: Biology and People
Biol 107: People and the Environment
Biol 130: Field Investigations in Biology (Field-Based)
Fors 121: Introduction to Forestry (Lab)
One of the following (Physical Science):
Chem 101: General Chemistry (Lab)
Geol 121: Physical Geology (Lab)
Geol 235: Earth Systems and Climate Change
Phys 105: Energy and the Environment
Strongly recommended (outside the major elective):
EnSt 217: Fundamentals of GIS