Requirements and Course Descriptions

The Environmental Studies minor consists of 7 required courses totaling 24 credits. Two from a particular set of four GEMs courses are required, in addition to an introductory course on the nature of science. Beyond the introductory level, Environmental Public Policy (also required for Environmental Science students) introduces students to environmental regulations, economics, and politics. This course presumes students have had macroeconomics. In addition, at the upper level students must take either American Literature and the Environment or Environmental Philosophy and History. Applied Environmental Ethics serves as a capstone seminar course in which much of the previous learning is put to use in actual case studies. An internship, preferably done senior year, is the final required course. Also, there are a number of flagged general education courses that may be of special interest for Environmental Studies students.

The program presumes a student is not majoring in one of the natural sciences. For students who do major in one of the natural sciences, the Environmental Studies science courses may be waived. For a student who decides to minor in both Environmental Science and Environmental Studies, such a double minor does not constitute a major.

Required Courses (7 courses, 24 credits)

1. GES 150: Science for Environmental Studies
a) A study of the nature of science, with examples taken from human population, extinction and biodiversity, pollution and waste, global climate change.
b) instructor: Bodenbender, Hansen, Peaslee
c) co/prerequisite: none
d) 2 credits

2 and 3. Choose two from the following four courses

GEMS 152: The Atmosphere and Environmental Change
a) A study of the atmosphere, weather, local pollution, acid rain, climate change, ozone depletion, storms, droughts, and floods.
b) instructor: Hansen
c) co/prerequisite: GEMS 100: Mathematics for Public Discourse; this requirement is waived for students with Math 131
d) 4 credits

GEMS 153: Populations in Changing Environments
a) A study of population growth and dynamics, ecology, evolution, species interactions, biodiversity, and conservation.
b) instructor: Winnett-Murray
c) co/prerequisite: GEMS 100: Mathematics for Public Discourse; this requirement is waived for students with Math 131
d) 4 credits

GEMS 157: The Planet Earth
a) A study of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere and their interactions.
b) instructor: Peterson
c) co-prerequsite: none
d) 4 credits

GEMS 160: The Chemistry of Our Environment
a) A study of matter, thermodynamics, groundwater pollution, chemical manufacturing, and recycling.
b) instructor: Seymour
c) co/prerequiste: GEMS 100: Mathematics for Public Discourse; this requirement is waived for students with Math 131
d) 4 credits

4. GES 310: Environmental Public Policy
a) An in-depth study of federal lands, intergovernmental relations, agency law, comparative institutions, US environmental regulations, and applied macro-economics.
b) instructors: Holmes, Lunn, Peterson
c) prerequisites: Econ 211: Macroeconomics, science core
d) 4 credits

5. Choose one from the following two courses

English 371: American Literature and the Environment
a) An in-depth study of classic and contemporary texts in environmental literature, e.g., Edward Abbey, Mary Austin, Annie Dillard, Aldo Leopold, Barry Lopez, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman.
b) instructor: Pannapacker
c) prerequisites: Cultural Heritage core
d) 4 credits

ES 377: Environmental Philosophy and History
a) An in-depth study of classic and contemporary texts in environmental philosophy and history, including primary sources by Wendell Berry, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, John Muir, Sigurd Olson, Holmes Rolston, and Lynn White, as well as secondary studies by Callicott, Crosby, Nash, Oelschlaeger, Ponting and Worster.
b) instructor: Bouma-Prediger
c) prerequisites: Cultural Heritage core
d) 4 credits

6. GES 395/Religion 369: Applied Environmental Ethics
a) An in-depth application of environmental science, public policy, and ethics to local case studies, e.g., Macatawa watershed, Holland area air pollution, sand mining along Lake Michigan, leaking underground storage tanks, Windmill Island development.
b) instructors: Bouma-Prediger, Peterson
c) prerequisites: science core, religion core
d) 4 credits

7. ES 499: Internship
a) A supervised practical experience in a local work setting, e.g., business, non-profit organization, governmental agency, educational institution. This experience will involve at least 4 hours per week for a full semester in a setting approved by the environmental studies program director.
b) instructors: ES director and site supervisor
c) prerequisites: GES 150, 2 from GEMS 152/153/157/160, GES 310
co/prerequisites: GES 395, English 371 or ES 377
d) 2 credits

Additional Courses in the Core Curriculum (flagged courses)

IDS 100: First Year Seminar
a) The topics will vary depending on the section, but the sections with the following instructors focus on environmental themes.
b) instructors: Bouma-Prediger, Hansen, Peaslee, Peterson
c) prerequisite: none
d) 2 credits

Religion 100: Earth and Ethics
a) An introductory course that focuses on space and place, worldviews, the state of the planet, cultural analysis, Christian and non-Christian religions, Bible and ecology, and ecological virtues.
b) instructor: Bouma-Prediger
c) prerequisite: none
d) 2 credits

English 113: Expository Writing
a) The topics will vary depending on the section, but the sections with the following instructors focus on environmental themes.
b) instructors: Gruenler, Klooster, Mezeske
c) prerequisite: none
d) 4 credits

Religion 369: Ecological Theology and Ethics
a) An off-campus course in the Adirondacks of upstate New York that focuses on ecological degradation, basic environmental history, Bible and ecology, earthkeeping themes in theology, ecological duties and virtues, ecological ethics and wilderness preservation.
b) instructor: Bouma-Prediger
c) prerequisite: religion core and permission of instructor
d) 4 credits

IDS 467: God, Earth, Ethics
a) A senior seminar that focuses on worldviews and worldview analysis, the state of the planet, basic environmental science, Bible and ecology, ecological ethics theory, and applied environmental ethics.
b) instructors: Bouma-Prediger
c) prerequisite: all core completed and senior status
d) 4 credits