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Bachelors

Environmental Studies, BA

Western Washington University
Bellingham , United States
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Degree
Bachelors
Major
Ecology | Geography
Area of study
Social Sciences | Natural Science
Course Language
English
About Program

Program Overview

Environmental Studies, BA

Introduction

Environmental Studies takes an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to understanding human-environment systems and environmental challenges. The Environmental Studies major includes core classes in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities to prepare students to integrate knowledge from multiple fields of study. Students learn to analyze and interpret complex environmental data and communicate environmental information for diverse stakeholders. The Environmental Studies major equips students to succeed as environmental professionals through experiential learning and advanced coursework in each student’s choice of an emphasis.


Why Consider an Environmental Studies Major?

  • Do you want to use your knowledge and skills to promote positive change in the environment?
  • Do you want to understand the interactions and interdependencies between human and natural systems?
  • Do you want an interdisciplinary education that reflects the complexity of society’s environmental challenges?
  • Do you want to learn to communicate and integrate knowledge across areas of environmental expertise?

Student Resources

  • Department website: Environmental Studies
  • Department advising: See the Advising section of the College of the Environment website.
  • Degree Works: Current students should also log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
  • Career Services Center: Connect major to a career
  • Sample Careers:
    • Environmental Communications
    • Environmental Analyst
    • Environmental Advocate
    • Government Agency Employee
    • Sustainability Officer
    • Water Resource Manager
    • Park Ranger
    • Forest Service Employee
    • Educator

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process)

  • Admissions applications with essays and deadlines are no longer required to declare a major in Environmental Studies.
  • There are two pathways to declaring a major within Environmental Studies:
    1. Declare a pre-major and then declare a Major upon completion of admission requirements.
    2. Declare a major upon completion of admission requirements.

Pre-Major Declaration

  • Students can declare a pre-major at any time.
  • Upon completion of admission requirements, these students can then declare a major.
  • Benefits of declaring a pre-major include:
    • Receive priority registration for restricted sections of ENVS 203 and ENVS 204, both required for entry into the major, and ENVS 201.
    • Assignment of a College of the Environment professional advisor and a faculty advisor.
    • Included in the College’s email distribution list of announcements and internships.

Major Declaration

  • Students must meet the following requirements to declare a major:
    • Confirmed admission to Western Washington University.
    • ENVS 203, HNRS 215, or equivalent transfer credit (completion with C- or better).
    • ENVS 204 or equivalent transfer credit (completion with C- or better).

Grade Requirements

  • A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.

Requirements (82 credits minimum)

Environmental Studies Foundations (28 credits)

  • MATH 112 or suitable math placement score is necessary for some foundations courses, but higher-level math courses are recommended.
  • Students are strongly encouraged to take chemistry, biology, and MATH 114 as part of their GUR courses to access upper-division Environmental Science courses.
  • Required courses:
    • ENVS 201 - Understanding Environmental Information (4 credits)
    • ENVS 203 - Physical Geography (4 credits)
    • ENVS 204 - Human Geography (4 credits)
    • ENVS 302 - Navigating Environmental Studies (1 credit)
    • ENVS 303 - Introduction to Environmental Studies I: Human Ecology and Ethics (5 credits)
    • ENVS 305 - Introduction to Environmental Studies II: History and Policy (5 credits)
    • ESCI 225 - Beginning Ecology (4 credits)
    • One course from:
      • ENVS 499A - College of the Environment Speaker Series (1 credit)
      • ESCI 499A - College of the Environment Speaker Series (1 credit)

Environmental Studies Core Knowledge Areas (26-33 credits)

Core Knowledge Area 1: Environmental Data Analysis and Communication (6-9 credits)

  • One course from:
    • ENVS 312 - Intro to Environmental Journalism (4 credits)
    • or JOUR 312 - Intro to Environmental Journalism (4 credits)
    • ENVS 319 - Research and Writing in Environmental Studies (4 credits)
    • ENVS 413 - The Planet Staff for Writers (4 credits)
    • ENVS 413A - The Planet Staff for Photographers (4 credits)
    • ENVS 418 - GIS II: Cartography and Geovisualization (5 credits)
    • ENVS 483 - Environmental Interpretation (4 credits)
    • ENVS 484 - The Literature of Nature and Place (4 credits)
    • ENVS 492 - Curriculum for Environment and Sustainability (4 credits)
  • One course from:
    • ENVS 320 - GIS I: Introduction to Geographic Information Science (4 credits)
    • ENVS 401 - Introduction to Methods in Environmental Studies (4 credits)
    • ENVS 442 - Regional Environmental and Economic Resource Modeling (4 credits)
    • or UEPP 442 - Regional Environmental and Economic Resource Modeling (4 credits)
    • MATH 246 - Introduction to R (2 credits)

Core Knowledge Area 2: The Biophysical Environment (8-9 credits)

  • Two courses from:
    • ENVS 325 - Mountain Geography (4 credits)
    • ENVS 326 - Climatology (4 credits)
    • ENVS 327 - The Soil Environment (4 credits)
    • ENVS 392 - Introduction to Climate Change (4 credits)
    • or ESCI 392 - Introduction to Climate Change (4 credits)
    • ENVS 427 - Soil Landscapes (4 credits)
    • ENVS 428 - Biogeography (4 credits)
    • ESCI 204 - The Oceans: Topics in Marine Science (4 credits)
    • ESCI 330 - Natural History of the Pacific Northwest (4 credits)
    • ESCI 393 - Our Coastal Seas and Climate Change (4 credits)
    • ESCI 404 - Indigenous Resource Management in the Salish Sea (5 credits)
    • ESCI 439 - Conservation of Biological Diversity (4 credits)

Core Knowledge Area 3: Socio-ecological Systems (4 credits)

  • One course from:
    • ENVS 331 - Geographies of Canada (4 credits)
    • ENVS 332 - The Pacific Northwest: Society and Environment (4 credits)
    • ENVS 333 - East Asia: Society and Environment (4 credits)
    • or EAST 333 - East Asia: Society and Environment (4 credits)
    • ENVS 334 - Extractivism in Latin America (4 credits)
    • ENVS 342 - Geography of the World Economy (4 credits)
    • ENVS 426 - Water Resources (4 credits)
    • ENVS 431 - Pacific Rim: Environment, Economy and Sustainability (4 credits)
    • or EAST 431 - Pacific Rim: Environment, Economy and Sustainability (4 credits)
    • ENVS 441 - Society, Space, and Natural Resources (4 credits)
    • or C/AM 441 - Society, Space, and Natural Resources (4 credits)
    • ENVS 487 - Conservation Psychology (4 credits)
    • UEPP 343 - Urbanization: Processes and Patterns (4 credits)

Core Knowledge Area 4: Social Justice and the Environment (4 credits)

  • ENVS 344 - Community Solutions to Climate Change (4 credits)
  • or ENRG 344 - Community Solutions to Climate Change (4 credits)
  • ENVS 381 - Introduction to Education for Eco-Social Justice and Sustainability (4 credits)
  • ENVS 441 - Society, Space, and Natural Resources (4 credits)
  • or C/AM 441 - Society, Space, and Natural Resources (4 credits)
  • ENVS 444 - Geography, Colonialism, and the Pacific Northwest (4 credits)
  • or C/AM 442 - Geography, Colonialism, and the Pacific Northwest (4 credits)
  • ENVS 465 - Disaster Risk Reduction (4 credits)
  • ENVS 467 - Power, (in)Justice and the Environment (4 credits)
  • UEPP 443 - Social Justice and the City (4 credits)

Core Knowledge Area 5: Institutions and Environmental Governance (4-5 credits)

  • One course from:
    • ENRG 350 - Energy Policy and Politics (4 credits)
    • or UEPP 350 - Energy Policy and Politics (4 credits)
    • ENRG 352 - Climate Governance and Political Economy (4 credits)
    • or ENVS 352 - Climate Governance and Political Economy (4 credits)
    • ENVS 362 - U.S. Disaster Policy (4 credits)
    • ENVS 372 - Natural Hazards Planning (5 credits)
    • ENVS 450 - Science in the Policy Process (4 credits)
    • ENVS 451 - Public Land Conflict & Collaboration (4 credits)
    • ENVS 453 - Climate Politics and Governance (4 credits)
    • ENVS 456 - Governing Innovation, Technology, and the Future (5 credits)
    • ENVS 458 - Environmental Politics (5 credits)
    • UEPP 355 - Environmental Law and Policy (4 credits)
    • UEPP 454 - Environmental Policy Analysis (4 credits)
    • UEPP 461 - Land Use Law (4 credits)

Culminating Experiences (8 credits)

  • Take any combination of experiential or capstone courses listed below to meet the required minimum of 8 credits.
  • A course that counts towards this Culminating Courses category cannot also count towards other categories in this major.
  • However, students may take additional culminating experience credits as electives or, with adviser permission, depth and specialization.
  • Students are especially encouraged to consider internships if they want to apply for professional positions related to their degree after graduation.
  • Required courses:
    • ENVS 410 - Agroecology and Resilient Communities (4 credits)
    • or UEPP 410 - Agroecology and Resilient Communities (4 credits)
    • ENVS 414 - Editing the Planet (5 credits)
    • ENVS 417 - Science, Management and Outreach of Contaminated Sites (4 credits)
    • ENVS 429 - Pyrogeography (4 credits)
    • ENVS 430 - Borderlands: Resource Management (4 credits)
    • ENVS 437 - Faculty-Led Study Abroad (1-15 credits)
    • ENVS 476 - Justice and Community Resilience Planning Studio (4 credits)
    • ENVS 491 - Environmental Communication (5 credits)
    • ENVS 493 - Environmental Impact Assessment (5 credits)
    • or ESCI 493 - Environmental Impact Assessment (5 credits)
    • or UEPP 493 - Environmental Impact Assessment (5 credits)
    • ENVS 495 - Teaching Practicum (1-3 credits)
    • ENVS 498A - Senior Thesis (1-15 credits)
    • ENVS 498B - Internship (1-15 credits)
    • ENVS 498C - Senior Project (1-15 credits)
    • ENVS 498D - International Study (1-15 credits)
    • ESCI 470 - Ecological Restoration (5 credits)
    • ESCI 494 - Marine Conservation (5 credits)

Required Concentration (20-26 credits)

  • Must complete one concentration option
  • Concentrations with the Environmental Studies, BA provide depth and specialization and should be chosen based upon the student’s educational and professional goals.
  • Students may select from one of the four concentration options.
  • Alternatively, they may develop a general environmental studies concentration of 20 additional elective credits of 300- and 400- level courses in Environmental Studies under faculty advisement; courses outside the department or college may count towards these elective credits with faculty advisor approval prior to registration.

Concentrations:

  • Education & Eco-Social Justice Concentration (26 credits)
  • Geographic Information Science Concentration (20 credits)
  • Geography Concentration (20 credits)
  • Policy, Politics, and Governance Concentration (21-24 credits)
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