Environmental Studies

Degree Type Bachelor of Arts
Department Interdisciplinary
Academic Division The College
Offerings
Environmental Studies is a holistic approach to studying interactions between humans and the natural environment. This interdisciplinary program comprises core courses augmented by courses in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. A culminating capstone experience draws upon this diversity of coursework to examine causes, consequences and solutions to environmental problems.

Why Study Environmental Studies at W&L?

  • The curriculum draws on the strengths of W&L faculty across several departments and the outstanding natural setting of Lexington to offer a truly unique undergraduate experience with an emphasis on place-based learning.
  • The faculty are accomplished scholars and teachers from diverse environmental disciplines. Students can take courses in applied ecology, environmental economics, Native American culture and anthropology, geology and eco-writing, among other topics.
  • Interdisciplinary courses put professors from different departments in the classroom together. They demonstrate how their respective fields are brought together to better understand the nature of environmental problems and their solutions. Philosophers team with ecologists, economists with anthropologists, and so on.
  • We emphasize place-based learning, putting course subjects in context with the local environment; examples include examining how land use around Lexington influences the health of the Chesapeake Bay coastal ecosystem, traveling to South Dakota to study how culture and economics intersect in the history of the Lakota people, or studying ecotourism in Central America.
  • Our study abroad program in Brazil offers immersive experiences where students learn about human-environment relationships in a uniquely different cultural, political, economic and ecological setting.
  • The capstone experience encourages students to complete independent research or work as part of a collaborative team to study a particular environmental issue from an interdisciplinary perspective and offer insightful, often creative solutions.

Opportunities for Students

Collaborative research with faculty: Students can work with program faculty on applied environmental research during the academic year for credit or as paid research fellows during the summer months. Students often travel to national or international conferences to present their research and co-author publications with faculty in peer-reviewed journals.

U.S.-Brazil Exchange Program: In this six-month or one-year cultural immersion experience, students learn Portuguese, live in Brazil, take courses and perform research related to energy and the environment.

Internship opportunities: Faculty grants and collaborative research have led to student summer internships with the U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and similar offices. The A. Paul Knight Fellowship program offers internships with the Henry’s Fork Foundation in Idaho and the Nature Conservancy.

After W&L

Environmental Studies alumni have gone on to work in a variety of fields including environmental consulting, alternative energy industries, corporate environmental sustainability, federal and state environmental agencies, legal services, education and academia.

We cultivate connections with our alumni to offer opportunities for students to learn from their experiences and expand their professional networks.

“The Environmental Studies Department taught me to think more holistically about the connections between social justice and science, as well as how the environment shapes every aspect of human life.”

Kerriann LaubachClass of 2013, '16L

Robert Humston

Program Head
P: 540-458-8341
E: humstonr@wlu.edu

Debra Frein

Program Coordinator
P: 540-458-4870
E: freind@wlu.edu

Sample Courses

At W&L, we believe education and experience go hand-in-hand. You'll be encouraged to dive in, explore and discover connections that will broaden your perspective.
ENV 202

Society & Natural Resources

A foundation in the natural sciences for environmental studies students, this course emphasizes understanding how socio-economic conditions are studied to inform and shape environmental policy. Local, regional and global environmental case studies are considered.

BIOL 325

Ecological Modeling & Conservation Strategies

This course is an intensive introduction to foundational methods in ecological modeling and their application, with emphasis on the dynamics of exploited or threatened populations and developing strategies for effective conservation. Topics include managing harvested populations, population viability analysis, individual based models, and simulation modeling for systems analyses.

ECON 255

Environmental & Natural Resource Economics

The course serves as an introduction to environmental and natural resource economics. Economic principles are used to evaluate public and private decision making involving the management and use of environmental and natural resources. Aspects pertaining to fisheries, forests, species diversity, agriculture and various policies to reduce air, water and toxic pollution are discussed.

GEOL 141

Global Climate Change

A study of Earth's complex climate system and the impact of human activities on future climates. Through readings, discussions, data analyses and modeling exercises, the past and future changes in temperature, ocean circulation, rainfall, storminess, biogeochemistry, glacial ice extent and sea level are explored.

PHIL 150

Ethics & the Environment

This course is a philosophical exploration of one's responsibilities to the natural world. It has three main objectives: first, to provide an understanding of different dominant ethical theories and their application to animals, plants and ecosystems; second, to provide an understanding of major environmental issues in current political debates, such as climate change, species preservation and sustainable development; and third, to facilitate the development of a student's own ethic towards the environment.

ECON 259

Environment & Development in Amazonas

Amazonas is a huge Brazilian state of 1.5 million square kilometers which retains 94 percent of its original forest cover. This course examines the importance of the forest for economic development in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy, and how policies can be developed to promote both environmental protection and an increase in the quality of life in both the urban and rural areas of Amazonas.

Meet the Faculty

At W&L, students enjoy small classes and close relationships with professors who educate and nurture.
Robert Humston John Kyle Spencer Director for Environmental Studies and Professor of Biology
Humston teaches Introduction to Environmental Studies, Aquatic Ecology and Ecological Modeling, among other courses. He has researched fisheries management, fish ecology and dispersal/movement behavior of animals and plants.
Jim Casey Associate Professor of Economics
Casey is a 1991 W&L graduate who teaches courses that focus on the relation between the economy and the environment. His research centers on environmental funding and the economics of agriculture.
Greg Cooper Professor of Philosophy
Cooper’s teaching and research interests are wide ranging but often meet at the intersection of philosophy and ecology. He has researched and published on the philosophy of biology and general environmental philosophy.
Lisa Greer Professor of Geology
Greer teaches geology courses spanning from the 100 to 300 level. Her courses, such as Global Climate Change and Oceanography, often overlap with environmental studies. She has spent years researching the health, abundance and history of the endangered Staghorn coral in the Caribbean.
Bill Hamilton Biology Department Head and Professor of Biology
Hamilton teaches courses in biology and environmental studies, such as Yellowstone Ecology and Experimental Botany. His research pertains to ecosystem dynamics with a focus on animal-plant-soil interactions in Yellowstone National Park.
David Harbor Professor of Geology
Harbor teaches courses in geology and environmental studies that relate to geomorphology, sand, water and glaciology. He has researched transient erosion, knickpoint erosion and stream morphology/hydraulics.
Lawrence E. Hurd Herwick Professor of Biology
Hurd teaches zoology, ecology and biodiversity conservation. His research is on tropical biodiversity and entomology.
James Kahn '75 John F. Hendon Professor of Economics and Professor of Environmental Studies
Kahn is a 1975 alumnus who teaches courses on the economics of the environment and development. He also teaches a Spring Term study abroad course in the Amazonas and researches environmental policy and resource economics.
Harvey Markowitz Associate Professor of Anthropology
Markowitz teaches courses such as Lakota Land Culture, Economics and History. His courses draw from both anthropology and environmental studies. He has researched American Indians extensively.