More "science-y" Liberal Arts Colleges?

<p>Your search ends in Harvey Mudd College</p>

<p>^^LOL! Well, maybe in Claremont…</p>

<p>

I strongly encourage you, as noted in other posts on this thread, to look into the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of 5 independent LACs (and 2 small graduate schools) whose campuses are physically adjacent to (and sort of overlap) each other. Each is noted for a different educational emphasis so that the sum is greater than the parts. They share resources and some activities (the student orchestra comes to mind). Pomona is as fine a general LAC as found anywhere in the country. Harvey Mudd excels in technical majors (math, science, engineering, computer science). Claremont McKenna’s strength is government/poli sci. Scripps is noted for the arts, including the performing arts. The other college is Pitzer; I think their emphasis is social and behavioral sciences. Harvey Mudd, though technical, is classified by Carnegie as a LAC. </p>

<p>My S graduated from Mudd; but he took classes in econ, music, and (IIRC) German from 3 of the 4 other C’s. I seem to remember that he also took an interdisciplinary science class at the Keck Graduate Institute. [Keck</a> Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keck_Graduate_Institute]Keck”>Keck Graduate Institute - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>I think Pomona might be an especially good fit for you. Here’s a link to the biology dept. page, with links to faculty, research, and facilities:
[Pomona</a> College - Department of Biology](<a href=“Biology Department | Pomona College in Claremont, California - Pomona College”>Biology Department | Pomona College in Claremont, California - Pomona College)</p>

<p>I also found an HMC link that might interest you:
[HMC</a> Center for Environmental Studies](<a href=“http://www.hmc.edu/academicsclinicresearch/interdisciplinarycenters/ces.html?PHPSESSID=e4ee0bbab841d14a60edc42d8be044f5]HMC”>http://www.hmc.edu/academicsclinicresearch/interdisciplinarycenters/ces.html?PHPSESSID=e4ee0bbab841d14a60edc42d8be044f5)</p>

<p>Good luck in your search.</p>

<p>St Lawrence University has Conservation Biology as a major, also Environmental Studies.
New Science Building as well. Whole campus is into Sustainability.</p>

<p>I went to Claremont McKenna College in the mid-90s and graduated with a degree in Math & Biology. I did several internships (and my senior thesis) with the Human Genome Project (at the height of the project) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and several of my friends did internships at other DOE labs, NIH, etc. I ended up pursuing a career in business and eventually got an MBA, but many of my classmates went on for PhDs (and most years CMC has 100% or close to it acceptance to Med School). The Joint Science Center (which includes students from CMC, Scripps and Pitzer) has awesome research opportunities for students and great professors. I also took science and math classes at Harvey Mudd and Pomona too (great benefit of the consortium). If you truly want a liberal arts experience, I wouldn’t necessarily go Harvey Mudd (my husband graduated from there and went on to get a PhD at Caltech) and while their liberal arts concentration does require they take some good classes, it is truly a science and engineering school. Pomona or CMC might be a better fit for someone who wants a Science Degree from a liberal arts institution…</p>

<p>jacecain, if your goal is excellent undergrad science-research opportunites within a small liberal arts school environment, you should give Brandeis very serious consideration. Brandeis is a unique combination of small LAC (about 3000 undergrads) and major research university. The Brandeis sciences faculty is excellent and committed to undergraduate education as well as cutting edge research and graduate education. It is the nurturing quality of that faculty and their mentoring that attracted and benefitted Rod MacKinnon, an undergraduate and a classmate of mine at Brandeis in the late 70’s. He returned after medical school to pursue post-doc studies there. In 2003 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Clearly, a nurturing, undergraduate-oriented atmosphere can may make the difference in a student’s future. </p>

<p>On a related note, Edward Witten, the Fields Medal winning Physicist (sometimes called “Einstein’s successor”) was an undergrad at Brandeis as well (a History major I believe) and went on to take his graduate training in physics at Princeton. Perhaps another example of how a small, nuturing undergraduate program can lead to great success in science.</p>

<p>If you haven’t seen it, you should watch the interview on the Brandeis website with Greg Petsko, Professor of Biochem, who left MIT to come to Brandeis. He discusses his reasons as to why he found Brandeis to be, in his words, “a better place” to teach and for his students to learn. Here’s a link to the “video tour” page which you may need to paste into your browser: [url=<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/admissions/videotour/]Tour[/url”>http://www.brandeis.edu/admissions/videotour/]Tour[/url</a>]. Then, you may need to click through to the 'Meet Brandeisians" faculty interviews to find Petsko.</p>

<p>Lafayette College, being one of the few LACs to have a strong engineering program, also is strong in the sciences. </p>

<p>From their website:

[45</a> Majors across 4 Divisions](<a href=“http://www.lafayette.edu/admissions/majors/index.html]45”>http://www.lafayette.edu/admissions/majors/index.html)</p>

<p>Wellesley, Smith and Mount Holyoke all have great sciences for women. All have great campuses and really smart students.</p>

<p>For science, don’t expect it to be easy anywhere.</p>

<p>Do scienc-y liberal arts colleges generally have weaker humanities?</p>

<p>Definitely check out Smith. They’re putting a huge amount of money into their science program. They have a great engineering program that is receiving a lot of intention and investment (Ford Motors gave a multi-million dollar grant to build the new Ford Hall at Smith for the engineering program. It’s also a bio-molecular science study facility.)</p>

<p>Also, it may change your dad’s mind tand it may interest you to know that Smith has received more National Science Foundation money over the past 10 years, 1999-2009, than any other selective liberal arts college in the nation. More grants than Amherst, Barnard, Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, Carleton, Colby, Colgate, Franklin and Marshall, Grinnell, Hamilton, Haverford, Middlebury, Mount Holyoke, Oberlin, Pomona, Reed, Skidmore, Swarthmore, Vassar, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Williams and 12 more. </p>

<p>You can read about it here: [News</a> Office](<a href=“http://www.smith.edu/newsoffice/releases/NewsOffice10-020.html]News”>News Office)</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Listen, I’m quite biased, but Conn should easily become a top LAC. It’s 42 in LAC rankings (It’s actually above Reed and Pitzer) and on the list for highest percent of students who study abroad (53%). It’s also 42 by counselor ranking with a 4.1 out of 5. (USNews) It ranks 11 for best Career Placement/job services (Princeton) 31 for best Value in Private Colleges (Kiplinger Magazine). I’m good friends with an alum- it’s how I found out about the place, because she told me all about it when I mentioned I was looking for colleges. She had originally wanted to go to Darthmouth, but went to Conn instead, and I don’t think she regretted it. She got into grad school later, picked up a Master’s (the school she got hers from was impressed by her alma mater when she mentioned it during a phone call)</p>

<p>One of the board of trustees at her job is a fellow alum- so she bragged about the alum network too. </p>

<p>So yes, I realize I’m very biased, but credit where credit is due. I think Conn ends up downplayed here- not your fault, but ah well. Just means I get chances to enthuse about it. </p>

<p>At any rate, I like them as they’ve very much got a big Environmental Science bent- a major in social or science based ENVSCI and a center/certificate. My tour guide talked about her project in water and rights to water, as well as conflict based on water. It seemed pretty awesome.</p>

<p>Harvey Mudd was by far my favorite (by looks) Claremont college. I didn’t tour the insides as much (just got lost in the gym) but it was very quirky and fun, which I loved. And it’s <em>very</em> social; HMC throws the first party of the year. So just because it’s highly math/science/engineering oriented, and acts like a tech school…well, they’re still fun about it.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I wouldn’t think so. They usually branch off into sciences, and make it a point to show how equal their sciences are to their humanities- just as good or better. The point would not to be to neglect one area, but to pull them up to equally good levels. It’s possible, but all the colleges named so far have fairly strong humanities programs and sciences. (Perhaps with HMC as the odd man out, on account of them relying on the other claremonts for parts of their humanities.)</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Not automatically.</p>

<p>Definitely look at Smith and Mount Holyoke. Excellent in both sciences and humanities.</p>

<p>Smith leads liberal arts in NSF grants (Mini posted this on the Smith thread)
[News</a> Office](<a href=“http://www.smith.edu/newsoffice/releases/NewsOffice10-020.html]News”>News Office)</p>

<p>This data on Mount Holyoke is from 2007…but…hasn’t changed substantially since then:
[Mount</a> Holyoke College :: Science at MHC](<a href=“http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/news/13537.shtml]Mount”>http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/news/13537.shtml)</p>

<p>[Overview</a> - Oberlin College](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/environment/index.dot]Overview”>http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/environment/index.dot)</p>

<p>See especially the Adam Joseph Lewis Environmental Studies center, opened in 2000 and contributing to research for many years. [Adam</a> Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College](<a href=“http://www.oberlin.edu/ajlc/ajlcHome.html]Adam”>http://www.oberlin.edu/ajlc/ajlcHome.html)</p>

<p>Well integrated with strong humanities and social sciences offerings, expressed here:

</p>

<p>At the upcoming graduation, parents are banking the carbon footprint of their travel to the campus. The awareness goes beyond the department itself, in other words.</p>

<p>If you like to hear of schools that “walk the walk” campus-wide, here’s the Sierra Club list of top schools, both universities and LAC’s</p>

<p>[Cool</a> Schools - September/October 2009 - Sierra Magazine - Sierra Club](<a href=“http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200909/coolschools/]Cool”>http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200909/coolschools/)</p>

<p>How about Clarkston?? Or Union College (NY), or Clark (MA)?</p>

<p>As for Mount Holyoke & physics, see:</p>

<p>[Mount</a> Holyoke College :: News :: MHC?s Greenberg '09 Wins Major Physics Award](<a href=“http://www.mtholyoke.edu/news/stories/5681603]Mount”>http://www.mtholyoke.edu/news/stories/5681603)</p>

<p>MHC & Sciences:</p>

<p>[Mount</a> Holyoke College :: Science Leadership](<a href=“http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/science.shtml]Mount”>http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/science.shtml)</p>

<p>

Although any of the earlier colleges are perfectly fine for what you want to do, here are the ones that specifically focus on marine science:</p>

<p>College of the Atlantic
[Field</a> Ecology and Conservation Biology](<a href=“http://www.coa.edu/field-ecology-conservation-biology.htm]Field”>Field Ecology & Natural History · College of the Atlantic)
[Marine</a> Studies](<a href=“http://www.coa.edu/marine-studies.htm]Marine”>Marine Science · College of the Atlantic)</p>

<p>Five Colleges: Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Amherst
[Five</a> College Coastal & Marine Sciences Program : Welcome](<a href=“http://www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/marine/index.php]Five”>http://www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/marine/index.php)</p>

<p>Occidental
[Occidental</a> Biology: Courses](<a href=“http://departments.oxy.edu/biology/biology/courses.htm]Occidental”>http://departments.oxy.edu/biology/biology/courses.htm)</p>

<p>Bowdoin
[Environmental</a> Studies (Bowdoin)](<a href=“http://www.bowdoin.edu/environmental-studies/index.shtml]Environmental”>http://www.bowdoin.edu/environmental-studies/index.shtml)</p>

<p>Hood
[Hood</a> College | Departments](<a href=“http://www.hood.edu/academics/departments.cfm?pid=departments_biology.html]Hood”>http://www.hood.edu/academics/departments.cfm?pid=departments_biology.html)
[Hood</a> College | Academic Resources and Facilities](<a href=“http://www.hood.edu/coastal/]Hood”>Coastal Studies Program | Hood College)</p>

<p>Eckerd
[Welcome</a> - Eckerd College](<a href=“http://www.eckerd.edu/academics/marinescience/]Welcome”>http://www.eckerd.edu/academics/marinescience/)</p>

<p>Williams
[Williams</a> College CES | Center For Environmental Studies](<a href=“http://ces.williams.edu/]Williams”>http://ces.williams.edu/)
[Williams-Mystic</a> - The Maritime Studies Program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport](<a href=“http://www.williams.edu/williamsmystic/]Williams-Mystic”>http://www.williams.edu/williamsmystic/)</p>

<p>I would also recommend that you expand your scope to small universities.</p>

<p>William & Mary
[William</a> & Mary - Environmental Science and Policy](<a href=“http://www.wm.edu/as/environment/index.php]William”>Environment & Sustainability Program | William & Mary)</p>

<p>Duke
[Nicholas</a> School Undergraduate Programs](<a href=“http://nicholas.duke.edu/programs/undergrad/]Nicholas”>Undergraduate Programs | Nicholas School of the Environment)</p>

<p>Perhaps I am biased, but Duke arguably fits your career goals better than any other college in the US. It offers a [BS</a> in Environmental Science](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/programs/undergrad/bs-es.html]BS”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/programs/undergrad/bs-es.html) and a [BA</a> in Environmental Policy](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/programs/undergrad/ab-es.html]BA”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/programs/undergrad/ab-es.html). You have no fewer than three ways to study what you’d like – environmental science in the [Nicholas</a> School](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/index.html]Nicholas”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/index.html), oceanography in the [Earth</a> & Ocean Sciences](<a href=“http://nicholas.duke.edu/eos/]Earth”>Academics | Nicholas School of the Environment) department, and [ecology[/url</a>] and [url=<a href=“http://www.biology.duke.edu/undergraduate/requirements/concentrations/marine.html]marine”>http://www.biology.duke.edu/undergraduate/requirements/concentrations/marine.html]marine</a> biology](<a href=“http://www.biology.duke.edu/undergraduate/requirements/concentrations/ecology.html]ecology[/url”>http://www.biology.duke.edu/undergraduate/requirements/concentrations/ecology.html) in the Biology department. Courses are very small, and even my introductory oceanography course had only 14 students. Faculty actually far outnumber EOS and EVSI majors, and the DUS who advises all undergraduate majors is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. You’ll see advertisements on the Duke buses and around campus for the department because Duke is strongly encouraging students to take an environmental tack to their education. </p>

<p>Duke’s [marine</a> lab](<a href=“http://nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/]marine”>Duke University Marine Lab | Nicholas School of the Environment) is simply amazing. It attracts about 30 students in the fall and spring semesters and about 80 in the summer. It has a great location, and students even have the opportunity to work with the conservation of wild horses on a nearby island. Beaufort is pretty unique in its animal populations because NC is often the boundary for animal ranges; the lab gets both sub-tropical and temperate fauna. The chef has been with the marine lab for ages, and the food is quite tasty. The dorms, library, and research and teaching facilities are very much up to date, both in quality and environmental impact. Where else could you study [sea</a> turtle conservation in Trinidad](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/courses/biology125]sea”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/courses/biology125) or [urban</a> ecology in Singapore](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/courses/biology216]urban”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/courses/biology216)? For more of a taste of life at the marine lab, read this article in [Duke</a> Magazine](<a href=“http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/issues/010209/island1.html]Duke”>http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/issues/010209/island1.html).</p>

<p>Duke absolutely bends over backwards to provide research opportunities for environmental science majors. There are so many [Stanback</a> Internships](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/career/stanback2010/]Stanback”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/career/stanback2010/) each year that most go unfilled, and the new [Rachel</a> Carson Scholars program](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/undergraduate/scholars]Rachel”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/undergraduate/scholars) is absolutely fantastic. If you meet the GPA requirement, Duke will pay you to do research and present at a conference. For summer research, the marine lab offers [scholarships[/url</a>] and an [url=<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/undergraduate/reu.html]REU”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/undergraduate/reu.html]REU</a> program.](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/summeraid]scholarships[/url”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/summeraid) Perhaps most of interest to you, Duke even offers a [certificate</a> in marine conservation](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/certificate.html]certificate”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/certificate.html) and a [paid</a> internship in marine conservation](<a href=“http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/undergraduate/internships]paid”>http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/undergraduate/internships) to graduating seniors.</p>

<p>Naturally, Duke’s offerings in conservation go beyond marine science. The [Duke</a> Forest](<a href=“http://www.env.duke.edu/forest/index.html]Duke”>http://www.env.duke.edu/forest/index.html) is a terrific resource both for classes and fun, and through the [Duke</a> Bikes program](<a href=“http://parking.duke.edu/alternative_transportation/bicycling/duke_bikes/index.php]Duke”>http://parking.duke.edu/alternative_transportation/bicycling/duke_bikes/index.php), students can borrow bikes and camping equipment for free. Duke’s [primate</a> center](<a href=“http://lemur.duke.edu/]primate”>http://lemur.duke.edu/) contains several species that are otherwise found only in Madagascar, including the extremely rare aye aye. Duke’s [evolutionary</a> anthropology](<a href=“http://evolutionaryanthropology.duke.edu/]evolutionary”>http://evolutionaryanthropology.duke.edu/) program is centered around this amazing resource. </p>

<p>Duke practices what it preaches. One of its most popular activities is Earth Day. In addition to activities set up by Duke students, the event draws over 40 vendors displaying smart cars, alternate energy sources, sustainably grown food, etc.</p>

<p>Duke has been recognized for its Green efforts by many organizations.</p>

<p>[Green</a> College Spotlight: Duke University](<a href=“Your Domains”>Your Domains)
[10</a> of the Greenest Colleges in America - Colleges Going Green - thedailygreen.com](<a href=“http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/10-greenest-colleges-460708]10”>10 of the Greenest Colleges in America - Colleges Going Green)
[Sustainability</a> : Duke Scores Big on Green College Reviews / August 14, 2008](<a href=“http://www.duke.edu/web/ESC/news_events/items/2008_08_14GreenSchools.html]Sustainability”>http://www.duke.edu/web/ESC/news_events/items/2008_08_14GreenSchools.html)</p>

<p>Duke is also strong in the humanities. Its humanities programs were ranked in the top 10 in the last NRC ranking, and courses tend to be small. The social sciences (Economics, Public Policy, Psychology, Political Science) are the most popular departments at Duke, so many of the excellent departments like English, Religion, and Classics have very small course sizes. As a Classics major, my courses usually ranged in size from 4 to 10 people.</p>

<p>Lafayette. A LAC where nearly 1/3 of the kids are engineers. One of the few LAC’s with an approx 50/50 male/female ratio, mostly because of the engineers. </p>

<p>They also have Bio, Environmental Science, Psych and even NeuroPsych. There are plans to build a new building for the Life Sciences, but right now Bio has its own building and Psych/Neuro-Psych has its own basically new building (the outer shell used to be a completely different building but it was gutted and re-purposed for psych).</p>

<p>The largest single major at Lafayette is Economics (although I think there are more Engineers if you combine all the types of engineering together) so I don’t think the humanities are “weaker.” After all, it IS a LAC. Lafayette prides itself on turning out engineers who can write and speak, and Liberal Arts majors who are technologically aware/competent.</p>

<p>I know that the University of Chicago isn’t considered an LAC, but it has only 5,000 undergrads, so it’s still pretty small and very personal with small classes. And, the undergraduate “College” seems to be treated as a very separate entity from the graduate professional schools. To me it “feels” in many ways like an LAC.</p>

<p>Because of its core curriculum, U of C is both strong in the humanities AND in the sciences.</p>

<p>And, the U of Chicago would certainly calm any fears about your child not going to a “university.”</p>

<p>Just one more idea.</p>