Environmental Studies

Major and combined majors offered

A student may choose environmental studies as a stand-alone major, a combined major in conjunction with other departments (see below), or as one field in a multi-field major (see Curriculum, Multi-field Major Program). Students can earn a B.S. degree emphasizing environmental science via combined majors with biology or mathematics; or a B.A. degree in the stand-alone major or in a combined major with economics, English, political science, or sociology.

Visit the department's website at https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/environmental-studies.

Restrictions

Students desiring to major in any of the environmental studies majors must have earned a minimum of 2.25 in ENVS 101 to be admitted to the major.
For the stand-alone major and all combined majors, all Nature/Society (N/S) courses, all Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) courses and all required cross-listed or dual-listed electives, must be taken in the environmental studies department at St. Lawrence University.
For students undertaking double majors and including environmental studies as one of the two majors, no more than two courses cross-listed or dual-listed with the department of the second major may be counted as electives toward the environmental studies major.
For the stand-alone major no more than two courses can be counted as electives from other institutions and University-approved abroad/away programs. For all combined majors only one ENVS course can be counted.
Students intending to pursue an interdisciplinary major in environmental studies must take 101 by the end of their fourth semester.
A major in environmental studies cannot be declared later than the mid-point of a student’s fifth semester, or equivalent.

Stand-Alone Major

The stand-alone major (B.A.) serves students who wish to concentrate their efforts in environmental studies. This major is tailored to individual interests and emphasizes depth in selected subjects, as well as the integrative, interdisciplinary approaches of environmental studies.

Requirements

All stand-alone majors in environmental studies require the following courses:

ENVS 101. Our Shared Environment. (1 unit)
Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), Nature/Society, and/or approved research-based SYE courses (5 units)
Natural Science Elective* (1 unit)
Social Science/Humanities Elective* (1 unit)
Electives* (3 units)

Total: 11 units

*Courses must be from approved cross-listed or dual-listed courses taught by faculty in other departments on campus.

Combined Majors

Environmental studies, in conjunction with other departments, has created 10 interdisciplinary majors, allowing students to integrate substantial efforts in traditional disciplines with environmental studies. These majors are designed for students who wish to acquire expertise in another department while still benefiting from the integrative approaches of environmental studies. Two B.S. options are available with natural science departments: biology and mathematics. Four B.A. options are available with departments in the social sciences and humanities: economics, English, political science, and sociology. In each interdisciplinary major, it is essential that the student work closely with advisors in both departments.

Progress in both halves of the combined major should take place at about the same pace.

Combined Major - Core Courses

All Combined majors in environmental studies require the following courses:

ENVS 101. Our Shared Environment. (1 unit)
Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), Nature Society, and/or approved research-based SYE courses (4 units)
Electives* (2 units)

Total: 7 units

*One elective must be a cross-listed or dual-listed natural science course for B.A. students or a social science or humanities course for B.S. students. Some combined majors require an SYE in either department which may raise the total units to 8 if taken in environmental studies. Honors are always in the major, incorporating both departments and at least one committee member from each department. The faculty mentor may be in either department.

Environmental Studies–Biology

Combined Major Core: 7 units (listed above)

Biology

101,102. General Biology with lab.
221. General Ecology with lab.
Electives* (5.5 - 5.75 units)

Total: 16.25 - 16.5 units

*Electives that are cross-listed or dual-listed should be taken under the biology number. Biology electives must include two 300 or 400 level courses and one of the following: (1) 3.75 additional units with lab, (2) two additional units with lab and one unit of lab or field-based SYE, or 3) 1.25 additional units with lab and a 1.25-unit research methods course with lecture and lab. Students planning for graduate work in biology should take General Chemistry and Statistics.

*Electives that are cross-listed or dual-listed should be taken under the biology number. Biology electives must include two 300 or 400 level courses and one of the following: (1) three additional units with lab, (2) two additional units with lab and one unit of lab or field-based SYE, or 3) one additional unit with lab and a one-unit research methods course with lecture and lab. Students planning for graduate work in biology should take General Chemistry and Statistics.

Environmental Studies–Economics

Combined Major Core: 7 units (listed above)

Economics

100. Introduction to Economics. (1 unit)
200. Quantitative Methods in Economics. (1.5 unit)
251. Intermediate Microeconomic Theory.* (1 unit)
252. Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory.* (1 unit)
308. Environmental Economics. (1 unit) or
384. Natural Resource Economics. (1 unit)
Electives* (3 units)

Total: 15.5 units

Electives that are cross-listed or dual-listed should be taken under the economics number. Dual-listed electives count toward the economics portion of the combined major. Economics electives must include at least two 300- or 400-level courses.

*Economics majors must pass ECON 251 and ECON 252 with a grade of 2.0 or higher. A grade of P (pass) in ECON 251 or 252 does not count as a 2.0. See the “Economics Major” section of this catalog for applicable departmental policies.

Environmental Studies–English

Combined Major Core: 7 units (listed above)

English

At least three writing courses, two of which are in one of the following sequences:

201 and 309 Journalism
202 and 293 Creative Non-fiction
241 and 310 Fiction
242 and 311 Poetry
243 and 293 Creative Nonfiction
243 and 295 Creative Nonfiction
243 and 308 Creative Nonfiction
243 and 309 Nonfiction/Journalism
244 and 306 Screenwriting
A relevant special topics course in writing or independent study in writing may count as one course.

At least four literature courses, which must include:

At least one of the following survey courses:

190EL. Introduction to Literary Forms, Nature Writing.
222. Introduction to Multi-ethnic American Literature.
225. Survey of English Literature I.
226. Survey of English Literature II.
231. Adirondack Literature.
237. Survey of American Literature I.
238. Survey of American Literature II.
263. Native American Literature.
ENG 250. Methods of Critical Analysis.

At least two of the following 300-level literature courses:

328. English Romanticism.
331. American Romanticism.
334. Reading the Land: Pastoral and Georgic Literature.
346. American Literature and the Environment.
352. Contemporary Literature and the Environment.
4038. Planetary Modernisms.
A relevant special topics seminar or independent study in literature.

Total: 14 units

Note: Courses that are cross-listed or dual-listed should be taken under the course number for English. These electives count toward the English portion of the combined major.

Environmental Studies–Political Science

Interdisciplinary Major Core (listed above) (7 units)

Political Science

103. Introduction to American Politics. (1 unit)
105. Introduction to Comparative Politics. (1 unit)
108 or 206. Introduction to International Politics. or Introduction to Political Theory
290. Research Seminar. (1 unit)
Elective Any one elective course that is predominantly focused on the Environment and taught within the Political Science department (1unit)
Electives* (2 units)

Total:14 units

*Electives that are cross-listed or dual-listed should be taken under the political science number. These cross-listed or dual-listed electives count toward the political science portion of the combined major. .

Environmental Studies–Mathematics

Interdisciplinary Major Core (listed above) 7 units

Mathematics

135. Calculus I. (1 unit)
136. Calculus II. (1 unit)
205. Multivariable Calculus. (1 unit)
230. Differential Equations. (1 unit)
350. Mathematical Modeling. (1 unit)
Mathematics elective at the 300- or 400-level (1 unit)

Statistics

113. Applied Statistics. (1 unit)
213. Applied Regression Analysis. (1 unit)

Total: 15 units

Environmental Studies–Sociology

Interdisciplinary Major Core (listed above) (7 units)

Sociology

110. Global Problems. or
112. Inequality. or
161. Social Problems and Policy. or
187. Environment and Society. (1 unit)

Other courses may be considered, in consultation with the department chair.

203. Foundations of Social Theory. (1 unit)
300. Qualitative Research Methods. or
301. Quantitative Research Methods. (1 unit)

Two socio-environmental dynamics courses (2 units)

228. Race and Ethnicity.
253. Race, Class, and Environmental Justice.
257. Environmental Problems
264. Environmental Movements.
273. The Hidden Faces of Historical Capitalism.
288. Dilemmas of Development.
314. Nomads in World History.
377. Sociology of Consumption.
3118. Sociology of the Family.
4010. Recreation and Resistance.

Other courses may be considered, in consultation with the department chair.

Two electives in sociology* (2 units)
Capstone: one additional 300/400 socio-environmental dynamics course with research component (1 unit)

Total: 15 units

*Electives that are cross-listed or dual-listed should be taken under the sociology number and count toward the sociology portion of the combined major.

Honors in Environmental Studies Majors

Students enrolled in one of the environmental studies majors may pursue honors in that major. To qualify for graduation with honors, students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in all courses of the major at the time of graduation. In addition, students must successfully complete an honors project supervised, or read, by at least one faculty advisor in the environmental studies core. An honors project involves primary data collection, analysis of that data, and rigorous literature review. An honors project is usually completed over the course of an academic year as 1.5 or 2.0 units of credit, depending on the project, with the advisor’s consent. Juniors interested in the honors program should consult with the environmental studies faculty. (See also Honors in the Curriculum section of this Catalog.)

See Environmental Studies courses

Updated 7/1/25