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2022-2023 Undergraduate Bulletin
Hamline University
   
    Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Bulletin [Archived Bulletin]

Environmental Studies Program


The goals of the environmental studies major are to examine holistically the interactions between humans and the environment from experiential, aesthetic, cultural, economic, ethical, political, management, and scientific perspectives, and to emphasize skills and techniques needed to solve environmental problems in interdisciplinary ways.

The environmental studies major allows students to combine their interests in specific or general environmental topics with traditional disciplinary or other program emphasis, and to gain the broader training needed to address complex environmental issues. Individuals with environmental problem-solving abilities are needed in many facets of society, including science, education, politics, law, public health, business, public administration, and community organizing. Each environmental studies major will follow an individualized program of study that will include the eight required courses, plus seven courses of the student’s choice, including at least three upper level courses, in four possible emphasis areas:

  • Environmental communication and writing (Affiliated faculty: Paul Bogard, Jen England, Mike Reynolds, Catheryn Jennings) 
  • Environmental advocacy, collaborative leadership, and community systems (Affiliated faculty: Kathryn Geurts, Valentine Cadieux)
  • Environmental learning and climate literacy (Affiliated faculty: Patty Born)
  • Environmental field studies and ecology (Affiliated faculty: Leif Hembre, Bonnie Ploger)

Within these areas, students customize their focus. Students can also propose an individualized emphasis area.

Students in the environmental studies program can take advantage of Hamline’s location in the Twin Cities to pursue many internship and research opportunities, including with government agencies, businesses, and community groups.

Interdisciplinary Concentration

Environmental studies majors may also choose to complete an interdisciplinary concentration in public policy. The public policy concentration educates students about public policy and helps them to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to create innovative, socially responsible solutions to the most critical issues facing society. The program forms an arc, beginning with an introduction to ethical public policy, building skills with methodology coursework, and culminating with a capstone experience in which students engage directly with a public policy issue in a semester-long applied project or internship. Students will acquire an extensive set of skills in policy evaluation and analysis, equipping them to become agents of change to improve the quality of life for people and their communities, at home and abroad. The public policy concentration is open to students majoring in criminology and criminal justice, economics, environmental studies, legal studies, political science, or public health sciences. 

Program directors: Paul Bogard, English, and Patty Born, Natural Science and Environmental Education.

Programs