2014-2015 Pitzer Catalog 
    
    Apr 25, 2024  
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2014-2015 Pitzer Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Environmental Analysis Major

Major Requirements

The Environmental Analysis major offers four Tracks:

  1. Environment and Society
  2. Environmental Policy
  3. Sustainability and the Built Environment
  4. Environmental Science.

The Major consists of three sets of requirements:

  1. A Core set of Courses and a Capstone Seminar or Thesis depending upon Track
  2. A Track with Course Plan
  3. An Environmental Internship for the Environment and Society, Environmental Policy, and Sustainability and the Built Environment Tracks

 

A minimum of 11 courses is required for the Environment and Society and Environmental Policy tracks, and 12 courses for the, and Sustainability and Built Environment track. A senior thesis is not required for the Environment and Society, Environmental Policy, and Sustainability and the Built Environment tracks. Students who wish to write a senior thesis must enroll in an additional course, EA 197 PZ -EA Senior Thesis Seminar  . For those who choose to undertake a senior project, a senior project is a substantial work such as an exhibition, website, blog, film/video, performance, curriculum, design project, or other hands-on or creative endeavor. The process and outcome of the project should be digitally documented in an appropriate format (audio, video, pdf, web url, and so forth). Normally students will write a 20-30 page paper that describes the contribution and that anchors it in scholarly literature in order to build a critical framework around the project. Projects are usually undertaken over the course of one semester and are assigned a course number (EA 199 or EA 999). Some can be undertaken as part of the EA 197, the senior thesis class. Please consult with your adviser to see what is appropriate for you.


In order to be a candidate for Honors, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.6, and engage in a thesis or senior project, which receives a minimum grade of A-. The Field Group members will confer Honors to students who have met these baseline requirements, and who have displayed an exemplary commitment to Pitzer’s core values of environmental sustainability and social responsibility, as manifest through service, internships, and other relevant experience.
 

Environment and Society Track

Learning Outcomes for the Environment & Society Track

1. Understand and describe different cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender perspectives on the environment
2. Understand, describe, and conduct research on where social justice and environmental issues intersect

Requirements for the Environment & Society Track

  1. Five Core Courses and One Internship:
  2. Track Requirements (Six Courses)
    • One environmental policy course

Course Plan of Five Environmental and Society courses from the following options.

 

Environmental Policy Track

Learning Outcomes for the Environmental Policy Track

1. Acquire a working knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of environmental policy, law, and politics
2. Engage in critical thinking about issues and concepts in environmental policy and politics
3. Locate and analyze research and reports in the field of environmental policy and politics

Requirements for the Environmental Policy Track

  1. Five Core Courses and One Internship
  2. Track Requirements (Six Courses)
    • One statistics course (e.g., MATH 052 PZ , Economics Statistics, Qualitative Methods in Sociology, or other appropriate statistics course as approved by student’s adviser)

Course Plan of Five Environmental Policy Courses from the following options:

 

Sustainability and the Built Environment Track

Learning Outcomes for the Sustainability and the Built Environment Track

1. Understand and analyze sustainable design in a holistic manner
2. Develop conceptual frameworks for critical inquiry and environmental problem solving
3. Apply design concepts and skills for sustainability and resilience
4. Integrate scholarship and analyses to test spatial concepts
 

Requirements for the Sustainability and the Built Environment Track

  1. Seven Core Courses and One Internship
  2. Track Requirements (Five Track Courses)
    1. One course In Representation
    2. Four electives from the following options, generally no more than two from a group:
      1. History, theory and ecology of the built environment
      2. Design
      3. Policy/Planning

Students may additionally write a thesis or enroll in an advanced capstone studio for honors. See honors requirements above.

Courses listed as fulfilling each requirement are subject to change and other courses may be counted toward those requirements with approval of academic advisers.

Environmental Science Track

Learning outcomes for the Environmental Science Track


1. Use foundational principles to analyze problems in nature
2. Develop hypotheses and test them using quantitative techniques
3. Articulate applications of science in the modern world
4. Effectively communicate scientific concepts both orally and in writing
 

Requirements for the Environmental Science Track

  1. Five Core courses:
  2. Track Requirements
    • Introductory Biology: BIOL 043L KS ,  BIOL 044L KS , or BIOL 040L KS  and BIOL 044L KS 
    • Introductory Chemistry: CHEM 014L KS , CHEM 015L KS  (or CHEM 029L KS ), or CHEM 040L KS  and CHEM 015L KS 
      [The requirement for Introductory Biology and Introductory Chemistry may be met by completion of both semesters of the Accelerated Integrated Science Sequence (AISS)]
    • At least one earth science course-(e.g., EA 100L KS  or EA 103L KS  )
    • Six upper-division EA science courses, including one in ecology (BIOL 146L KS , BIOL 169L KS , or equivalent)
    • Students must take at least one class in statistics or the application of quantitative methods to environmental problems. This requirement may be satisfied by taking an approved class with a quantitative focus as one of the six upper-division EA science courses. Alternatively, students may take an approved non-science course in statistics in addition to the other major requirements.
    • An environmentally focused study abroad semester is strongly recommended.

 

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