 Ecology students enjoying a sream sampling exercise |
Central's environmental studies major is not housed in a single department, but rather is a campus-wide program. We seek to prepare knowledgeable, well-rounded graduates with valuable experiences and skills in the context of a excellent overall liberal arts education.
Co-Directors of the Environmental Studies Program:
Paul Weihe - Biology Department. Dr. Weihe is a plant ecologist and wetland scientist.
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Goals of the Program1. Give a global perspectiveOur interconnected world with a highly mobile human population and increased global trade has made this a small world indeed. Understanding the global environment and international issues is more important than ever. In addition to a world-wide outlook presented in class, you'll be strongly encouraged to participate in Central's study abroad program which features English-language programs in England, Wales, China, the Netherlands and the Yucatan in Mexico. Central's program in Carmarthen, Wales features courses on environment studies that will count toward your major. Central students have also interned with the United Nations in Vienna, the British Parliament and the World Wildlife Fund in London.
2. Provide hands-on experiences (lab and field), and opportunities for active learning A new style of college education is emerging in the United States, in which students and faculty work as partners in teaching, research, and service. This "active learning" challenges students to get involved. Your education at Central College includes laboratory exercises, extended field trips (sometimes to other geographic regions), and a Senior Seminar where students work with professors as a team to tackle a real-life environmental issue in depth. Students can become involved on campus in the Environmental Stewardship Task Force, and with the student environmental club (SCATE).
3. Integrate diverse academic subjects Environmental issues usually involve multiple disciplines, for example natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) and social sciences (political science, sociology) together with ethical issues and the need to communicate with diverse groups. The Program reflects this reality by incorporating multiple academic subjects: classes are taught by a variety of faculty from departments across campus, and students and professors collaborate on interdisciplinary projects.
|  An unreclaimed strip mine area southeast of Pella
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 A seed germination assay in the laboratory
| Features of the Program1. Flexible, rigorous curriculumThe Program features classes across academic disciplines. It is not designed solely for science students. The major is flexible, containing an environmental science track and a global environmental policy track. There are choices within each track as well, allowing you to tailor a program to fit your interests and career goals. In any case, you will study natural science and the role of humanity in the Earth system.
2. Internships, practica, independent studies There's no better way to find out if a career field is right for you than an internship. Internships are possible through a number of environmental and conservation organizations, regulatory agencies or in the business sector. Central students have interned with Greenpeace, the Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Red Rock, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. Other interns conducted flora and fauna surveys of state preserves for the Iowa Nature Conservancy, worked to reestablish prairie land for the Mahaska County Conservation Commission, worked in the Environmental Office at the Iowa National Guard, and served as a junior engineer at Yellowstone National Park.3. Outstanding facilities and equipment The beauty of the Carlson Field Station will inspire you as you write environmental literature, while its varied habitats and laboratory space provide means to better understand ecology. The labs in the Vermeer Science Center include state-of-the-art equipment for analytical chemistry, animal collections (one of the very best in Iowa for small mammals), the CUI Herbarium of plant specimens, and more. |
Employment Opportunities in Environmental careersAs a growing population seeks to protect the world's limited resources, career opportunities in environment-related fields will continue to expand. Government, business and industry will need trained experts in resource management, waste management and pollution control. Your education at Central will help prepare you for careers that deal with the critical issues we face in the years ahead.Students with environmental studies majors can go on to more specific graduate study programs in such fields as environmental chemistry, environmental health, environmental law, conservation biology, environmental engineering, political science, international politics and geography. An environmental studies background is excellent preparation for the study of law since many law schools are instituting specializations in this area. Jobs are available at all levels of government ranging from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Department of Natural Resources to environmental policy planners and planners at the local level. You could serve as a consultant on environmental issues to non-governmental organizations such as relief organizations like CARE, or conservation and environmental organizations like the World Wildlife Foundation or Greenpeace. Opportunities in education and research will likely increase. The need for environmental experts is also growing in the business world as corporations hire consultants to deal with environmental regulations and policies.
|  The mouth of the Mississippi River, southern Louisaiana Sediments and excess nutrients have created an oxygen-free "dead zone" nearly devoid of aquatic life |
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