Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Geography, GIS, and Sustainability

ENST 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies

Explore the nature of environmental problems and gain an overall understanding of the complexity of these problems.
3

Course Attribute

LAS1-Natural &Physical Science and GT Natural & Phys Science

ENST 205 Environment, Politics and Law

Analysis of the causes and proposed solutions of environmental problems and of environmental issues and their political resolution.
3

ENST 209 International Sustainable Development

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.
3

Prerequisites

ENST 100 with a minimum grade of D-

ENST 215 Human Behavior and Environment

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.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 215 and SOC 215

ENST 249 Food, People, and Place

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach toward understanding modern and traditional agriculture, and the ways in which these agricultural forms both clash and coalesce.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall Even Years

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 249 and GEOG 249

ENST 261 Water Quality Management

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.
3

Prerequisites

Concurrent Prerequisite ENST 100 with a minimum grade of D-

ENST 265 Conservation of Natural Resources

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.
3

ENST 270 Professional Development

Explore career options for geography and environmental studies majors and practice professional development skills.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 270 and GEOG 270

ENST 272 Environmental Conflict Resolution

Explore the nature of environmental conflict and work toward understanding the range of processes and skills used to resolve them.
3

Prerequisites

Concurrent Prerequisite ENST 100 with a minimum grade of D-

ENST 283 The Psychology of Sustainability

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.
3

ENST 315 Nature & Society

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.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 315 and GEOG 315

ENST 320 American Environmental Worldviews

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.
3

ENST 321 NEPA - Environmental Planning and Compliance

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.

3

Prerequisites

SCI 291 with a minimum grade of D-

Offered

Generally offered Fall Annually

Class Restriction

Include Sophomore and Junior and Senior

ENST 326 Emerging Africa: Local Resources and Livelihoods in a Global Context

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.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall Odd Years

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 326 and GEOG 326

ENST 331 Anthropology and Contemporary Human Problems

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.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 331 and ANT 331

ENST 335 Environmental and Resource Economics

Students will examine the strengths and weaknesses of economic theory in analyzing the seriousness of resource and environmental issues facing society.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall Even Years

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 335 and ECON 335

ENST 345 Environmental Geography: Earth at Risk

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.
3

Prerequisites

(GEOG 220 or GEOG 230 with a minimum grade of D-)

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 345 and GEOG 345

ENST 356 Water Resource Economics

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.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 356 and ECON 356

ENST 360 Environmental Justice

Examination of the unequal distribution of environmental risks and benefits across populations, the environmental justice movement, environmental policies and regulatory practices.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 360 and SOC 360

ENST 364 Sustainability Leadership and Community Engagement

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.

3

Offered

Generally offered Spring Annually

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 364 and LEAD 364

ENST 373 Qualitative Research Methods

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.

3

Prerequisites

ENST 100 with a minimum grade of D-

Offered

Generally offered Fall Annually

ENST 375 Literature and the Environment

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?
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 375 and ENG 375

ENST 378 Energy Policy and Economics

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.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 378 and ECON 378

ENST 380 Sustainable Geographies

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.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 380 and GEOG 380

ENST 382 Sustainability and Capitalism

Use case studies to explore a general overview of commerce, economics, and business as it relates to the environment and human interactions.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 382 and ECON 382

ENST 385 Art and the Environment

Investigate and participate in the process of art as it relates to the different environments of human existence.
3

ENST 395 Special Topics Environmental Studies/Sustainability

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.

1-3

Offered

Generally offered Spring - Check with department/school for next offering

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

ST - Repeatable under different subtitles and course is repeatable with a maximum of 9 credit hours

ENST 411 Adaptive Management for Natural Resources

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.

3

Prerequisites

SCI 291 with a minimum grade of D-

Offered

Generally offered Fall Annually

Class Restriction

Include Junior and Senior

ENST 422 Directed Studies

Individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a faculty member. (Minimum of 37.5 clock hours required per credit hour.)
1- 3

Special Notes

Maximum concurrent enrollment is two times.

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with no limitations

ENST 440 Biogeography

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.
3

Prerequisites

(ENST 100 or GEOG 220 or GEOG 230 with a minimum grade of D-)

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 440 and GEOG 440

ENST 444 Global Climate Change

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.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 444 and GEOG 444

ENST 460 Sociology of Disasters

Determinants and consequences of behavior and response to environmental extremes, technological emergencies, and acts of mass violence.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 460 and SOC 460

Class Restriction

Include Junior and Senior

ENST 467 Designing the World We Need

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. 

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall and/or Spring Odd Years

ENST 490 Capstone Proposal

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.

2

Prerequisites

84.0 credits required

Offered

Generally offered Fall Annually

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 490 and GEOG 490

Program Restrictions

Include Environ/Sustain Studies-BA

Class Restriction

Include Junior and Senior

ENST 491 Senior Capstone

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.
2

Prerequisites

ENST 490 with a minimum grade of D-

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: ENST 491 and GEOG 491

Program Restrictions

Include Environ/Sustain Studies-BA

Class Restriction

Include Senior

ENST 492 Internship in Environmental Studies

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.

1-4

Offered

Generally offered Fall, Spring, and/or Summer - Check with department/school for next offering

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with a maximum of 15 credit hours

ENST 495 Advanced Topics in Environmental Studies/Sustainability

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.

1-3

Offered

Generally offered Fall - Check with department/school for next offering

Class Restriction

Include Junior and Senior

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

ST - Repeatable under different subtitles and course is repeatable with a maximum of 9 credit hours