Lower Division Courses

 

ENVS 101 Introduction to Environmental Studies                         3 Credits

An introduction to the field of Environmental Studies. The course provides an overview of the connections between science, politics, philosophy, history, and ethics regarding nature and the environment. The course urges students to think critically about the relationships between knowledge and judgment, humans and nature, justice and ethics, and natural and human history. Fall.

 

ENVS 102 (BIOL 102) Introduction to Ecology                                         3 Credits

An introduction to the interactions between organisms and their environments.  Topics include responses of organisms to each other and their environments, the physiological ecology of individuals, population dynamics, community structures, and the movement of matter and energy through ecosystems.  The impacts of human activities on these interactions will be considered throughout the course. Spring.

Prerequisites:  BIOL 101

           

ENVS 102L (BIOL 102L) Introduction to Ecology Lab                             1 Credits

Field and laboratory experiments and computer simulations are used to investigate ecological interactions in populations and communities.  The communication of scientific results is also emphasized, including basic statistics, graphical presentation of data, and the preparation of a scientific paper. Spring

 

ENVS 103 (BIOL 123) Human Ecology                                                     3 Credits

A study of the principles of ecology (including population dynamics, diversity, and energy flow) and the impact humans have on the environment. Lab is required. Designed for non-science majors.  Fall, Spring, and Summer II.

 

ENVS 103L (BIOL 123L) Human Ecology                                     1 Credit

See course description for ENVS 103 (BIOL 123). Fall, Spring, and Summer II.

 

ENVS 104 (CHEM 123) Environmental Chemistry                                  3 Credits

 

This course will cover the fundamental principles of chemistry necessary to understand the source and fate of chemical substances in the environment.  Additional topics will be dependent on the instructor but may include the environmental implications of energy utilization; the chemistry of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere; climate change; and pollution and treatment of water sources.  Taken concurrently with CHEM 123L. Spring.

 

ENVS 104L (CHEM 123) Environmental Chemistry                                1 Credit

See course description for ENVS 104 (CHEM 123). Spring.

 

ENVS 110 (BIOL 140) Field Botany                                                           3 Credits

Course includes systematics of flowering plants, plant communities of the Inland Northwest, sight identification of major plant families and selected topics in plant ecology.  A plant collection is required. Two four-hour lectures/lab meetings per week and three, ten-hour field trips on Saturdays. Designed for non-science majors. Summer I.

 

ENVS 110L (BIOL 140L) Field Botany Lab                                              1 Credit

See course description for ENVS 305L (BIOL 140L). Summer I.

 

ENVS 140 (RELI 112) Old Testament and Ecojustice                             3 Credits

Examines the Old Testament in terms of its literary, historical, and cultural dimensions with special attention to the role Earth and all creation plays in the biblical materials. Spring.

 

ENVS 199 (BIOL 199) Conservation Biology                                           4 Credits

Designed for non-science majors, this course fulfills the core laboratory science requirement.  Lectures and laboratory sessions emphasize science as an inquiry based process. Selected topics will be offered each semester. Lab is required. Fall or Spring.

 

ENVS 200 (BIOL 200) Case Studies in Env. Science                             4 Credits

Introduces students to scientific issues and concepts related to environmental problems.  Builds on the concepts covered in BIOL 123 (Human Ecology), BIOL 199 (Conservation Biology), or BIOL 102 (Introduction to Ecology).  Consists of investigations of a number of specific cases, such as: chemical contamination of soils, air, or water; overexploitation of fisheries or other living resources; freshwater availability and quality; habitat conversion, fragmentation, and loss of biodiversity; invasive species; renewable and non-renewable energy sources; and the production and management of waste.  Spring.

Prerequisites:  ENVS 102/BIOL 102 or ENVS 103/BIOL 123 or ENVS 199/BIOL 199 or ENVS 104/CHEM 123.

  

Upper Division Courses

 

ENVS 303 (BIOL 323) Conservation Biology                                           3 Credits

This course covers the biological concepts important for the conservation of natural populations, communities, and ecosystems. Both theoretical and empirical studies will be applied to such topics as: the genetics and ecology of small populations, consequences of habitat degradation and fragmentation, the impact of introduced species, and the ecological value of biological diversity. Spring.

Prerequisites:  ENVS 102/BIOL 102 or ENVS 103/BIOL 123 or ENVS 199/BIOL 199.

 

ENVS 303L (BIOL 303L) Conservation Biology Lab                               1 Credit

See course description for ENVS 303 (BIOL 323). Spring.

 

ENVS 304 (ENSC 481/NURS 490/MTSL 480) Water for Life: West Africa      3 Credits                                        

WATER (West African Appropriate Technology, Education, and Reciprocity) is an interdisciplinary course with a three-part focus: cross cultural training and in-depth study of West African culture, study of health conditions and health promotion in developing countries, and epidemiological research designs and their practical application using appropriate technologies for eradicating water-related illnesses in Benin, West Africa. Students will work in multidisciplinary project teams and use course content as the foundation for developing and implementing educational materials. This course is a service-learning course and addresses issues of social justice in West Africa, including but not limited to health interventions, discussions of contemporary third-world development, and a critical examination of political and economic conditions affecting individual and population health in "periphery" nations.  Summer (Abroad).

 

ENVS 320 (ECON 304) Economics of Environmental Protection          3 Credits

Explores the economic dimensions of environmental topics such as air and water pollution, deforestation, non-renewable resource depletion, recycling, global warming. The course studies the extent of environmental problems and alternative solutions. Fall.

 

ENVS 321 (POLS 317) Ecological Thought and Politics                        3 Credits

This Service Learning course focuses on the writings of seminal figures in American ecological thought, such as John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, and Aldo Leopold. Examines the history and politics of land use and wilderness planning. Class will go on field trips in partnership with the United States Forest Service (USFS) and local environmental groups to learn first-hand about the politics of local land use. Fall.

 

ENVS 322 (POLS 375) Global Environmental Politics                            3 Credits

Unique interdisciplinary examination of the historical, philosophical, and moral consequences of human interaction with the global environment by focusing on the relevant local, national and international governments, national and indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), regimes and industries. Spring and Summer.

 

ENVS 323 (POLS 311) State and Local Government                             3 Credits

Surveys state and local government: intergovernmental relations, finance, state sovereignty, shifts in federalism and social policy, politics of urban and rural regions.  State election systems may be studied for their significant influence over national elections. Fall.

 

ENVS 324 (SOCI 382) Population and Society                                        3 Credits

There are more people on this planet than ever before, and the problems associated with population growth seem to be everywhere. Urban crowding, disease, poverty, ethnic tensions, refugees, illegal immigration, environmental degradation, unemployment, aging and the social security "crisis" are just a few of these troubles. This course introduces students to the study of population and demography to help them better understand these issues.  After learning how to measure and analyze population characteristics and trends, students will explore the relationship between population changes and contemporary social and political issues in the developing regions of the world. Spring.

 

ENVS 325 (POLS 325) Native American Government and Politics      3 Credits

Surveys Native American politics and government today and provides students a sense of the origins and development of Native American government and politics.  Analyzes the role of Native American governments in American inter-governmental relations and develops an appreciation for the capacities and policy goals of Native American governments as well as the social (health, education, and welfare) and environmental circumstances of Native American government and politics. Fall.

 

ENVS 326 (SOCI 383) Environmental Sociology                         3 Credits

This course examines human relationships with the natural environment. It explores how power structures, social morns, ideologies and politics affect our relationship and treatment of the environment. Spring.

 

ENVS 328 (POLS 328) Politics of the Pacific North West                      3 Credits

State and society in the Pacific Northwest: government, parties, reform movements, regionalism, and social forces in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and British Columbia and Alberta. Regional issues such as taxation, health care, urbanization, land use, education, the environment, and resource-based economics are addressed in a comparative Canadian-U.S. context. Fall.

 

ENVS 329 (POLS 329) North American Environmental Policies           3 Credits

Study of local, regional, and international environmental policy, its challenges for not only administration and understanding, but also citizenship and accountability. Topics include water, ecosystem management and sustainability in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Fall.

 

ENVS 333 (PSYC 333) Environmental Psychology                                 3 Credits

An exploration of the interaction between human behavior and the physical environment.  Emphasis on perception, preference, and coping with less preferred environments. Spring.

Prerequisites:  PSYC 101

 

ENVS 340 (HIST 396) History of Yellowstone                                           3 Credits

This course looks at the history of the nation's first national park.  We will briefly examine early native and white activity in the area and exploration and establishment of the park.  We will then look at the evolution of park management, particularly issues of:  the park's mission; staffing and funding; animal management; and tourism.  We will pay increasing attention to environmental issues and controversies, especially concerning elk, bears, bison, wolves, fire, snowmobiles, and increased tourism.   We'll conclude with the state of the park at present and with its place in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.  There will be several required texts, reading quizzes, two or three unit tests, and a paper.  Fall.

ENVS 350 (PHIL 486) Ethics of Global Warming                         3 Credits

Many have described global climate change as the defining challenge of the 21st century, noting that unless dramatic changes are made today, future generations will suffer terrible consequences, such as rising seas, wars over fresh water, tens of millions of environmental refugees, and the extinction of species such as the polar bear. This course will investigate the complex technological, historical, economic, scientific, political, and philosophical issues surrounding this issue. Global warming skeptics are especially encouraged to enroll. Spring and Summer.

 

ENVS 352 (PHIL 452) Ethics of Eating                                                      3 Credits

This course covers a variety of different ethical issues concerning food.  The course looks and the consumption, production, and transportation of food, as well as organic food, GMOs, vegetarianism, and the local and slow food movements. The course also includes reflection on our own food choices and some experiential learning. Summer.

Prerequisites: PHIL 301, or PHIL 301H, or WOMS 237C

 

ENVS 360 (RELI 390) Sacraments for a Just World                                3 Credits

This course is primarily drive by the students' questions that arise from a close examination of the God-given world they inherit and inhabit. As the world's tenants and stewards, the students will readily note that there is much beauty, joy, goodness, and justice - true human and non-human flourishing. The course will be grounded in two basic principles. The first is a rudimentary definition of justice based on the Judeo-Christian tradition: "Justice is fidelity to the demands of relationship." The second is rooted in what Catholic tradition calls the "sacramental principle," which states: "All reality, both animate and inanimate, is potentially the bearer of God's presence and the instrument of God's saving activity on humanity's behalf." Thus, a fundamental and truly sacramental worldview is, first, more broadly interpreted and constitutive of the material creation and the human relationships. Spring.

 

ENVS 370/ENGL 466: Green Rhetoric                                      3 Credits

How do writers draw upon the rhetorical tradition to shape green (and anti-green) discourse?  In what ways can presentations about the natural environment present particular challenges for audiences?  You will develop answers to these and related questions as you identify and interpret rhetorical strategies in academic, civic, and professional communication.  To deepen and apply this knowledge, you will participate in a community service learning project.

 

ENVS 399 Special Topics                                                                          1 to 3 Credits

Topic to be determined by instructor.

 

ENVS 458 (PHIL 458) Environmental Ethics                                            3 Credits

The detailed philosophical study of humanity's understanding of its relationship to the natural environment, concentrating on historically prominent conceptions of that relationship, and the philosophical foundation of the contemporary `environmental movement.' Fall.

Prerequisites:  PHIL 301 or PHIL 301H or WOMS 237C

ENVS 499 Symposium in Environmental Studies                                    3 Credits

This capstone experience is designed to help Environmental Studies students integrate their experience and perspectives and apply them to specific environmental issue. Students will be expected to produce a major written analysis of a current complex environmental issue facing the Inland Northwest. Projects may undertaken by individual students, small groups or even the entire class. Class meetings will involve discussions of background readings, coordination of work on the projects, presentations and critiques of draft reports, and opportunities for students from different majors to share their expertise and perspectives on the issues being investigated. Spring.