A couple of generations ago, environmentalism was associated with Birkenstocks, free love and granola. Today, with growing concern about issues such as global climate change and resource depletion, politicians, scientists and economists alike realize existing environmental policies must be revised. The Environmental Thought & Practice interdisciplinary program is home to a small, highly-motivated group of students trained to look at the environment from the perspectives of multiple disciplines.
"My first career was in the real policy-making world," said Vivian Thomson, assistant professor of environmental sciences and politics. "A lot of the people hired were trained mostly in the natural sciences or social sciences. There is difficulty out there for those who are narrowly trained."
ETP majors take courses in subjects including natural sciences, politics, economics, land use planning, anthropology, history and literature. Many students pursue complementary second majors outside of the program.
"The number of double majors really reflects the diversity in the program," Thomson said, adding that second majors also include Spanish, English, and religious studies.
In addition, ETP majors are visible around Grounds in a number of organizations and initiatives.
Fourth-year College student Kendall Singleton, who is double-majoring in environmental science and ETP, organized "Waste Audit Days" last January. She and 40 other students weighed the remains of student meals to raise awareness of dining hall wastefulness.
University Dining listened to her arguments and agreed to introduce "No-tray Tuesday." Some students responded negatively, announcing they would start "Triple-tray Thursdays." Still, Singleton said she remains optimistic about environmental efforts at the University.
"I credit ETP, and its multi-disciplinary approach, to exposing me to so many great thinkers at this University, students and professors alike," Singleton said. "It wasn't until I got more involved with the major that I began to discover just how much environmental action is taking place on Grounds."
The ETP program is small, accepting only 30 students every year.
"One of the reasons for keeping the program small is so that I, as a director, can have a lot of contact with the students," Thomson said. "By the time they get to the senior seminar, which I teach, they will have taken at least one class with me, sometimes two."
Singleton noted that the range of class options decreased the time she was able to spend with other students in the program, but said the multi-disciplinary approach ultimately made the most sense.
"In a school of this size I am grateful to be a part of such an intimate major," Singleton said.
She also said she looks forward to using the skills she learned in the program.
"My post-graduate life will undoubtedly involve economics, math skills, writing skills and technical scientific knowledge," Singleton said. "I'm glad to have been able to combine them before entering the real world."
With its comprehensive course of study and forward-thinking approach, the Environmental Thought and Practice major could benefit any student within the University, according to Thomson.
"I sometimes see students who are majoring in other areas who could easily double major in ETP, but find out about it too late," Thomson said. "I want students out there to know we welcome any and all applicants who have two of the four prerequisites and who are interested in this type of education."
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