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Course Descriptions 2008-2009

FALL 2008

ENVS 201 Introduction to Environmental Studies: Social Sciences (4 cr)		Walker
This course introduces some of the major contributions of the social sciences to understanding how and why environmental problems happen—the social ‘root causes’ of these problems. Environmentally harmful human behavior is not simply a fact of life: it is a product of specific social conditions, which can be studied, understood, and changed. This course also examines social approaches to resolving environmental problems, including ideas such as ‘sustainability’, ‘market-based’ environmental policies, reforms of property systems, and social movements that promote concepts such as environmental justice, ecofeminism, and deep ecology. In this course, students practice applying these conceptual approaches by using them to analyze the root causes, consequences, and possible solutions to specific environmental topics. In previous years, the course has focused on topics such as global warming, energy, and the Pacific Northwest salmon crisis. (Fall)

ENVS 411 Avian Conservation (4 cr)

Evers/Abbors

This course aims to address historical and contemporary issues related to the conservation of birds. At the root of the class, we will ask why bird conservation is (and has been) important, as evident by the number of conservation laws protecting avian species and significant and growing national interest in bird watching. Why have we, and why should we, care about birds so much?

The course will feature seminar-style discussion and group inquiry, will be supplemented by field trips to local birding refuges, and requires students to apply field techniques to their own research projects. (Course flyer) (Fall)

ENVS 411/511 Environmental Justice (4 cr)		Glasinovic
Please contact the instructor for course information.

ENVS 440/540 Environmental Aesthetics (4 cr)		Toadvine
Explores aesthetic experience of nature through philosophical perspective; emphasizes nature and art; beauty and the sublime; embodiment, culture, and science; and ethics, conservation, and preservation. (Fall)

ENVS 465/565 Wetland Ecology and Management (4 cr)		Bridgham
Examines management, law, and policies related to wetlands in an ecological framework; includes wetland type definitions, classification, distribution, formation and development, and restoration. (Fall)

ENVS 631 Environmental Studies Theory and Practice (4 cr)		Bridgham
Introduction to various disciplinary perspectives that contribute to environmental studies, including their research methods, vocabularies, and core concepts. (Fall)

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WINTER 2009

ENVS 202 Introduction to Environmental: Natural Sciences (4 cr)		Bridgham
This is an introductory course in environmental natural sciences. It is part of the core sequence in Environmental Studies and is required for the Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors. It is an introductory course, designed for freshmen and sophomores, and satisfies University general education breadth requirements for natural sciences. The only prerequisite is Math 95 or equivalent. Course goals include to promote understanding of the value and limitations of science in understanding environmental issues; to increase familiarity with scientific concepts underlying selected environmental issues and quantitative techniques that scientists use to evaluate them; to promote an understanding of how science is used to manage natural resources to promote a sustainable economy; to enhance ability to think creatively, analytically, and without bias (i.e. to think critically); and to understand how environmental science issues pervade our lives and gain confidence to understand these issues and make decisions based on your understanding and values. Four environmental issues are examined in some depth: human population growth, loss of biodiversity, climate change, and energy use. (Winter)

ENVS 350 Ecological Energy Generation (4 cr)

Bothun

Detailed study of the ecological consequences of all forms of energy generation, including fossil fuels and alternative energy sources. (Winter)

ENVS 399 Allocation Scarce Environmental Resources (4cr) Cameron
In this course we will explore how environmental and natural resource management decisions are made. Given that we need to use at least some natural resources to survive, it is not possible to completely eliminate all mining, fishing, or logging. Likewise, it is not possible to reduce all forms of pollution to zero. But how much of each of these activities is too much? We will examine some pragmatic criteria and some evidence which can be used to help guide decision-makers who are responsible for setting policies and regulations. We will pay particular attention to circumstances when government intervention is essential because private incentives definitely
cannot be relied upon to yield socially desirable outcomes. (Course Syllabus)

ENVS 411 Environmental Issues: Monitoring Tools and Techniques (4 cr)		Kohler
An introduction to the theory, techniques, and practice of environmental and ecological monitoring designed to ground students in the data collection, analysis, and presentation methods used to characterize conditions in a variety of environmental settings. For more information download course flyer. (Winter) (Course Flyer)

ENVS 425/525 Environmental Education: Theory & Practice (4 cr)		Lynch
In-depth examination of environmental education in theory and practice. Topics include learning theories, environmental literacy, and how to successfully plan, implement and evaluate educational programs. We will also examine how EE is practiced in Oregon, nationally and around the globe. A major focus is the group project, in which you will work in collaboration with a community partner to help develop EE materials. (Winter)

ENVS 450/550 Political Ecology (4 cr)		Walker
Political ecology examines the politics (in the broadest sense of the word) of the environment. Whereas environmental politics courses often focus on the role of government and interest groups in shaping specific environmental policies, political ecology expands our understanding of ‘politics’ to examine the roles of: 1) environmental rhetoric (‘discourse’), ideology, and knowledge; 2) politics and environmental change; 3) economic systems (including ‘globalization’); 4) gender-based dimensions of resource ownership and use; 5) and everyday struggles within communities and households (including ‘community’-based resource management) as they shape human relationships with nature. Although much of the political ecology literature comes from studies of the less-developed ‘third world,’ this course also examines the political ecology of the ‘first world.’ (Winter)

ENVS 607 Seminar: Graduate Capstone (1 cr)		Rudestam/Dickman
Introduction to disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to environmental studies. Development of professional and academic skills culminating in a professional research project. R twice when topic changes for maximum of 12 credits (Winter)

ENVS 632 Environmental Studies Research Methodology [1-4]		Bridgham
Identifying a clear and concise research problem, developing methodology to address that problem, and the process of developing a thorough knowledge of relevant literature. (Winter)

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SPRING 2009

ENVS 203 Introduction to Environmental Studies: Humanities (4 cr)		Fiskio
This course is a survey of the contribution of humanities disciplines (e.g., literature, intellectual history, religious studies, and philosophy) to understanding the relationship between human beings and the natural environment. Theoretical perspectives covered in the course include the intellectual history of Western cultural attitudes and perceptions of nature, the role of religion in shaping environmental values, Native American perspectives on the environment, and the suggestions of contemporary radical ecology movements – deep ecology, social ecology, and ecofeminism – for revitalizing human relationships with the environment. The last segment of the course examines humanities perspectives on several current environmental issues: wilderness preservation, the Pacific Northwest salmon crisis, population and resource use, and global climate collapse. The course emphasizes the skills of textual and cultural interpretation, value reasoning, and critical inquiry as these are demonstrated in the engagement of the humanities with environmental concerns. This course fulfills the Arts and Letters Group Requirement and is a core course requirement for Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors. (Spring)

ENVS 411 Environmental Disaster; Hanford (4 cr)

Elliott

In the early 1940’s, the Mid-Columbia Basin was already the site of historical and environmental change brought about by white settlement. In 1943, the Hanford nuclear site was established as part of the Manhattan Project, and it produced the plutonium used to drop a bomb on Nagasaki. Today, Hanford is the site of the largest environmental cleanup project in history—it is now a Superfund site that receives $2 billion in government funding each year.

In this class, we will explore the environmental and social impacts associated with the Hanford site, as well as other environmental issues affecting the area and the American West as a whole. By taking an in-depth look at a specific place, we will learn how environmental issues are intertwined, as well as how they are replicated in other places. (Spring)

ENVS 429 Environmental Leadership: (Project) (1-4R cr)

Lynch/Rudestam

This class is the first quarter of the Environmental Leadership Program’s two-quarter Environmental Education Initiative. During this winter we will explore various progressive educational theories and see how environmental education is practiced in Oregon, nationally and around the globe. You will work in teams to apply your skills, strengths and creativity towards developing educational materials that will make a difference in our community and wider world. This year the teams and community partners are:

Forest Team – H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Blue Ridge, OR.
Marine Team – Oregon State Parks and Oregon Institute of Marine Biology GK-12 Program, Charleston, OR.
Project Macaw – Manu Learning Center, Manu National Park, Peru.
Restoration Monitoring Project - Middle Fork, McKenzie, and Coast Fork Watershed Council
Turtles Team - Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Wetlands Team – Willamette Resources Educational Network (WREN), Eugene.
X-stream Team – US Forest Service, Middle Fork District of the Willamette National Forest, OR. (Spring)

ENVS 633 Environmental Studies Thesis Development (1-4)		Toadvine
Interdisciplinary readings in environmental studies focused on student thesis topics. Preparation for presentations at the Joint Campus Conference and the MA thesis prospectus. (Spring)

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SUMMER 2009

ENVS 201 Introduction to Environmental Studies: Social Sciences (4 cr)		Schreiner
This course introduces some of the major contributions of the social sciences to understanding how and why environmental problems happen—the social ‘root causes’ of these problems. Environmentally harmful human behavior is not simply a fact of life: it is a product of specific social conditions, which can be studied, understood, and changed. This course also examines social approaches to resolving environmental problems, including ideas such as ‘sustainability’, ‘market-based’ environmental policies, reforms of property systems, and social movements that promote concepts such as environmental justice, ecofeminism, and deep ecology. In this course, students practice applying these conceptual approaches by using them to analyze the root causes, consequences, and possible solutions to specific environmental topics. In previous years, the course has focused on topics such as global warming, energy, and the Pacific Northwest salmon crisis.

ENVS 202 Introduction to Environmental: Natural Sciences (4 cr)		Bothun
This is an introductory course in environmental natural sciences. It is part of the core sequence in Environmental Studies and is required for the Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors. It is an introductory course, designed for freshmen and sophomores, and satisfies University general education breadth requirements for natural sciences. The only prerequisite is Math 95 or equivalent. Course goals include to promote understanding of the value and limitations of science in understanding environmental issues; to increase familiarity with scientific concepts underlying selected environmental issues and quantitative techniques that scientists use to evaluate them; to promote an understanding of how science is used to manage natural resources to promote a sustainable economy; to enhance ability to think creatively, analytically, and without bias (i.e. to think critically); and to understand how environmental science issues pervade our lives and gain confidence to understand these issues and make decisions based on your understanding and values. Four environmental issues are examined in some depth: human population growth, loss of biodiversity, climate change, and energy use. Web-related

ENVS 203 Introduction to Environmental Studies: Humanities (4 cr)		Rudestam
This course is a survey of the contribution of humanities disciplines (e.g., literature, intellectual history, religious studies, and philosophy) to understanding the relationship between human beings and the natural environment. Theoretical perspectives covered in the course include the intellectual history of Western cultural attitudes and perceptions of nature, the role of religion in shaping environmental values, Native American perspectives on the environment, and the suggestions of contemporary radical ecology movements – deep ecology, social ecology, and ecofeminism – for revitalizing human relationships with the environment. The last segment of the course examines humanities perspectives on several current environmental issues: wilderness preservation, the Pacific Northwest salmon crisis, population and resource use, and global climate collapse. The course emphasizes the skills of textual and cultural interpretation, value reasoning, and critical inquiry as these are demonstrated in the engagement of the humanities with environmental concerns. This course fulfills the Arts and Letters Group Requirement and is a core course requirement for Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors.

ENVS 410/510 Water Rights and the American West (4 cr) June 16-21		Rudestam
Examines water rights in Eastern Oregon's Deschutes watershed. Explores conflicts over water and innovative approaches used to resolve them. Six-day camping itinerary includes overnight rafting trip; students meet with key stakeholders in the region. Two pre-course meetings (TBA) cover trip logistics and water quality data collection tools and techniques. Course fee is non-refundable and must be paid prior to departure. Prereq: instructor approval. Course fee: $210. Rudestam (see flyer for more information)

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