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Environmental Studies

Integrating Off-Campus Study into your Environmental Studies Major

The Environmental Studies Program encourages students to participate in immersive experiences that connect with their ENVS curriculum. There are many opportunities, from internships and summer programs to full-semester credit-bearing courses of study around the world. When these experiences can be linked directly with a student’s thematic concentration within the ENVS major, the results can be transformative.  

Timing your OCS Experience

Study-abroad, and other semester-long programs within the U.S., are most commonly scheduled for the junior year. We have designed our campus-based curriculum to allow flexibility in terms of which semester a student might be off campus, and it is possible to accommodate students who want to spend their entire junior year abroad. 

Transfer Credit Policy

The Program limits transferral of courses that can count specifically for the major (as opposed to counting for GE’s, other majors, and for general credit). Two courses may be transferred from a one-semester off-campus academic program, and three courses may be transferred from a full year off campus. There is no requirement that full-year studies be in the same program or the same location. Environmental Studies-related off-campus study typically fits into two distinct categories. One version involves taking courses at a college or university in another setting, and selecting courses that are relevant to the student’s interests. In order to transfer courses back to Denison as part of the ENVS major, students must consult with the ENVS Program Director in advance of registering at the other institution to secure appropriate permissions. The other version is an entire program devoted to a particular topic related to the environment, with a semester of immersive activities in a small cohort of students coming from different institutions all working together. These are generally the programs that are most appropriate for ENVS students, and there are quite a few excellent options to choose from. Securing permissions prior to final study-abroad approval is important in this setting as well, though the environmental courses are much more likely to be transferable.

Programs with a Focus on Environmental Issues

The Environmental Studies Program does not have any relationships with study-abroad programs, nor do we advocate any particular providers. Our recommendations are based primarily on the materials we (and the Center for Global Programs) review about program offerings and on the experiences our students have in attending the programs. Very occasionally our faculty have the opportunity to attend on-site visits and workshops by off-campus study providers, which adds some perspective to our input. Most importantly, students should find programs that provide course work that is salient to their interests, and seek out as many forms of information about each program as possible to make the best choices.


Provider List (note that these are common examples, and there are other programs available)

Internship Programs (where you could have an environmental-focused internship)

Student Testimonials

Mark Reid ‘21, Arcadia - University of Edinburgh
"Studying in Edinburgh gave me the unique opportunity to explore the relationship between the built and natural environments and how they coexist. Aside from all of the natural beauty Scotland has to offer, Edinburgh is a city that prides itself on its public green space, and I came home with a newfound appreciation for this type of urban living." 

Thomas Hellman '21, SIT Iceland: Climate Change and the Arctic
You can watch the Digital Storytelling Project (DST) Thomas created about his experience abroad as part of the Home to the Hill (INTD - 211) course here. 

Updated 1/6/22