The environmental studies concentration is an interdisciplinary program involving departments and programs in the natural and social sciences and humanities. The concentration allows students to explore the interactions among earth systems, human societies and local and global environments.Students may propose an environmental studies concentration as an adjunct to a major in any department or program at Bryn Mawr or Haverford.
All ES Seniors must enroll in the Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Course. Each student will show evidence of advanced work in environmental studies. This may consist of a research project, a major thesis, or in some departments it would be a 300-level course in which the student deals extensively with environmental issues. In selected cases, with approval of the major department adviser and the environmental studies director, this advanced work may be undertaken as an internship or Praxis course. Additional courses of interest to students of all disciplines include courses at University of Pennsylvania or Swarthmore College . Certain classes from Junior Year Abroad programs may fulfill requirements for the concentration if pre-approved. These include special environmental programs like the University of Kansas Costa Rica programs and the programs sponsored by Swarthmore in Eastern Europe .
Many Bryn Mawr classes encourage students to collaborate on group research projects related to the course material and learning objectives. Environmental topics provide opportunities for such work in courses in a range of disciplines.
The results of some of these group student projects are provided below.
Geology 206: Energy Resources
Dorm Heating Student Presentation (.pps)
by Naomi Hamermesh, Nora Mascioli, Sara Karpinski, and Nicky Belletier
Dining Center Composting Options (.pps)
by
Mica Baum-Tuccillo, Dylan Gasperik, Jesse Paulsen, and Sharada Tolton
Alternate Bi-Co Transport (.pps)
by Willa Caughey, Diana Ekman, and Caroline Wright
Hybrid or Gas: A Comparative Study of Safety Vehicles at Haverford
and BMC (.pps)
by Rachel Tayler and Emily Temple