Environmental Studies
An understanding of the complex relationships between people and the environment is becoming increasingly necessary for the exercise of responsible citizenship. Because environmental problems are multifaceted, students can best prepare to solve these problems by acquiring a broad background in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities while developing the skills of critical analysis and communication that are fundamental to a liberal arts education.
The area of concentration in Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program that may be pursued by students majoring in any discipline. The required course-work provides students the opportunity to consider the relationship between people and the environment from social, cultural, economic, political, ethical and scientific perspectives. A distinctive feature of Millsaps' Environmental Studies Concentration is its emphasis on hands-on experience in the form of field courses, environmental research, or internships. Field courses at Millsaps offer a variety of experiences, from research on geology and stream chemistry at Yellowstone to archeological explorations in the Yucatan to research on the ecology and archaeology of Virginia's Blue Ridge. There are also various opportunities for environmental internships in the Jackson area where many environmental agencies and organizations maintain state or regional offices.
Some students may concentrate in Environmental Studies simply because they are interested in environmental issues. Others may pursue the concentration in order to prepare for graduate study and careers in environmental law, environmental policy and planning, environmental geology, environmental chemistry, marine biology, forestry, wildlife biology, fisheries, conservation biology, environmental medicine or other environmental fields.
