The mission of Environmental Science at Bethel is to guide students in the pursuit of truth about the workings of creation and the human place in it, and to enable them to practice environmental stewardship in lifestyle and profession. Caring for the whole of creation is an immense privilege and responsibility, and we prepare students for this task through a curriculum that integrates knowledge and perspective from a variety of established disciplines (e.g., biology, chemistry) as well as off-campus experiences. Environmental science combines classroom and laboratory instruction with a variety of field experiences. Students cap their education in environmental science by designing and conducting a specific research project under the direction of a faculty mentor. Those who complete the program successfully will be prepared for a variety of types of employment (e.g., natural resource conservation, outdoor education, environmental advocacy) or for graduate school. The number of such opportunities is continually increasing as is the need for educated, committed environmental stewards.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major in Environmental Science (B.S.) | ||
| BIO 124 & BIO 124D | Integrative Biology: Genes, Cells, Change and Integrative Biology: Genes, Cells, Change Lab | 4 |
| BIO 128 & BIO 128D | Integrative Biology: Metabolism, Energy, Biodiversity and Integrative Biology: Metabolism, Energy, Biodiversity Lab | 4 |
| BIO 218 | Biology in a Changing World | 3 |
| BIO 330 & BIO 331 | Ecology and Ecology Lab | 4 |
| BIO 495 | Biology Seminar | 2 |
| ENS 104 & ENS 104D | Environment and Humanity and Environment and Humanity Lab | 4 |
| ENS/BIO 399 | Introduction to Research | 1 |
| ENS/BIO 499 | Symposium | 0 |
| Choose one of the following: | 2 | |
| Research in Environmental Studies | ||
| Advanced Biology Research | ||
| or | ||
| Internship in Environmental Studies | ||
| Choose one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Ecology in the Tropics: Natural History and Future Prospects | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| History and the Human Environment | ||
| Choose one of the following Fundamentals of Chemistry sequences: | 4-8 | |
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Lab | ||
| General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Lab | ||
| or | ||
| Accelerated General Chemistry and Accelerated General Chemistry Lab 2 | ||
| CHE 312 & CHE 313 | Quantitative Analysis and Quantitative Analysis Lab | 4 |
| Choose one of the following Environmental Area Courses: | 4 | |
| Invertebrate Biology and Invertebrate Biology Lab | ||
| Aquatic Biology and Aquatic Biology Lab | ||
| Animal Behavior and Animal Behavior Lab | ||
| Plant Taxonomy and Ecology and Plant Taxonomy and Ecology Lab | ||
| Environmental Plant Biology and Environmental Plant Biology Lab | ||
| Wildlife Ecology and Management | ||
| Wildlife Ecology and Management Lab | ||
| Ecology in the Tropics: Natural History and Future Prospects 1 | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| Microbiology and Microbiology Lab | ||
| Vertebrate Histology and Vertebrate Histology Lab | ||
| Genetics and Genetics Lab | ||
| Endocrinology and Endocrinology Lab | ||
| Cell Biology and Cell Biology Lab 3 | ||
| Neurobiology and Neurobiology Lab | ||
| Structure and Development of Vertebrates and Structure and Development of Vertebrates Lab | ||
| Animal Physiology and Animal Physiology Lab | ||
| Biochemistry I and Biochemistry I Lab 4 | ||
| Essentials of Biochemistry and Essentials of Biochemistry Lab | ||
| Instrumental Analysis and Instrumental Analysis Lab | ||
| Au Sable institute Courses | 12 | |
| BIOL/GEOL/GEOG 301 Land Resources | ||
| BIOL/ENVST/GEOG 330 Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Au Sable Elective | ||
| Additional Biology Electives from Environmental Area (or may be taken through Au Sable | 8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major | 63-68 | |
| General Education | 42-43 | |
| Electives | 12-16 | |
| Total Credits | 122 | |
| 1 | Recommended option to complete the major in 3.5 years |
| 2 | MAT 124M is a prerequisite for this course. |
| 3 | |
| 4 |
Courses whose number is followed by a letter fulfill a General Education requirement.
With permission of the Department Chair, appropriate courses taken in other off-campus programs may substitute for those listed above.
Students are strongly urged to meet the "M" tag (Mathematics) General Education requirement by taking an introductory statistics course such as PSY 230M or MAT 207M.
ENS 100 • Environmental Studies 3 Credits
Examination of how science, engineering, and economics work together to address and solve environmental problems. Exploration of the importance of the scientific method as it relates to the environment, conservation of resources, and energy. Evaluation of case studies will develop a deeper sense of stewardship to our planet.
Offered: Occasionally.
ENS 104 • Environment and Humanity 3 Credits
Interrelationships and interactions of humans with the natural environment in which they live. Causes of and potential solutions to environmental problems like pollution of water, air, and soil; extinction of wildlife; and degradation of natural and human ecosystems are examined, using the science of ecology as a knowledge base.
Corequisites: Concurrent registration in ENS 104D is required. Offered: Fall, Spring.
ENS 104D • Environment and Humanity Lab 1 Credit
Laboratory experience accompanying ENS 104. Includes some outdoor and off-campus investigations.
Corequisites: Concurrent registration in ENS 104 or completion of ENS 100. Offered: Fall, Spring.
ENS 205L • Sustainable Living 3 Credits
A multidisciplinary approach to the challenges of living a sustainable life in a complex world. Considers how ecological, ethical, and cultural understandings inform our responsibility for personal and global decisions.
Prerequisites: GES 130 and GES 160 (may be taken concurrently) or GES 244 (may be taken concurrently). Offered: Spring.
ENS 316 • Wildlife Ecology and Management 3 Credits
Analysis of terrestrial vertebrate populations, communities, and habitats. Exploration of how these analyses are applied to the manipulation, exploitation, protection, and restoration of animal populations and communities.
Prerequisites: Two of the following: BIO 122/BIO 122D, BIO 128/BIO 128D, ENS 104/ENS 104D; BIO 218 (may be taken concurrently) or major in environmental science; Junior or senior standing. Corequisites: Concurrent registration in ENS 317 is required. Special Notes: Carries cross-credit in biology. Offered: Spring, even # years.
ENS 317 • Wildlife Ecology and Management Lab 1 Credit
Laboratory experience accompanying ENS 316. Includes some outdoor and off-campus investigations.
Corequisites: Concurrent registration in ENS 316 is required. Offered: Spring, even # years. Special Notes: Carries cross-credit in biology.
ENS 318KZ • Ecology in the Tropics: Natural History and Future Prospects 4 Credits
Travel in Kenya or Ecuador surveying the land, climate, plans, animals, homes, transportation, and industries, noting especially the impact of human presence. Ecuador includes the Amazon rainforest, Andean cloud forests, volcanic mountains, highlands, towns, cities, and the Galapagos Islands. Kenya includes Nairobi, African savanna, the Rift valley, and Masai Mara.
Prerequisites: Laboratory Science (D) course and Mathematics (M) course. Offered: Interim. Special Notes: Carries cross-credit in biology and general studies.
ENS 330 • Ecology 3 Credits
Structure and function of wild nature. Topics include interrelationships of organisms with their environments, factors that regulate such interrelationships, and various roles that humans play in modifying patterns and processes of nature at organism, community, and ecosystem levels.
Prerequisites: BIO 218 (may be taken concurrently) or two of the following: BIO 122/BIO 122D, BIO 128/BIO 128D, ENS 104/ENS 104D. Corequisites: Concurrent registration in ENS 331 is required. Offered: Fall, odd # years. Special Notes: This is a designated research course.
ENS 331 • Ecology Lab 1 Credit
Laboratory experience accompanying BIO 330.
Corequisites: Concurrent registration in ENS 330. Offered: Fall, odd # years.
ENS 335K • Environmental Ethics 3 Credits
Examines the intersection of science, society, and technology as it pertains to issues in environmental ethics. Moves from theory—considering science, society, and technology philosophically—to application by concluding with a major research project on an applied issue in environmental ethics involving scientific data and technological choice.
Prerequisites: Laboratory Science (D) course and Mathematics (M) course. Offered: Fall, Interim. Special Notes: Carries cross-credit in philosophy.
ENS 399 • Introduction to Research 1 Credit
An introduction to research methodology in the environmental sciences, with experience in the use of environmental literature and an examination of how to distinguish and evaluate different types of scientific writing and presentations. Experience in the development of a research proposal.
Prerequisites: Major in environmental science and Junior standing. Special Notes: Carries cross-credit in biology. Offered: Fall, Spring.
ENS 481 • Internship in Environmental Studies 1-4 Credits
Off-campus field experience working with an environmental organization, business, or governmental agency.
Prerequisites: Major in environmental science. Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
ENS 496 • Research in Environmental Studies 1 Credit
An opportunity to become involved in an independent research project of the student’s own choosing in some area of environmental studies. Experience in the collection, manipulation, analysis, and portrayal of information and development of skills needed to be effective in environmental research.
Prerequisites: ENS 399 and Consent of instructor. Offered: Fall, Spring.
Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies
Several courses in the environmental area are available during the summer term through the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies. Any summer biology courses may be used to fulfill the environmental requirement in the biology major. See the Au Sable advisor in the Department of Biological Sciences for additional course offerings and further details.