Monmouth College

Program Requirements

The aim of the Environmental Studies major is to give students a solid foundation in the natural sciences (including mathematics) and social sciences that pertain to environmental issues and problems.

Although not all students choosing to major in Environmental Studies are necessarily interested in pursuing scientific careers, all should have a firm foundation in the sciences that pertain to environmental concerns. They can thus be more effective lawyers, politicians, advocates, etc. (if those are careers they aspire to) than if they lacked training in the sciences. They will be able to talk with biologists, chemists, and geologists more intelligently than those who do not have a firm grounding in these areas. Likewise, students interested in science-oriented careers in the environment need the perspective and context provided by the social science courses in the major. The social implications of environmental issues cannot be ignored, and the solutions to environmental problems are increasingly economically and politically charged.

The Environmental Studies student chooses from one of two concentrations, science or policy. Students following the science concentration additionally choose to emphasize either biology, chemistry, or physics as outlined below. Students in either concentration (or emphasis) are not precluded from taking additional courses in the other concentration or emphasis. Also, a number of electives are available for each concentration.

Several of the courses (Introduction to Environmental Science, Environmental Economics, Environmental Politics) were designed specifically for the program. Additionally, all participants in the program are required to complete an independent research project in a department of their choice.

The Environmental Studies major is intended to give students a broad yet firm foundation that can be used as a springboard into graduate/professional school or employment. The environmental field is extremely broad, ranging from environmental chemistry to wildlife management to environmental engineering to environmental law. Accordingly, the major attempts to provide a breadth of experience to provide a foundation for specialization later in one’s career.

Therefore, we think it is important for students as soon as possible to attempt to define their interests in the environment. What is it they hope to do? Environmental monitoring? Toxicology? Engineering? Natural resource management? Advocacy? Law? Politics? Do they hope to go directly into employment? Or into graduate/professional school? Depending on the students’ specific interests, they can appropriately plan their elective course work and plan to do research and/or internships along the lines of their interests.

Because the program is interdisciplinary, it makes use of classrooms and labs throughout the campus. The sciences at Monmouth have a tradition of intensive hands-on laboratory work, and the college is well equipped to support the natural science component of the major. Boats for exploring local aquatic environments such as the Mississippi river, Citizen’s Lake, and Lake Warren are available to assist in water quality testing and fish sampling. Other field equipment such as live traps for mammals and other vertebrates and invertebrates and tools to manage controlled prairie burns are also used in courses such as Ecology and Conservation Biology.

The Educational garden and soon to be expanded College farm offer environmental science students opportunities to be involved in sustainable and organic food production as well. Two green Citizenship courses often are chosen by environmental science majors to get hands-on experience in tackling real-world environmental issues in agriculture, water quality, and other areas of interest such as green energy.

The LeSuer Nature Preserve, a short 15-minute walk from campus, is also used for field studies, course projects, and senior research. Several acres have been restored to native prairie and a large stream bisects the area. Riparian and flood plain forest also offer abundant opportunities for research in the expanding field of ecological restoration.

The college also maintains a small, fresh-water pond and a one-acre native prairie plot for field projects. More information on these areas can be found in the Department of Biology section of this catalog.

ACM (Associated Colleges of the Midwest) Studies in Latin American Culture and Society: Costa Rica—a spring semester program in Costa Rica. A month-long orientation prepares students through intensive language training and review of field methodology. Thereafter, students can conduct research in a diversity of Costa Rica’s ecological zones.

ACM Tanzania: Studies in Human Evolution and Ecology—a fall semester program in Tanzania. Students spend several weeks at the University in Dar es Salaam learning language and taking courses in human evolution and ecology. They then move to field camps in the Serengeti or near Laetoli, depending on their area of interest.

ACM Brazil: An environmental studies exchange program is available in either the fall or spring semester at Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora in Brazil. The area provides unique opportunities to study savannah and Atlantic tropical rain forest ecosystems in a rapidly developing country.

Numerous work/research internships involving environmental problems are available on a competitive basis.

Field-oriented courses at Monmouth College (e.g., Ecology, Field Botany) make frequent use of the LeSuer Nature Preserve, the Spring Grove Prairie, and other local settings. There are also occasional weekend trips to such places as Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Horicon National Wildlife Refuge. Finally, faculty occasionally offer spring break and summer trips to specific ecosystems such as the tropics (Panama), the desert southwest (Grand Canyon), or the arctic (Alaska).

ENVI 103 Introduction to Environmental Science

BIOL 155 Introduction to Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity

BIOL 307 Ecology

CHEM 140 General Chemistry

CHEM 220 Analytical Chemistry

MATH 207 Statistics for the Sciences

ECON 200 Principles of Economics

SOAN 345 Sociology of Inequality

BIOL/CHEM/

PHYS 350 Science Seminar (2 semesters, 0.25 each)(CHEM is no credit)

One of the following two courses:

POLS 103 American Politics

POLS 200 Introduction to Comparative Politics

Biology emphasis

BIOL 210 Biology Research Methods

BIOL 440/450 Research I and II (0.5 each)

BIOL 315 Conservation Biology

BIOL 201 Field Botany

Chemistry emphasis

CHEM 340 Advanced Analytical

CHEM 325 Integrated Lab

CHEM 430 Research

Physics emphasis

PHYS 267 Dynamics of Atmosphere

PHYS 288 Health Physics

PHYS 420 Senior Research

ENVI 103 Introduction to Environmental Science

BIOL 155 Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity

BIOL 307 Ecology

CHEM 140 General Chemistry

MATH 106 Statistics

ECON 200 Principles of Economics

ECON 380 Environmental Economics

POLS 375 Environmental Politics

COMM 335 Argumentation

SOCI 345 Sociology of Inequality

One of the following two courses:

POLS 103 American Politics

POLS 200 Introduction to Comparative Politics

One course each in Research Methods and Independent Research in a department of the student’s choice

COMM 235 Small Group Communication

COMM 339 Persuasion

ECON 310 Regulation and Legislation

ECON 340 Economics and Law

ECON 370 Public Finance

POLS 311 Parties and Elections

SOCI 102 Social Problems

PHIL 310 Environmental Ethics

ENVI 103. Introduction to Environmental Science 1.0 course

The course is an introduction to the scope, magnitude, and diversity of environmental issues approached by scientists and policy-makers. An interdisciplinary approach to solving environmental problems is emphasized by providing a scientific, social, and political understanding of the issues. Also included are field trips and laboratories to study human impacts on our environment. Group discussion aimed at critical analysis of current environmental topics is also encouraged.