Timothy N. Lincoln, director, Center for Sustainability and the Environment; professor of geological sciences.
B.S., 1972, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Ph.D., 1978, University of California, Los Angeles.
Douglas W. White, associate director, Center for Sustainability and the Environment; adjunct assistant professor of biology.
B.S., 1976, Pennsylvania State University; M.S., 1978, University of Tennessee; Ph.D., 1989, Rutgers University.
The Center for Sustainability and the Environment (CSE), through its member students and affiliated faculty, encourages all Albion students to develop an awareness of the physical makeup of the biosphere and an appreciation of the vulnerability of the ecosystem. It further encourages students to explore environmental issues from multidisciplinary perspectives and to recognize that their actions have environmental consequences. Through dynamic interaction between environmental theory and practice, locally based but recognizing that the environment knows no boundaries, the Center enriches its immediate and extended communities.
Admission—Students must apply for admission to the Center and the majors and concentrations that it sponsors. Normally this step is taken as part of the application process to the College, and most members are admitted as incoming students. Admission to the Center is also available, by application, to all first- and second-year Albion students. Visit the Center's website for information on the application process.
Advanced Placement (AP) cannot be used to satisfy the requirements for Biology 195. Students who place out of Chemistry 121 are required to take Chemistry 123. Students with AP credit for Mathematics 141 are required to take Mathematics 143 or 210.
There are three majors and two concentrations offered by the Center for Sustainability and the Environment. Majors may be completed in environmental science, environmental studies, and sustainability studies. Concentrations are offered in environmental sciences and environmental studies.
The ten-unit environmental science major provides broad exposure to environmental sciences at the introductory level, focused work in science at the upper level and a set of cognates designed to show the social and humanistic context in which scientists work.
Some environmental careers are practiced primarily in one field of science. Students interested in pursuing such careers should consider the option of a science major with an environmental science concentration. It is strongly advised that students talk with science faculty in choosing their option.
The following are required for the concentration:
The ten-unit environmental studies major provides a deep understanding of the complex relationships among natural and social systems, as well as a proficiency in the analytical, rhetorical and creative skills necessary to perceive the wonders of the natural and human worlds and to solve the environmental challenges we face in the twenty-first century.
The environmental studies concentration is designed for students who have an interest in environmental issues and plan careers in related fields. Due to the varying interests and backgrounds of the students who choose this option, the choice of courses for this concentration is more open than in the environmental science concentration. Participating students may pursue a major in any field. Students who complete this concentration might, for example, enter science journalism or work for environmental advocacy groups.
The following are required for the concentration:
Note: This major is currently under revision. Please contact Timothy Lincoln, CSE director, for further information.
The major in sustainability studies at Albion College is a joint venture between Albion College and the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) REEDS program, in France. This collaboration offers an opportunity for Albion students to participate in an international, interdisciplinary program that is grounded in the social sciences and designed for students who are engaged in today’s and tomorrow’s sustainability challenges.
Courses in the curriculum are categorized as theories, tools, and terrains. Theories include the framing concepts and scientific principles of sustainability studies, while tools are the methods of analysis and communication. Terrains are specific fields of sustainability challenges, using the theories and tools that students will have already mastered. Through this integration students are invited to explore, on the one hand, the relationships between the economy, lifestyle, and politics and, on the other hand, the physical environment, natural resource use, pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. In this way, the interdisciplinary and international character of the major in sustainability studies complements the disciplinary foundations of traditional degree programs.
The major in sustainability studies is obtained by following a four-year program of study offered on a collaborative basis through the UVSQ/Albion partnership. During the first, second, and fourth years of study, courses are offered through UVSQ and Albion College, on the Albion campus, while the third year includes a semester of study abroad at UVSQ. During the semester abroad, students in the program will complete upper-level courses in both theory and tools categories, as well as preparing research papers in selected terrains (case studies and specialized topics). They will be introduced to European culture and the European ethos of sustainability, and visiting international collaborations. After successfully completing the major in sustainability studies, and upon graduation from Albion College, students will receive the B.A. in sustainability studies from Albion College along with a certificate of sustainability studies from UVSQ. They will also be eligible to enter the second-year master’s program at UVSQ (taught in English) in sustainability studies.
The requirements for the major in sustainability studies are as follows:
Nine and three-quarter to ten and three-quarter units of course work including the following:
Prior to taking more advanced courses in political science or anthropology and economics, students should consider taking the following courses (although these are not required): Political Science 101 or Anthropology 105, and Economics 101. Students with some facility in French should take the French language proficiency test. French language courses are excellent options for students considering international studies or careers in sustainability. The language of instruction at the UVSQ in this program is English.
Arrangements for the semester of study abroad at the UVSQ are made jointly through the Center for Sustainability and the Environment and the Albion Center for International Education.
100 Introduction to Sustainability: Concepts and Challenges (1/4)
Introduces the concept of sustainable development through historic antecedents in the classics and economic theory. Major topics include development and the environment, alternatives to development, system modeling, and indicators and norms for sustainable development. Through guest panelists from the CSE and the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, key policy issues will be raised. Staff.
101 Fundamentals of Environmental Studies (1)
A theoretical and practical introduction to the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies. Cultivates both a broad understanding of ecological principles and the creative capacity to imagine and enact individual and social change that takes those principles into account. Christiansen, White.
102 Introduction to the Environment (1)
Explores the interconnected web of earth's natural systems including the atmosphere, biological communities, oceans and continents, as well as humankind's interactions with and dependence on them. Major topics include global climate and problems of global warming and desertification; resources and problems of world hunger and population growth; and pollution and problems of ecosystem destruction. Staff.
187, 188, 189 Selected Topics (1/4, 1/2, 1)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
201 Ecology and Environmental Field Trip (1/2)
Prerequisites: Membership in the Center for Sustainability of the Environment and permission of the instructor.
Demonstrates, in seminars and a one-two week field trip to a selected region of the United States, how ecosystems have been shaped by the interplay of biological, geological and human history and are thus both adapted to, and susceptible to changes in, modern landscape, climate and human practices. Examines environmental issues of both local and national significance related to these ecosystems. Staff.
206 Sustainable Living Seminar (1/2)
Residents of the College's E-house and other students explore, through practice, the relationship between their daily actions and the earth's ecosystems. Several models of sustainability are discussed, and students are asked to articulate the view they believe appropriate for their own lives. Students cooperatively develop a significant improvement in the house or its grounds and monitor the environmental footprint of their actions. Staff.
220 Economics, Politics, and Environmental Policy (1)
Examines decisions affecting environmental quality made by government, businesses and individuals; economic analysis relevant to such decisions; the policy-making process; and dispute resolution techniques that may be useful in conflicts over environmental issues. Focuses on current national and local environmental policies, with comparisons to practices in other countries. Saltzman.
287, 288, 289 Selected Topics (1/4, 1/2, 1)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
387, 388, 389 Selected Topics (1/4, 1/2, 1)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
391, 392 Internship (1/2, 1)
Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
401, 402 Seminar (1/2, 1)
Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing or permission of instructor.
Staff.
411, 412 Directed Study (1/2, 1)
Staff.
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