As an environmental studies major, you will enroll in an interdisciplinary core of courses team-taught by faculty from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences; six breadth courses; and a self-designed concentration of four courses related to a topic of your focal interests. The core consists of Intro to Environmental Studies; Environmental Problem Solving (research methods) and Senior Seminar.
In Introduction to Environmental Studies, you will gain a global perspective on environment, teaming with international students to research and create a proposal for addressing an environmental problem outside the United States.
The sophomore-level Environmental Problem Solving course encourages students to develop a concentration in the major, and will take you into the field in Vermont urban and rural communities, as well as natural environments, to focus upon specific skills in the social and natural sciences that bear upon the study of environmental problems.
In Senior Seminar, students complete the work on the concentration by applying the perspective gained in their focus to a collaborative action project of service to the local community. Each year, Senior Seminar classes focus upon different themes. For Spring 2013 Seminar, Seniors will study food, farming and working landscapes of Vermont, partnering with local farms and our campus food service for advocacy projects.
Example courses:
- Environmental Humanities
- Religion, Ecology and Ethics
- Philosophy of Science, Technology and Environment
- Demography and Public Health
- Environmental Economics
- Introduction to Human Geography
- Foundations of Global Studies
- Nature and Outdoor Writing
- Politics of Food
- Introduction to Ecology and Evolution
- Meteorology
- Physical Geography
Example concentration topics:
- Ethics of Sustainable Agriculture
- Community Food Systems
- Business and Environmental Policy
- Environmental Advocacy
- Economic Incentives for Conservation
- Water Energy Nexus
- Human Relationships with Animals
- Political Ecology
- Environmental Education
- Art as Environmental Communication
- Cross-Cultural Ethics of Food and Livelihoods
- Philosophy of Environment
B.A. University of Virginia
M.A. and Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison
View my Curriculum Vitae
Areas of Expertise:
Globalization, Global and Regional Governance, International Relations, Social Movements and Contentious Politics, Canadian and North American Politics
Courses I Teach:
- Globalization and Resistance
- Global Governance
- Global Problems
- International Relations
- Politics of the World Economy
- Social Movements and Contentious Politics
- U.S. Foreign Policy
Ph.D. Biology, University of Miam, Coral Gables, FL
B.A. Biology, Pomona College, Claremont CA
Additional coursework: Primate Social Behavior, 1985, School for Field Studies program in Panama; Tropical Ecology, 1989, Organization for Tropical Studies Graduate Semester in Costa Rica
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Areas of Expertise:
Behavioral and population ecology; conservation biology; environmental studies; social insects, focussing on ants and bees; evolution of social behavior; tropical ecology; pollination biology and other plant-animal interactions; pedagogy in science and environmental studies
Courses I Teach:
- Animal Behavior
- Biological Communications
- Biology Senior Seminar
- First-Year Seminar
- Introduction to Environmental Studies
- Introduction to Ecology and Evolution
- Organic Farming and Conservation of Biodiversity in India
- Population Ecology
- Solving Environmental Problems
- Tropical Ecology in Costa Rica
Ph.D. Princeton University
M.Sc. Quebec University
B.Sc. Sherbrooke University
Areas of Expertise:
Space, fusion and astrophysical plasma physics, astrophysics and cosmology (theoretical physics).
Ph.D. University of Vermont
M.S. Hunter College
B.A. State University of New York
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Areas of Expertise:
Environmental Sciences, Sustainable Development, International Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Civil Society Organizations, Women and Youth Empowerment, Environmental Conflict Resolution
Courses I Teach:
- Sustainable Livelihoods
- Environmental Problem Solving
- Grant Writing for Environmental Studies
- Environmental Conflict Resolution
- Women, Youth and Sustainable Development
- Internships for Environmental Studies
B.A. National University of Ireland
Areas of Expertise:
Poetry and literature
Courses I Teach:
- Genres: Poetry
- Introduction to Literary Studies: Modern American Poetry
- Irish Literature
- Poetry workshops
My Saint Michael's:
I am a widely published Irish poet born in Cork, Ireland. I enjoy teaching all of my classes, and consider myself a lucky person to have a job teaching what I love - the reading and writing of poetry. I love teaching because I love poetry.
I like the ethos of the college. I find the Edmundite ethos and in general the liberal arts a healthy way of being in the world and a good way for young people to learn to be in the world for the rest of their lives.
We're the better for understanding through literature how other human beings have lived in the world. In the end, all learning is humility, and students will understand that and it will give them a better chance of understanding the good and bad of life and of adding to society in a positive fashion. We can't overestimate the interconnectedness of things. Literature shows us how to see our own uniqueness, to take off the mundane goggles, to see that no matter how small we are, we're important.
Ph.D. Dartmouth College
B.A. Willamette University
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Areas of Expertise:
Experimental Physical Chemistry; Photo-Induced Electron Transfer Reactions; Molecular Spectroscopy; Physical Chemistry Pedagogy
Courses I Teach:
- Chemistry Senior Seminar
- Concepts in Chemistry
- General Chemistry I and II
- Physical Chemistry I, II, and III
M.A., Ph.D. New York University
B.A. Carleton College
Courses I Teach:
- Digital Film
- Global Communication
- Multi-media Design
- Photography
Additionally, I direct graduate research projects in media education and media literacy.
Professional Experiences:
Prior to teaching at Saint Michael's, I worked in New York City as a journalist, digital animator, and a media developer at the Media Workshop New York, a non-profit organization devoted to issues of media education and media literacy.
M.A., Ph.D. University of Iowa
B.Sc. Brunel University, London
Courses I Teach:
- Introduction to Human Geography
- Urban Geography
- Political Geography
- Economic Geography
- The Geography of Water
- Environmental Policy
- Environmental Studies
- Urban and Regional Planning
My Saint Michael's:
In my classes, advising and in the human geography program, one-on-one contact is encouraged. I encourage students to present their findings to external audiences and professional conferences. I help students with graduate school applications (especially those in Urban and Regional Planning). In the past few years, I have helped Saint Michael's graduates successfully apply to Cornell, Rutgers, SUNY-Albany, Kansas State University, the University of Iowa and several others. I also have some connections for internships in the local area.
Hands down, my favorite thing about this college is the class sizes. At Saint Mike's I am able to shorten the distance between my role as faculty member and expert, and my role as motivator and mentor. I see part of my job as a salesperson for the power of intellectual growth and lifelong learning. I work hard each and every day to make the sale!
Ph.D. Concordia University
M.B.A. University of Toronto
B.Comm. McGill University
Areas of Expertise:
Case development focusing on business/government relations and sustainability
Courses I Teach:
- Business Policy & Strategic Management
- International Business
- International Marketing
- Marketing
My favorite class to teach is International Business because it focuses on the nexus between business and public policy. The course gives students an opportunity to see the connections between the right kinds of public policy and economic development, and the wrong kinds of public policy and economic hardship. The course also focuses on the global trading system and is the gateway for students to understand the role that free trade and open markets has played in reducing poverty and promoting economic progress.
Ph.D. Harvard University
M.A. University of North Carolina
B.A. Yale University
I teach courses on literary theory, environmental writing, and multiethnic literatures. I have written on western American literature, literary aesthetics, and nature writing.
Ph.D., M.A. Johns Hopkins University
B.A. Colgate University
Areas of Expertise:
Philosophy of mind (and cognates), metaphysics and epistemology, and feminist philosophy, all in the analytic tradition.
Courses I Teach:
- Contemporary Analytic Philosophy
- Feminist Philosophy
- Introduction to Philosophy
- Logic: Laws of Thought
- Philosophy of Human Nature
- Philosophy of Mind
- Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Environment
My courses highlight the ongoing relevance of philosophy. Philosophy of Mind engages contemporary neuroscience; Logic: Laws of Thought prepares students for the Law School Admissions Test; Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Environment examines responsibilities to nature and environment; and Philosophy of Human Nature pairs timeless philosophic topics with timely topics in bioethics. I also make efforts to see that learning extends beyond the classroom: I launched the Plato Lecture and am the regular host of the Philosophers’ Table.
Ph.D., Geography , University of South Carolina, Columbia
M.S., Geography, University of South Carolina, Columbia
B.A., Franklin & Marshall College
Areas of Expertise:
Water Resources, Physical/Environmental Geography, Environmental Policy
Courses I Teach:
- ES 101 Introduction to Environmental Studies
- ES 201 Environmental Problems
- ES 401 Senior Seminar, Topic: Emerging Contaminants
At Saint Michael's, our Environmental Studies students are involved with partnerships with local and international non-governmental organizations, businesses and government agencies so you'll have a chance to make a positive contribution towards environmental change while acquiring skills needed for work or graduate study. We recently had a study trip to Northern India focusing on Organic Farming and Conservation of Biodiversity at the farm training center run by world renowned environmental activist Dr. Vandana Shiva. Students pursue environmental internships at such places as Ben and Jerry's, the Essex Junction Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Keeping Track, Inc., a wildlife monitoring and conservation planning organization. You will also be able to work on campus in such sustainability projects as the Saint Michael's organic community garden; GreenUp student environmental club; the faculty, staff and student activist Environmental Council, and through leadership projects of the renowned Saint Michael's Wilderness Program.
Interested in Environmental Law and Policy? Saint Michael's recently signed an agreement with Vermont Law School that guarantees Saint Michael's graduates admission into Vermont Law providing they meet the entrance requirements. The Vermont Law School is ranked number one in the US for Environmental Law.
Study Abroad
- Saint Michael's study tours to places such as India, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.
- School for Field Studies (Saint Michael's is an affiliate member), with programs in:
- Turks and Caicos
- Bhutan
- Australia
- Costa Rica
- Tanzania
- School for International Training, and university programs such as those through Butler IFSA
Internship examples:
- Sopher Investments (rating environmental practices of businesses for development of green portfolios for environmentally conscious investors)
- Native Energy (carbon-offset business)
- Shelburne Farms (environmental education)
- The Intervale (organic garden and compost facility)
- The ECHO Center (environmental education and animal care)
- Essex Junction Wastewater Treatment Facility (economics of utility management)
- Keeping Track, Inc. (non-profit wildlife monitoring and citizen science organization)
On-campus sustainability:
- Saint Michael's College organic community garden (summer paid positions and academic-year volunteer opportunities)
- GreenUp student environmental club
- Environmental Council - faculty, staff and student environmental activist group
- Projects with the Saint Michael's Sustainability Coordinator, Heather Ellis
Research areas for student-faculty projects:
- conservation biology
- geography and planning
- political science
- sustainable agriculture
- sustainable business
- environmental humanities
Outdoor leadership and education:
Saint Michael's College Wilderness Program provides extracurricular opportunities.
The number and kinds of careers in the environmental field are growing rapidly. The U.S. Dept of Labor projects a 25% increase in demand for environmental specialists (including policy, management, conservation, and science) by the year 2016.[1] Many organizations, including for-profit corporations and non-profit institutions, now have a sustainability office with at least one staff member taking the lead on environmental efforts. The fully interdisciplinary nature of our program prepares graduates well to work with a variety of constituencies within organizations on environmental initiatives since the skills required for that work go beyond scientific understanding of environmental problems.
Graduates of our Environmental Studies program are well prepared to pursue careers in the fields of environmental conservation, environmental management, environmental education, and "green" business. The program also prepare students for post-graduate study in environmental law, "green" M.B.A., environmental sustainability, environmental studies, ethics, conservation, management and policy programs.
Saint Michael's has an articulation agreement with the Vermont Law School that guarantees admission to the J.D. program or the Masters of Environmental Law and Policy program for qualified SMC graduates.
[1] Lohr, Steve. 2009. Crème de la Career. New York Times, April 12, Week in Review Section
Learn more about Saint Michael's Organic Garden, which produces several veggies, including cucumbers, bak choi, swiss chard, kale, basil, dill, chives, bluberries, flowers, and more.
Read about the work students of Environmental Studies have been doing with Susan Morse and the event they sponsored to bring her presentation with Live Wolves to campus.
Dr. Vandana Shiva's inaugural lecture for Environmental Studies major
The renowned activist, physicist, and philosopher spoke October 19, 2012 on activism toward organic and sustainable agriculture in India and the world.
Saint Michael's College faculty declare unanimously that the college is a Fair Trade institution. Read more.
For more information on Environmental Studies please contact the program coordinator:
Valerie Banschbach
Cheray 302A
802.654.2633
Box 283
vbanschbach@smcvt.edu