Moravian College Environmental Studies


Director: Frank T. Kuserk The environmental studies program at Moravian College acquaints students with the myriad environmental issues that face us today. It seeks to develop a framework in which students can work closely with faculty and one another to analyze problems, test assumptions, and debate issues as they affect our lives as citizens of our community, our nation, and the world. The perspective we seek to develop is strongly interdisciplinary, incorporating the natural sciences as well as economics, history, philosophy, and political science. In addition, it is designed to transcend national boundaries. All students in the program, regardless of their area of concentration, will share important common experiences, including a unique capstone course in which they will work in teams to investigate environmental issues. Students who pursue environmental studies at Moravian have the option of earning either a B.S. in environmental science or a B.A. in environmental policy and economics. All students in both majors will have a shared body of knowledge through common coursework before the upper-level courses in their respective tracks, and through the capstone seminar course, which B.S. and B.A. students will take in combined sections. The balance of shared experience and field-specific knowledge is designed to foster cooperative work and learning among students and faculty.
As prerequisites to the program, all students must take Economics 152 and a course in statistics (Mathematics 107 or Economics 156), preferably before the spring term of the sophomore year. The Common Environmental Studies Core Students in both tracks are required to take six course units in a common core of study. Five courses are designed to create a foundation that fosters understanding of this interdisciplinary field. The final writing-intensive course, which should be taken in the senior year, is intended specifically to teach and demonstrate research methods through integrative group research projects and presentations. ENVS 110: Introduction to Environmental Studies EASC 110: Introductory Geology ECON 240: Environmental Economics POSC 237: Public Policy and Administration PHIL 250: Environmental Philosophy ENVS 370: Environmental Studies Seminar Students in the B.S. track in environmental science also must take the following six courses: BIOL 112: General Zoology or BIOL 119: Introductory Botany BIOL 360: Ecology CHEM 113-114: General Chemistry I and II CHEM 205: Environmental Chemistry EASC 210: Introductory Geographic Information Systems In addition, students in the environmental science program must complete at least two of the following: BIOL 225: Invertebrate Zoology BIOL 230: Field Botany BIOL 235: Microbiology BIOL 240: Biology of Mammals BIOL 250: Animal Behavior CHEM 211: Organic Chemistry I CHEM 212: Organic Chemistry II CHEM 222: Quantitative Analysis EASC 120: Meteorology PHYS 109: Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences I PHYS 110: Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences II PHYS 111: Introductory Physics I PHYS 112: Introductory Physics II ENVS 381-384: Independent Study ENVS 386-389: Field Study ENVS 400-401: Honors Appropriate advanced courses offered as special topics or by other LVAIC institutions may be substituted as electives with the prior approval of the environmental studies program director. Students who intend to pursue the B.A. track in environmental policy and economics also must take the following three courses: ECON 241: Natural Resource Management POSC 240: Environmental Policy POSC 340: Energy Policy Also, they must take three of the following electives: ECON 328: Economic Development ECON 330: Public Finance ECON 336: International Economics EASC 210: Introductory Geographic Information Systems HIST 260: Environmental History POSC 110: The American Political System POSC 115: International Politics: How the World Works SOC 312: Environmental Law ENVS 381-384: Independent Study ENVS 386-899: Field Study ENVS 400-401:Honors Appropriate advanced courses offered as special topics or by other LVAIC institutions may be substituted as electives with the prior approval of the program director.
110. Introduction to Environmental Studies. Introduction to the principles of ecology and the relationship of humans to their environment. Emphasis on scientific, social, philosophical, and economic factors related to global environmental issues. Topics include agriculture and food production, water and air pollution, energy use and its environmental effects, toxic waste, and renewable/nonrenewable resources. Staff 370. Environmental Studies Seminar. Designed to apply research methods to current environmental issues. Students will research and present written and oral reports on the general topic. Emphasis is on the development of skills in using primary literature, analysis and interpretation of data, and the communication of ideas. Writing intensive. Staff 190-199, 290-299, 390-399. Special Topics. 381-384. Independent Study. 386-389. Field Study. 400-401. Honors.