Time Schedule:
Stevan Harrell
ENVIR 300
Seattle Campus
Multi-scale case studies of socially and scientifically complex environmental problems, including how the Earth works as a biogeochemical system, ecological principles, human health, energy, and global change. Emphasizes quantitative environmental analysis. Third in a required three course series of Environmental Studies majors. Prerequisite: ENVIR 200; recommended: ENVIR major foundational courses. Offered: WSp.
Class description
ENVIR 300 is the third required Core Course in the Environmental Studies undergraduate curriculum and builds upon the foundation of concepts and skills developed in ENVIR 100 and 200. It will be a fast-paced, case-based introduction to analyzing and addressing the complexity inherent in environmental problems, using approaches from the natural and social sciences and humanities. It will allow students to hone the research, writing, and quantitative skills developed in the first two years of the curriculum and prepare them for more independent work on their Senior Capstone projects. Using the case study approach, students will examine integrated content on the function, structure, and interactions of Earth systems. As an upper division course designed primarily for ENVIR majors, ENVIR 300 will assume that students have already acquired a strong grounding in interdisciplinary environmental perspectives (ENVIR 100) and strong communication and research skills (ENVIR 200), and that they have completed most of their foundational work in statistics, natural sciences, and values and cultures. The first part of the course will treat useful concepts from demography, ecology, anthropology, economics, and other disciplines. The second part will consider a series of specific issues that put these concepts to use. Quantitative exercises will strengthen students’ confidence in environmental numeracy and the power of estimation, essential since all environmental problems involve measurement and error. Frequent individual writing exercises will concentrate on the clear exposition of arguments about specific issues. Final group projects will analyze an environmental issue and make policy recommendations about that issue in both a class presentation and a written paper.
Student learning goals
Students will increase and apply their knowledge of Earth systems science, values and cultures to the analysis of complex environmental case studies.
Students will apply and improve their confidence and skill in performing quantitative analyses of environmental issues.
Students will improve their skills at collaboration and consensus-building across disciplines and among stakeholder groups.
Students will gain facility at applying concepts from the natural and social sciences across temporal scales.
Students will gain facility at applying concepts from the natural and social sciences across spatial scales.
General method of instruction
This and that, depending on the topic. Some things will be covered more in lecture format, some in class discussions. Detailed feedback on papers will provide the basis for doing better next time.
Recommended preparation
This course is open to juniors and seniors in the Environmental Studies major.
As an upper division course designed primarily for ENVIR majors, ENVIR 300 will assume that students have already acquired a strong grounding in interdisciplinary environmental perspectives (ENVIR 100) and strong communication and research skills (ENVIR 200), and that they have completed most of their foundational work in statistics, natural sciences, and values and cultures.
Class assignments and grading
There will be 3-4 quantitative exercises, 4 papers 5-8 pages in length, and a group project with an oral presentation and a written policy report.
Quantitative exercises 20%; individual papers 10% each, total 40%; group projects oral presentation 20% written report 20%.
