requirements for the minors

Environmental Science & Policy
Marine Science & Policy

Environmental Science & Policy

The environmental science and policy (ES&P) minor is designed for students with a serious interest in environmental issues and sustainability and a commitment to scientifically-based problem solving and policy analysis. The minor consists of six courses chosen with the guidance and approval of an ES&P minor adviser. Interested students are urged to meet with an ES&P adviser early in their academic planning. See the faculty page for a full list of advisers.

REQUIREMENTS

A. Six courses including one course from each of the following groups:

• Chemistry
• Ecology
• Geology
• Environmental Policy
• Plus an elective in consultation with the minor adviser.

B. The senior seminar, EVS 300, or the special studies, EVS 400 (4-credit option), is also required.

C. A course in statistics (e.g. MTH 245 or the equivalent) and Geographic Information Systems (e.g. EVS/GEO 150) are recommended.

Appropriate Smith courses not listed below, Five College courses, or courses taken at other institutions and through summer and/or semester-away programs may be counted for the minor with pre-approval of the adviser. Students must satisfy the prerequisites for all courses included in their minor program. No more than three of the six courses may be taken at other institutions. No more than one course may be taken S/U; EVS 300 may not be taken S/U.

Chemistry
CHM 108 Environmental Chemistry
EGR 312 Thermochemical Processes in the Atmosphere
EGR 260 Mass and Energy Balances
GEO 301 Aqueous Geochemistry

Ecology
BIO 110 Introductory Colloquia: Conservation Biology
BIO 154 Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation
BIO 266 Principles of Ecology and lab
BIO 268 Marine Ecology and lab
BIO 364 Plant Ecology and lab
BIO 390 Topics in Environmental Biology: Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future

Geology
EGR 315 Ecohydrology
GEO 104 Global Climate Change: Exploring the Past, the Present, and Options for the Future
GEO 105 Natural Disasters: Confronting and Coping
GEO 108 Oceanography: An Introduction to the Marine Environment
GEO 109 The Environment
GEO 111 Introduction to Earth Processes and History
GEO 301 Aqueous Geochemistry*
GEO 309 Groundwater Geology

Environmental Policy
ANT 230 Africa: Population, Health , and Environmental Issues
ANT 236 Economy, Ecology, and Society
ANT 241 Anthropology of Development
ECO 284 Environmental Economics
GOV 254 Politics of the Global Environment
GOV 306 Politics and the Environment
PPL 222 Colloquium: U.S. Environmental History and Policy
SOC 332 Seminar in Environmental Sociology

Electives
Elective courses can be chosen from courses listed for the Environmental Science and Policy minor, and outside the minor with consultation and approval of the minor adviser. Examples are:

BIO 103 Economic Botany: Plants and Human Affairs
BIO 110 Introductory Colloquia: Bacteria: The Good, The Bad, and The Absolutely Necessary
BIO 110 Introductory Colloquia: Island Biology
BIO 260 Invertebrate Diversity and lab
BIO 264 Plant Systematics and lab
BIO 272 Vertebrate Biology
BIO 366 Biogeography
EGR 330 Engineering and Global Development
EGR 346 Hydrosystems Engineering
EGR 390 Seminar: Advanced Topics in Engineering: Science, Technology and Ethics
EVS 150/GEO 150 Modeling our World: An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
FYS 177 Global Environmental Changes and Challenges
GOV 207 Politics of Public Policy
HST 299 Ecology and History in Africa
PHI 238 Environmental Ethics
PHI 304 Colloquium in Applied Ethics: Sustainability
PHY 100 Solar Energy and Sustainability
PPL 220 Public Policy Analysis
SOC 232 World Population
SPN 372 Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies: Women, Environmental Justice and Social Action
SWG 230 Feminisms and the Fate of the Environment

*GEO 301 Aqueous Geochemistry fulfills the requirements in both Chemistry and Geology (one course covers two requirements)

Students may elect to take two to three of their courses for the minor outside Smith College by participation in an environmentally oriented, off-campus program. Courses from other programs may also be eligible for credit with approval from your minor adviser.

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Marine Science & Policy

The marine sciences and policy (MS&P) minor permits students to pursue interests in coastal and oceanic systems through an integrated sequence of courses in the natural and social sciences.

An introduction to marine sciences is obtained through completion of the two basis courses. Students then may choose to concentrate their further study principally on the scientific investigation of the oceans or on the policy aspects of ocean exploitation and management. Students should consult with one of the co-directors as early as possible in the course selection process.

REQUIREMENTS

A. six courses, no more than three of which can be taken at other institutions, including three required courses as follows:

• GEO 108 Oceanography
• BIO 268 Marine Ecology (BIO 269 must be taken concurrently)
• A special studies or seminar course chosen in consultation with the minor adviser

B. And three elective courses from the following areas, only two of which may be counted in a major:

Biological Sciences
BIO 110 Conservation Biology Colloquium
BIO 260/261 Invertebrate Diversity and required concurrent Laboratory 261
BIO 364/365 Plant Ecology and required concurrent Laboratory
BIO 366 Biogeography
BIO 390 Topics in Environmental Biology: Biology and Geology of Coral Reefs- Past, Present and Future
BIO 400 Special Studies

Geology
GEO 231 Invertebrate Paleontology and Paleoecology
GEO 232 Sedimentology
GEO 270j Carbonate Systems and Coral Reefs of the Bahamas
GEO 311 Environmental Geophysics

Social Sciences
ECO 224 Environmental Economics
GOV 254 Colloquium: Politics of the Global Environment
GOV 306 Politics and the Environment
GOV 404 Special Studies

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Courses Beyond Smith

Five College Courses

Courses can be chosen with consultation and approval of minor advisers; examples from Five College institutions include:

• HIST 91: Commodity, Nature and Society
• IA 0182: Art and Energy
• NS 0132: Environmental History of New England
• ARTH 100: Image and Environment
• ENVST 321: Topic: Landscape/Livlihood/Migration
• ENVIRSCI 504: Air Pollution and Climate Change Biology
• GEO-Sci 670: Urban Environmental History
  

Off-Campus Options

Some students may elect to take two or three of their courses for the minor away from Smith College by participation in a marine-oriented, off-campus program.

Check out the ES&P Study Abroad page to find out more.