Explore the nature of environmental problems and gain an overall understanding of the complexity of these problems.
Analysis of the causes and proposed solutions of environmental problems and of environmental issues and their political resolution.
Overview of the Sustainable Development focusing on its origins and meanings in both theory and practice. A geographic focus on countries in the Global South, exploring how sustainable development policies and programs have impacted levels of poverty and inequality, use of natural resources, as well as rural and urban livelihoods.
Examine interrelationships between human behavior and the environment. Review personal, social and structural dimensions of everyday life relating to the environment. Understand environmental problems and consider alternative behavior models.
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach toward understanding modern and traditional agriculture, and the ways in which these agricultural forms both clash and coalesce.
Learn about the water cycle and how water moves through an environment. Students will build an understanding of how to identify pollutants within water and be able to assess different ways in which contaminants can be eliminated.
Concurrent Prerequisite
ENST 100 with a minimum grade of D-
Learn the characteristics of the major natural resources and the scientific basis behind current resource use practices. The environmental consequences of their use and abuse will be emphasized.
Explore career options for geography and environmental studies majors and practice professional development skills.
Explore the nature of environmental conflict and work toward understanding the range of processes and skills used to resolve them.
Concurrent Prerequisite
ENST 100 with a minimum grade of D-
An introduction to the study of the psychological relationships that exists between humans and the environment. Students will learn what attitudes, values and ethics humans have in terms of the natural world.
Analyze problems in nature-society relationships by exploring geographic theory surrounding environmental politics, surveying local and global actors in these conflicts, and addressing varied contemporary issues in resource management.
An exploration and analysis of the historical development of perceptions and worldviews about the environment and the natural world using the United States as a case study.
This course examines principles, procedures, methods, and applications of environmental impact assessment. Specific emphasis is on the history and implementation of the NEPA in the USA with some discussion of international impact assessment.
Identify and analyze relationships between the physical and cultural patterns, including land use, resource development, social, political and economic problems throughout the continent of Africa.
Anthropological perspectives and methods are used to critically examine the assumptions and actions underlying social and environmental contemporary human problems as well as those involved in efforts to address them.
Students will examine the strengths and weaknesses of economic theory in analyzing the seriousness of resource and environmental issues facing society.
Examine selected environmental issues, including climate change, environmental degradation, and resource depletion, focusing on the physical processes underlying these problems and how human activities contribute to environmental problems.
Examination of economic principles governing water planning, development and law. Discussion of supply and demand, quality and political issues. Relationship to Colorado and local situation.
Examination of the unequal distribution of environmental risks and benefits across populations, the environmental justice movement, environmental policies and regulatory practices.
Provides an overview of collaborative community planning, presenting frameworks for leading engagement of local communities using a case study format and real local projects to apply an understanding of collaborative conservation for community building.
This course introduces students to the skills of qualitative research methods, including designing a research question and project, alongside methods for collecting and analyzing qualitative data.
Explore human relationships with nature writing from various periods and cultures. Economic, scientific, philosophic and religious attitudes emerge from attitudes about nature. Do these influence human treatment of natural things?
This course examines the dominant trends and challenges affecting energy systems and policy around the world, including the evolution and economics of fossil fuels, alternative energy technologies, and clean energy policies.
Examine the sustainability of contemporary living patterns. Explore alternative approaches to meeting transportation, domestic power and heating, food production and waste disposal needs on the personal and community levels.
Use case studies to explore a general overview of commerce, economics, and business as it relates to the environment and human interactions.
Investigate and participate in the process of art as it relates to the different environments of human existence.
Delve into the complexity of environmental, social, and economic systems that define sustainability. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, case studies, and hands-on projects, students will explore concepts and gain practical skills required to create meaningful, lasting change.
Provides students with the skills and knowledge to design and implement effective adaptive management of conservation projects and to generate clear evidence of their progress toward achieving conservation results. This course applies the Open Standards for Conservation, a common structure in many conservation organizations.
Individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a faculty member. (Minimum of 37.5 clock hours required per credit hour.)
Special Notes
Maximum concurrent enrollment is two times.
Identify meaningful patterns in the distributions of plants and animals and explain how/ why those patterns developed. Includes an examination of the role humans have played in shaping those patterns.
An examination of what causes climate to change across different time scales; how climate has changed in the past; how scientists use models, observations and theory to make predictions about future climate; and the consequences of climate change for our planet. One field trip required.
Determinants and consequences of behavior and response to environmental extremes, technological emergencies, and acts of mass violence.
Ever wonder what you can do to address our environmental problems? This seminar course pulls together concepts and contexts from environmental justice, ecology, political science, economics, among others to examine how and what we can do to improve the world we live in.
Introduces the research process through identification and framing of a research proposal following accepted and standard protocols. Topics include hypothesis formulation and testing, designing a research project, and career preparedness.
84.0 credits required
Research selected environmental and geographic topics based on ENST/
GEOG 490 Proposal. Course focuses on the assessment of students' environmental and geographic knowledge base, research and analysis skills.
Permission of Environmental Studies coordinator. Practical experience and training in areas related to the environment. Credit hours and nature of experience arranged individually. S/U graded.
Building upon the foundational principles of environmental sustainability, students will gain and apply the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Through a blend of theory and practical application, students will explore advanced concepts in environmental sustainability and develop a deep understanding of the complex issues facing our world.