Environmental Studies

ENST 100. Introduction to Environmental Studies (4)

This course introduces students to Environmental Studies, an interdisciplinary field examining the complex relationship between people and their environments. We will explore how natural and cultural forces interact to form our ecosystems, our experiences, and our imaginations. Analyzing evidence, arguments, and concepts from across multiple disciplines, we will examine important environmental issues past and present, as well as efforts to understand and to address those issues. ENST100 is a survey of theoretical frameworks and analytical techniques from scientific, artistic, economic, political, historical, and philosophical perspectives on the environment. Consequently, our focus is as much on concepts and critical thinking as on content. By providing students with the opportunity to interact with peers and learn about abundant environmental opportunities at St. Mary’s College and beyond, the course also fosters community and environmental citizenship.

ENST 182. Introduction to GIS (4F)

This course aims to introduce the basic functions of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This includes gaining an understanding of basic map-making skills and analysis. The course will cover geo-referencing, coordinate systems, working with and collecting quantitative and qualitative data, using both vector and raster datasets, and visualization and interpretation of collected data. Specific applications and case studies will be explored through thematic mapping and spatial statistics. The analysis will cover a range of data types. Practical work will be introduced and completed using ESRI ArcGIS software and open-source QGIS.

ENST 197/297/397/497. Directed Research in Environmental Studies (1-4E)

Under the direct supervision of a faculty member, a student participates in laboratory or field research. A learning contract that specifies the research goals and methodology must be filed with the Office of the Registrar. A maximum of four credit hours of directed research in Environmental Studies may be applied to major requirements. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Learning contract filed in the Office of the Registrar.

ENST 199/299/399/499. Independent Study (1-4E)

This course consists of an independent creative or research project designed by the student and supervised by an environmental studies faculty member. The nature of the project, the schedule for accomplishment and the means of evaluation must be formalized in a learning contract prior to registration. Prerequisite for any 300 or 400 level course is ENST 100.

ENST 222. Environmental Data Analysis and Visualization (4AS)

With no prior programming experience required, this course introduces students to in-demand environmental data analysis such as data wrangling and visualization, exploratory data analysis, statistical modeling, version control and collaboration, and reproducible workflows. We will do all of this using R, one of the most popular statistical programming languages in the environmental field. Students cannot receive credit for both this and the marine science course of the same title. This course fulfills the Toolkit requirement in the ENST major. Prerequisite: ENST 250.

ENST 245. Topics in Environmental Studies (4)

Various topics in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. Subjects may include climate change adaptation and resilience, environmental justice, green technology and biomimicry, food systems, or environmental history. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online Schedule of Classes. Prerequisites: see course description.

ENST 250. Environmental Science (4)

Environmental science is a multidisciplinary study of the environment and environmental problems. It relies on integrating traditional fields of biology, chemistry, and physics to create an understanding of dynamic environmental systems. Lecture and laboratory. The prerequisite is successful completion of ENST 100. Co-requisite: ENST250L

ENST 250L. Introduction to Environmental Science Lab (0F)

A laboratory to accompany Introduction to Environmental Science. Students practice analytical and field techniques from relevant fields of biology, chemistry, and physics to create an understanding of dynamic environmental systems. The prerequisite is successful completion of ENST 100. Co-requisite: ENST250

ENST 265. Earth Systems (4)

This course in Earth Systems explains the geology of the Earth in the context of the natural environment. The course covers basics of the solid Earth (rocks, minerals, volcanoes, and earthquakes); surface systems (biosphere and weathering), fluid systems (surface water, oceans, groundwater, atmosphere; and the dynamic Earth (plate tectonics, energy transfer, and climate change). It discusses how the physical characteristics of the Earth and human interactions impact environmental change, global warming, and other issues. The course includes a laboratory providing hands on experience with the subject matter. This course satisfies elective credit in the Environmental Science track for the ENST major and minor. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in the Natural Sciences with Laboratory.

ENST 275. Topics in Environmental Humanities (4)

Various topics for the Environmental Humanities track in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online Schedule of Classes. Prerequisites: see course description.

ENST 283. Race and Place (4S)

This course examines how places are racialized and how places racialize people. We will focus on the experiences of African Americans as a racial and ethnic group living within the racialized
landscape of the United States. The course begins with an examination of why place matters and why race matters, paying particular attention to how race and place are created together. We then turn to memorialization, ways we remember, and connections between the past and the present. We then turn our attention to the natural world and examine how landscapes and environmental justices have material impacts on the relationship between race and place. Throughout the semester we will be using qualitative research methods to explore these connections and deepen our engagement with the world around us. Prerequisites for the course are: ENST 100 or participation in the Justice Integrated Inquiry

ENST 285. Topics in Environmental Policy & Social Sciences (4)

Various topics for the Environmental Policy and Social Sciences track in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online Schedule of Classes. Prerequisites: see course description.

ENST 295. Topics in Environmental Science (4)

Various topics for the Environmental Sciences track in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online Schedule of Classes. Prerequisites: see course description.

ENST 307. Student Assistantship (2E)

This course provides a credit-based experience for classroom and laboratory assistants. The student assistants will attend their assigned classes or labs, hold review sessions, assist the professor with lab preparation and other in-class assignments, among other duties. This course will follow the general college policies for classroom assistantship courses. This course may be repeated once. Prerequisites: ENST 100; Permission of the instructor, minimum 3.0 GPA and at least 8 credits of 300-level or above in Environmental Studies coursework.

ENST 320. Quantitative Methods (4AS)

Methods and approaches to wrangling, analyzing, and visualizing large datasets using the R computing environment. An emphasis will be placed on coastal and oceanographic datasets. Lecture sessions will primarily include discussion and hands-on coding exercises. No programming experience is required. Prerequisite: ENST100, MRNE 110, and either MATH 221 or BIOL 311 or permission of the instructor.

ENST 345. Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies (4)

ENST 365. Marine Environmental Toxicology (4AS)

An overview of toxicology within the scope of aquatic environments will be covered. Students will learn how to describe chemical and biological baselines of aquatic systems, and how to study the qualitative and quantitative aspects of toxicology from the local environments to organisms to molecular levels. In addition, students will utilize environmental databases to predict the entry path of contaminants into aquatic systems and the toxic consequences. Prerequisites: ENST100, CHEM 106, BIOL 311/MATH 221, BIOL 106, and MRNE 110.

ENST 375. Advanced Topics in Environmental Humanities (4)

Various advanced topics for the Environmental Humanities track in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online Schedule of Classes. Prerequisite: ENST100 and see course description.

ENST 382. GIS Applications (4)

This interdisciplinary course teaches the students how to apply geographic information systems (GIS) to solve geographic problems. The course covers how GIS can be applied in multiple disciplines including biology, environmental studies, archaeology, anthropology, economics, and sociology, and meets the Environmental Studies program requirements. It covers basic GIS theory including vector and raster GIS data formats, global positioning system (GPS), projections and coordinate systems, tabular and geospatial analysis, and accuracy issues. The laboratory portion of the course gives students hands on experience using ArcGIS to create and manage GIS data, collect GPS data, perform geospatial analyses, and create cartographically sound maps. A semester project enables students to learn how to design, perform, and document results of a GIS project. Prerequisites: ENST 100 and ENST 182

ENST 383. Race, Gender, and Environmental Justice (4AS)

Environmental Justice social movements work to combat the inequitable distribution of negative environmental impacts in communities of color and low-income communities and seeks fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, class, national origin, and education level with respect to environmental politics, their implementation, and their enforcement. In this class, we will use feminist perspectives to explore the impacts intersecting axes of difference have on the development, mitigation, and experiences of environmental justice, the processes that cause these injustices, and what activists are doing to combat these injustices. We will focus on a U.S. context (in the interest of time), while acknowledging the interconnected and global context within which these processes occur. We will begin by exploring the theoretical and political roots of the environmental justice movement and the role feminist perspectives have in our understandings of these processes. We will discuss the history of the movement, the relationship to mainstream environmentalism, feminist perspectives on the relationship between gender, sexuality, race, and the environment, the impact of intersecting social processes of race, class, gender, and place, how we come to understand what justice constitutes and the role knowledge production plays in these processes. We will then apply these concepts to specific case studies to further explore the implication and lived experiences of environmental injustices and how environmental justice activists work to bring attention to their struggles and create positive change in their communities. Prerequisite: ENST 100.

ENST 385. Advanced Topics in Environmental Policy & Social Sciences (4)

Various advanced topics for the Environmental Policy and Social Sciences track in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online Schedule of Classes. Prerequisites: ENST100 and see course description.

ENST 390. Applied Sustainability Practicum (4)

This course carefully considers sustainability. Class sessions will combine seminar style discussion of classic and cutting edge readings in the history, contemporary context, and challenge of global environmental issues with hands-on workshops to advance student-initiated local projects in critical environmental topics. Students will work independently and in groups on research, writing assignments, presentations, creative projects, and a web presence focused on interdisciplinary solutions to pressing environmental issues. Suitable subjects include energy management, food systems, social justice, conservation ecology, campus sustainability, natural disasters and resilience, climate change adaptation, and other student interests. Students will develop important skills in self-directed learning, build partnerships across campus and the community, and engage in applied problem-solving. Pre-requisites: ENST 100, ENST 233, ENST 280, or permission of instructor.

ENST 390L. Applied Sustainability Practicum Lab (0S)

The laboratory to accompany Applied Sustainability Practicum. Students practice and apply sustainability measurement, monitoring, and assessment techniques. Activities centered around systems thinking and change theory will explore the intersection of social, environmental, and economic issues, culminating in an independent research project and report. Prerequisite: ENST100.

ENST 391. Field Study in Sustainable Agriculture (4F)

This course investigates the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture and their relationship to the greater food system. We will explore the social (people), environmental (planet), and economic (profit) impacts of agriculture — from challenges to opportunities. This course applies the principles of sustainability to various agricultural production practices and systems — at a range of different scales — to see what lessons these varied models can offer. Along the way, we will consider domestic issues such as food safety and distribution, food justice, cultural relevance, biodiversity, farming communities, and effects on local economies. The course combines seminars and lectures with extensive, hands-on field experiences and service-learning at the Kate Chandler Campus Community Farm (K3CF). Prerequisite: ENST100 or permission from the instructor. Co-requisite: ENST 391L.

ENST 391L. Field Study in Sustainable Agriculture Lab (0F)

A laboratory to accompany Field Study in Sustainable Agriculture. Students practice and apply agroecological measurement, monitoring, and assessment techniques. Activities centered around skill-building in sustainable agriculture will foreground soil, nutrient, water, and crop management and planning through group and individual projects. Prerequisite: ENST100 or permission from the instructor.

ENST 392. Field Research Methods (4AF)

Methods of sampling and analyzing physical, chemical, and biological properties of the air, water, and earth. An emphasis will be placed on research question formulation and sampling design. By the end of the course, students will be able to independently develop a field study, collect and analyze field data, and present their findings in a written report. We will focus on our local estuarine environment, although the general research process covered can be applied to any system. Prerequisites: Any two of the following: ENST100, MRNE 110, BIOL 105, BIOL 106, CHEM 106, ENST 250.

ENST 393. Coastal Ecosystem Management (4AS)

An in-depth examination of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem as well as the principles and practices of adaptive ecosystem management. Students will explore the physical, chemical, geological, and biological components of estuaries and how science informs ecosystem restoration efforts. They will also gain hands-on experience deploying ecosystem management tools, including environmental monitoring and ecosystem simulation modeling. Prerequisites: Any two of the following: ENST100, MRNE 110, BIOL105, BIOL 106, CHEM 106, ENST 250.

ENST 394. Earth and Space Science for Educators (4AF)

An introduction to major concepts and essential questions in Earth and space science. Topics include those most germane to being able to instruct K-12 students: Earth’s place in the universe (sun-moon-Earth system, solar system, stars and galaxies, geologic time, the nature and cycling of Earth’s materials), the Earth as a system (geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, weather, climate, plate tectonics), and Earth and human activity (human population and resource usage, natural hazards, climate change). Through this course, students will learn about and experience multiple reform-based science teaching pedagogies such as culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and engaging students in three-dimensional science. The course embodies and introduces students to Ladson-Billings’ three propositions of CRP which are woven into the course including: (1) academic success in having high expectations for all students and learning is not at the expense of their students’ cultures; (2) cultural competence meaning everyone is valued and brings in their personal experiences; (3) critical consciousness where the professor will help students to identify and critique societal issues and inequities. Prerequisite: ENST 100.

ENST 395. Advanced Topics in Environmental Science (4)

Various advanced topics for the Environmental Sciences track in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online Schedule of Classes. Prerequisites: Prerequisite: ENST100 and see course description.

ENST 398/498. Off-Campus Internship (4-16E)

A variety of off-campus experiential learning opportunities can be arranged through the Career Development Center and study abroad. The off-campus internship is an individually designed experience that allows the student to explore the relationships between learning in the classroom and the practical application of knowledge in everyday work situations. Prerequisites: admission to the Internship Program and approval of the environmental studies coordinator and ENST100. Credit/no credit grading.

ENST 450. Seminar in Environmental Studies (4)

Various topics in environmental studies are considered in this course, which can vary across disciplines, but be suitable for all students participating in the environmental studies program. The subject matter of the course may vary each time the course is offered. This course may be repeated for credit, provided the topic or focus changes significantly. For a description of each course, see the current online “Schedule of Classes.” Prerequisite: ENST100 and see course description.

ENST 490. Environmental Studies Junior Seminar (4)

This seminar provides upper-level Environmental Studies majors with a forum for synthesizing insights from multiple disciplines to reflect on the philosophical and pragmatic underpinnings of environmental citizenship. This course prepares students for the SMP. Students will integrate the work of leading environmental thinkers to identify which theories and techniques are appropriate for addressing particular environmental questions. In preparation to enter the workforce, advance new knowledge, and foster cultural understanding and cooperation, the seminar will incorporate the ethical principles of effective communication and explore how to manage uncertainty in environmental decision-making. We will ask critical questions about contributing to the common good in local, national, and global communities. This course is open to ENST majors. Prerequisite: ENST 100 and junior level standing or permission of the instructor.

ENST 493/494. St. Mary’s Project in Environmental Studies (1-8E)

This project, which may take many forms, draws on and extends knowledge, skills of analysis and creative achievement developed through previous academic work. The student initiates the project, identifies an area to be explored, and proposes a method of inquiry appropriate to the topic. The project should include a reflection on the social context, the body of literature, or the conceptual framework to which it is a contribution. It must be shared with the College community through posters, presentation, or other means. This course is repeatable up to eight credit hours. Pre- or co-requisite: completion of study area in environmental studies. Approval of faculty mentor, environmental studies coordinator and the department chair(s) of the student’s major.

ENST 495. Environmental Studies Capstone (4S)

This course serves as a capstone experience for the Environmental Studies major. Students will apply and integrate skills and knowledge gained through the major via a self-designed project. They will also explore their role as environmental professionals and explore post-graduate options and opportunities. Prerequisite: ENST 100; ENST 490 and senior level standing or permission of the instructor.