Departmental Brochure

As public concern over the deterioration of the environment has gained momentum, the need for informed citizens to provide leadership on these issues has grown accordingly. In response to this need, Fairfield University has initiated a minor program in environmental studies to add an environmental dimension to the education of students preparing for careers in medicine, science, law, business, journalism, education, or other fields. You are offered a wide choice of courses and perspectives that enable you to learn the true dimensions of the problems and possible directions for the solutions. The University is located on the shores of Long Island Sound, in an area of keen environmental awareness and a sizable educated population. Internships and research projects are plentiful because of local and regional concerns about these issues. The minor opens these opportunities to you and give a special focus to your career or graduate study objectives.

The Faculty

The Environmental Studies program draws faculty who are members of other departments and whose research and teaching has an environmental focus. They are supplemented by visiting lecturers and guest speakers. These are the principal faculty members:

Internships and Research

Students in environmental studies usually seek internships through their major departments but their minor program also helps them qualify for some interesting ones. Recently, a Fairfield University student interned in an environmental law office and worked on cases involving disputes and negotiating settlements of environmental issues. Others have worked for the Sierra Club, the Maritime Aquarium, and various other conservation organizations. The opportunities for environmental internships are many. The chance to conduct original research, in collaboration with faculty or other students, is also excellent because of the problems and broad public interest in the issues in the Fairfield region.

Course Of Study

The minor in environmental studies has a 15-credit structure, normally four courses chosen from the offerings of various departments, plus the capstone Seminar on the Environment, which has an interdisciplinary approach. Some of the courses appropriate to the minor are:

Introduction

• Earth Environment

Biology

• Introduction to Marine Biology
• Ecology and Society
• Rainforest Ecosystems

Physics

• Energy and the Environment

Business

• Environmental Management and Policy
• Environmental Law and Regulation

Applied Ethics

• The Globalization Curriculum: Global Environmental Issues
• Environmental Justice
• Ethics and the Environment
• Ecofeminism

Economics

• Environmental Economics

Capstone Experience: Seminar on the Environment

A selection of seminars and research projects is available to environmental studies minors in the senior year.

The environmental studies program is linked closely with Fairfield University's international programs: a research program in Brazil, and developmental projects in Haiti and Nicaragua.

Life After Fairfield

The environmental field presents a rich array of choices for graduating seniors. For example, some Fairfield graduates have gone on to law school with the aim of specializing in environmental law; others have gone into health sciences or education with the expectation of incorporating environmental interests in their work. Many majors in business fields find that the knowledge of environmental issues they acquire in the minor is helpful to them not only as businesspeople but as citizens.

Real-World Education

The environment is the real world. While some part of your studies relative to the environment may be theoretical, you will be considering real cases and issues compiled by members of the faculty and other scholars. Representatives of business, research institutes, regulatory agencies, and government are frequently invited to take part in class discussions of environmental matters. Occasional lecture series and Earth Day conferences bring prominent leaders to the campus to present their perspectives. Internships can further enhance your understanding of problems in the environment.

Profile

Monica Dauphinais
Psychology major, Environmental studies minor

"I've been interested in the environment for as long as I can remember. The program here allows me to study the environment by taking classes such as economics, law, ethics, physics, biology, and other subjects I would have never taken otherwise. During my freshman year, I volunteered at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, and at Soundwaters in Stamford, where I took part in a study of seals in the Long Island Sound. The course I took on Rainforest Ecosystems was amazing. It's almost impossible to get into because it's so popular and it satisfies the science core. Our professor has been to the places she teaches about, which really makes the class interesting."

For further information, please contact:
Dr. Lisa H. Newton, program director
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT 06824-5195
Tel: (203) 254-4000, ext. 4128
E-mail: lhnewton@mail.fairfield.edu