Degree: Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Science
College: Arts and Sciences
Department: Environmental Studies
Contact: Dr. Owen Grumbling (Chair) ogrumbling@une.edu
It is our goal to increase awareness and appreciation of human connections with the rest of the natural world, and to stimulate advocacy for harmonious behaviors. The liberal arts curriculum stresses sound interdisciplinary understanding of the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities in order to explore past, present, and potential ways of living on the earth. We are concerned with environmental issues at local, regional, national, and global levels, and we especially desire to help communities practice sustainable living by means of our teaching, research and service. Faculty and students collaborate in active and critical learning through community discourse, personal inquiry, and experiential learning. We intend that our students develop a personal, aesthetic awareness of the earth, and that they engage in the inquiry, discovery, critical thinking, and debate that characterizes the study of environmental issues in the world.
The department offers majors in environmental science and environmental studies. Both build upon a sound foundation in basic science, and both provide broad explorations of human interaction with the environment.
During the first two years, course requirements are nearly identical. The difference between the two majors emerges during the final two years in course selection: environmental science emphasizes scientific aspects of environmental questions, while environmental studies emphasizes humanistic, social, and political aspects.
During the first year, Department of Environmental Sciences (DES) majors take courses in Environmental Issues, General Biology, and Literature, Nature & Biology (or appropriate substitute) as part of the Green Learning Community (see below). This two-semester program uses an interdisciplinary framework to explore fundamental themes of environmental studies. Moreover, it develops academic and affective skills necessary for successful college learning and collaborative professional work.
During the second year DES students look more deeply into the nature of environmental issues by taking courses in Population, Conservation and Preservation, and Pollution. In addition, the Conservation Field Lab teaches conservation field skills as well as data analysis and environmental communication arts. These interdisciplinary environmental issues courses ensure a broad understanding while preparing students for more advanced study.
Students in the third and fourth years, aided by a faculty advisor, choose advanced courses according to their interests and career plans. Environmental science majors choose science electives in biology, chemistry, physics, marine biology, and psychobiology, as well as environmental science. Environmental studies majors in the third and fourth years choose advanced courses from the following distribution groups: Conservation and Preservation; Environmental Policy; Arts, Humanities, and Values; Global Ecology and Social Justice.
In both majors, the advanced courses not only stress deeper understanding, but also involve problem solving. Some courses examine the ways that human attitudes affect our environment, while other courses deal with hands-on tasks such as designing a conservation area, restoring a natural ecosystem, or considering technologies to reduce pollution. In order to ensure an intense direct experience of the natural world, the department offers a variety of field study courses, and requires all majors to take at least one. The curriculum culminates with the Senior Capstone in Environmental Studies in which students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired to a significant environmental question.
Philosophy
Because the study of environmental issues requires knowledge from a wide range of subjects, DES maintains a firm commitment to interdisciplinary education in our curriculum. DES Core courses utilize knowledge and concepts drawn from the basic sciences as well as from the humanities and social sciences. Upper-division DES courses investigate environmental questions through disciplines such as literature, anthropology, economics, biology, political science, chemistry, physics, and ecology. Through all four years, our curriculum develops the skills necessary for dealing with environmental problems: writing, speaking, critical thinking, computing, research techniques, and media arts. The Environmental Studies Program prepares students to become informed citizens, competent professionals, and lifelong learners.
The Green Learning Community
As mentioned above, all entering first-year environmental students participate in a year-long learning community focused on the fundamental themes of environmental studies. The Green Learning Community integrates courses as follows: 8 credits for biology, 3 credits for literature (or an appropriate substitute), 3 credits for environmental issues and 2 credits for an integrating seminar experience--for a total of 16 credits over two semesters. This interdisciplinary approach enables students to understand more clearly the relationships between environmental issues, biology and humanities and at the same time improve skills in critical thinking, writing, oral communication, research, and use of computers. Experiential learning activities are central.
Double Majors
It is possible for DES students to add a second major or a minor in areas such as marine biology, medical biology, political science, history, sociology, and English. DES students interested in a double major should consult with their DES faculty advisor, who in turn will coordinate with an advisor from the second department.
Secondary Teaching Certification
The department offers environmental sciences majors the opportunity to select all of the EDU secondary education certification courses (listed below) as their electives in order to become middle school or high school teachers (grades 7-12) in the area of science. While providing a solid foundation in environmental studies and science, this program includes extensive coursework in education, which, when combined with the secondary teaching internship, will result in State of Maine teacher certification upon completion of the degree program. This program is approved by the State of Maine Board of Education.
| Education Courses | Credits |
| EDU 105 - Introduction to Schools | 3 |
| EDU 133 - American Education | 3 |
| EDU 202 - Curriculum Theory and Design | 3 |
| EDU 220 - Exceptionality in the Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 430 - Educational Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
| EDU 437 - Teaching Secondary Science | 3 |
| EDU 486 - Secondary Education Practicum | 3 |
| EDU 492 - Secondary Internship | 15 |
See Education for more details.
Center for Sustainable Communities
The Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC) is an internship and service learning program that creates mutually beneficial partnerships between students and environmental organizations in the communities surrounding the Biddeford campus. Through hands-on involvement with local governments, non-profit organizations, and community groups, students are able to field test academic learning in situations that make tangible the challenge to " think globally, act locally." The most significant partner organization is the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. Its mission, research and education about coastal environments, attracts DES faculty researchers as well as student interns.
Internships and Careers
Internships provide students with an opportunity to practice learned skills in an actual work environment with the guidance of a DES internship coordinator, who helps students match their interests with a work experience that might take place locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally. Internships provide career exploration, and can help establish professional networks that lead to career opportunities upon graduation. The interdisciplinary nature of environmental studies is reflected in the wide variety of careers open to graduates, such as air and water resource management, ecological restoration, education, habitat conservation, park management, toxicology, field research, journalism, environmental advocacy, environmental impact assessment, law and regulation, and environmental health. Our graduates enter both masters and doctoral programs in several of these fields.
Core Curriculum
Since 1991 the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences has defined environmental awareness as a major theme in the College's Core Curriculum, and asked the Department of Environmental Studies to deliver the course Introduction to Environmental Issues to all undergraduates regardless of major. The UNE undergraduate college is one of the few in the nation that requires formal instruction in environmental studies as a requirement for graduation.
Program Standards: All courses that fulfill a degree requirement must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
| Credits | ||
| University Core Requirements. (includes 13 credits required by major) |
42-43 | |
| Program Required Courses including Green Learning Community | 21 | |
|
ENV 100, 101 - Introduction to Environmental Issues (3 cr) (Fulfills University Core Requirement) |
||
| ENV 150, 151 - Intro to The Green Learning Community I/II | 2 | |
| BIO 100- Biology I (4 cr) (Fulfills University Core Requirement) |
||
| BIO 101- Biology II | 4 | |
|
LIT 121/122 - Exploration: Literature, Nature and Biology (3 cr) or BUEC 104/105 - Exploration: Economics in Context (3 cr) |
||
| BIO 350- Ecology | 4 | |
| CHE 110/110L - General Chemistry I | 4 | |
| CHE 111/111L - General Chemistry II | 4 | |
|
MAT 150 - Statistics for Life Sciences (3 cr) (Fulfills University Core Requirements) |
||
| MAT 180 - Precalculus ( prerequisite for Ecology) | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Science Electives (see below)* | ||
| Courses totaling 16 credit hours chosen from the list of Upper-Division Science Electives offered by the Departments of Environmental Studies, Biological Sciences, Chemistry/ Physics, and Psychology. This group of courses should be taken during third & fourth years. | 16 | |
| Interdisciplinary Environmental Issues Courses | 11 | |
| ENV 220 Conservation and Preservation | 3 | |
| ENV 220L Conservation and Preservation Lab | 2 | |
| ENV 210 Pollution and the Environment | 3 | |
| ENV 200 Population and the Environment | 3 | |
|
This group should be taken during the second year |
||
| Environmental Studies Distribution Requirements** | 6-8 | |
| A. Two courses chosen from different distribution groups in the list of Environmental Studies Distribution Requirements | ||
| B. One of these courses (in A above) must also appear on the list of Field Studies Courses. | ||
| Internship: | 3-9 | |
| ENV 295 or 495A or 495B | ||
| Senior Capstone in Environmental Studies | 3 | |
| ENV 499 Adv Topics ENV Studies | ||
| Open Elective Courses (needed to reach 120 credits) | variable | |
| Minimum Required Total Credits | 120 |
*Upper-Division Science Electives
Environmental science majors must complete 16 credits from the following list:
BIO 200 - Genetics
BIO 220 - Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 221 - Principles of Aquaculture
BIO 224 - Remote Sensing & GIS
BIO 250 - Marine Biology
BIO 251 - Plants of New England
BIO 252 - Natural History Marine Mammals
BIO 290 - Biological Topics/Dir Studies
BIO 310 - Phycology
BIO 319 - Ornithology
BIO 322- Comparative Animal Physiology
BIO 326 - Microbial Ecology
BIO 331 - Biology of Fishes
BIO 333 - Evolution
BIO 335 - Animal Behavior/Behavioral Ecology
BIO 355 - Biology of Marine Mammals
BIO 360 - Oceanography
BIO 381 - Limnology
BIO 420 - Topics in Marine Biology
BIO 450 - Topics in Biology
BIO 460 - Topics in Environmental Biology
CHE 210 - Organic Chemistry I
CHE 211 - Organic Chemistry II
CHE 300 - Topics in Chemistry
CHE 307 - Quantitative Analysis
CHE 309 - Intro to Instrumental Analysis
ENV 230/230L - Environmental Geology OR GEO 200/200L - Geology
ENV 312/312L - Wetland Conservation and Ecology
ENV 314/314L - Restoring Coastal Habitats in the Gulf of Maine
ENV 341 - Indigenous Ecology, Conservation Biology, and the Politics of Knowledge
PHY 110 - General Physics I
PHY 111 - General Physics II
PSY 365 - Biological Bases of Behavior
**Environmental Studies Distribution Requirements List
(FS indicates Field Studies Course)
Group One: Conservation, Preservation, Restoration
ENV 311/311L Design with Nature: Site Planning (FS)
ENV 312/312L Wetland Conservation and Ecology (FS)
ENV 313/313L Wetland Restoration: Science and Policy
ENV 314/314L Restoring Coastal Habitats in the Gulf of Maine (FS)
ENV 315 Land Conservation Practicum
ENV 316 Land Conservation Practicum with Field Lab (FS)
ENV 317 Case Studies in Preserving Biodiversity and Protected Areas
ENV 398 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (3 credits)
ENV 399 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (4 credits)
Group Two: Environmental Policy
ENV 321 Environmental Policy in Comparative Perspective
ENV 322 Environmental Movements and Social Change
ENV 323 Environmental Advocacy
ENV 324 Environmental Economics/BUEC 390 Environmental Economics
ENV 325 Ecological Economics/ BUEC 395 Ecological Economics
ENV 326 Case Studies in Environmental Science and Policy
ENV 327 Environmental Impact Assessment: Policy and Methods
ENV 398 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (3 credits)
ENV 399 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (4 credits)
Group Three: Arts, Humanities, and Values
ENV 331 Women and the Environment
ENV 332 Nature Writers
ENV 333 The Nature Writers with Field Lab (FS)
ENV 334/334L Contemporary Nature Writing
ENV 336 Edward Abbey: Voice Crying in the Wilderness
ENV 337 Outdoor Environmental Education (FS)
ENV 398 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (3 credits)
ENV 399 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (4 credits)
Group Four: Global Ecology and Social Justice
ENV 341 Indigenous Ecology, Conservation Biology, and the Politics of Knowledge
ENV 342 Globalization, Locality, and the Environment
ENV 343 Environmental Racism and the Environmental Justice Movement
ENV 344 Environmental Ethics
ENV 398 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (3 credits)
ENV 399 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (4 credits)
Field Studies Courses
ENV 311/311L Design with Nature: Site Planning
ENV 312/312L Wetland Conservation and Ecology
ENV 314/314L Restoring Coastal Habitats in the Gulf of Maine
ENV 316/316L Land Conservation Practicum with Field Lab
ENV 333/333L The Nature Writers
ENV 337 Outdoor Environmental Education
** This group of courses should be taken during third and fourth years.
A student with a major in another department may minor in Environmental Studies with the approval of the the Environmental Studies Department Chair. A minimum of eighteen hours of approved course credit in the following courses is required:
| ENV 100/101 or ENV 104 - Introduction to Environmental Issues | 3 | |
| ENV 200 - Population and the Environment | 3 | |
| ENV 210 - Pollution and the Environment | 3 | |
| ENV 220 - Conservation and Preservation | 3 | |
| And two courses chosen from the list of Environmental Studies Distribution Requirements. | 6-8 |
Department of Environmental Studies Faculty
| Grumbling, Vernon Owen (Chair) Ph.D., University of New Hampshire-British Romantic Literature; M.A., Northeastern University-British and American Literature; B.A., St. Vincent College-English. |
Professor | |
| Carter, Jacque (Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs) Ph.D., College of William and Mary-Marine Science; M.S., B.S., Northern Illinois University-Biology. |
Professor | |
| Baumann-Feurt, Christine M.A., College of William and Mary-Biology; B.S., University of Maryland-Zoology. |
Coordinator, Center for Sustainable Communities | |
| Lemons, John Ph.D., M.S., University of Wyoming-Zoology and Physiology; B.S., California State University at Long Beach- Zoology. |
Professor | |
| Morgan, Pamela Ph.D., University of New Hampshire-Natural Resource Conservation; M.S., University of Maine-Botany, Plant Pathology; B.S., Lafayette College-Biology. |
Associate Professor | |
| Peterson, Richard Ph.D., M.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison-Environmental Studies; B.A., Michigan State University-International Studies. |
Associate Professor | |
|
Steen-Adams, Michelle |
Assistant Professor | |
| Simon, Cynthia M.S., Lesley University-Environmental Education; B.S. Northeastern University-Business Marketing. |
Internship Coordinator |
Notice and Responsibilities Regarding this Catalog
This Catalog documents the academic programs, policies, and activities of the University of New England for the 2006-2007 academic year. The information contained herein is accurate as of date of publication August 1, 2006.
The University of New England reserves the right in its sole judgment to make changes of any nature in its programs, calendar, or academic schedule whenever it is deemed necessary or desirable, including changes in course content, the rescheduling of classes with or without extending the academic term, canceling of scheduled classes or other academic activities, in any such case giving such notice thereof as is reasonably practicable under the circumstances.
While each student may work closely with an academic advisor, he or she must retain individual responsibility for meeting requirements in this catalog and for being aware of any changes in provisions or requirements.