Environmental Studies courses
Director of undergraduate studies: Amity Doolittle, 121 KRN, 432-9771, amity.doolittle@yale.edu
FACULTY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Professors D. Michelle Addington (School of Architecture, Forestry & Environmental Studies), Paul Anastas (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Gaboury Benoit (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Graeme Berlyn (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Ruth Blake (Geology & Geophysics), Garry Brewer (School of Management), Derek Briggs (Geology & Geophysics), Kelly Brownell (Psychology, Public Health), Gary Brudvig (Chemistry, Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry), Benjamin Cashore (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Peter Crane (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Michael Donoghue (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Forestry & Environmental Studies), Michael Dove (Forestry & Environmental Studies, Anthropology), Menachem Elimelech (Chemical & Environmental Engineering), John Mack Faragher (History, American Studies), Durland Fish (Public Health, Forestry & Environmental Studies), Thomas Graedel (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Leo Hickey (Geology & Geophysics), Daniel Kevles (History, History of Science), Benedict Kiernan (History), Robert Mendelsohn (Forestry & Environmental Studies, Economics), Mark Pagani (Geology & Geophysics), Jeffrey Park (Geology & Geophysics), Peter Perdue (History), Linda Peterson (English), Jeffrey Powell (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Forestry & Environmental Studies), Peter Raymond (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Nicholas Robinson (Adjunct) (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Susan Rose-Ackerman (Law School, Political Science), James Saiers (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Oswald Schmitz (Forestry & Environmental Studies, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology), James Scott (Political Science, Anthropology), Kalyanakrishnan Sivaramakrishnan (Anthropology, Forestry & Environmental Studies), David Skelly (Forestry & Environmental Studies, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology), Brian Skinner (Geology & Geophysics), Ronald Smith (Geology & Geophysics, Forestry & Environmental Studies), Stephen Stearns (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology), Charles Tomlin (Forestry & Environmental Studies) (Visiting), Karl Turekian (Geology & Geophysics), John Wargo (Forestry & Environmental Studies, Political Science), Harvey Weiss (Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, Anthropology), John Wettlaufer (Geology & Geophysics), Robert Wyman (Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology)
Associate Professors William Mitch (Chemical & Environmental Engineering), David Post (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology), Karen Seto (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Melinda Smith (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology)
Assistant Professors Hagit Affek (Geology & Geophysics), Mark Bradford (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Alex Felson (Forestry & Environmental Studies), Anjelica Gonzalez (Biomedical Engineering), Karen Hébert (Forestry & Environmental Studies, Anthropology), Alan Mikhail (History), William Rankin (History, History of Science), Paul Sabin (History), David Vasseur (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology), Zhengrong Wang (Geology & Geophysics), Julie Zimmerman (Chemical & Environmental Engineering)
Senior Lecturers Shimon Anisfeld, Carol Carpenter, John Grim
Lecturers Mary Beth Decker, Amity Doolittle, Kealoha Freidenburg, Gordon Geballe, Julie Newman, Linda Puth, Catherine Skinner, Carl Zimmer
Environmental Studies provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and solving environmental problems. From the natural sciences, students learn experimental techniques and methods of analysis needed to make accurate observations, to document change, to distinguish those changes resulting from human activity, and to understand what comprises healthy landscapes and functioning ecosystems. Students look to the humanities and social sciences for explanations of the ways people behave and for analyses of our institutions and their social, political, and economic activities. The Environmental Studies major prepares students for graduate study in a range of disciplines including law, medicine, and public health, and for careers in business, environmental management and conservation, teaching, and writing.
Prerequisites The major requires preparation in chemistry, either CHEM 112 and 113, or 114 and 115, or 118; a term of introductory biology, either MCDB <120> or E&EB <122>, or two half-term courses chosen from BIOL 101, 102, 103, and 104; a natural science laboratory chosen from CHEM 117L, 119L, MCDB 121L, or E&EB 123L; and a term course in mathematics (MATH 112 or above, except MATH 190) or in physics (PHYS 170 or above). Students are advised to take chemistry and biology during the freshman year before enrolling in the EVST core courses in natural sciences. Students should complete the prerequisites by the end of the fall term in their sophomore year, prior to application to the major (see below). Where relevant, students may employ acceleration credit to fulfill the prerequisites. Students entering Yale with advanced placement in both biology and chemistry must complete one term of introductory laboratory science. Students with advanced placement in only one of these subjects must take the remaining science prerequisite and its associated laboratory.
Requirements of the major In addition to the prerequisites, twelve and one-half or thirteen and one-half course credits are required for the major, including four core courses, one core laboratory, a departmental seminar, a concentration of six courses, and a one- or two-term senior project and colloquium (EVST 496). All courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade.
Core courses Students are required to take at least two core courses from Group A (humanities and social sciences), and two from Group B (environmental sciences) with the associated lab. Completing one course in each group is recommended before the end of the sophomore year.
Group A, humanities and social sciences: EVST 120, 226, 255, 340, 345
Group B, environmental sciences: EVST 201, 202L, 223
Application to the Environmental Studies major Students typically apply to enter the major during their sophomore year. Application must be made in writing to the director of undergraduate studies during the designated application period in either the fall or the spring term; details can be found on the program's Web site. Juniors who have already completed considerable course work toward the major may also apply during the designated application period. Students considering a major in Environmental Studies should consult the director of undergraduate studies as early as possible in the freshman year.
Departmental seminar All majors must complete a departmental seminar approved by the director of undergraduate studies. This requirement may be completed in any year of study. Approved departmental seminars for 2012–2013 include EVST 215, 285, and 290.
Area of concentration Students plan their concentration in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies and the student's adviser. A concentration is defined as six courses that provide depth in a problem or issue of interest, as well as disciplinary expertise. Past concentrations have included biodiversity, climate change, energy, environmental history, food and agriculture, human health, resource use and sustainability, and urban planning. Students also have the opportunity to design a unique concentration within the major, working with the director of undergraduate studies.
Summer environmental internship During the summer between the junior and senior years, many students gain experience in the field through research or internships in an area pertinent to their senior research project. Internships may be arranged with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or corporations. Although the summer program is optional, many students take advantage of this opportunity with some financial support from the program.
Senior requirement Seniors must complete one or two terms of an independent research project and colloquium, taken as EVST 496. In the junior year, students consult with their advisers on the design of the project and submit a preliminary plan for approval to the director of undergradute studies.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisites CHEM 112 and 113, or 114 and 115, or 118; MCDB <120> or E&EB <122>, or 2 from BIOL 101–104; CHEM 117L, 119L, MCDB 121L, or E&EB 123L; MATH 112 or above (except MATH 190) or PHYS 170 or above
Number of courses 12½ or 13½ course credits beyond prereqs, incl one- or two-term senior project
Distribution of courses 2 core courses from Group A and 2 from Group B with the associated lab, 1 departmental sem, 6 courses in area of concentration
Senior requirement One- or two-term research project and colloq (EVST 496)
