Santa Clara University

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM

Associate Professors: Leslie Gray (Executive Director), Lisa Kealhofer, Michelle Marvier
Assistant Professor: Iris Stewart-Frey (Clare Boothe Luce Professor)

The Environmental Studies Institute offers interdisciplinary programs of study leading to either a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science or a companion major in Environmental Studies. The companion major in environmental studies is offered as a secondary major; students majoring in environmental studies also must complete the requirements for a primary major. The environmental studies major works well with a wide variety of primary majors, including anthropology, communication, political science, and economics. A minor in environmental studies and a special version of the environmental studies minor for engineering majors also are available. Both the environmental studies and environmental science programs provide students with the intellectual and ethical foundations they will need in addressing crucial environmental challenges of the 21st century: e.g., human population growth, urban sprawl, deforestation, global climate change, waste disposal, the need for renewable energy, air and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

Environmental studies programs are enriched by colloquia, including bi-weekly seminars, featuring presentations on environmental subjects by journalists, politicians, businesspeople, scientists, and other scholars. Majors in environmental science and environmental studies are expected to apply their knowledge outside the classroom by completing an approved internship or research experience, culminating in ENVS 198 Environmental Proseminar.

Environmental studies students are encouraged to study abroad in programs approved by the department. Courses such as Natural History of Baja include one week of immersion travel during University breaks. Environmental studies faculty occasionally offer summer courses in Costa Rica or in Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, many summer and academic year courses taken through the International Programs Office readily transfer for credit toward environmental studies majors and minors.

Each student works with an environmental studies faculty advisor, who helps integrate the classroom curriculum with the student’s plans for future study and/or work in environmental fields.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJORS

Major in Environmental Science

In addition to fulfilling University Core Curriculum and College of Arts and Sciences requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree, students majoring in environmental science must complete the following departmental requirements:

• ENVS 11, 12, 13
• CHEM 11, 12, 13
• BIOL 21, 22, 23
• MATH 11, 12
• ECON 1
• PHIL 9 or TESP 84
• One course from ANTH 50, ENVS 50, ENVS 79, HIST 85, POLI 50, SOCI 50
• ENVS 101
• ENVS 198
• One course from BIOL 160, CENG 160, ENVS 110, ENVS 115
• Four courses from ANTH 130, ANTH 142, ANTH 145, BIOL 120, BIOL 131, BIOL 133/ENVS 133, BIOL 150, BIOL 151/ENVS 151, BIOL 156/ENVS 156, BIOL 157/ENVS 141, BIOL 158, BIOL 165, BIOL173, BIOL 180, CENG 140, CENG 143, CENG 163, ENVS 144, ENVS 145,ENVS 151, ENVS 170–189, ENVS 197
• Two courses from ANTH 140, ANTH 155, COMM 120, ECON 101, ECON 111, ECON 129, ECON 130, ECON 134, ENGL 185, ENVS 120, ENVS 122, ENVS 131, ENVS 142, ENVS 146, ENVS 147, ENVS 158/PSYC 158, ENVS 170–189, ENVS 196, ETHN 156, HIST 184, POLI 167, SOCI 138, TESP 173
• Attend six environmental studies colloquia

Companion Major in Environmental Studies

In addition to fulfilling University Core Curriculum and the requirements of their primary major, students with a companion major in environmental studies must complete the following requirements:

• ENVS 11, 12, 13
• ECON 1
• PHIL 9 or TESP 84
• HIST 85 or ENVS 79
• One course from ANTH 50, ENVS 50, POLI 50, SOCI 50
• ENVS 101
• ENVS 198
• One course from BUSN 40, COMM 110, ENVS 110, OMIS 40, POLI 170, PSYC 40, SOCI 120
• One course from ANTH 145, ANTH 155, COMM 120, ENGL 185, ENVS 115, ENVS 131, ENVS 142
• Attend six environmental studies colloquia

Students pursuing a companion major in environmental studies choose from three concentrations.

Environmental Economics and Sustainable Business Concentration

• Three courses from ECON 101, ECON 111, ECON 120, ECON 129, ECON 130, ECON 134, ENVS 189, MKTG 182, OMIS 108E
• One course from ENVS 120, ENVS 122, ENVS 185, ENVS 188, ETHN 156, POLI 146, POLI 167

Environmental Policy and Law Concentration

• Three courses from ENVS 120, ENVS 122, ENVS 162, ENVS 163, ENVS 185, ENVS 188, ETHN 156, POLI 146, POLI 167
• One course from ECON 101, ECON 111, ECON 120, ECON 129, ECON 130, ECON 134, ENVS 189

Sustainable Development Concentration

• Three courses from ANTH 140, ENVS 141, ENVS 144, ENVS 145, ENVS 146, ENVS 147, ENVS 158/PSYC 158, ENVS 184, ENVS 186, ENVS 189, SOCI 138
• One course from ECON 101, ECON 111, ECON 120, ECON 129, ECON 130, ECON 134, ENVS 189, MKTG 182, OMIS 108E, ENVS 120, ENVS 122, ENVS 185, ENVS 188, ETHN 156, POLI 146, POLI 167

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINORS

Minor in Environmental Studies

Students must fulfill the following requirements for a minor in environmental studies:

• ENVS 11, 12, 13
• One statistics course from BIOL 160, BUSN 40, COMM 110, ENVS 110, POLI 170, PSYC 40, SOCI 120
• One ethical or spiritual issues course from PHIL 9, TESP 84, TESP 173
• Two economic dimensions courses: ECON 1 and ECON 111
• One political and legal dimensions course from COMM 120, ENVS 120, ENVS 122, ENVS 140, ETHN 156
• One elective course from any courses listed above or ANTH 145, BIOL 131/ENVS 132, BIOL 133/ENVS 133, BIOL 150, BIOL 156/ENVS 156, CENG 143, CENG 160, CENG 163, ECON 101, ECON 111, ENVS 10, ENVS 20, ENVS 79, ENVS 115, ENVS 131, ENVS 141, EVNS 142, EVNS 144–147, EVNS 151, ENVS 158/PSYC 158, ENVS 196–199
• Attend six environmental studies colloquia

Minor in Environmental Studies for Engineers

Students majoring in engineering must fulfill the following requirements for a minor in environmental studies:

• ENVS 11 or 13
• Two social, political, and legal dimensions courses from ENVS 120, ENVS 122, ENVS 144, ENVS 146, ENVS 147, HIST 85
• One ethical and spiritual dimensions course from PHIL 9, TESP 84, TESP 173
• CENG 121, CENG 140, CENG 143
• Two courses from CENG 123, CENG 139, CENG 142, CENG 144, CENG 160, CENG 162
• CENG 192A and CENG 193; Senior design project must have an environmental focus and is subject to approval by the environmental studies director
• Attend six environmental studies colloquia

LOWER-DIVISION COURSES: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

1A and 2A. Analyzing Environmental Rhetoric
This course, reserved for freshmen participating in the Sustainable Living Undergraduate Research Project, SLURP, will explore rhetoric surrounding current environmental issues. Since this course is a special pilot for the new University core, students will be enrolled in a two-quarter sequence that will not only fulfill their first-year writing requirements, but will give them the opportunity to explore issues of environmental criticism with a variety of media. All students taking this course will have the privilege of living on the SLURP floor as part of the CyPhi Residential Learning Community, and will thus have the opportunity to participate in a unique community dedicated to promoting a culture of environmental sustainability within the University. (4 units) NCX

2. Energy and the Environment
Energy has been a top news story over the past years. In this course, we explore the basics of energy production, alternative ways of producing energy and alternative energy sources including natural gas, nuclear, biomass, wind, solar, hydropower, and fuel cells. Students will gain an understanding of the environmental impacts of energy production, our present energy crisis, and prospects for the future. (4 units)

10. The Joy of Garbage
What happens to the things we don’t want? This class follows the path of our waste products as they are burnt, decomposed, landfilled, treated, recycled, reused, dumped on minority communities, or shipped abroad. Building on basic chemical and biological principles, and using the scientific method to guide us, we will explore the fates of organic and nonorganic detritus, and search for sustainable solutions to waste problems. (4 units)

11. Introduction to Environmental Science
This course offers a broad introduction to the major environmental threats facing the world, as well as the key questions or policy debates surrounding our response to these threats. Problems such as habitat destruction, over-harvesting, invasive species, emerging diseases, and global warming cannot be addressed without considering the diversity of cultures and socioeconomic conditions in the global community. Lectures will deliberately contrast the means and obstacles to tackling environmental issues in developed vs. developing countries. In-class and independent research assignments will help students to develop critical thinking skills needed to analyze and present information pertaining to environmental issues. (4 units)

12. Introduction to Environmental Studies
Human degradation of the global environment is an overarching concern for contemporary and future societies. The field of environmental studies is a relatively new, interdisciplinary field that draws heavily from the social sciences to propose ways society can develop environmental solutions. This is a survey course that will enable students to understand the composition and evolution of environmental studies as a field, and provide them tools to analyze environmental problems and solutions on a local, national, and global scale. This course will introduce students to: 1. the major environmental problems facing human societies; 2. the key social science disciplines and their contributions to the field of environmental studies; 3. the methodologies used by these disciplines and the way they shape understanding of nature/society relations; and 4. the importance of ethics and leadership in developing environmental solutions. (4 units)

13. Soil, Water, and Air L&L
This course focuses on the contributions of the geological and physical sciences to environmental science. The basic physical and geological processes that shape the Earth and govern changes in the environment are discussed. We will address questions regarding the continents, landscapes, oceans, freshwater reservoirs, and the atmosphere. How did they form? Which processes are taking place to change them? How are they affected by human action? Understanding of the concepts will be deepened by laboratory activities and field trips. Laboratory and field work 15 hours. (4 units)

20. The Water Wars of California L&L
In California, the average person uses about 230 gallons of water a day while most of the population is concentrated in areas that receive less than 20 inches of rainfall per year. This course will use the history of water resource use and abuse in the state of California as a backdrop for investigating the interplay of hydrology, climate, and human population growth. Students will examine factors that affect the supply, distribution, demand, and quality of freshwater in the state of California. The important roles of climatic processes, variability, and global climate change will be highlighted, and population pressures on water resources will be analyzed. Concepts will be reinforced by field projects and through comparative case studies from California and beyond. Laboratory 15 hours. (4 units)

39. Drawing from Nature
Development of basic drawing skills using natural subjects to encourage interest in future self-motivated drawing. Projects include drawing from nature using pencils, pen, and ink; drawing perspective, seeing proportions, line drawing, and shading techniques; drawing birds, trees, rocks, water, and clouds. (4 units) NCX

50. World Geography
Provides an understanding of world geography through an appreciation of contemporary global problems. Problems include the environmental crisis, international relations, demographic trends, and economic development. Special emphasis on world hunger and the roots of third-world poverty. (4 units)

79. Environmental Literature of California
This course surveys the diverse literature celebrating the California landscape. A broad range of genres and literatures will be examined, including such authors as Charles Fremont, John Muir, Mary Austin, Robinson Jeffers, Richard Brautigan, Gary Snyder, Gretel Ehrlich, and William Saroyan. Students will engage in a program of ecocritical writing designed to develop advanced writing skills while promoting ecological literacy. Also listed as ENGL 79. Prerequisites: ENGL 1 and 2. (4 units) NCX

95. Sustainable Living Undergraduate Research Project (SLURP)
This course, jointly sponsored by the Environmental Studies Institute and the CyPhi Residential Learning Community, is designed to promote a culture of sustainability within the residential communities of the modern university. Students will engage in intensive research over the course of the academic year and will compile and present their results during the spring quarter. Enrollment is limited to residents of the SLURP floor in the CyPhi RLC. (4 units) NCX

98. Outdoor Leadership Experience (OLE)
This course uses instruction in wilderness safety, outdoor technical skills and low-impact camping to develop leadership skills and an appreciation of the natural world. An online application is required prior to instructor approval. Application forms will be made available at the beginning of the quarter prior to the course offering. Students are graded P/NP only. (2 units) NCX

UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

101. Capstone Seminar
Capstone is a guided group and individual research course that each year is aimed at a different environmental topic of global significance. Past topics have included the regulation of biotechnology, using ecosystem services to create financial incentives for conservation, the social equity and biological effectiveness of private land conservation, and the national choices facing China with respect to agricultural policy. The course begins with lectures so that students gain a foundational background for the quarter’s research topic. Students write individual papers, group papers, give oral presentations, and develop project management skills. Some students pursue their research after the course, even to the point of publication. (5 units) NCX

110. Statistics for Environmental Science L&L
A course in applied statistics for biologists and environmental scientists planning to conduct manipulative experiments. Students gain training in experimental design, quantitative analysis, and hypothesis testing. Theory and concepts are covered in lectures and readings. Laboratory sessions provide practical experience in computing statistical procedures by hand and with statistical software. Examples used in lectures and lab assignments are derived from medical research, physiology, genetics, ecology, and environmental risk assessment. Laboratory 30 hours. Also listed as BIOL 160. Prerequisite: BIOL 23 or permission of instructor. (5 units)

115. GIS in Environmental Science L&L
A working knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is essential for many careers in environmental science. This class and laboratory will focus on methods of generating, querying, analyzing, and displaying GIS data utilizing industry standard software. Possible topics include land use change, pollution, and population growth issues. Each student will propose and carry out a GIS project with an environmental application. Laboratory 30 hours. (5 units)

120. Introduction to Environmental Law and Regulation in the United States
Introduction to the U.S. legal system’s approach to environmental protection. Topics include the roles of legislatures and environmental agencies at the federal, state, and local levels; the independent role of the judiciary in establishing environmental law; and specific statutes, such as the Clean Air Act. Students evaluate questions of federalism, uses of economic incentives, and relationships between environmental protection and economic growth. (5 units)

122. U.S. Environmental Policy
This course will focus on U.S. environmental policy between 1960 and the present, highlighting the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and policy responses to global warming. Through these four foci, we will gain an understanding of how policy is formulated, how one might measure its consequences, and the role of communication and politics in moving policy forward (or blocking policy advances). We will focus on how the various environmental acts mentioned above came to be and the ongoing policy debates surrounding their administration and implementation. (5 units)

131. Environmental Education
Environmental Education plays a fundamental role in our attempts to make human systems more sustainable. This course is an introduction to the study and practice of Environmental Education. It surveys philosophies, theories, and methods of Environmental Education with a special emphasis on techniques for engaging K-12 students in outdoor settings to maximize learning of environmental concepts and to improve the students’ understanding of their personal connections to nature. The course will introduce creative ways that we — as current or future teachers, parents, or mentors — can use active study of and interactions with the outdoor environment to engage young people in the study of environmental systems and basic biological, chemical, and physical sciences. A portion of the course will be taught in field-based settings. Students will participate in service learning projects that will give them practical experience planning and leading environmental education lessons. This course is especially valuable for future teachers. (5 units) NCX

132. Agroecology L&L
The goal of agroecology is to reduce the negative environmental impact of farming while meeting the food needs of the world. The course examines in a holistic framework the biological, technical, socio-economic, and political processes that govern agroecosystem productivity and stability. A wide variety of current agricultural practices are assessed and discussed. Management techniques and farming systems' designs that sustain long-term production are emphasized. One required weekend field trip. Laboratory 30 hours. (5 units)

140. Sustainability Outreach
This course aims to deepen students' understanding of sustainability. Students participate in an outreach program designed to facilitate sustainable development at Bay Area high schools. Each high school’s efforts will be a microcosm of sustainable development and a leadership learning experience for the high school students and SCU students, their mentors. Readings and in-class discussions will also enhance students' ethical understanding of sustainability. (1 unit) NCX

141. Environmental Biology in the Tropics
This summer course examines tropical biology and ecology and their relationship to issues of sustainable development. One week of instruction at SCU and three weeks of field study in Costa Rica. Particular emphasis on primate biology, reforestation and restoration ecology, mangrove conservation, sustainable agriculture and fair trade, and ecotourism. Taught in conjunction with ENVS 39. Enrollment by application via International Programs. Also listed as BIOL 141. Prerequisite: BIOL 23. (5 units) NCX

142. Environmental and Nature Writing
Students in this course will compose a finished article for publication in a magazine or journal after having engaged in market research, analysis of submission guidelines for select periodicals, discourse analysis, and correspondence with editors. Students may choose to participate in either discourse, that of environmental writing or that of nature writing, and may elect to write for either a general or scholarly audience. Students will mail a manuscript to an editor on the final day of class. Also listed as ENGL 174. Prerequisites: ENGL 1 and 2. (5 units) NCX

144. Natural History of Baja
Course examines natural history, biology, and ecology of desert and coastal ecosystems in Baja California Sur, and explores issues of development and sustainability. Course will meet in the winter quarter and over spring break in Baja California, Mexico. Students must be co-enrolled in ENVS 142 (Environmental and Nature Writing). Instructor permission required to register in both courses. (5 units)

145. Environmental Technology
A survey course covering a variety of environmentally conscious technologies. Course addresses “bleeding edge” as well as more traditional technologies that enhance both human welfare and environmental quality in both the developed and developing countries. We will concentrate on environmentally conscious technologies used in the general areas of air quality, biotic systems, climate, energy, land, population, transportation, waste, and water. (5 units)

146. Agriculture, Environment, and Development: Latin America
This course offers a cross-disciplinary examination of the prospects for “sustainable development” in rural areas of Latin America. We will use diverse points of view to look at interactions between poverty, development, and environmental degradation. While there is no single, universally accepted definition of sustainable development, a central goal of this course is that each student come away with the ability to understand the key elements that distinguish different discourses on this subject. (5 units)

147. International Environment and Development
This course examines the intersection of environment and development in the developing world. Students will explore meanings and measures of development as well as international institutions that influence development and environmental policy. Conceptual frameworks for addressing human-environmental relationships, including globalization, famine and hunger, sustainable development, population-poverty interactions and gender will be explored. Specific topics to be covered include deforestation, water use, conservation and development, oil extraction, and urbanization. (5 units)

149. Politics of African Development
Examines why Africa is the poorest region of the world, focusing on legacies of colonialism, failed political systems, poor economic choices, and external interventions. Discussion of how some states have collapsed into warlordism, civil war, and genocide and how others are creating democratic movements to reverse a history of economic decline. Also listed as POLI 146. (5 units)

151. Restoration Ecology L&L
The science and practice of restoring degraded ecosystems, with an emphasis on plant ecology. Through fieldwork in restoration experiments and examination of case studies from the literature, students will grapple with basic questions: How do we decide what to restore? How do we restore it? And how do we know if we’re finished? Emphasis on reading and writing scientific papers, working with data, and critically judging the success of restoration projects in meeting goals of biodiversity and ecosystem function. Laboratory and field work 30 hours. Also listed as BIOL 151. Prerequisite: BIOL 23. (5 units)

156. General Ecology L&L
Quantitative study of the interrelationships of organisms with their biotic and abiotic environments. Emphasis on population dynamics, interspecific relationships, community structure, and ecosystem processes. Laboratory and field work 30 hours, typically including one weekend field trip. Also listed as BIOL 156. Prerequisites: BIOL 23 and MATH 11. (5 units)

158. Conservation Psychology
Many environmental problems (e.g., global warming, pollution, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion) are caused by human behavior, and changing this behavior is necessary in order to solve them. Topics include psychological reasons (emotions, thoughts, values, motivations, social context) why people behave in environmentally sustainable or unsustainable ways, and how psychology can be used to develop policies and other interventions to help promote sustainable behavior. Also listed as PSYC 158. Prerequisites: PSYC 1, 2, 40, 43, or permission of the instructor. (5 units)

195. Sustainable Living Undergraduate Research Project (SLURP)
This course, jointly sponsored by the Environmental Studies Institute and the CyPhi Residential Learning Community, is designed to promote a culture of sustainability within the residential communities of the modern university. Students will engage in intensive research over the course of the academic year and will compile and present their results during the spring quarter. Enrollment is limited to residents of the SLURP floor in the CyPhi RLC. (5 units) NCX

196. Special Topics in Environmental Studies
Course content and topics vary depending on the professor. (2 or 5 units) NCX

197. Special Topics in Environmental Science
Course content and topics vary depending on the professor. (2 or 5 units) NCX

198. Environmental Proseminar
A seminar course for graduating seniors, intended to permit reflection on an internship or research experience and foster the further development of professional skills. Prior to enrolling, students must complete 100 hours of work in one of the following options: 1) an approved off-campus environmental internship (see ESI executive director for approval before initiating the internship), 2) approved environmental research with SCU faculty (ENVS 195, ENVS 199A, or 199B) or as part of a study abroad program, or 3) the Environmental Vocation Internship (ENVS 199C). Unit credit dependent on prior credits granted for internship or research work. Students are graded P/NP only. Prerequisites: Completion of 100 hours of internship or research and senior class standing. (1–5 units) NCX

199. Directed Reading, Research, or Internship
Students wishing to enroll in 199A, 199B, or 199C should meet with the faculty supervisor no later than the fifth week of the term preceding the start of the project. For 199A and 199B a written description of the proposed project must be presented to the ESI executive director for approval. (1–5 units) NCX

199A. Directed Reading in Environmental Science or Environmental Studies
Detailed investigation based on directed readings on advanced environmental topics, under the close supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: Permission of ESI executive director and instructor before registration. (1–5 units) NCX

199B. Directed Environmental Research
Supervised laboratory, field, or other research under the guidance of a faculty member. The goal should be a written report suitable for publication. Prerequisite: Permission of ESI executive director and instructor before registration. (1–5 units) NCX

199D. Interdisciplinary Research in Environmental Studies
This course provides an overview of disciplinary approaches to environmental research and ways of integrating different types of research in interdisciplinary ways. Discussions will focus on the philosophy of science, methods for data collection, and different types of methods including field, lab, and social science methods. The course will be open to research students of faculty participating in the Undergraduate Research Initiative and to SLURP students. Students are graded P/NP only. (1–5 units) NCX