Environmental Sustainability Major

Biology, sociology and peacebuilding professors work closely together to offer programs of study that focus on forward-thinking sustainability practices. Students select from two tracks of study within an environmental sustainability major:

Environmental science concentration

Focused on “traditional” environmental science courses from the disciplines of ecology, chemistry and physiology, this track of study reflects the interdisciplinary nature of environmental research and issues, and includes coursework within sociology, economics, and development and a substantial practicum. Existing courses have also been revised and expanded to address local and global sustainability issues and offer hands-on research projects. Students will work with a local environmental organization such as Shenandoah National Park, The Nature Conservancy or the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Environmental and social sustainability concentration

This track combines traditional environmental science coursework with revised applied sociology courses emphasizing international and community development and conservation. Students will have hands-on opportunities to work in areas of personal interest, including peace education, legislative and foreign policy advocacy, community organizing, restorative justice and mediation, social justice and peace advocacy, human rights and immigrants’ rights. (This track replaces the applied sociology major.)

“Traditional” environmental science courses, led by biology professors Jim Yoder and Doug Graber-Neufeld, have been revised and augmented over recent years with hard looks at local and global sustainability and hands-on research projects.

Both professors guided students through a 2008 course in green design; the class shared their findings with the EMU board of trustees for use in considering the soon-to-be-renovated Suter Science Center. Other new courses include a composting research class and a fall 09 “Sustainable agriculture” class, during which Graber-Neufeld utilized the campus garden as part of the curriculum. The upper level biology course covered a range of agricultural topics, such as soil science and crop production, from a sustainable perspective.

Students do hands-on research

Doug Graber-Neufeld recently worked with the National Science Foundation to take students to Cambodia and Thailand to work alongside local scientists on issues of drinking water quality and sewage treatment. Yoder is currently collaborating in-the-field with Shenandoah National Park research botanists and several EMU undergraduate students on a study of rare plant species in the area.

See this major’s course descriptions and curriculum info in the course catalog.