The program is designed for environmental research in the field of biology, chemistry, economics, history, and political science with interdisciplinary work on environmental themes in natural sciences, history, and social sciences. Five courses of study are available, each concentrating in an environmental department, with cross-disciplinary requirements in environmental studies. Environmental studies majors will be identified with their home studies as environmental studies-biology, environmental studies-chemistry, environmental studies-economics, environmental studies-history, or environmental studies-political science.http://academic.reed.edu/es/ .
Admission to the Major
To be admitted to the environmental studies program, students must obtain signatures from their academic adviser and the Environmental Studies Committee on their declaration of major form. It should be noted that environmental studies should be considered as an important part of the study of environmental studies.
Requirements for the Major
A. Common Environmental Studies Core Requirements
1. Environmental studies-history and social sciences courses (four units). Any two from a-d:
a. 201 and one environmental studies-economics course.
b. One 200-level political science race (except 230) and one environmental studies-political science race (except 386-415).
c. Two units of history, including at least one environmental studies-history course.
d. Anthropology 211 and one environmental studies-anthropology course.
2. Environmental Studies-Mathematics and Natural Sciences Courses (Four and One-Half to Five Units)
a. Biology 101/102
b. Chemistry 101/102
c. One of: Biology 332, 342, or 366; Chemistry 201, 202, 212, 230, or 311.
3. Environmental Studies Interdisciplinary Requirement (One Unit): Environmental Studies 300.
4. Environmental Studies Thesis: Environmental Studies 470.
B. Home Department Requirements
Students must fulfill the following requirements for their respective home departments (homepage courses may be fulfilled by environmental studies core requirements):
Environmental Studies - Biology major:
- Five units in biology, at least one of the two clusters, one additional reading-lab course, and at least one unit of environmental studies-biology (Chemistry 230 can substitute for a half unit of environmental studies-biology
- Chemistry 201, 202, Mathematics 111, and one of Mathematics 112, 121, or 141.
Environmental Studies–Chemistry major:
- Chemistry 201, 202, 230, 311
- Two more units from among the following: Chemistry 212, 316, 332, 333, 391, 392, Mathematics 211
- Physics 101, 102, Mathematics 111, and one of Mathematics 112, 121, or 141.
Environmental Studies–Economics major:
Seven units in economics. This must include Economics 201; 311 or 312; 313; 304 or 314; 351 or 352; and two additional units in economics (at least one of which is from Economics 315–469, excluding Economics 402).
Environmental Studies–History major:
- Six units of history, including History 411 or 412 (the junior seminar). Three of the units are to be drawn from a list of environmental studies–history courses. In addition, the six units would include at least one unit each in American history, European history, and the history of a region of the world other than America or Europe; and at least one would focus on the period before 1800 and one after 1800.
- Statistics: one of Mathematics 141, Economics 311 or 312, Sociology 311, or Psychology 348.
Environmental Studies–Political Science major:
- Six units in political science. This must include three 200-level courses and at least one upper-level environmental studies–political science class.
- Statistics: one of Mathematics 141, Economics 311 or 312, Sociology 311, or Psychology 348.
C. Junior Qualifying Examination
Environmental studies students are required to pass the junior qualifying exam in their home department. In addition, they will prepare a research proposal for the committee. The research proposal must be signed by an adviser in the home department and by a potential first reader from a different department. The research proposal must be signed by a member of the Environmental Studies Committee. These signatures indicate approval that the proposed research contains sufficient environmental content. Approval of the proposal by the Environmental Studies Committee constitutes passing the environmental studies portion of the junior qualifying exam.
D. Thesis
Students must complete a thesis with an environmental focus. The thesis orals board must include the thesis adviser from the home department and a first reader from outside the home department.
Environmental Studies 300 - Junior Seminar
Environmental Studies 470 - Thesis
Full race for one year.