The environmental ethics and justice concentration area emphasizes the role of the environmental humanities and social sciences in understanding and analyzing the relationships between humans and the environments of which we are a part. Environmental ethics focuses on ethical arguments governing human interaction with the nonhuman environment and the moral status of nonhuman entities such as animals, plants, species, and ecosystems. Environmental justice studies examines the political, legal, and symbolic actions involved in equal access to a healthy environment and environmental protection, as well as the ways environmental justice advocates challenge injustices. Students in this concentration will gain familiarity with, and critically evaluate, the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary approaches to environmental ethics and environmental justice. These may include, but are not limited to: animal rights and liberation, holistic environmental approaches, religion and ecology, feminist environmental ethics, environmental justice struggles of communities, and public advocacy of climate justice.  Students also will learn to apply traditional ethical theories to environmental issues, as well as environmental justice concepts about culture, identity, discourse, agency, and legal rights.

1. Complete two courses selected from the following:
   
   • INTL-I 428 Social Justice and the Environment
   • REL-D 350 Religion, Ethics, and the Environment
   • SPH-O 360 Human Health and Natural Environments
2. Complete two courses selected from the following:
   
   • ANTH-E 328 Ecological Anthropology
   • ANTH-E 444 People and Protected Areas: Theories of Conservation
   • BIOL-L 222 The City as Ecosystem
   • ENG-L 208 Topics in English and American Literature and Culture (Approved topic: The Literary and Legal Animal)
   • ENG-R 212 Communicating Sustainability
   • ENG-R 348 Environmental Communication
   • GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conservation
   • GEOG-G 448 Capitalism and Nature
   • GEOG-G 449 Political Ecology
   • GEOG-G 461 Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
   • GEOG-G 463 Environmental Politics of South Asia
   • HPSC-X 340 Scientific Methods: How Science Really Works
   • HPSC-X 342 Arborescence: Keeping Trees in Mind
   • INTL-I 202 Global Health and Environment
   • INTL-I 428 Social Justice and the Environment
   • REL-D 250 Religion, Ecology, and the Self
   • REL-D 350 Religion, Ethics, and the Environment
   • REL-R 202 Topics in Religious Studies (Approved topic: Religion and Animals)
   • REL-R 300 Studies in Religion (Approved topic: Religion, Ethics, and the Global Environmental Crisis)
   • SPH-O 313 Wilderness and Protected Lands
   • SPH-O 360 Human Health and Natural Environments
   • Independent study, readings, research, or practicum in environmental ethics and justice from any department (3 cr.) with pre-approval of an academic advisor (Note: This option can be used only once.)

Return to requirements for the Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Return to requirements for the Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies