Experiential Component in Environmental Studies:  Guidelines & Planning

The experiential component blends academic study and environmental experiences. The combination should approximate the time and effort required in one full course. The component must be completed as a separate unit in addition to ENVST 399/98 Senior Capstone or Independent research. To assist you with the process of constructing and executing an activity that meets the guidelines below, a planning document has been created. Please complete the planning document and have it approved prior to registering for a course, engaging in independent research, independent study, or an internship.

Planning Document - The planning document is required before you complete anything.

The component may be satisfied in either of two ways:

  1. By successful completion of an approved course or off-campus program. An updated list of approved programs and courses includes the following:

    OFF-CAMPUS SEMESTER PROGRAMS
    Environmental Studies in Australia (STO)
    Biology in South India (STO)
    Tropical Field Research in the Environment, Social Sciences & Humanities (ACM)
    Washington Semester in International Environment and Development (American U.)
    Wilderness Field Station in Ely, MN (Coe College)


    ST. OLAF COLLEGE COURSES
    BIO 371 Field Ecology
    This course focuses on learning modern field and laboratory methods to test ecological hypotheses. Students work on group and individual projects to collect and analyze data and give oral and written presentations on projects.

    BIO 281 Winter Ecology
    During this course offered at the University of Minnesota Biological Field Station at Itasca State Park, Minnesota, students learn through lectures, readings, laboratory work, and short field trips followed by extensive independent field research in a wide range of habitats.

    BIO 282 Desert Ecology
    Following introductory lectures on campus, the class travels on extended field trips to desert locations in Arizona and adjacent states. Students examine interrelationships of desert plants and animals, their adaptations to the harsh desert environment, and the role of primitive and modern humans in this ecosystem.

    BIO 287 Island Biology
    Intensive study of the biology that created the Bahamas and which now constitutes the living structure of these islands. Staying at the Gerace Research Center provides access to a diversity of marine and terrestrial habitats including coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove forests, hypersaline ponds, limestone caverns and the "blue-holes" that connect inland waterways to the sea.

    BIO 288 Equatorial Biology
    Equatorial Biology offers intensive field-biology experiences within three equatorial New World environments: the Amazon rainforest, the Andes cloud forests and the Galapagos Islands. We will compare the rich biodiversity, the adaptations and natural history of species and the influence of human impact on these areas.

  2. By successful completion of an independent study, independent research, internship or similar combination of academic study and environmental experience. The activity must meet the following guidelines for the experiential component and receive approval of the Chair of Environmental Studies before and after the activity is conducted.
  1. Educational Purpose. The activity must demonstrate a clear educational purpose.
  2. Environmental Focus.  The focus of the activity must be the environment.
  3. Out-of-classroom context.  The activity must involve experiences that are conducted outside of the usual classroom context. Typically these will be off-campus experiences, although exceptions may be made for on-campus projects or research in which the experiences are student organized and initiated.
  4. Academic Reflection. The activity must demonstrate academic reflection on environmental experiences. Typically this will involve the study of books or articles as a basis for reflections on experiences. The reflections should be organized and presented in journals, essays or reports.
  5. Duration.  The combination of academic study and environmental experiences should approximate the time and effort required for one full course, that is, 140-160 hours.

Independent Study/Independent Research Database - contains examples of past independent study/independent research completed by majors and concentrators.

Internship Database - contains examples of past internships completed by majors and concentrators.