ENVS 150 Environmental Issues (5 credits)

2.Summarize the history of environmentalism.

3.Examine the rights of future generations.

4.Analyze the human philosophical traditions and the relationship between humans, animals, and the natural environment.

5.Discuss the impact that philosophy, religion, art, media, and popular culture have had on people’s thinking about the environment.

6.Discuss the value of wilderness and biodiversity.

7.Summarize the application of ethics to environmental issues, including deforestation, pollution, population growth, resource consumption, the production and use of energy, and environmental sustainability.

8.Compare the environmental impacts and risks of economic development in developed nations and in developing nations.

9.Compare government and corporate responsibility for the environment.

10.Debate a variety of environmental issues from both “pro” and “con” viewpoints.

11.Evaluate the political processes required to attempt any solution to environmental degradation issues at the local, national, and international level.

12.Identify specific environmental problems and risks, and evaluate their significance in terms of present and future impact on the biosphere.

13.Assess the use of multidisciplinary solutions to alleviate or modify human impacts on the environment.

14.Summarize the major environmental laws and their impact on environmental protection.

15.Access environmental data and information from various sources including library research and the Internet.

16.Information Competency: Demonstrate the ability to use the library and the Internet resource tools for locating and analyzing environmental data and information.

17.Effective Communication: Ability to do field observation and make field notes of local animal and plant communities and formulate the data gathered into concise reports and presentations.

18.Multiculturalism: Understand, appreciate, and discuss the different environmental viewpoints of various world cultures.

Degree Outcomes
STEM: Graduates use the scientific method to analyze natural phenomena and acquire skills to evaluate authenticity of data/information relative to the natural world.

Responsibility: Graduates will be able to critically examine the relationship between self, community, and/or environments, and to evaluate and articulate potential impacts and consequences of choices, actions, and contributions for the creation of sustainable systems.

Information Competency: Graduates will be able to seek, find, evaluate and use information and employ information technology to engage in lifelong learning.

 

Lecture Contact Hours 50
Lab Contact Hours 0
Clinical Contact Hours 0
Total Contact Hours 50

Potential Methods
A. Conceptual testing (e.g. essay, diagram, etc.)
B. Objective testing (multiple choice, fill in, matching, short answer, and computational)
C. Laboratory exercises
D. Group discussions
E. Extended group assignments
F. Field trip exercises and participation
G. Classroom participation
H. Instructor observation
I. Oral Presentations
J. Written reports (field notebook, journal, research paper, photo/sketch essay, portfolio)
K. Self evaluation
L. Peer evaluation
M. No formal assessment