BS MAJOR

What You’ll Learn

This interdisciplinary major starts with foundational courses in Environmental Science, Environmental Policy and Justice, Biology, Chemistry, and Math. You’ll then apply those skills in various upper-level courses and experiential contexts. Classes will often break out of the classroom and traditional lab settings for you to get hands-on experience in our community. 

Through your studies, you will have the opportunity to explore our 1,100 acres of farm and forest as well as the thousands of acres of public land minutes away. Whether it’s traversing the Blue Ridge Parkway to explore forests at different elevations or examining samples of aquatic life from the Swannanoa River that runs through our campus, you’ll learn firsthand the skills necessary to succeed in your career.

Concentration

You can choose to focus your studies by concentrating on Ecological Forestry. These vibrant ecosystems are being dramatically affected by the decisions society makes. To ensure they stay healthy, you’ll explore how they function and what affects them. In addition to taking core courses within Environmental Science, you’ll complete courses in Forest Biology, Silviculture, Forest Management, and Geographic Information Systems.

Community Partners

Our students have worked hands-on with local and national organizations such as:

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
Organic Growers School
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
Buncombe County Beekeepers Chapter
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Buncombe County Soil and Water
NC State’s Amazing Grazing program
King’s Agriseeds
Hickory Nut Gap Farm
A Growing Culture

Explore Classes in This Program

ENS 2330

Forest Biology

Forests are biological ecosystems with their own unique structures, compositions, and species interactions. To examine them firsthand, we’ll spend lots of time out in the woods focusing on the temperate forest systems of Southern Appalachia.

ENS 3020

Aquatic Ecology and Water Pollution

In this course, you’ll master the organizational principles of aquatic ecosystems by studying examples. You’ll learn the theories relating to the flow of energy and matter and how these have shaped adaptations for life in different aquatic environments. We will also focus on water pollution sources, effects, detection, and control.

ENS 2010

Applied Ecology

Ecology is the study of the interactions of organisms with one another and with the physical world. You’ll examine the characteristics of individual species, populations, communities, and ecosystems and apply those principles to real-world environmental problems and natural resource management decisions.

Still curious? See the Curriculum
Meet Our Faculty

Warren Wilson has some of the most accessible experiential learning opportunities of any college campus in the country. It is one of the primary reasons why I wanted to be here as a faculty member, particularly when the forest is a stone’s throw away from the classroom!

Eric Griffin
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Faculty Member Eric Griffin stands smiling outside of Orr Cottage.
Eric Griffin, Ph.D
Liesl Peterson Erb

I am more guide than teacher; I love guiding intelligent, passionate students as they help change the world not just after they graduate, but as part of their educational experience.

Liesl Peterson Erb, Ph.D.
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Liesl Peterson Erb
Liesl Peterson Erb, Ph.D.

I believe my responsibility is not only as an instructor but as a mentor and a resource for the future. My classes are not just an experience with a grade; they are an opportunity to build social capital.

Joshua Earl Arnold, Ph.D.
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Joshua Earl Arnold, Ph.D.
Faculty Member Liz Benavides stands smiling outside of Orr Cottage.

At Warren Wilson, I have most enjoyed learning from my students as much as I am teaching them. Their wealth of experiences has not only been valuable in my lessons, but I have learned so much from them as well!

Liz Benavides, Ph.D.
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Faculty Member Liz Benavides stands smiling outside of Orr Cottage.
Liz Benavides, Ph.D.
Alisa Hove

Warren Wilson College provides seemingly endless opportunities to work in collaborative settings with students who take an active role in their own learning.

Alisa Hove, Ph.D.
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Alisa Hove
Alisa Hove, Ph.D.
Amy Boyd

Warren Wilson is a place where we are engaged lovers of learning and of connecting what we learn to the world. It's also a community where we can be whole people with diverse interests, where I can not only be scientist but artist, musician, gardener, mother.

Amy Boyd, Ph.D.
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Amy Boyd
Amy Boyd, Ph.D.
Mark Brenner

As I field biologist, I always say our best laboratories are right out the back door of the science building. Within a 5 minute walk we have 3 ponds, a trout stream and 600 acres of Forest.

Mark Brenner, Ph.D.
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Mark Brenner
Mark Brenner, Ph.D.

I love teaching at Warren Wilson because the students challenge me to dig deeper and think harder. And I return the favor: we push and support each other in our learning.

Olya Milenkaya, Ph.D.
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Olya Milenkaya, Ph.D.
Faculty Member Eric Griffin stands smiling outside of Orr Cottage.

Hands-on, All-in

Students work in the woods and examine leaves
Internship
Dr. Eric Griffin leads students in a summer internship at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
WWC Fulbright Scholars
Fulbright Scholars 
Alumni Keaton Scanlon and Nick Macalle received Fulbrights to pursue research projects in Senegal and Indonesia
A DEET Alternative 
Alumna Brooke Bissinger, '00, creates nontoxic alternatives to DEET
A student works in the gardens outside ecodorm.
Work 
Protect and conserve our campus’ greenspaces on the Ecological Landscaping Crew

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Environmental Studies Ecological Forestry Conservation Biology Environmental Education Sustainable Agriculture and Food Studies