Environmental Studies
Major and Minor
Faculty and professional interests
Peter Schwartzman, chair (on leave, Winter 2013)
Climate change, environmental justice, renewable energy, sustainability
Katherine Adelsberger
Geoarchaeology, paleoenvrionmental reconstruction, geographic information systems
Cooperating faculty from other programs
Stuart Allison, Biology
Diana Beck, Education
Steve Cohn, Economics
Mary Crawford, Chemistry
Linda Dybas, Biology
Lance Factor, Philosophy
Konrad Hamilton, History
Tim Kasser, Psychology
Frank McAndrew, Psychology
James Mountjoy, Biology
Rich Stout, Economics
Jennifer Templeton, Biology
Jon Wagner, Anthropology and Sociology
Lawrence Welch, Chemistry
The program in environmental studies is designed to allow students with an interest in environmental issues to pursue the study of the complex relationship between human beings and the natural environment in a systematic way. An individual completing a major or minor in environmental studies should develop a fundamental understanding of the scientific principles underlying the dynamics of ecosystems and become familiar with the historical, socio-political and economic factors that have shaped many of our current environmental dilemmas. Students are strongly encouraged to supplement academic work at Knox with field experiences in such ACM programs as the Costa Rica Tropical Field Research program, or the Oak Ridge Science Semester.
Environmental Studies should be a valuable addition to the education of students contemplating careers in environmental science and related fields such as science education, environmental law, resource economics, conservation and administration in government or the private sector where a more sophisticated understanding of environmental issues has become increasingly important.
The departmental curriculum contributes to the College's Key Competency Requirements as follows:
- Writing Key Competency - ENVS 241, 242, 243, and 399 serve as writing-intensive courses for majors
- Speaking Key Competency - ENVS 399 serves as a speaking-intensive course for majors
- Information Literacy and Informed Use of Technology - Instruction in specialized information literacy begins with the introductory course (ENVS 101), continues in the 300-level courses (ENVS 319 and ENVS 368), and crystallizes in the senior research experience (ENVS 399). ENVS 399 also introduces students to a wide range of technologies including, but not limited to, GPS (Global Positioning System), GIS (Geographic Information System), I-Movie, Adobe Acrobat, and Powerpoint.
Departmental Learning Goals
Students completing a major in Environmental Studies will be able to:
- Describe and explain the ecological dimensions of human experience
- Use an interdisciplinary approach to consider social, political and economic factors that impact our environment
- Obtain and evaluate scientific knowledge using various methodologies found in environmentally-related fields
- Analyze imbalances in economic and political power in the allocation and accessibility of resources among the world’s people
- Communicate scientific information effectively in both oral and written forms
- Demonstrate proficiency with scientific and informational technologies