Environment—Courses
Please note that not every course listed is offered each year and that students should consult the following sources for current course offerings:
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
ENVS-1013. Introduction to Environmental Problems
This course introduces students to the nature of ecological problems and the relationships between human activities and environmental deterioration. The course examines the nature of the biosphere: how living plant, animal and microbial communities and their supporting air, water and soil cycles function.
ENVS-2023. Introduction to Perspectives on the Environment
This course explores how society has attempted to understand the social origins of environmental degradation and the changes necessary in society to end human disruption of the environment. This involves a review of the different perspectives within the environmental movement, and of the attempts by the social sciences and the humanities to understand the social origins of environmental degradation. Prerequisite: ENVS 1013, or permission of the instructor.
ENVS-3013. Environmental Policy
Building upon familiarity with the major perspectives within the environmental movement, the course will examine various approaches to resolving environmental problems such as: bioregionalism, sustainable growth, deep ecology, rightsizing economic activity, etc. Students will explore how alternate visions of the future would translate into public policy. Prerequisites: ENVS 1013 and ENVS 1023, or permission of the instructor.
ENVS-3023. Environmental Praxis
This course explores how alternative visions of the future translate into political action at the international, national, provincial, community, and personal levels. This involves an analysis of alternative theories of the nature of social change. A component of this course may be service learning. Prerequisites: ENVS 1013 and ENVS 1023, or permission of the instructor.
ENVS-4003. Capstone Seminar
This is a required course for the Major in Environment & Society which is designed to integrate the entire programme of study. The seminar will focus on developing a multidisciplinary understanding of a selection of environmental issues as determined by student and faculty interests. Issues considered will include ecological damage, social origins, and alternative approaches to addressing problems. Prerequisites: ENVS 3013 and ENVS 3023 or permission of the instructor.
ENVS-4006. Work-Study Project
This is a course in experiential learning for students in the final year of their major in ENVS. Students will work with a non-profit organization which is actively involved in addressing environmental problems. Each student's activities will be designed under the direction of a faculty supervisor in consultation with the student and the work-place mentor. Enrolment is subject to the approval of the Coordinator of the Environment and Society programme.