Guides for Environmental Studies Majors and Minors

Program Requirements  |  Internship Guidelines  | Internship Guidelines  | Faculty Advisors  | Graduation Course Checklists

Suggestions for Prospective Majors in Environmental Studies

Recommendations for first-year students considering this major:

1. Students planning to choose one of the majors in Environmental Studies should, unless they have AP credit in Environmental Science, take ES 118 Environment and Society in the Spring semester of their first year.
2. Students who are considering either ES major with AP credit in biology (scores of 4 or 5) should enroll in CH 141 in their first semester. If they also have AP credit in Chemistry, they should enroll in BI 271 (Introduction to Ecology).
3. It would also be helpful if students interested in either ES major could take EC 133 in their first year. It would be helpful for students interested in the Environmental Studies major with a concentration in policy to enroll in GO 131 in their first year. These courses are offered in both semesters.
4. Students interested in either of Environmental Studies majors may enroll in the Integrated Studies 126, "The Green Cluster." Students interested in the ES major with a concentration in science should not enroll in "The Green Cluster" unless they also enroll in BI 163 or CH 141. If students have AP credit in biology, they should enroll in CH 141 in the fall and CH 142 in the spring. They should also consider taking MA 121 during their first year

Recommendations for first-year students entering Colby at mid-year who are considering the Environmental Studies major:

1. Students interested in either Environmental Studies major should take ES 118 (Environment and Society) in the spring semester of their first year.
2. Students interested in the Environmental Studies major with a concentration in policy should also enroll in MA 212 or 231 in their first semester, if possible. Students interested in the Environmental Studies major with a concentration in science should also enroll in MA 121, MA 212, or MA 231 in their first semester, if possible.
   
3. It would also be helpful if students could take EC 133 in their first year. Students interested in the ES major with a concentration in policy might also consider enrolling in GO 131 in their first year.

Program Requirements

Registrar's Listing of ES major and minor requirements

Students majoring in Biology, Geology, and International Studies, and considering a minor in Environmental Studies should look at the requirements necessary to complete the Environmental Science concentration in Biology or one of the ES majors. Because of overlap of many requirements in those majors, students may find that, rather than minoring in ES, choosing the ES concentration within their major, or double majoring with ES may be done easily by only adding one or a few more courses.

Majors can follow requirements for their year of graduation or any subsequent year's requirements that are less restrictive.

Download Graduation Course Checklist for
ES: Policy Majors graduating in 2011 here
ES: Policy Majors graduating in 2010 here
ES: Policy Majors graduating in 2009 here

ES: Science Majors graduating in 2011 here
ES: Science Majors graduating in 2010 here
ES: Science Majors graduating in 2009 here

ES: Minors here

Find a listing of tentatively scheduled ES faculty sabbaticals by last name and year here.