Experiential Component in Environmental Studies:  Guidelines

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. The component may be satisfied in either of two ways:

  1. By successful completion of an approved off-campus program or course. An updated list of approved programs and courses can be found on the Environmental Studies web page. It includes the following:

    PROGRAMS
    Environmental Studies in Australia
    Superior Studies at Wolf Ridge
    Biology in South India
    Tropical Field Research (ACM)
    Washington Semester in International Environment and Development (American U.)
    Wilderness Field Station (ACM)


    COURSES
    BIO 371 Field Ecology
    BIO 281 Winter Ecology
    BIO 282 Desert Ecology
    BIO 284 Tropical Ecology
    BIO 288 Equatorial Biology
    BIO 287 Island Biology

  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 Director 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.