PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
AT WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE
The Environmental Studies Program at Washington and Jefferson College provides an opportunity to earn a Major or Minor in Environmental Studies. Students are presented with the tools, ideas, and opportunities to engage constructively with environmental and social issues spawned from the dynamics of globalization, human population, economic activity, and societal values. Accordingly, the process and goal of sustainable development is the integrative theme throughout the Program. Students in the Program study and interact with the environment from aesthetic, social, ethical, technological and scientific perspectives. Students are taught to be problem-solvers, applying critical thinking skills and creative imagination in analyzing complex environmental matters.
Several internship opportunities may be built into the Program, including
the Ocean Mammals
Institute, Student
Conservation Association, Audubon Society
of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Civil
and Environmental Consultants, Inc. and various biologically-related
internships. Under the supervision of the Director of Environmental
Studies, some of these internships may be taken for independent study credits.
The Program Director assists students to obtain grant, fellowship, and scholarship
monies. A list of current funding
sources and the Environmental
Education website are good places to start. The Program also assists
students in identifying and preparing for a career in the environmental
arena. This is accomplished through environmental career days, bringing
professionals in to the classroom and in the dissemination of career
resources.
Personal responsibility and good stewardship begin with an understanding
and appreciation of one's immediate environment. While global in scope,
the Program does not overlook the local and unique aspects of southwestern
Pennsylvania.
The program offers off-campus learning opportunities in Texas and East Africa. These courses emphasize practical applications of field methodologies and use of appropriate technology.
