Environmental Humanities Minor

The arts and humanities play an important role in our shared challenge of forging an environmentally better future. Poets, filmmakers, photographers, and artists make important environmental interventions. This course explores the emergence of environmental thinking and its development in art, literature, history, philosophy, theology, music, theater, film, and many other areas of the arts and humanities. Topics may include urbanization, land use, environmental politics, human/nonhuman relations, disaster capitalism, environmental fiction, the anthropocene, global environmental justice, energy, and climate change.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09, GE-10

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Introduces students to the differences between indigenous and Western views of the environment. Analyzes the impact of invasion and encroachment on indigenous societies' interactions with nature. Compares historical and contemporary environmental issues in indigenous societies.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Course introduces students to the various ways that land is used by American Indians. We will explore traditional land use, contemporary land use, and land issues that impact American Indians and cultural activities that are tied to the land.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

This course focuses on studying the diversity of human societies using environmental approaches such as evolutionary/ecological perspectives and systems modeling. Case studies will be drawn from Native American cultures.

Prerequisites: none

Courses will focus on some characteristic ways in which literature addresses and explores the ethical dimensions of human society and the relationships between works and their cultural contexts. Emphasizes critical thinking, reading and writing. May be repeated as topics change.

Prerequisites: ENG 101

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-09

Introduction to written and visual communication of technical information in agricultural contexts. Through rhetorical analysis, collaborative and independent writing, and usability testing, students will learn strategies to produce clear, concise, accurate, and effective documents and presentations.

Prerequisites: none

This course examines how literary texts engage with and represent the natural world and humanity's place in it. It studies literature from various time periods, genres, and geographical locations to explore topics such as climate change, sustainability, environmental ethics, human/nonhuman relations, and ecology. Possible course topics might include Latinx Environmentalisms, Eco-Disaster Fiction, Global Environmental Justice, and Victorian Environments.

Prerequisites: none

Animals and Literature is a required class for the Human-Animal Studies minor. The course examines literature focusing on animals from various time periods, genres, and geographical locations. By analyzing the role of animals in various literary texts, students will develop a greater understanding of human-animal interactions and relationships, will be exposed to ethical issues surrounding human-animal relationships, and will understand and engage in theoretical issues central to Human-Animal Studies. Topics may vary and the course can be repeated with change in content.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

The course introduces students to the historical and theoretical foundations of environmental racism and inequality. Therefore, students will explore the social, industrial, and government forces that create inequitable burdens of environmental pollution across communities as well as social movements to reduce such burdens. While a majority of the course focuses on the United States, readings include case studies from around the world.

Prerequisites: none

An introduction to the science of understanding earth's physical environment, with focus on the processes that drive fundamental earth systems. Includes investigation of natural hazards, earth-sun relationships, climate and climate change, weather, flora and fauna, soil, landforms, and surfaces processes driven by rivers, glaciers, wind, rock decay, gravity. North American and world-wide examples are used to demonstrate spatial distribution and interrelationships. Some coverage of human-environmental relations.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03, GE-10

Cultural aspects of interactions between people and their environment focusing on spatial patterns of population, agriculture, politics, language, religion, industrialization, and urbanization. Emphasis is placed on the processes that create the cultural landscape and on management of land and natural resources.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-08

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Survey of natural resources emphasizing energy, minerals, soils, fisheries, and water resources. Also addresses timber, wetlands, and wildlife on public and private lands.

Prerequisites: none

In this course, students will learn about health disparities and the social determinants of health in the United States. We will analyze how gender, race, class, ability, and sexuality impact access to health resources (including the environment, food, and medical care) as well as health outcomes. In addition to individual barriers to health, we will analyze how institutions and structural factors impact health in America. Topics may include health disparities by race and ethnicity, barriers to LGBT health care, weight discrimination, reproductive justice, and environmental effects on health.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-09

Diverse Cultures: Purple

This course will examine the interaction between humans and the American environment from pre-Columbus to the present.

Prerequisites: none

Questions about human responsibilities to other animals and the environment gain urgency as environmental crises become more prevalent, and animal species continue to be eliminated. Learn about, critique, and apply the principles underlying evaluations of human environmental conduct.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09, GE-10

This course examines conceptual and philosophical issues in biology, the nature and scope of biological explanation and conflicts between evolutionary and religious explanations for the origin of life.

Prerequisites: none

Politics of the natural environment (U.S. focus). Environmental and opposition values; roles of public opinion, Congress, presidency and courts in environmental policy making. Policy areas include: air/water pollution, climate change, hazardous/nuclear waste, sustainable development, and commons problems like overfishing.

Prerequisites: none

This course examines the role of animals in society and the social relationships between humans and other animals. Students will explore how culture and society shape the ways other animals are integrated and treated in our families, schools, economy, legal system, and other social institutions. Through dialogue and writing students will identify their own perspectives on nonhuman animals and our relationships to them.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-09

The environment tends to be taken for granted, and it is often assumed to be separate from society. People are an inseparable part of nature and must interact with it if they are to survive. This course will encourage students to contemplate their relationship with nature over time and cross-culturally. The course will address a number of contemporary concerns regarding the environment, such as food production, toxins in the environment, natural resource extraction, and climate change. We shall also contemplate solutions to the current environmental issues facing society now and into the future.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Purple

This course will identify and analyze global social, economic, political and environmental problems impacting community viability and explore the full range of solutions to these problems. The course will view communities as complex, sustainable organisms and bring together the works of the great minds working on sustainability.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-10

Introductory course designed for students not majoring in science. Focuses on basic biological principles with special emphasis on the human species. Includes scientific problem solving, biodiversity, human and social aspects of biology, ecology, cellular processes and organ function, human reproduction, pre-natal development, and heredity. Lecture, laboratory, and small group discussions.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03, GE-08

This course is designed to introduce students to the complex field of environmental science. Reading assignments, lectures, discussions and other class assignments will introduce students to the structure and functions of ecosystems, the concept of sustainability, issues in environmental protection with an emphasis on global commons, the interrelationships between environment, culture, government and economics and what individuals or groups can do to influence environmental policy/rules.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-08, GE-10

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and flooding are three examples of naturally recurring events on the Earth that ultimately influence all of our lives. This course introduces the physical features and processes of the Earth that control these events. The course has a laboratory component.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03, GE-10

From mineral formation to mountain building, this course introduces all the main areas of geologic study and places them in the context of environmental justice. We will consider the social and political backdrop of geological processes, practices, and resources, and consider how ignoring the world's complicated history has resulted in the repetition and perpetuation of practices that have disproportionately harmed diverse peoples. Lecture discussions and laboratory exercises are designed for general education and students seeking a major or minor in one of the natural sciences.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03, GE-10

Diverse Cultures: Purple

An introduction to the world's oceans: how they work, what they contain, how they impact everything on Earth, and how humans impact them.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03, GE-10

An examination of the development and evolution of life on earth. In addition to reviewing the range of life forms and global climates existing on earth during various times in its geologic past, we will also look at how global industrialization could lead to the earth's next period of mass extinction. Weekly laboratory assignments help illustrate principles discussed in lectures.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03

An introduction to the dimensions of wellness; physical, emotional, occupational, intellectual, financial, interpersonal, cultural, environmental, and spiritual health of the individual.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-10

To promote identification and analysis of environmental influences upon health status. Health concerns related to residential, occupational, and other environments are explored. Problems pertaining to air, water, solid waste, housing, land use, toxic waste, and sanitation are addressed.

Prerequisites: none

A foundation course that introduces the student to the profession of leisure services. Emphasis is placed on recreation in the student's life, the development of the profession, the community leisure service system and careers in recreation, parks and leisure services.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09

In this course we will explore the importance of the natural world and how individuals and societies interact with and impact nature. Students will apply ethical frameworks of sustainability, rights, and justice to understand conservation and resource management practices in public and private lands. Students will analyze and reflect upon complex narratives that guide how diverse people and natural systems interact.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03

A broad survey course that is concerned with game and non-game wildlife species. Habitat is stressed throughout the course as a necessity for maintaining a species. Funding of wildlife programs and changing attitudes of the public are concerns throughout this course.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-10

This course explores aspects of sustainable tourism including conceptual background, planning, consensus building, ethical considerations, and implementation. Students will engage in experiential learning opportunities centered around the application of ideas and will better understand the benefits and drawbacks of sustainable tourism as a revenue-producing endeavor.

Prerequisites: none

Traces the history of public lands in the United States, their acquisition and disposal. Congressional charges to executive agencies managing national lands and state and local government responsibilities for managing nonfederal public lands. Attention is given to international oceanic resources and how the international community will manage these resources.

Prerequisites: none