Environmental Studies

This course is the introductory course for environmental science. An interdisciplinary study of environmental problems that considers world populations, energy, air and water pollution, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and environmental health. Class discussion will center on solutions including technical and human behavioral modifications that can lead to the sustainable use of our environment.

Sustainability in its simplest form is the continuation of a process. When proposed for human and natural systems, sustainability aims to meet the needs of the present while considering the needs of the future. To achieve this vision sustainability requires navigating many of the social and environmental challenges faced in our contemporary era. Within this course we will explore these challenges alongside the myriad of opportunities available to develop new solutions and scale-up those solutions already available. To achieve these course goals, this class combines interactive lectures, discussions, and individual and team-based assignments that examine sustainability globally, locally, and personally.

This course will introduce students to the human dimensions of natural resource problems, including a variety of theories and concepts used in the multidisciplinary field of environmental studies to better understand the intersections of biophysical processes and socio-political systems. After taking this course, students should be further prepared to engage in debates with other academics, politicians, and citizens regarding environmental issues and to take effective action towards addressing the multiple drivers and outcomes of complex natural resource problems.

This course is designed as a survey of the principles and practices of environmental policy. Using the case study approach, theories of public policy are linked to its application to understand existing approaches to environmental policy and how these approaches influence, and are influenced by, social and environmental change. An emphasis is placed on the design and evaluation of policy instruments, the diversity and trade-offs of environmental governance systems, and the democratic engagement required to achieve environmental sustainability. Students will learn the language of public policy and develop transferable professional skills, including memo writing and policy analysis.