Environmental Outreach and Interpretation, B.A.
Environmental Outreach and Interpretation is for those students who want to educate, engage, and inform the public about the environment. This major combines a solid foundation in natural sciences with courses exploring the human dimension of 'environment', as well as courses designed to improve and diversify your communication skills. In this major, students design (in consultation with an advisor) their own 24 credit 'supporting discipline' that could range from pre-law, to nature writing, to wilderness leadership, to nature interpretation. This is our most flexible major and is ideal for students who are interested in careers in creative writing, journalism, film, outdoor education/leadership, nature interpretation, or for those who wish to design their own learning experience for a specific goal.
Program Requirements:
Foundation in Science: (12 credits)
Humans in the Environment: (6 credits)
Tools and Applications (15 credits)
| CO 206 | Small Group Communication | 3 |
| CO 215 | Introduction to Public Relations I | 3 |
| CO 216 | Introduction to Public Relations II | 3 |
| CO 320 | Organizational Communication | 3 |
| ES 395 | Comm in Environmental Research (WI) | 3 |
Experiential Learning and Integration (6 credits)
Field experience (3 credits) from one of the following:
| ES 300 | Environmental Field Studies | 3 |
| ES 425 | ES Internship | 1.00 - 3.00 |
| ES 498 | Environmental Research | 3 |
| ES 499 | Senior Thesis | 1.00 - 3.00 |
ES 300: e.g. Winter Ecology in Yellowstone, Alaska Landscape Dynamics, Tropical Ecology, Natural History of Montana
Supporting Discipline Courses (24 credits)
The purpose of the supporting discipline is to allow students to integrate a program of study that emphasizes the human dimension of environmental studies. Examples include environmental literature, theology of the land, nature writing, environmental sociology, environmental ethics, outdoor leadership, communications, and outdoor education.
Criteria and procedure:
- By spring of sophomore year, students choose a disciplinary focus with the help of their EP advisor and a faculty member from a sponsoring discipline.
- With input from faculty advisors, students develop a 1-2 page proposal outlining the goals and objectives of the discipline concentration. The proposal must include the following: a) A descriptive title, b) A background statement that describes how the disciplines create a coherent area of study, c) A list of required courses.
- The proposal must be submitted to the Director of the Environmental Program at least 3 semesters prior to graduation.
- A minimum of 15 of the 24 credits must be at the 300 level or above.
Other Program Requirements:
All Environmental Program majors must earn a grade of “C-“ or better in all major courses and pass pre-requisted courses with a “C-” or better to advance to subsequent courses.