The Hudson River
2001 (15 credits)
History, biology, environmental policy, literature

The Hudson River block course traced the history of the river, from its glacial formation to the present. The twenty students and four professors in the course spent time in the field each week, beginning at the source of the river in the Adirondacks and concluding with an exploration of the river at its end in New York City. Along the way, students took into account the present-day controversies surrounding the Hudson, including the then-divisive debate about whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should dredge PCBs from the river sediment.

This class was offered by professors Meriel Brooks (biology), Patricia Moore (history), Jon Jensen (philosophy) and Laird Christensen (English).