Anthropology - Environmental Studies

How does culture mediate relationships with land, water, soils, climate, plants, and animals? And how have these more-than-human beings had reciprocal relationships with humans? Using a range of methodologies, including ethnography, Anthropology-Environmental Studies majors will learn to build from different ways of knowing to examine the multi-faceted character of the environment and environmentalism at a time widely heralded as the Anthropocene. With humans at the center of this proposed geologic epoch the Anthropology-Environmental Studies major requires students to develop a working grasp of fundamental natural and scientific concepts central to environmental studies, while also understanding how scientific knowledge is always embedded in specific cultural features and historical contexts. An anthropological approach stresses that, while environmental processes and phenomena have material existence, they work within diverse cultural frames of meaning. As an environmental anthropologist you will be able to recognize the commonalities, coalitions and alliances that cut a across cultures, as well as recognizing the political and economic agendas that guide and inform globalized environmental movements.

Students must take 30 credits in Anthropology, as specified below. No more than eight credits earned in off-campus programs and transfer credits may be used to satisfy major requirements. Courses taken P-D-F may not be used to satisfy the course and credit requirements for the major.

• The Common Application.
• An official transcript of the secondary school record.
• A School Report completed by the applicant’s secondary school counselor.
• An academic recommendation from a secondary school teacher.
• A nonrefundable application fee of $50, remittance made payable to Whitman College. (Using guidelines distributed by the College Board for test fee waivers, applicants suffering financial hardship may have this fee waived by written request substantiated by a counselor or principal.) This fee will also be waived for applicants who submit by December 1.
• Optional: Scores on either of the following tests: the SAT, administered by the College Board, or the ACT, administered by ACT, Inc.
a) Whitman’s Test-Optional policy allows most candidates to choose whether or not they would like to submit an SAT or ACT score for review in the admission process. b) Candidates who were homeschooled or attended secondary schools that provide written evaluations rather than grades are strongly encouraged, but not required to submit SAT or ACT test results c) Early Decision candidates who plan to submit test scores should take one of the tests no later than October (Early Decision I) of the senior year in order that score reports may reach the Office of Admission by November 15. (Scores from the November and December test dates may be submitted for Early Decision II applicants.) d) Regular Decision candidates who plan to submit test scores should take one of tests no later than December in the senior year in order that score reports may reach the Office of Admission by January 15. Arrangements for taking the SAT or the ACT must be made directly with the testing agency, and the responsibility for making these arrangements rests with the candidate.
• Early Decision applicants must submit their Early Decision Agreement, which is available via the Common Application.