BA.PO.EN - Politics-Environmental Studies (Major)

Total credit requirements for a Politics-Environmental Studies major: 57 (32 credits in Politics and 25 in required coursework for all Environmental Studies majors)

Common Requirements for all Environmental Studies Majors

• Required Courses

  • Introductory Coursework: Environmental Studies 120 and 207

  • Foundation Coursework: Fulfill the following requirements for the two areas outside of your area of concentration (arts and humanities, natural and physical sciences, or social sciences).

    • Environmental Humanities: Take two elective courses from the list below.

    • Environmental Natural and Physical Sciences: Take 7 credits in elective courses from the list below from at least two departments, including at least one course with a lab.

    • Environmental Social Sciences: Take two elective courses from the list below.

  • Interdisciplinary Coursework: Take one interdisciplinary elective from the list below.

  • Senior Coursework: Environmental Studies 479

• Additional Requirements

  • Fulfill all of the requirements for a major in a specific area of concentration, chosen from:

    • Environmental Arts and Humanities: Art-Environmental Studies or Environmental Humanities

    • Environmental Natural and Physical Sciences: Biology-Environmental Studies, Chemistry-Environmental Studies, Geology-Environmental Studies, or Physics-Environmental Studies

    • Environmental Social Sciences: Anthropology-Environmental Studies, Economics-Environmental Studies, History-Environmental Studies, Politics-Environmental Studies, or Sociology-Environmental Studies

• Senior Requirements

  • Environmental Studies 479

  • Further requirements as specified by the chosen major

• Honors

  • Specified within each major

• Notes

  • Up to 8 transfer credits may be applied to a major in Environmental Studies.

  • No courses taken P-D-F can be applied toward the major.

Requirements for Politics-Environmental Studies Majors

• Complete the Common Requirements for all Environmental Studies Majors (25 Credits)

• Required Politics Courses

  • Introductory Politics: one course chosen from Politics 119, 124, 134, 228, or 287

  • Political Economy: one course chosen from Economics 100 or Politics 363

  • Global Politics: one course chosen from Politics 120, 147, 232, 331, 335, or 375

    • Other courses may be substituted with the approval of Environmental Politics faculty.

  • Twelve additional credits in Politics electives, including at least 8 credits at the 300- or 400-level

  • Politics 490, 497, or 498

• Additional Required Courses

  • Environmental Studies 488 or 498

• Senior Requirements

  • Politics 490, 497, or 498

  • Environmental Studies 488 or 498

  • C- or above on thesis

  • One-hour oral thesis defense

• Honors

  • Students do not apply for admission to candidacy for honors.

  • Accumulated at least 87 credits

  • Completed two semesters of residency at Whitman

  • Major GPA of at least 3.500

  • Complete a written thesis or research project prepared exclusively for the satisfaction of this program.

  • Earn a grade of at least A- on the honors thesis or project and the honors thesis course.

  • Pass the senior assessment with distinction.

  • The department will notify students attaining honors and submit the “Senior Assessment/Major Study Certificate” to the Registrar’s Office no later than Reading Day.

  • An acceptable digital copy of the honors thesis must be submitted to Penrose Library no later than Reading Day.

• Notes

  • No more than eight credits earned in off-campus programs, transfer credits, and/or credits from cross-listed courses. These may be applied at the 100- and 200-level.

  • No P-D-F courses.