Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Environmental Policy, BA


Environmental Studies, Huxley College of the Environment

71-83 credits

Introduction

This interdisciplinary program prepares students to enter professional fields concerned with the sustainability of the human and natural environment. The Environmental Policy program consists of a core, and specialization electives. The core incorporates the interdisciplinary foundation of Huxley College’s approach to the study of the environment. Environmental policy concentrates on studies in public policy development, governance, law, and methods and processes of planning and decision-making. The specialization elective component of the program is flexible. It allows students to develop an area of special interest, concentrating on a minor in an academic discipline, or to select from a number of thematically oriented clusters of courses.

Why Consider an Environmental Policy Major?

Do you want to use your knowledge and skills to promote positive change in the environment? Do you love solving problems and implementing shared visions in both natural settings and the policy arena? Are you interested in the laws and policies that govern environmental change? Then Environmental Policy is the major for you.

 Contact Information

Department Chair
Grace Wang
Arntzen Hall 212
360-650-3278
Grace.Wang@wwu.edu

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

Policy Track Advisor
Troy Abel
Troy.Abel@wwu.edu

Policy Track Advisor
Kate Darby
Arntzen Hall 209
darbyk@wwu.edu

Policy Track Advisor
Jean Melious
Arntzen Hall 208
Jean.Melious@wwu.edu

Policy Track Advisor
Grace Wang
Arntzen Hall 212
Grace.Wang@wwu.edu

Policy Track Advisor
Mark Neff
Arntzen Hall 205
Mark.Neff@wwu.edu

 Sample Careers

Environmental Lawyer | County Planner | Environmental Public Relations | Director of Non-Profit Organizations | Municipal Government

 Major/Career Resources

www.wwu.edu/careers/students_choosingamajor.shtml

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

How to Apply as a Pre-Major:

At any time, you can declare yourself as a pre-major with interest in environmental policy or any other major in the Department of Environmental Studies. There are several advantages to declaring an Environmental Studies department pre-major during your freshman or sophomore year. Once you are declared as a pre-major you are assigned a Huxley professional advisor and a faculty advisor based on your academic interests. Your professional advisor can help you understand graduation requirements and how to navigate through the Huxley curriculum. Your faculty advisor can discuss with you which courses to take, and when, and give you advice about how to prepare for graduate school or a future career. As a pre-major, your email is added to an email distribution list for Huxley majors so you will begin to receive notifications and general announcements. Pre-major status will also give you access to priority registration for some classes.

How to Apply to the Major:

Admission to the environmental policy major is a competitive process. To apply, students should submit an application that includes a 1-2 page essay describing your reasons for wanting to enter into the major, as well as a plan of study created with the Huxley professional advisor and signed by a faculty advisor. Environmental policy major applications are accepted at huxley.wwu.edu/applying-huxley fall, winter, and spring quarters.

If you have any questions, please contact a professional advisor at the Huxley College Student Support 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.

Requirements


Environmental Policy Foundations (minimum 35-36 credits)


MATH 112 or suitable math placement score is necessary for some foundations courses, but higher-level math courses are recommended. Students are strongly encouraged to take chemistry, biology, and MATH 114 as part of their GUR courses to access upper division Environmental Science courses.

Environmental Policy Major Core Courses (12 credits)


Environmental Policy Depth and Specialization (minimum 16-20 credits)


Culminating Courses - Capstone and Experiential (minimum 8-15 credits)


Huxley Capstone


Students are required to take one ENVS approved course with a capstone “CPST” attribute during their senior year. A capstone class is a field or project based class that can be taken by students from both departments (ENVS/ESCI). This class is meant to be a culminating experience for the students bringing all the varied disciplines together as applied work on a real world issue. Several capstone options are open to all Huxley College students; others have prerequisites.

  • Environmental Policy majors are encouraged to select ENVS/ESCI 493 as their capstone.

Experiential