Student/Faculty Designed, BA (Huxley College of the Environment)

Department of Environmental Studies, Huxley College of the Environment

Introduction

Students who wish to design their own majors within Huxley College should obtain complete guidelines from the Undergraduate Advisors located in ES 539, the Huxley College office. The major must be developed with faculty advisement and must be approved by two faculty members and the Huxley College Curriculum Committee at least four quarters before the student’s anticipated graduation.

Why Consider a Huxley College of the Environment Student/Faculty Designed Major?

 

Contact Information

Department Chair Gigi Berardi Arntzen Hall 204 360-650-2106 Gigi.Berardi@wwu.edu

Huxley College Professional Advisor Kathryn Patrick Environmental Studies 539 360-650-3520 Kathryn.Patrick@wwu.edu

Sample Careers

Career choices are determined by the student’s interests.

Major/Career Resources

www.wwu.edu/careers/students_choosingamajor.shtml

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

You can declare yourself as an Environmental Studies (ENVS) Phase I major at any time.  There are several advantages to declaring during your freshman or sophomore year. Once you are declared as a Phase I major you are assigned a Huxley faculty advisor based on your interests at the time of declaration. You can then meet with your faculty advisor to discuss which courses to take and when, how to prepare for graduate school or a future career, or simply to get assistance navigating through the Huxley curriculum. Your email is added to an email distribution list for Huxley majors so you will begin to receive notifications and general announcements, as well as information about jobs, internships, or research opportunities.

Some important information about the ENVS major:

1. Most students begin the ENVS major in Phase I, while completing the preparatory classes for ENVS Phase II admission (BIOL 101 or 204, PLSC 250, ECON 206, Math 114 or equivalent, CHEM 121, as well as ENVS 201, 202, and 203). You can declare an ENVS Phase I major at any time by going to the central Huxley College office in Environmental Studies Building 539 and filling out a major declaration card.
2. Admission to Phase II is a competitive process and requires the coursework above and a grade of B- or better in ENVS 201, ENVS 202, and ENVS 203, as well as a satisfactory GPA in all other coursework. You must then submit an application that includes a 1-2 page essay describing your reasons for wanting to enter into one of the five ENVS majors (Environmental Education, Environmental Studies, Geography, Urban Planning, or Policy) as well as a plan of study created with the Huxley professional advisor and signed by a faculty advisor. Entry into the Urban Planning major also requires a portfolio, and entry into the Environmental Studies major requires the signature of a second departmental faculty member on the plan of study. ENVS Phase II applications are accepted at the central Huxley College office in the fall, winter, and spring quarters.
3. Student Faculty Design Majors must submit their plan of study and a brief written justification to the Huxley Curriculum Coordinating Committee at least four quarters before graduation.  Their major must have a unique title and the support of two faculty members.  The Academic Coordinating Commission, a standing committee of Western’s Faculty Senate, must provide final approval of a Student/Faculty Designed major title.
4. Changes to your major, plan of study or requests for a change of advisor during Phase II require completing a new declaration card.

If you have any questions, please contact a professional advisor at the central Huxley College office in Environmental Studies Building 539, or by phone (360-650-2817), or (360-650-3748).

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.