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Environmental Studies
Part of the Social Sciences Division
Highlighted Undergraduate Research Projects:
An active visitor and hiker at the Smoky Mountains National Park, Ben Royer decided for his Senior Study to explore culturally based explanations for low rates of visitation in national parks by the Hispanic/Latino minority. Read more on what led Royer to pursue this topic for his thesis.
The Major in Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program involving course work in the social and natural sciences. The major provides an excellent background for careers in ecosystem management; sustainable business administration and finance; city planning; regional and international nongovernmental organizations; environmental health care; biological testing; occupational safety; and outdoor recreation. Related careers in law, policymaking, education and journalism/writing may also be pursued.
Learning Outcomes
Students successfully completing the program of study will have achieved:
- Explore the social and physical dimensions of sustainability from multiple North American and non-Western viewpoints
- Demonstrate knowledge of varied research methods that focus on environmental theory and practice including field, laboratory, qualitative and quantitative
- Show capacity to synthesize interdisciplinary environmental issues, based upon a knowledge base of multiple disciplines
- Demonstrate abilities to apply interdisciplinary environmental knowledge in a work, career and/or experiential setting
- Analyze and synthesize content related to the global experience of the human and biotic world.
The Major in Environmental Studies requires a minimum of 52 credit hours. Required courses include:
ENV101: Introduction to Environmental Issues (3 hrs.)
ENV316: Population (3 hrs.)
ENV345: Environmental Politics (3 hrs.)
ECN201: Principles of Economics (4 hrs.)
SOC101: Introductory Sociology (3 hrs.)
PLS232: Public Policy (3 hrs.)
SLS301: Social Research Methods (3 hrs.)
CHM121: Principles of Chemistry I (4 hrs.)
BIO113: Principles of Organismal Biology (4 hrs.)
Either of the following courses:
BIO222: Ecology and Evolution (4 hrs.)
or
BIO311: Natural History of the Southern Appalachians (4 hrs.)
Either of the following courses:
MTH221: Inferential Statistics (3 hrs.)
or
MTH222: Regression Analysis (3 hrs.)
At least 6 credit hours from the following courses:
BUS201: Principles of Management (3 hrs.)
ECN221: Economic Development (3 hrs.)
ECN331: Public Policy toward Business (3 hrs.)
ENG315: Business and Technical Writing (3 hrs.)
PHR335: Outdoor Recreation Leadership (3 hrs.)
PLS212: International Politics (3 hrs.)
PLS321: American Political Process (3 hrs.)
SOC202: Social Problems (3 hrs.)
SOC211: Cultural Anthropology (3 hrs.)
SOC222: Sociology of Appalachian Culture
ENV349: Special Topics in Environmental Studies (3 hrs.)
ENV343: Practicum in Environmental Studies (2-6 hrs.) (A minimum of 3 credit hours is required)
ENV351-352: Senior Study (6 hrs.).
Environmental studies students minoring in economics, political science and sociology cannot fulfill minor course requirements with courses serving as major electives in the Major in Environmental Studies.
Core Curriculum Requirements
Each student must satisfy the core requirements and requirements for individual programs of study.