Wilderness Studies Minor

Wayne Freimund (Professor) Director of Wilderness Institute 

Students who successfully complete the requirements of the Wilderness and Civilization Program are eligible for the Wilderness Studies minor.  Wilderness and Civilization is an interdisciplinary campus and field-based program.  Each year, 25 students investigate wildland conservation and the human-nature relationship through the lenses of policy, ecology, art, Native American Studies, and literature. Wilderness and Civilization combines the strengths of classroom and field learning, interactive classes, innovative faculty, and applied learning through internships. Field trips include extended backcountry trips as well as shorter field trips examining ecology, environmental issues, land use, and natural history.  Wilderness and Civilization offers students the opportunity to explore contemporary conservation debates, make connections between disciplines, and learn how to work for positive change.

Wilderness and Civilization is an undergraduate, immersion program geared toward sophomore-, junior-, and senior-level students in any major.  Students take 17.0 credits of campus and field-based courses during the fall, and then continue in the spring with an art course, an internship, a 1.0 credit field course, and a 1.0 credit lecture series.  The Wilderness and Civilization program is administered by the Wilderness Institute of the College of Forestry and Conservation.  The program is offered in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Davidson Honors College.   

Students must apply for admission to the Wilderness and Civilization program, which is limited to 25 students each year.  Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for all college and university work. Applications are due by April 1 and are available at the Wilderness Institute, University Hall 303.

Minor - Wilderness Studies (Minor)

College of Forestry & Conserv

Catalog Year: 2016-2017

Degree Specific Credits: 24

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Note: This minor can be completed during a fall semester plus one wintersession course and four credits in the spring; Experiential learning credit for Honors will be completed with this minor

Required courses

Rule: must take the following courses

Note: NRSM 271 is an Honors course; NRSM 273 will be taken two times fall for 2 credits and spring for 1 credit

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description NRSM 271N - Conservation Ecology
Offered autumn. An overview of ecological concepts and how ecology is applied to further our understanding of ecosystems and conservation.  Topics include: ecosystems functions and values, biomes, natural selection and speciation, biodiversity, succession, climate change, fragmentation, protected areas, impacts of exotic species and other human influences on ecosystem functions.
 3 Credits
Show Description NRSM 273 - Wilderness/Civ Field Stds
(R-6) Offered autumn and spring.  Field studies in ecology and conservation.  Includes natural history, field journaling, ecological monitoring, protected area management, and community conservation.  One-day trips as well as extended backcountry trips.  Part of the Wilderness and Civilization program.  
 1 To 3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 5 Total Credits Required

Required Courses

Rule: must take the following courses

Note: MUSI 304A is offered during Wintersession - if not offered then take ART 394A Env. Drawing

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description LIT 373 - Lit & Environment
Offered autumn. Prereq., LIT 210L or 211L (ENLT 224L or 225L) and LIT 300 (ENLT 301) or consent of instr. Study of major texts and issues in American nature writing.
 3 Credits
Show Description MUSI 304A - Sound in the Natural World
Offered even-numbered years.  This is a music composition and performance course that explores sound/music in relation to wilderness.  Students will learn from cultures that have stayed in contact with their natural environment and will create compositions from materials collected in the field and will perform and critique them. As a result, students will become familiar with their own creative process.
 3 Credits
Show Description NASX 303E - Ecol Persp in Nat Amer Trad
Offered Autumn and Spring.  An examination of Native American environmental ethics and tribal and historical and contemporary use of physical environmental resources.
 3 Credits
Show Description NRSM 370S - Wildland Conserv Pol/Govrnance
Offered autumn and spring. Examination of the historical, philosophical, and legislative background for development and management of our national system of wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, trails, and national parks; their place in our social structure. Part of the Wilderness and Civilization program.
 3 Credits
Show Description NRSM 371 - Wilderness Issues Lect Series
(R-3) Offered spring. Explores current issues in wilderness preservation, management and research.
 1 Credits
Show Description NRSM 373 - Wilderness and Civilization
(R-6) Offered autumn and spring. Social and cultural perspectives on the wilderness idea and wildland practices. Course topics include history of wilderness and the wilderness movement, various philosophical viewpoints on wilderness, protected area management issues, and how wilderness fits into larger landscapes and societies. Part of the Wilderness and Civilization program.
 3 Credits
Show Description NRSM 398 - Internship
Offered every term. Prereq., consent of department. Extended classroom experience that provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (198, 298, 398, 498) may count toward graduation.
 1 To 6 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 19 Total Credits Required