Environment and Sustainability Comprehensive Major: Individualized Contract Emphasis

Program Requirements

This Emphasis allows students to design a curriculum in consultation with an Environment and Sustainability advisor and with the approval of the Environment and Sustainability Council. A minimum of 60 credits is required including the 42- credit Standard Major. 

ENVS 100Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2)3
ENVS 200Writing the Environment3
ENVS 250Environmental Justice3
ENVS 301Science of Sustainability and Resilience3
ENVS 350U.S. and Western Environmental Politics3
ENVS 390Environmental Monitoring4
ENVS 400Applied Sustainability3
ENVS 410Environmental Ethics3
Select one of the following:3
Global Environmental Policy
Water Policy and Politics
Seminar in Water Topics
Required Supporting Courses
BIOL 130Environmental Biology (GT-SC2)3
BIOL 135Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)1
PHYS 125Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2)3
ECON 215Environmental Economics3
One of the following:1
This Is The Headwaters
Headwaters Conference
And one of the following:3
Statistics for Business and Economics
Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1)
Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)
Quantitative Research Methods
Select one of the following:3
Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory)
Cultural Ecology
Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Politics of the Environment
Politics of Social Movements
Human Rights
The Global South
Political Economy
Environmental Psychology
Multicultural Psychology
Social Psychology
Environmental Sociology
Social Problems
Social Movements
Social Class, Status, and Power
At least 18 additional credits for the Individualized Contract18
Total Credits63

Proposals for an Individualized Contract should be developed before the second semester of the junior year, and applicants must have a minimum of a 3.200 GPA in the major and a 3.000 overall GPA. Consult an Environment and Sustainability advisor for details.

Capstone Course Requirement

The following course in the Environment and Sustainability Major fulfills the capstone course requirement: ENVS 400 Applied Sustainability.

Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation.  Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above).  Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued. 

Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
ENVS 100 Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) 3
BIOL 130 Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) 3
BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) 1
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
Gen Ed General Education (Area I, II, or III) 3
 Credits14
Spring
MATH 113 Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) 3
PHYS 125 Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) 3
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
Gen Ed General Education (Area I, II, or III) 3
Elective Elective 3
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
HWTR 398 Headwaters Conference 1
ENVS 200 Writing the Environment 3
Gen Ed General Education (Area I or III) 3
Gen Ed General Education (Area II) 3
ENVS 250 Environmental Justice 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
 Credits16
Spring
ECON 215 Environmental Economics 3
Gen Ed General Education (Area I or III) 3
Gen Ed General Education (Area I or III) 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ENVS 301 Science of Sustainability and Resilience 3
ENVS 350 U.S. and Western Environmental Politics 3
IC Individualized Contract Requirement 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
 Credits15
Spring
ENVS 360
Global Environmental Policy
or Water Policy and Politics
or The Water Planet
3
ENVS 390 Environmental Monitoring 4
IC Individualized Contract Requirement 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
 Credits16
Summer
ENVS 499 Internship in Environmental Studies (Recommended but optional) 1-6
 Credits1-6
Year Four
Fall
IC Individualized Contract Requirement 3
IC Individualized Contract Requirement 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
ENVS 410 Environmental Ethics 3
 Credits15
Spring
IC Individualized Contract Requirement 3
IC Individualized Contract Requirement 3
Electivechosen from selection of classes on cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, sex, sexuality, and/or class contexts 3
Elective Elective or minor course 3
ENVS 400 Applied Sustainability 3
 Credits15
 Total Credits122-127