Humans in the Natural Environment

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” --John Muir

This thread models the interconnectedness of the living community by asking students to examine scientific constructs and cultural interpretations of the natural environment from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, and in global historical, social, and political contexts. By exploring themes of connection, expression, change, resilience, accountability, and sustainability, and through community engagement and active participation in natural settings, students should develop a sense of agency and urgency in helping to address vital environmental issues.

This thread is 9 hours.

Select 9 Hours
BIO 1300 Introduction to Environmental Science	4 hours
BIO 3500 Conservation Biology	4 hours
ENG 2270 Topics in World Literature: Environment	4 hours
ENG 3630 Studies in Rhetoric	2 hours
HIST 2610 Environmental History	4 hours
IDS 3240 Experiential Learning - Environmental Thread	1 hour
MUSIC 3840 Music History: The Environment	4 hours
PHYS 1200 Energy and the Global Environment and PHYS 1200L Energy and the Global Environment Lab	4 hours
SOC 2530 Population and Environment	4 hours
SOC 3530/SOC 4530 Environment, Food, and You	4 hours

BIO 1300 Introduction to Environmental Science (4 hours)

An introduction to environmental science and scientific methodology using the environment as the system of study. The goals are to help the student develop a better understanding of the environment, gain insight into human-caused problems found in nature, explore the relationships of humanity with the environment, and provide practical experience in performing scientific measurements and experiments.
Three lectures per week.
One 3-hour lab per week.

BIO 3500 Conservation Biology (4 hours)

A course devoted to exploring issues related to biological diversity, including how biodiversity is measured, where it is found, its value, threats to it, and measure taken at the population and species level to conserve it. The course includes examining links between conservation and economics, law, and the social sciences. Case studies and discussions of local and global topics will encourage students to understand the varied threats to global biodiversity and the principles necessary to overcome them.
Three lectures/discussions per week.
One 3-hour lab per week.
Prerequisite(s): BIO 1400 Introduction to Biological Inquiry, BIO 2200 Genetics and Cell Biology and BIO 2300 Ecology and Evolution and sophomore standing or instructor permission.
(Normally offered alternate springs.)
Note: Environmental Studies Minors are encouraged to register, please contact the instructor.

ENG 2270 Topics in World Literature: Environment (4 hours)

Each course in the Topics in World Literature group will study a selection of literary works that engage the chosen topic--texts of different genres, from historical eras, and from different cultural traditions. The selected readings will present both abstract principles involved in the topic and its immediate, lived realities.
Prerequisite(s): Any First Year Writing course.

ENG 3630 Studies in Rhetoric (2 hours)

A course in which students will concentrate in depth on one topic within the domain of rhetoric. The particular subject will be determined each time the course is offered.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or instructor permission.
(Normally offered every other year.)

HIST 2610 Environmental History (4 hours)

A study of environmental history focusing primarily on the United States and including Canada and Mexico as they involve border environmental conflicts. Emphasis will be placed on environmental philosophy, ethnic minorities, power and politics, regionalsim, industrialsim, gender, and literature. Course format will be lecture, class discussions based on assigned readings from assigned texts, as well as supplemental sources, reports, videos, and field trips.
Prerequisite(s): HIST 1010 Topics in United States History to 1877 or HIST 1020 United States Society and Culture Since 1877, or permission of the instructor.

IDS 3240 Experiential Learning - Environmental Thread (1 hour)

See Department for Course Description.

MUSIC 3840 Music History: The Environment (4 hours)

Through historiography and musical analysis this course provides a rigorous and detailed examination of select pieces across the Western music tradition related to the environment, and also explores the relationships between music, history, and culture. Focusing on works that engage the environment, the course content is designed to provide students with a foundational knowledge of key genres and social/cultural background from different historical periods across the Western music tradition; and give students a sophisticated understanding of the cultural, aesthetic, stylistic, and performance practice issues related to select pieces, using scholarly articles, source readings, and stylistic analysis (scoring, dynamics, rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form).
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing and permission of the instructor.

PHYS 1200 Energy and the Global Environment (3 hours)

A course covering some of the most critical problems facing the world today - those relating to the production, distribution, and use of energy. The basic concepts of heat, work, electricity and energy as they apply to energy use around the world will be studied. The major source of energy, their value and importance, the historical and future demand for energy and the specific environmental problems and benefits encountered will be identified.
Three lectures per week.
One laboratory per week.

PHYS 1200L Energy and the Global Environment Lab (1 hour)

Laboratory experiments associated with PHYS 1200 Energy and the Global Environment.
One laboratory per week.
Corerequiste(s): PHYS 1200 Energy and the Global Environment.

SOC 2530 Population and Environment (4 hours)

This course examines the demographic and social dynamics of population size, composition, and distribution. It addresses the relationships between population, human health, development and the environment. Strong cross-cultural emphasis. A major focus is the development of a semester research paper contrasting the status of the Millennium Development Goals, Environmental status and Health in an MDC and an LDC.

SOC 3530 Environment, Food, and You (4 hours)

This course identifies and explores issues that arise because of the impacts of human beings on the environment, and impacts of the environment on human activity. Students will be introduced to social impact assessment as a means for identifying the ways resources exploitation leads to both the development and decline of communities. Food production is used to illustrate these impacts because it plays a significant role in community organization, human survival, and environmental resilience. The requirements of the 4530 course will be the same as the 3530 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number will complete a semester length field project relevant to the course material.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 2530 Population and Environment.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

SOC 4530 Environment, Food, and You (4 hours)

Course Catalogs

Humans in the Natural Environment