Concordia College

Requirements for a Major or Minor in Environmental Studies

Programs offered:

• Major in Environmental Studies (Environmental Sciences Concentration) (12.0 to 14.0 course credits)
• Major in Environmental Studies (Contract Concentration) (8.0 to 10.0 course credits)
• Minor in Environmental Studies (5.0 course credits)

Environmental Studies Committee
D. Bryan Bishop, biology, co-chair
Peter C. Hovde, political science, co-chair
Per M. Anderson, global education and religion
Michael G. Bath, political science
Richard M. Chapman, history
Nicholas R. Ellig, sociology and social work
Greg Hoch, biology
Donald A. Krogstad, chemistry
Pamela S. Mork, chemistry
Ronald L. Nellermoe, biology
W. Scott Olsen, English
Paul A. Seifert, physics
Gerald L. Van Amburg, biology

Concordia College seeks to promote and support ecological literacy for all students and to prepare majors and minors for graduate study or for employment in government, business and nonprofit organizations.

Colleges and universities are in a particularly strong position to affect changes in personal and social habits regarding the environment. Because of this, government, business and other concerns are looking to environmental studies programs to provide graduates who can understand the mix of voices and agendas in any environmental debate, and who can develop and articulate solutions. To understand this mix, the environmental studies program is interdisciplinary, aimed at basic knowledge of the connected structures and processes of nature and culture. It nourishes the capacity to care about creation. It provides practical skills to think and act in competent and responsible ways.
The program is administered by a special faculty committee. Each student seeking the major or minor should contact the program chair for advisement in planning an environmental studies program.
Concordia College is a member of the Superior Studies Consortium and offers a variety of classes at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota.

Department Course Descriptions

Major in Environmental Studies with an Environmental Sciences Concentration
The requirements for a major in environmental studies with an environmental sciences concentration are 12.0 to 14.0 course credits, depending on electives chosen:

• ENVR 101 — Environmental Studies, 1.0 credit OR
ENVR 103 — Ecosystems and Human Influence, 1.0 credit
• ENVR 280 — Geographic Information Systems, 1.0 credit
• PSYC 230 — Statistics and Psychological Measurement, 1.0 credit OR
MATH 205 — Introduction to Statistics, 1.0 credit
• ENVR 302, E SC 302 — Geology, 1.0 credit
• 1.0 credit from the following organismal courses:
– BIOL 309 — Ornithology, 1.0 credit
– BIOL 311 — Entomology, 1.0 credit
– BIOL 313 — Plant Taxonomy, 1.0 credit
– BIOL 324 — Invertebrate Zoology, 1.0 credit
• REL 348 — Environmental Ethics, 1.0 credit
• 1.0 credit from the following upper-level policy courses:
– ECON 320 — Energy, Environment and Economics, 1.0 credit. Prerequisite: ECON 201 — Principles of Economics
– P SC 365 — Global Issues, 1.0 credit
– P SC 393 — Public Policy, 1.0 credit. Prerequisite: P SC 111 — People in Politics OR P SC 211 — U.S. Political System
– SOC 312, ECON 312 — Global Development Issues, 1.0 credit
• ENVR 380 — Conservation Biology, 1.0 credit
• BIOL 221 — Ecology, 1.0 credit. Prerequisite: BIOL 122 only
• ENVR 475 — Interdisciplinary Research, 1.0 credit

Additional required supporting courses:
• BIOL 122 — Evolution and Diversity, 1.0 credit
• CHEM 111 — Survey of General Chemistry, 1.0 credit OR
CHEM 127 — General Chemistry I AND CHEM 128 — General Chemistry II, 1.0 credit each

Major in Environmental Studies with a Contract Concentration
The requirements for a major in environmental studies with a contract concentration are 8.0 to 10.0 course credits, depending on the course of study designed by the student and approved by the program faculty:

• ENVR 101 — Environmental Studies, 1.0 credit OR
ENVR 103 — Ecosystems and Human Influence, 1.0 credit
• REL 348 — Environmental Ethics, 1.0 credit
• 5.0 to 7.0 credits courses proposed by the student as a course of study in environmental studies, along with a rationale describing how the courses meet the student’s goals and the learning objectives of the environmental studies program — subject to approval by the environmental studies program faculty
• ENVR 475 — Interdisciplinary Research, 1.0 credit

Minor in Environmental Studies
The requirements for a minor in environmental studies are 5.0 course credits:

• ENVR 101 — Environmental Studies, 1.0 credit OR
ENVR 103 — Ecosystems and Human Influence, 1.0 credit
• REL 348 — Environmental Ethics, 1.0 credit
• 3.0 credits from the following:
– ENVR 280 — Geographic Information Systems, 1.0 credit
– ENVR 302, E SC 302 — Geology, 1.0 credit
– BIOL 221 — Ecology, 1.0 credit. Prerequisite: BIOL 122 only
– ECON 320 — Energy, Environment and Economics, 1.0 credit
– BIOL 309 — Ornithology, 1.0 credit OR
BIOL 311 — Entomology, 1.0 credit OR
BIOL 313 — Plant Taxonomy, 1.0 credit OR
BIOL 324 — Invertebrate Zoology, 1.0 credit
– P SC 365, HIST 365 — Global Issues, 1.0 credit OR
P SC 393 — Public Policy, 1.0 credit
– ENVR 380 — Conservation Biology, 1.0 credit
– ENVR 475 — Interdisciplinary Research, 1.0 credit

Other program courses such as ENVR 300 — May Seminar, ENVR 380 — Special Topics, ENVR 390 — Cooperative Education and ENVR 480 — Independent Study may be substituted for courses in the above lists for either a major or minor with prior written approval of the environmental studies faculty committee.