Advising Letter from Prof. Noah Snyder

Dear Environmental Studies students,

I hope you are all having a great fall. We are approaching time to register for courses for the spring 2017 semester, and this letter contains information about courses and advising. Please review your ENVS minor or major requirements as you consider what to take next semester. Here are a few important things to consider.

1. Senior Minors

ENVS minors graduating in 2017 need to take Environmental Seminar (ENVS4943). The course is only offered to senior ENVS minors. (If you plan on graduating in the fall of 2017, you must take the seminar this spring.) This year, we are offering the course in two sections:

ENVS494301, w/ Prof. Tara Pisani Gareau, TTh 10:30-11:45

ENVS494302, w/ Prof. Dan DiLeo, TTh, 12:00-1:15

Also for seniors, you need to make sure you have done all the 20 required credits for the minor by the end of next semester. If you have questions about the requirements, first check the website, and then get in touch with ENVS grad assistant Kevin Brown (at this email or in Devlin 213) or any of the other contacts listed at the bottom of this email. The rule with respect to double counting is that at least 15 credits must be used solely for the ENVS minor requirements (i.e., 5 credits can be shared with requirements for your major or the university core). Also note that the Student Services computer system may not apply this rule correctly, so you should check your degree audit carefully.

2. Foundation courses for next semester

For minors and majors:

Environmental Law and Policy (ENVS2256/UNAS2256) various profs, various sections

Environmental Histories of Water (HIST 4703) w/ Prof. L. Zhang, TTh 9-10:15

Environmental Economics (ECON2278) w/ Prof. G. Olcum, MW 4:30-5:45

Science and Ethics of Climate Change (EESC1505/PHIL 1501) w/ Profs. C. Wong and D Storey  MWF 2-2:50 & T 6-7:50 (open to freshmen only, and some sophomores)

For majors (elective for minors):

Statistics (SOCY2200) w/ Prof. N. Sarkisian, MW 3-4:15 or

Statistical Analysis of Scientific Data (EESC3398) w/ Prof. A. Kafka TTh 1:30-2:45

3. Environmental Systems courses for next semester (2 credits each)

During the first half of the semester:

ES: Water Resources (EESC2203 and lab EESC2213) w/ Prof. N. Snyder, MWF 11-11:50

ES: Oceans (EESC2206 and lab EESC2216) w/ Prof. G. Kineke, TTh 1:30-2:45

During the second half of the semester:

            ES: The Critical Zone (EESC2204 and lab EESC2214) w/ Prof. R. Hon, MWF 11-11:50

            ES: The Human Footprint (EESC2201 and lab EESC2211) w/ Prof. N. Snyder, TTh 1:30-2:45

You can take one, two, three or four of these courses. Please note that the Student Services computer system does not allow you to register for two courses offered during the same time slot (even though in this case they will not meet at the same time during the semester). To register for both courses, register for one (and its lab) normally, and then email Mary McCrosson (mary.mccrosson.76@bc.edu) in Student Services and request that she register you into the other course and lab section. 

4. Electives

Here are a few other interesting courses that you might want to check out. All of these will count as electives for the ENVS minor or major, and some for the major concentrations.

Sustainable Agriculture (ENVS3315) w/ Prof. T. Pisani Gareau, TTh 3-4:15

Sustaining the Biosphere (BIOL1440 and BIOL1501), w/ Prof. L. Hake, MWF 3-3:50

Theology and Ecology (THEO5429) w/ Prof. M.A. Hinsdale, W 2-4:25

Environmental Studies: Selected Topics (SOCY3349) w/ Prof. B. Gareau, MWF 2-2:50

Economics of Energy and the Environment (ECON3391) w/ Prof. R. Sweeney, TTh 9-10:15

Environmental Oceanography (EESC3380) w/ Prof. G. Kineke, TTh 9-10:15

Of course, there are many other elective options, please consult the minor page or major page for more information. As a reminder, note that all Earth and Environmental Sciences (including EESC2202-2208) and Environmental Studies (ENVS) courses can count toward the ENVS minor elective requirements.

5. Classes of 2017 and 2018 majors

Please update your ENVS major advising forms on Google Drive to reflect your past and current coursework and plans. At the same time, take a look at the requirements page on the ENVS website, because a few parts have been tweaked to reflect new course offerings at BC, particularly in the Climate Change and History concentrations. Another item to note is that in the language of BC Student Services we are currently in the 2017F semester, because we are in BC's 2017 fiscal year. Fall semesters are always named this way. Of course, you should also go over your schedule with your advisor.

6. Advising

If you have advising questions, please be in touch with Prof. Tara Pisani Gareau, Kevin, or me. Our office hours are listed below:

Graduate Assistant Kevin Brown

Devlin 213, Mondays 11 am – 4 pm, Tuesdays 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, Wednesdays 11 am – 3 pm, Thursdays 11:30 am – 2:30 pm

Prof. Noah Snyder

Devlin 320, Tuesdays 3:30 – 5:00 pm and Wednesdays 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Prof. Tara Pisani Gareau

Devlin 203, Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Finally, we will be having an Advising Pizza Lunch on Wednesday, November 2, from noon to 2, in Devlin 201, which is a great opportunity to get your ENVS and EESC questions answered.

All the best,

Noah

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Noah P. Snyder

Director, Environmental Studies Program

Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences