Why Learn Environmental Studies at K?
At K you will explore the relationship between nature and society and learn how to direct the future of global environmental stewardship through scientific research, community activism, and political change.
The department takes a comprehensive approach to environmental studies, acknowledging that environmental and resource problems are not just biological, geological, economic, or political issues. Instead, the concentration is designed to pool the knowledge of each discipline for a more holistic approach to learning so that you have the tools to assess, analyze, and evaluate the globe’s most pressing environmental problems.
You will learn these skills by taking a variety of courses in anthropology and sociology, political science, economics, art and art history, English, biology, history, philosophy, and, of course, environmental science. In natural science (e.g., Environmental Science), social science (e.g., Environmental and Resource Economics; and Nature and Society: Intro to Political Ecology), and art and humanity courses (e.g., Art and Environmental Justice; and World Indigenous Literatures) you will explore the ecological components of nature, the causes and consequences of natural or man-made disasters, and how to address future environmental challenges.
Integrating your concentration into your K-Plan, you are also encouraged to supplement your studies with experiential learning opportunities, such as campus sustainability work, maintaining the College’s growing spaces, and partnering with professors in their research. Many students even choose to complete their Senior Integrated Project in environmental studies, often using the College’s arboretum to ground their art, project, or research.
Additionally, you will have the opportunity to participate in an environmentally-minded study abroad program: explore the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, learn about sustainable development in Cosa Rica, engage in community-centered conservation in Mexico, or travel across local agricultural communities in Thailand.
These experiences and lessons will prepare you for a wide range of environmental fields, with alumni having had successful careers in law, government, research, and education.
What can you do with an Environmental Studies concentration?
Below are some of the careers, employers, and graduate schools of our environmental studies alumni.
Careers
- Research Associate
- Veterinarian
- Data Analyst
- Attorney
- Policy Analyst
Employers
- U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Merck
- Environment Michigan
- The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program
- Environmental Working Group
Graduate Schools
- University of Michigan
- Northwestern University
- The London School of Economics and Political Science
- University of Minnesota
- University of Nairobi
Program Spotlights
Connect, conserve, and learn from nature in the College’s arboretum
The College maintains and invites the community to visit the Lillian Anderson Arboretum, 140 acres of marsh, meadow, pine plantation, and second-growth deciduous forest. As a concentrator, you form a connection with this land as you use it as an outdoor classroom for hands-on learning, a place to practice environmental stewardship through paid conservation positions, and as a living laboratory in which to further environmental studies research.
Take your environmental studies across the globe
While you can choose from any of the College’s 50+ study abroad programs and transfer relevant classes, four programs offer unique experiences for environmental studies students: research ecology exactly as Darwin did in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador; learn about sustainable development in San José, Costa Rica; participate in community-organized cultural and land-based preservation projects in Oaxaca, Mexico, or study and observe sustainable ecological development in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Apply your studies in your Senior Integrated Project (SIP) and fellowships
As a concentrator, you will engage in meaningful research and work through your SIP or Summer Environmental Stewardship Fellowship. Fellowships are a chance to get paid to work on stewardship and sustainability projects in our community; whereas your SIP is a capstone project where you can conduct research, reflect on nature, create art, or implement conservation projects. For example, Aidan Voss ‘20 explored the relationship between land and consumerism through art in her SIP, “Reciprocal Relationship Building as a Way of Resistance and Resiliency.”
Meet the Current Departmental Student Advisor
Emerson Wesselhoff (she/her)
Major: Biology
Minors: English and ANSO
Concentration: Environmental Studies
Study Abroad: Thailand
Best Adjective to Describe You: Curious
What is the best thing about being part of this department?
The opportunity to be in community with different people, classes, and departments because of our shared values about the environment.
What drew you to the department?
I really wanted the chance to study environmental and climate science in college, but I didn’t want my knowledge and experience in those fields to only come from a research or lab setting. I was drawn to the Environmental Studies department because it encouraged me to learn about environmental studies through a diverse range of classes, many of which included outdoor/experiential learning opportunities.
What is your favorite thing about K?
My favorite thing about K is the supportive community. Everywhere I look, students, faculty, and staff are showing up for each other and encouraging each other’s personal/scholastic/professional progress. I always feel like somewhere at K, someone will be excited to hear about what I am working on, which really makes this campus feel special.
How have you taken advantage of the flexible curriculum or experienced breadth in your education?
I’ve taken advantage of K’s open curriculum to craft a pretty interdisciplinary major. While I am a biology major by trade, I’m also working towards a poetry minor simply because I enjoy writing. In doing so, I’ve actually strengthened my biological/analytical writing skills, as well. I’ve also taken the opportunity to spend a life-changing six months studying abroad in Thailand. The chance to study cultural ecology in an experiential way (and in such a beautiful place!) has forever changed the course of what I want my future education to look like.
What is your Senior Integrated Project (SIP)?
My SIP is a socioecological exploration of green spaces in the city of Kalamazoo. I will be talking with community stakeholders in order to find out how green spaces like parks, nature preserves, and gardens play a role in community sustainability and resilience.
What are your career aspirations/next steps after K?
I am in the process of applying for a Fulbright Scholarship, where I hope to study urban green spaces and green governance in Denmark during my gap year. Regardless, I hope to live/work abroad for a gap year before heading to grad school to obtain my Masters in sustainable development & environmental engagement.